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.
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19 hs Sint Jacobstraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1012 NC
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Last update on 09 Sep 2024 by koortje
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Added by The Veggie Cook on 08 Nov 2011
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620 Reviews
First Review by ChakaKamaNath
coco_marina
Points +25
Japanese & Caribbean fusion - Edit
It's a rare opportunity to try Japanese & Caribbean fusion, and the food wasn't bad, just a bit odd and slightly pricey. The service however was terrible. It was very hard to understand how the staff could have mixed up our order with someone else's, since the place, at full capacity, only seated 9 people, a modest amount of customers. We also got the wrong bill, and the owners attitude towards us afterwards was rather disrespectful. He didn't apologise or anything.
Read moreGuest
minrathous
Points +109
Not worth it. - Edit
I really wanted to like this place because it's all vegan and close to where I was staying, but I will not go here again.
Read moreFirst thing - it's dirty. The table I sat at had bits of food on the floor, a tablecloth that I'm sure has never been washed or even shaken out - old bits of food all over it, and when I touched it, it felt really grungy.
Second thing, the WAIT. From ordering, it took something like an hour and 20 minutes to get my food. One hour and 20 minutes of awkwardly sharing a table with strangers (who also waited over an hour), trying to stay occupied... the restaurant wasn't even that busy.
Third. The amount they charged was more than on the menu, with no indication of this. The dish I ordered was supposed to come with miso soup but didn't ever get it, but at that point I was so desperate to get out and not wait probably another hour for the soup.
On the plus side, well, the food was reasonably tasty, though it'd be tastier if it weren't seriously overpriced for what it is, and what this restaurant is.
Pros: food is pretty good, all vegan
Cons: dirty, incredibly long wait, small portions/high price
Guest
DanielAmaral
Points +707
love it or hate it - Edit
The guy who runs this place is quite a character. And, for the both times I went there, he was running it all by himself. He takes the orders and prepare the food. I was the first one for lunch for both times and the time I had to wait for the food was about 30~40 minutes. It was a ok time for me, but I was really sad for the people who came later. Some of them were waiting 20 minutes so they could order.
Read moreDespite all that, the food was great and really tasty. The cook does not spare on the spices and everything was delicious.
I would (and want) to come back only if a have a lot of time to wait. If not, I'd go to some other place.
Pros: Tasty, well served
Cons: only one guy running everything
Guest
worldly1
Points +25
We REALLY enjoyed the food - Edit
I had been holding off trying TerraZen due to the mix of reviews, and that there are plenty of other veg places to try that sounded like more of a 'sure thing' for my hard earned euros. In short, we'll be going back. Yes, it's decor was lacking, but we didn't find the place to be dirty. It's very much a little hole-in-the wall. They bill themselves as Japanese-Caribbean which is spot-on. The service was fine and friendly. The food didn't take long to prepare and that was the big surprise. It was delicious. We ordered their 'chicken' katsu which came with a really good miso soup, and their 'chicken' curry. The place could benefit from a sprucing up and getting rid of the large kitchen table, replacing it with a few mores small tables. But, like I said, we'll be going back, and soon.
Read morePros: The food, reasonably priced
Cons: table layout
Guest
lmorgan3
Points +26
Ganja explosion! - Edit
I have been backpacking with a friend through Europe and she conveniently lives outside of Amsterdam and we have been using HappyCow throughout our travels. TerraZen being our first place in Amsterdam to try. We walked in already alert from all the previous reviews about the "dirtiness" of this place, but we were excited to try the food. The second we walked in we were almost pushed right back out the door from the stench of marijuana. I realize it is legal in Amsterdam and without a doubt a scent you smell everywhere and is quite normal but this was overpowering! I'm not one to be bothered by the smell, but this was SO extreme after sitting down reviewing the menu we had to get up and walk out! We were super bummed but I'm not sure we would have been able to taste our food..maybe we'll try again in the near future?!
Read morePros: Friendly Staff, English Menu
Cons: Smell, Dirtiness
Guest
RinaMurray
Points +22
Yummy - Edit
This place is a bit pricey for what you get, but the food was delicious. Service was a bit lacking but it made the experience that much more amusing. Go in with an open mind.
Read morePros: yummy food, you're in Amsterdam!
Cons: pricey for portions, service was slow
Guest
pattieboyd
Points +17
Good Food, ugly place. - Edit
Very good vegan food.
Read moreJapanese/Jamaican mix, that really works.
When you first met this place, you think "what the hell is this??"" Ugly decoration, poor furniture, but a ver good flavor in food!!!
Pros: Grear taste, Lot of dishes
Cons: The Place, Decoration, Dirt
Guest
mcrvegan
Points +46
A unique place indeed! - Edit
After searching a good while for this cafe and eventually finding it (not sure if that's just me!) it was a relief to spend time here. The menu was full of unusual options and plenty of fake meaty goodness. I had a chicken style seitan burger sandwich and ginger beer. It was a fairly quiet time of day but that didn't lessen the lively atmosphere with the chef singing and chatting to regulars. When it suddenly dawned that i didn't have my purse, this was not a problem and it seemed that i could return at my leisure, which i did almost immediately.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Sunday August 04, 2013
Pros: Excellent food, Friendly staff, Intimate size
Cons: Small portions/no sides, A bit pricey
Guest
Vegandelux
Points +55
Vegan spirit - Edit
We had vegan chicken and tempeh, both were very tasty. The chef and the waitress were really nice and friendly. A great place to eat and relax.
Read morePros: excellent food, friendly staff, nice vibe
Guest
ValentinaRitter
Points +30
very good food, not so cozy anymore - Edit
All the times I go there the food is great. The people are friendly and sweet. The waiting time is worth it, just don't come starved, have an apple as all is made fresh.
Read moreThe menu is very varied and the combination of Caribbean / Japanese makes it really exceptional!
In was cozier in the past but now the interior has changed. The venue needs a renovation to say the least.
But don't be discouraged, the outstanding food is fantastic! I still give it 5 stars
and if you compare food prizes in general in Amsterdam, it is NOT expensive. 10.- Euro for a miso soup and bowl with brown rice and tempeh is really good value
Pros: great food, varied menu, central location
Cons: interior looks run down, bit chaotic
Guest
TMcC
Points +65
Tasty food - Edit
I visited TerraZen whilst in Amsterdam this weekend. The restaurant is not fancy, but it is cosy in it's own way. I ordered brown rice, braised tofu and veggies, which was very tasty!! My boyfriend had the veggie curry with roti, but it was a very small portion and quite overpriced for what he received. Overall, the food was good and the chef was super friendly, but it is a tad on the expensive side for what you actually get.
Read morePros: Friendly staff, Tasty food
Cons: Overpriced
Guest
flormadel
Points +290
Chill Atmosphere, Homey Food - Edit
I really enjoyed my time at Terra Zen. It is a bit hard to find if you're not looking for it, but it was a nice discovery. The prices weren't that great, but the food was really tasty. We did have to wait quite a while, but if you're in good company, and not that hungry, you'll be fine. They had really creative and homey dishes, which is hard to find for lunch in Amsterdam. The owner is really friendly, talkative, and is very passionate about his dishes. The place is small, but it has a very chill vibe. Would definitely go again!
Read morePros: nice atmosphere, great service, homey, creative dishes
Cons: waiting time is long, a bit expensive, hard to find
Guest
Fer
Points +600
Vegan close the Dam - Edit
This is a small restauurant, friendly with few tables. Vegan ambient. Good food and price.
Read morePros: In the center of the city, Price, Food
Guest
Gony
Points +60
One of the Best. - Edit
So tasty. You can not do any better. Such special flavors
Read moreAvocado burger and crispy tempeh burger to die for.
Guest
SamiT
Points +39
loved it! - Edit
Great atmosphere and fantastic food. We are in Amsterdam for 3days as part of a month long Europe trip and we agreed that our meal here has been our favorite of the trip. My omni brother and friend loved it just as much as I did. Super friendly staff and great food, what more can you ask for?
Read moreGuest
Happymouse
Points +473
worst restaurant experience - Edit
Excited to find a vegan place (thats not comparable to a restaurant) near the Central Station, we headed there and sat down to look at the menu choices. After about 10 minutes we could order. Another guy sat down at our table. Then the waiting started.
Read moreThe same song was playing over an over. The guy ordered. Waiting. The guy got his food. Waiting. After 45 minutes they asked if we wanted just bread instead of the ordered portion rice which was not yet done (?) but we said we would wait. The owner, calmly smoking a joint in the kitchen, confirmed us it would take 12 minutes. The other guy payed and left. And after another 30 minutes (!) our food arrived. Well, part of it at least.
Unfortunately I didn't like it that much but my boyfriend did so for that we can't make a statement. It was an average meal but not okay if you consider the prices.
A bowl of rice, 5 pieces of veganChicken and a miso soup (with seetang) costs 11€.
Considering all those points, I'd not go there again.
If we would have been looking for a comfortable chill-out on a rainy afternoon, our judgement might not have been so bad.
Pros: apart of the humidity - nice atmosphere
Cons: Waiting 75min for the food, Expensive, same music over and over
Guest
CLRtraveller
Points +9230
tasty food, iffy service - Edit
I’m late with this review. I was in Amsterdam in September 2013. Comments from my first visit to TerraZen:
Read moreGood and varied menu. Mains of curry and rice or roti, €9.80-17.00 (not cheap!), burgers, stews, lentil daal, quinoa salad and other salads, noodle dishes (soba, udon), sushi, miso soup and other soups €7.50, drinks (including hot ginger soymilk, ginger beer, juices), cakes, choco ice cream, fruit plate. I had “crispy tempeh burger” €8.80. Meal took a while to come but was tasty and satisfying. Beware: 10% is added after 6 pm for “night charges”!
Second visit: Not impressed with the service (desultory young woman), and a toddler and others going in and out the door, right beside where I was eating. Delicious soba noodle/vegetable stir-fry topped with a piece of okra. Yakisoba, €9.80. Rather than wait longer, I walked to the back to place my order; details on the menu had to be extracted from the server.
Don’t be in a hurry. The meals take at least 20 minutes or more to arrive, but you know it’s freshly cooked.
Toilet beside the eating space didn’t flush, and there wasn’t any hand towel.
Seating is limited, and what there is includes a low table where you sit on cushions on the floor and two chairs at a window counter beside the door, meaning you and your warm meal are impacted by the cool air. A potential additional eating space was occupied by a sleeping infant.
I'm thrilled to have a vegan eatery, but this place could use some improvements.
Pros: good food, varied menu
Cons: slow service, certain servers need improved attitude
Guest
flash-gordonette
Points +53
Loved it! - Edit
The café was fun to find, tucked up a narrow little side street – I almost walked past it. It was cold outside so it was a relief to walk into the cosy friendly atmosphere of the café. I was welcomed warmly by both the chef/owner and the waitress. The waitress was clocking off but she still took the time to wish me a nice meal and night. I ordered a hot chocolate soya milk and a crispy tempeh burger which the chef made whilst singing along to the same reggae track which seemed to be played on continuous loop the whole time I was there. I couldn't help but smile inside!
Read moreThe hot chocolate was very nice and I enjoyed sipping it while reading my book. I had just finished it when my burger arrived. I’d never had tempeh before, but based on my experience I would definitely order it again. It was indeed crispy, and there were several slices placed on-top of a salad on-top of an extremely yummy brown sub roll. The salad consisted of lettuce, spring onion little sprouted things (like mung beans but smaller), sesame seeds, chunks of a soft fruit-like thing that I didn't recognise and a really tasty sauce. Despite my ignorance towards some of the more “exotic” ingredients, everything worked really well. The burger was crunchy, yet saucy and fresh without ever being dry or drab in taste or texture. I was feeling under the weather but had I been well, I may have asked exactly what I was eating, but what is life without the odd little mystery?
I guess the food did take a little while to arrive at the table, but I was having such a nice time reading and drinking my drink that I didn't mind at all. However the chef still came over and apologised for the wait and explained that he likes to take his time making sure the food was perfect. Mission accomplished, my good man!
I would definitely recommend this cafe ♥ So much so I have written about it in my blog: http://flash-gordonette.com/2013/12/07/21-vegan-las-amsterdam.aspx
Pros: Fabulous tasty cruelty-free food, VAST selection! , Cozy & friendly atmosphere ♥
Cons: Slight wait for food - but not too bad!, Not posh enough to take guests
Guest
mel723
Points +29
Disappointing - Edit
After reading the reviews here, I couldn't wait to go to TerraZen. It was hard to choose something from the menu, because there are so many things, so I randomly picked the 'Rasta Pasta' because it sounded nice, but the waitress couldn't tell me what the dish was.
Read moreMy friend and I both ordered and then the wait started. My friend got his food (vegan chicken and cassave) in about 20 minutes but then it took another 30 for my food to arrive. Although we ordered different dishes, they tasted quite the same (soy sauce). When we wanted to pay, it took another 10 minutes because the waitress couldn't figure out how the till worked. Quite unbelievable.
I might give TerraZen another chance when I'm in the city centre again, but only because of the other positive reviews, which may mean my experience with them was a one-off. Let's hope so.
Pros: lots to choose from, vegan
Cons: slow, food not so special
Guest
MichaelRobinson
Points +3368
Too good to miss - Edit
Having been here earlier this year I had to go back for more. I was on a study trip with Uni so took 3 non-vegetarians with me, 2 ate with me & loved it. They both had the veggie burger while I had the vegan chicken burger, the food took a while but was totally worth it. The place has such a nice friendly atmosphere. I went back on Sunday night but with eleven other students who tagged along, this made the wait for food over an hour, but the food is so delicious it's still worth it. Next time I won't let so many people come with me. On both nights I had conversations with local patrons of this place who were all really cool people. It is a small family operation (two people)but they are lovely, I would definitely eat here again the next time I'm in Amsterdam.
Read morePros: Fantastic fresh & tasty food., Not expensive.
Cons: Waiting time.
Guest
hermey
Points +28
Interesting! - Edit
I read the reviews here before deciding to brave this place. I was expecting something quite manly and it wasn't as bad as I imagined. However I agree with the other reviews: I don't think this would pass any kind of inspection (!) but the staff are lovely, there's lots of choice of food and it is good quality.
Read moreMy meal was rather a surprise. I ordered the vegan chicken burger. It was an open sandwich with something like stir fried sauce and veg over it. Underneath was the 'burger'. The 'chicken' was AMaZING. It was really good. However it wasn't really a burger per se. So just bear that in mind. Next time I would ask for the burger simply with the 'chicken' and roll. The bread roll was good quality though. Afterwards I had banana cake which came with vegan cream. It was so delicious and not too sweet.
Definitely worth a visit. Just be open minded!
Pros: All vegan , Friendly, Tasty
Cons: Very small, Not the cleanest looking place
Guest
vegan_ryan
Points +3869
GREAT food, good atmosphere - Edit
This is a Japanese-meets-Carribean place just off a main street in Amsterdam central area.
Read moreEveryone we met was SUPER nice, the food was amazing, the prices were good - it couldn't be better.
Their hours say that they are open all day, but they close in between lunch and dinner. From 14:30-16:00, they're closed.
We went for lunch one day and dinner a different day. Both times, we really enjoyed it.
Order the katsu chicken bowl!!!
Pros: All vegan, Super friendly
Guest
sugarplumzoom
Points +28
Exactly what I needed - Edit
After a long weekend of less than ideal food, arriving in Amsterdam and dining at TerraZen was exactly what I needed. The service was warm-hearted and helpful in choosing from among the many delicious sounding dishes. I had the crispy tempeh burger (so satisfying) and my companion enjoyed the chicken sweet and sour with excellently prepared seitan. The survival cake was also very good. I highly recommend a visit to TerraZen!
Read morePros: delicious food, friendly staff
Cons: small space
Guest
_mayz_
Points +74
hilariously tasty - Edit
I absolutely loved this place.
Read moreI prob wouldn't have stepped in had it not been on happy cow and am really glad I did. On arrival we walked into an empty shop filled with very loud reggae!
We sat ourselves down and were eventually served by the wonderful owner.
I had the chicken katsu burger and organic cola. We also got spring rolls to start which we re more like crumbed and fried dumplings... They were amazing!
My burger was a taste sensation and the evening was made even better by hearing the cook/waiter/owner singing in the kitchen.
Defiantly recommend
Pros: amazing food , fun atmosphere
Cons: don't go there if your looking for special service, bit slow
Guest
meisterman
Points +80
Only 1 person works there - Edit
Be sure you have a LOT of time to wait around.
Read moreI stopped in, excited to find an all vegan place. It looked empty, but there was one customer ordering at the counter from the Jamaican owner guy. The owner took his order, and disappeared into the back, so I sat down & waited ... and waited. Next I heard him chopping things back there and realized he was still going to have to cut, then cook, etc., so I had to leave.
I was there around 4 pm. I will go back today or tomorrow so I can finally see if the food is any better than the wait.
Pros: All vegan
Cons: Horribly long wait
Guest
ChrisWood
Points +29
Fantastic food! - Edit
Took my meat-eating father here for dinner last night and we both really, really enjoyed our food.
Read moreI had the organic sweet and sour "chicken" roti and my dad had a mixed bean roti - both were really tasty and really hearty.
Only slight negatives were that the service was very slow (though we were there at peak time) and after waiting 30 minutes we were told we would need to wait a further 30 minutes for rice, which we'd originally ordered instead of the roti.
Nevertheless, we're looking forward to returning later in our stay in Amsterdam!
Guest
LaurieXB
Points +38
Fantastic vegan food in the centre of Amsterdam - Edit
My husband and I went to TerraZen Centre for a late lunch yesterday. We had the Teriyaki Tempeh Burger and the "Chicken" Katsu Rice Bowl with Miso Soup. Both dishes were delicious.
Read moreWe were the only guests, which was not surprising for 3pm in the afternoon, and service was friendly and swift. Some reviews mention an issue with the bathroom - we found it to be very clean.
The quality and taste of the food was really outstanding - I would say that this was among the best vegan food I have had in a restaurant in the Netherlands. The place itself is small and somewhat chaotic looking (in a charming way), so definitely more a place for a relaxed group dinner or lunch than a posh meal.
We felt that the food was good value for money by Dutch standards - we have paid a lot more for less good food elsewhere.
We'll definitely be coming back!
Pros: Very tasty food, Central location, Friendly staff & relaxed atmosphere
Cons: Small place - could get crowded
Guest
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