This post is in collaboration with Stayokay Amsterdam Oost Hostel.
Amsterdam is a city I’ve been dreaming of visiting for quite some time over the past few years. I’ve always thought of myself spending time roaming the canals, eating all the stroopwaffel and riding bikes along the winding pathways. We’d spent so much time traveling to other destinations that it kept falling behind on the travel list.
But it turns out, when you really do want something, you get it all at once. After years of wanting to visit Amsterdam, I found myself there twice within a few months.
On my first visit, it was a proper girls trip away. We stayed central and spent our days exploring plus eating and our nights dancing and drinking – the ultimate girls weekend away.
But on my second visit, it was all about exploring a side of Amsterdam that many don’t get to see. That is, Amsterdam Oost.
The east side of Amsterdam is only a short distance from the centre and reminds me very much of New York’s Brooklyn or London’s Shoreditch. It’s an area that’s filled with locals, independent bars and unique restaurants. It’s a place where twenty and thirty somethings come for a getaway. And I loved it.
So it only makes sense that I should spill my Amsterdam Oost secrets because to be honest, these places are so worthwhile you won’t even need to visit central. First things first, let’s start with where to stay.
In all of my 29 years, I’ve never stayed at a hostel before. I don’t know why I hadn’t before, because my time at Stayokay Amsterdam Oost was brilliant. I don’t know what I was expecting by staying in a hostel – but I will say that it 100% exceeded my expectations and then some.
Where to stay
Stayokay Amsterdam Oost, of course!
Located less than a minute away from the Zeeburgler tram or a 15 minute walk from the train station, Stayokay is a super convenient place to stay and easily accessible to the centre as well as near Amsterdam Oost’s must-sees, dos, and eats.
We checked into a super clean, spacious room on our stay. We were in a private room, which was more my speed. I’m 29, so I’m not in the habit of sharing too much space. But honestly I’m kind of kicking myself for not doing more of this when I was younger. Because it’s an amazing way to save money, stay somewhere safe, clean and reliable and allow yourself more spending money on what you’re doing out and about.
The Stayokay Amsterdam Oost is full of the friendliest bunch as well. Staff couldn’t have been more helpful or accommodating. And that’s not just to me by the way – that’s for everyone staying there.
You also have the option to grab food and drink there too. We had dinner at their restaurant, located in the lobby/bar area, called The 5th. The food was absolutely lovely. Joe had one of the best burgers we’ve tasted in ages and I tried an incredible pizza special they had on (scroll to below). They also usually have quite an extensive menu, but on this occasion their chef was off on a much needed holiday after working tirelessly the past few months – I hear that! So I was still incredibly impressed with the quality while their head chef was away. If that’s quality while they’re gone – when he’s there it must be unbelievable!
Also, make sure to say hi to Ordal and Serge while you’re in the bar or restaurant. They were so seriously lovely in making sure we and everyone else there had a great time. Ordal knew nearly all the guests staying and asked them about their days, what they got up to and always was ready with some further recommendations. She’s literally the epitome of good customer service – and to be honest, I think that’s due to a wonderfully bright personality. And she makes one hell of an espresso martini. So yeah, we came for an affordable hostel stay in a great location but we left knowing that we could rely on incredible food and some of the best customer service we’ve ever had right on our doorstep. I don’t say that lightly.
Now you know where you’re staying, you’ll need a plan of action during your time in Amsterdam Oost!
Where to eat:
Bar Botanique
What can I say except that Bar Botanique was one of the coolest spots I’ve been this year. It’s a millennial’s absolute interior dream and I couldn’t help but fall instantly in love when we walked inside. Filled with plants, velvet and cocktails, what more could we want?
We ended up having a drink at the bar before settling in for dinner. We ordered two pizzas because they looked absolutely fantastic – and they were. It’s an absolute winner and I’d highly recommend a visit. Also, the staff were really lovely here too!
Venkel
The perfect place for a spot of brunch or lunch. Joe actually noticed Venkel as we were walking from the train station to StayOkay. And he said it looked like the kind of place I’d love. He was, of course, right. Again, a wooden interior mixed with a ton of plants. Naturally, I needed to go in. So we went for lunch where I had the most delicious green salad and an iced coffee with oat milk. It’s a 10/10 all around from me.
Bar Basquiat
We stopped in here for a spot of lunch before we headed off to the airport. I had a super delicious salad and Joe went for a very cool looking breakfast. I’d love to tell you what we ordered but this is one of those times I pointed to the menu at one of the salads because I was too awkward to ask for a menu in English. Plus, that’s quite adventurous – trying something 100% without knowing what it is. Can confirm that the food is brilliant and upon further research, you can get things like falafel-stuffed sandwiches and Lebanese pita-style pizzas. Plus, the decor is very cute.
The 5th
As I mentioned before, it’s part of StayOkay Amsterdam Oost – and it’s the perfect spot to grab a bite. Whether that’s going for some nibbles or a full on meal. PS. Please order the cheese sticks with chili sauce. They will change your life. (Joe was on a phone call while I was eating these and I’m not sorry because it meant I got at least one more than he did).
Where to drink:
Brouwerij ‘t IJ
Brouwerij ‘t IJ is a small brewery with big character. After all, it is located in a former bath house and is next door to the De Gooyer windmill (which fun fact: is also the tallest wooden mill in the Netherlands). We stopped in here on our first night in Amsterdam Oost (a less than 10 minute walk to Stayokay).
We drank way too many beers (they were great) and found ourselves among many locals but also lots of Americans which was kind of interesting to me. What can I say, we love visiting places with a lot of character! My favorite beer was the Flink and Joe’s is the Zatte. Try them out!
The Walter Woodbury Bar
We sauntered into this bar as our “last of the night” kind of drinks place. It was a cosy little place that caught our eye as we’d been walking down the street earlier that day. Amsterdam Oost is kind of like that. Places catch your eye as you’re wandering around. For this trip I actually decided not to do too much research ahead of time so that I’d organically explore the area. It’s easy to do. You don’t need to plan too much in advance while you’re there. If you walk around a corner, you’ll immediately see something you like and can pop in. It’s a place for locals and that’s why I fell in love with it.
PS. Amsterdam is a great place for drinking where you eat. All of the foodie spots mentioned above too are excellent spots for drinks. We enjoyed drinks at Bar Botanique, which has a killer bar. And the bar at Bar Basquiat looked wonderful too. Of course, don’t forget The 5th! Best espresso martini.
What to do:
Ride bikes, of course!
You can rent out bikes at Stayokay. It’s actually the one thing that we didn’t do because we ended up walking mostly everywhere. We also had a little bit of rainy weather on the day when we thought we were going to take them out so decided not to. I definitely have it on my list for next time though.
Take a stroll through the parks (or hey, ride bikes there)
Little did I know but Amsterdam-Oost has quite possibly the most greenery in the city! There are three large parks that you can visit: Oosterpark, Flevopark and Frankendael Park. My recommendation is to see Oosterpark.
Visit the Hortus Botanicus
It’s Amsterdam’s oldest Botanical Gardens, over four centuries old! They actually were founded as a means for doctors to find remedies and cures – especially during the time of the plague. I can confirm that it’s a much happier, prettier time visiting the gardens now.
Be sure to take a good walk through the three climate greenhouse. In the greenhouse there are three different zones with different climates, representing the subtropics, the desert, and the tropics.
And if you have time, I’d also recommend taking a book and sitting on one of the benches in their gardens. The perfect way to spend a day. Oh and also, there is a small charge to get in, €9.75.
I think one of my favourite parts of travel is that when you get to visit off the beaten path places. And it’s even better when they’re so easily accessible. Amsterdam Oost is one of those city spots that you definitely need to keep on your radar. Now you know exactly where to stay (Stayokay will hook you up), delicious food and drinks that will take you from an early night to “just one more”, laughing all the way.
Where’s a place you’ve been that was totally off the beaten path but one you fell in love with?! Let me know in the comments below!
Here’s to discovering new places!
Kelly xx
PS. This post has been in collaboration with Stayokay Amsterdam Oost hostel, where we were kindly gifted our stay. But as always, all thoughts, opinions and photographs are mine.