Vegan food cafe near Dam square. Menu combines Caribbean and Japanese tastes and ingredients. Sample dishes like the house-made vegan burger, quinoa salad, fresh spring rolls, udon noodle, hijiki seaweed salad, and changing vegan cheesecakes and desserts. Beverages offered include fruit shakes, tea, and coffee. Hosts special events. Reported to close an hour earlier than stated times. Open Mon 13:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00, Wed 12:00-15:00, Wed-Sun 17:00-22:00, Thu 13:00-15:00, Fri 12:00-15:00, Sat-Sun 13:00-15:00. Closed Tue.
-
19 hs Sint Jacobstraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1012 NC
-
Loading...
-
- Accepts credit cards
-
-
Last update on 09 Sep 2024 by koortje
Update business info -
Added by The Veggie Cook on 08 Nov 2011
-
-
620 Reviews
First Review by ChakaKamaNath
LeanneV
Points +57
Great food, lovely atmosphere - Edit
The food was absolutely amazing, it was honestly the tastiest food I have ever eaten, we ate there everyday for the 3 days we were in Amsterdam. I had the combination plate, the crispy chicken roti wrap and the crispy chicken burger with roti. I can't recommend this place enough. Fantastic Caribbean/ Japanese food in a friendly chilled out atmosphere, what more could you want?
Read morePros: Delicious food , friendly chef and waiters/waitress
Guest
Ryecatcher
Points +2218
Room for improvement - Edit
Very central but still a bit hard to find. I was there a few days ago. Yes, it is small and sticky and seemed not very hygienic either. For my mixed plate, which was a rather basic, not exiting dish I payed 15 Euro. Even for Amsterdam is was insanely expensive. Besides, there are no prices declared anywhere, regarding both food and beverages, so this came as a surprise to me. I don't want to impute they are ripping off unaware costumers, yet it's tinged with lack of understanding. Apart from that TerraZen have by no means 'moderate' prices. I have to admit though that there was nothing wrong with the taste or quality of the food, that was untainted. Since I had to wait for quite a while (few other guests had to wait even (much) longer although they had ordered earlier than me), back in the hotel my cloths had a penetrating oil smell. The staff seemed a bit overchallenged, some small child scrambled about in the food counter aso. But there were good things too: Reggae music, nice other guests and after all everything is vegan. Still, there is quite some room for improvement.
Read moreGuest
helsinkigoesvegan
Points +57
No prices anywhere - Edit
When you step in it's dirt everywhere cause of the plants inside. The place looks nothing like the pictures. No prices anywhere to be seen and the staff is mostly 10 yo kids that speak bad english. They sell the most expensive brands of water in smallest bottles. Foods for two people cost us almost 45€. The waiters drops forks and knives on the dirty table and the chef handles cash and coins the same time as he's cooking.
Read moreGuest
KobeMangelschots
Points +50
A Guide to dining at TerraZen - Edit
So, after reading a bunch of reviews and visiting the place myself just this weekend, let me tell you how to enjoy TerraZen.
Read moreFirst, make sure you are not too hungry, prepare for it by making sure you are going there for the hunger to come. If it is closed and you give them a call, just hang out in the neighborhood until the time they tell you to. Should be about right. Plenty of things to see in the area, so no reason to stay.
Second, the menu is more like a guideline. Don't busy yourself too much with it, just go with the flow. The chef will take custom orders if you want to (just be a bit specific). Also, this chef just says what he thinks. I like that in people.
Third, ignore the surroundings, the "shabby"-ness of the place. It resembles a squatted place, loosely, both in interior decoration (lol) and mannerisms.
Fourth, it is not called terraZEN for nothing. Don't rush, take your time, talk to people. YOU create the atmosphere you want at this place. Going here and expecting to be served like in a normal restaurant will yield you little results and lots of irritation. Just have an open mind!
Fifth, enjoy the food! It might be pricey, but it is well worth it in my book. Just remember that you are in the center of Amsterdam, and that this might be one of the cheapest places to get some decent food in the evening. Don't know where you are from, but most capitols I've visited are always overpriced. - insert memory of 5€ stale beer at a random pub -
So, if you have the right mindset for this place, go for it! You will not be disappointed!
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 04, 2015
Pros: Great food, ZEN, Attitude of owner
Cons: Waiting time, few chairs
Guest
ViajedeunaVegana
Points +96
A piece of jewel in Amsterdam's city center - Edit
When you enter this place, you wouldn't say the food is going to be as good as it is. The place is small and very simple, but the food has a very high quality. The vegan chicken is is excellent!
Read morePros: excellent food, friendly personal, a bit expensive
Cons: not enough place
Guest
PinkPuke
Points +26
Good food - Edit
The food was really good. The interior is kinda shabby looking, so if you're the kind of person that is bothered by that or by a little mess, don't go here.
Read moreIt's a nice place, not my favourite, but I would totally go back!
Guest
HenningHappyCow
Points +32
not really sure what to think - Edit
First of all: The food is good but the place is not very inviting. We were three people and we asked for a large plate to share. The plate we got was small so I asked for another one and earned a strange look and "I saw u coming in and knew u were sceptical..." That brought a very strange vibe to the whole thing. We payed 39€ for two plate (each 15€ which was basically enough for one person) + 3 drink á 3€. I would like to recommend the place but my overall impression was more negative (what I have being told about my second order + the overpriced plates).
Read morePros: good taste
Guest
Marrakech2014
Points +11
Excellent Food, Good Vibes in the City Center - Edit
This owner run establishment is a breath of fresh air in the City Center. The menu has something for everyone.
Read moreThe owner is very accommodating and takes special requests with an open heart and a big smile.
We felt like we were having dinner at a close friend's house.
We were there for 4 days and ate their for dinner every single night.
Five Stars!!
Pros: Owner Operated, Fresh Produce Daily , Good vibes
Cons: Cant name one
Guest
EndikaW.Bush
Points +162
Nice and different - Edit
I enjoyed my meal at this place. The owner is a friendly man who recommended us the combo plate with rice, veggies, tofu, tempeh, chicken flavoured something... Really tasty and enough amount for a meal. A bit overprized though. Prizes are not written anywhere and i felt a bit surprized when he told me the combo + a drink were 17,5€. Anyway, i'd recommend to give it a try at least once.
Read moreGuest
twoveganlovers
Points +40
not what we expected - Edit
To start, the place looks like anything and certainly not a place to eat. The atmosphere is really bad, there is two poor tables. All is dirty, tables, floor, fridges, cutleries ... There is also a showcase with questionable food, tabacco, cigarrets papers, filters ... We didn’t understand. There is no prices, bad explications. And that’s why we paid 35 euros for two mixed plates. It was fried fake chicken, barbecue sauce ... It was late, we were starving, and the reviews were good. That’s absolutely not what we expected.
Read moreGuest
GardenTiger
Points +267
Trippy cafe - Edit
OK, this place has totally changed over the past years and I'm not sure why. I was there with my partner in December. There were only two tables in there (1 oval and 1 small square). The whole interior is very weird and looks like they combined any furniture they could find randomly. It is a very trippy sort of cafe (exactly the kind of psychedelic joint your usual meat eater/omnivore has in mind when you tell them about a vegan place). To be fair, the food was very good. I had a Tempeh burger and it was delicious and very satisfying, the portion was big. Also the staff was very nice as well. We found the prices also OK. But...this place could be so much nicer and the small space could be used a lot more efficiently - What happened here over the past years?! Seems like there is absolutely no business model or concept behind this. Last but not least...ATTENTION: For some reason they sell "Rivella" drinks (saw them in the fridge) and they are NOT VEGAN. Rivella contains Milk Serum and it even says so on the label...do not drink that if you are vegan. This lead me to rate this cafe with 2 points instead of maybe 3.
Read moreGuest
Kau
Points +38
simply amazing - Edit
I was very happy with the service me and my boyfriend got when we visited the place on our latest trip to Amsterdam. We were the only customers during our stay, and the food came very quickly. After reading the reviews I was expecting to wait forever for the food to be ready, so it was a pleasant surprise. We both ordered the vegan plate, which was huge. Neither of us very able to finish the this enormous portion that consisted of rice, some kind of cabbage, tempeh, tofu and vegan chicken. I've never eaten tempeh so great, and the chicken was mouth-watering. The whole price for two portions and one drink was around 30 euros, which I find reasonable since it was probably one of the best meals ever. We will definitely return here.
Read morePros: the food, amazing service, atmosphere
Cons: no prices or the whole menu visible
Guest
tomeri.or
Points +44
Good - Edit
I took the mixed plate with 1 drink. The dish was home-made tasty food but overall it was a bit expensive for just a normal-size plate & a drink (€17)
Read moreGuest
TiniZ
Points +35
Chaotic, small, expensive - Edit
The eatery is located in the center, in a small streey secluded from the main busy streets. There were only 2 tables, each occupies up to 4-5 pp. We shared one table with 4 other guests. There was no menu card, only a black chalkboard with handwritten 4-5 dishes. They refer the "vegan plate" right away, which my partner took, along with a Bionadr. I took a pumpkin soup, along with a green smoothie. My soup came first, smoothie came last. In total, it cost 28 Euro, without a bill!! There were no prices so we didn't expect it to be this much! They had a drink automat selling Bionade and water. There was a glas vitrine separating guests from the bar, selling vegan milk and chips, but it was rather empty. On the wall, there was another glas shelf which sells greeting cards and picture frames... During our stay, a group of people walked in, greeted the cook and walked out. Needless to say that we just felt strange...
Read moreAll in all, food was good, nothing impressive though and really expensive. Everything does not seem in place and little space was not used efficiently. There's a lot of room for improvement.
Pros: Vegetables, Friendly staff, Location
Cons: Chaotic, Very limited menu without price indications, Expensive
Guest
sullivusb
Points +305
Fantastic - Edit
The food here was amazingly good! I was in Amsterdam on business and ate here two of my six nights in town.
Read moreThe owner makes a daily vegan plate that is customized by adding tofu, tempeh, or vegan chicken and rice, roti, or noodles. Both of the daily plates were great, the vegan chicken and noodles were particularly tasty.
The family who owns the restaurant is very nice. The owner / chef even came out and joked that he was "putting extra love in the food".
The wall has a fantastic mural painted on it, but the restaurant only has two tables so takeout could be a good option.
Pros: So tasty, friendly staff, nice mural on the wall
Cons: only a few tables, limited daily menu
Guest
Mochilo
Points +20
Nos ha encantado!! - Edit
Platos del día, todo riquisimo, barato, muy buena experiencia.
Read moreGuest
Shailey4u
Points +16
This is not your corner restaurant. - Edit
If you are looking for a restaurant, and you want to be served...and I mean this in all aspects of the word....then DO NOT GO HERE!
Read moreIf you are looking for great food, fabulous conversation, and a little education and enlightenment. Step right up, pull up a chair.
This is like coming back home to mom's house and she's cooking in the kitchen. Except here it's dad working his magic. I come here to be nourished. I don't ask for anything specifically, I just tell him to make me whatever he wants. Whatever moves him, cook it up, and AMAZINGLY it has always been fabulous. I have read a few of the reviews here about the cost of things at his place, but seriously, good vegan food is hard to find, and maintaining any establishment in Amsterdam ain't cheap!
This place isn't about sitting apart, it's about communal eating. It may throw many people off because we have been fed a stereotype of what a restaurant is suppose to look like. Well, what if you took your mom's kitchen table, you know the old oval one with the leaf insert and put that in as your main eating area. This encourages people to sit and talk to one another, strangers with the same eating habits actually sitting around and talking! Mix in some great island home cooking with a little asian flair and next thing you know you're all talking and eating and SHARING!
I've met people from around the world here from Isreal to Alabama, Texas to Taipei and back again, and it's amazing what seating can encourage people to do. I too was a bit thrown by the atmosphere at first, but some great things come weirdly wrapped. I spend a lot of time in Amsterdam and this is the only place that I eat. Find me sitting at the square table, pull up a chair and lets talk and eat together.
I have been eating here at least twice a week for about a month and the conversations with people are so great and the food is so good I didn't even know until a few days ago that he also has WIFI. It helped out when someone tried to explain ackee and jackfruit to me. Oh yeah, he has that in the kitchen too.
Server yourself your own beverage out of the beverage area, and just wait. you'll be pleasantly surprised. And if you see me, just smile and say hello! :)
So if you're looking for a "you must server me...or a ...have it your way" kind of restaurant... Burger King is around the corner.
Pros: Great food, Easily accessible, It's VEGAN!
Cons: Wish it were a little bigger
Guest
Oliv211_Fr
Points +489
Ambiance rasta pour un repas délicieux et varié :) - Edit
Ambiance rasta en dehors du temps et de l'espace un peu space au premier abord ^^, mais une fois l'immersion effectuée et le plat apporté, que du régal, varié et équilibré :)
Read morePros: Ambiance dans un autre espace-temps, Qualité du plat, Tout vegan
Cons: Cash only
Guest
Marie Watisas
Points +36
cool atmosphere and amazing plates - Edit
the owner welcomed my boyfriend and I so well ! He was really funny and cool guy. there were nobody else in the restaurant as it was a bit late for a lunch, and he made 2 big and delicious homemade plates. For me it was Tofu with a sweet sauce, azuki beans, "roti" (like a big pancakes really good), and some vegetables with delicious topping and sauce. My boyfriend had vegan chicken nuggets, brown rice, vegetables. Everything was absolutely delicious and we want to go back the next time we visit Amsterdam.
Read morePros: excellent food, funny and lovely owner, feel "at home"
Cons: slow service, a bit pricey
Guest
organicmakeda
Points +16
AMAZING FOOD!! - Edit
I went on hols from UK to Amsterdam with my friend and we visited TarraZen. It has a really relaxed atmosphere and very friendly staff. There was so much choice, it took my ages to decide but I had the beans/greens and rice and it was AMAZIN, so good that a few days later my hubby joined me in Amsterdam and we went back for lunch. A 'must-eat' if your a vegi/vegan in Amsterdam, would definitely go back. xx
Read morePros: Excellent Food, Nice Atmosphere, NIce Staff
Cons: Nedd more menus, Faster service, a tad pricey but sooo nice
Guest
ashwinn
Points +787
the love affair is over - Edit
Love the owner and family but things are going downhill for terra Zen. For the second time I arrive and the door is locked. Phone number rings the house, no one knows where the owner is. Strolls over 20 mins later and makes a nice plate of tofu for me. For 17 euros including a drink. Great food, great guy but this business model is not going to fly.
Read morePros: owner
Cons: price , unpredictable hours
Guest
Kyttiara
Points +1160
If only I could go there everyday... - Edit
Great slow food! Everything is vegan, super well-cooked, great atmosphere. Don't go there if you're in a rush. The food is kinda Japanese-cuban fusion it will blow your mind. Really loved it!!!
Read morePros: great slow food, Menu = mouthwatering, nice location, very calm
Cons: a bit slow
Guest
Chnanis
Points +8124
Great Vegan food, Home-cooking, Home-service - Edit
I went to have my meals here many times when I was in Amsterdam, eat-in and also take away. It was like having a meal at a friend's home. Every dish was made fresh & hot from the kitchen with the feeling of home-cooking. Although I ordered some of the same dishes, each time they were not exactly the same, but every time was very good.
Read moreThe owners are such a lovely couple of husband & wife. I can feel that they cooked from their heart. Someone might feel that their service is 'weird'. But as I mentioned, if you expect a five stars or a proper restaurant service, this place is not for you. But if you like home-cooking and simple-friendly atmosphere, I definitely recommend. For me, if I live in Amsterdam, I would regularly have my meals here.
Anyway, one thing you need to be ready for is waiting, it is not very ideal to have a meal or order a take away here if you are in a rush. Just chill out, good food needs some time and they will serve you the best you can get.
Pros: Good taste, Fresh ingredients, Hot dishes
Cons: Quite a long wait
Guest
JonJon
Points +20645
Not really amazing... but good vibe - Edit
I had good expectations about this restaurant (exotic cuisine and 100% vegan) but when I tried it, I was a bit disappointed. Among the negative points were at first the very poor service. We ordered 3 dishes and 1 was forgot even if we were only four people inside the restaurant! At the end, one of our desserts was also forgot. They seem to be really disorganized. They are very friendly nevertheless. The man is a character and funny.
Read moreIn terms of food, I was also a little let down. I ordered the TerraZen main dish that consisted of brown rice, some vegetables and vegan chicken nuggets and tempeh. It was not bad, but it was not amazing. I can do the same home. Moreover, there was no sauce for the rice or the vegetables. It was accompanied with a miso soup that was however really good. But 16,5 euros (with night extra charges) was really to much for that. We also ordered the crispy sushis. They were good, but were served without any soya sauce. Our third dish was a bowl of rice, vegetables and vegan chicken nuggets, also accompanied with a miso soup. It was good and correct for the price (less than 13 euros) but finally rather basic. As a dessert, we wanted to try the chocolate ice cream but they didn't have it anymore. We finally chose the banana cake and the chocolate cake. The banana cake was really good (with a fresh cut banana over it and soy cream) but the chocolate one was a bit dry and rather basic. However, their price was fair.
To sum up, I believe that some dishes are really good whereas other are basic and clearly overpriced, considering taste and service. The place is nice and has a good vibe but you have to be patient, tolerant and accept sometimes overpriced food.
Pros: 100% vegan, menu items, friendly staff, nice vibe
Cons: small, very poor service, overpriced, food rather basic and not impressive
Guest
thetofutravellers
Points +5369
Torn between four and three stars - Edit
This restaurant is well located close to Damrak and the train station, and although it looks very run down, and the furniture can best be called a brave mix, I immediately liked the relaxed atmosphere. The reggae music and the vibe of the place really cheered me up. The owner/chef is quite a character and was very friendly, and I got my meal very quickly. Well, it was the wrong one - I didn't say so, though, because to be honest, I was very hungry, it looked well and I knew it was vegan, so I didn't really care. Of course, this still shouldn't happen and I wonder what the owner would have done if I had told him.
Read moreWhat I got was an avocado and rice dish and it tasted good in a homemade style. Unfortunately, the Matcha Soy Milk I had ordered was really just that - soy milk with Matcha powder, nothing else, not sweetened at all. You can imagine how bitter and disgusting it tasted. The miso soup accompanying the main dish was very good, though. I was also delighted to find chocolate ice-cream on the menu!
Altogether, the meals could be presented in a nicer way and it all could do with a makeover, but on the other hand it might lose its special character then, which would be a pity.
My meal came to more than 16€, which was quite expensive considering what you get.
Because I still somehow liked the place and enjoyed it very much, I am torn between four and three stars, but considering the mere facts, it has to be three.
Pros: Interesting place full of character, Unusual meals, Great location
Cons: Quite expensive, Small size of meals
Guest
MarkHelmy
Points +117
Hit and miss. - Edit
I was in Amsterdam with my girlfrriend in February. We decided to get somthing to eat and after looking on happy cow we settled on the terrazen centre. We found it and straight away it was very odd. It was empty other than one couple and there was no one working there to be seen. We sat down and after a few minutes a man appeared from outside and asked us what we would like? This was a weird question as we hadn't seen a menu. We asked what they had and I eventually went for a vegan chicken katsu curry whilst my girlfriend went for some noodles. He went off to start cooking it and we felt a bit awkward. There was a couple sitting in the corner eating alone and music playing but some how the atmosphere of the restaurant/ caffe was strange. Eventuly the food arrived and whilst my girlfriend devoured her noodles, my "chicken" katsu curry tasted a little too realistic. I know that might sound stupid but it put me off. We finished our meals and paid (it was quite expencive for what it was) Overall it was ok but I don't reckon id be going back. The service was weird/ non existent and there was a strange atmosphere.
Read morePros: Good location, Interesting food.
Cons: Poor service, Strange atmosphere
Guest
Amy1274
Points +4979
I felt like a guest in someone's home - Edit
I visited here with my husband approximately 18 months ago, and whilst the food faulted, in my opinion, it was rather expensive, priced as an upmarket restaurant rather than a cosy cafe. The owner was very friendly, and did nothing personally to make us feel unwelcome, but I still got the feel that we were in the way, because the only other occupants were friends or family of the staff, who were slow to break off the personal conversations to serve us. The small size of the place made this more noticeable. It's very conveniently located, and has a unique menu, but is not my favourite restaurant in Amsterdam.
Read morePros: location, quality of food, unique menu
Cons: price, service speed
Guest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 169093 times.