Café Parlotte

In 2020, sommeliers Margot Los and Marjolein Peltzer opened the wine café Parlotte in the Jordaan alongside chef Maarten Pinxteren, and the rest is history. It is a joy to step inside and indulge in a wonderfully cozy atmosphere, exceptional hospitality, absolutely stunning wines, and last but not least: delicious food. Chefs from other restaurants know this better than anyone, especially since Monday evenings see the place filled with industry colleagues. The wine list deserves special mention, which is hardly surprising with two passionate wine experts running the show. Chef Maarten cooks up beautiful accompanying dishes that are distinctly French-inspired. On weekdays (except Tuesdays, when they’re closed), you can come by from four o’clock for a glass (or a beer) with a matching bite. On weekends, the doors open as early as one in the afternoon. For an aperitif, a lovely sparkling Krug Grande Cuvée, served alongside a plate of freshly sliced charcuterie and plump green olives. Next, a heaping plate of vongole with garlic, chili, and fresh coriander, along with thick slices of sourdough bread to soak up all the juices. The crispy-fried octopus with chorizo is also excellent, and we finish off with a piping hot coffee before heading home. Though you'll need to be a bit hard of hearing, unfortunately. The acoustics are just not something to write home about. But that really is the only minor criticism.

In this atmospheric restaurant in Amsterdam's Jordaan, the dining room is consistently packed and buzzes with lively chatter. The service is knowledgeable and smoothly guides you through a diverse wine list that is affordably priced yet still offers room for a special bottle...

A gem in the heart of Amsterdam. Sommeliers Margot Los and Marjolein Peltzer have joined forces with chef Maarten Pinxteren to create a spot that is packed night after night, where you can often see fellow chefs pulling up a chair on Mondays to enjoy a lavish glass of wine from the extensive list, with or without complementary snacks. At Parlotte—which translates to chatting, about the mundane and about life itself—you can head in from four in the afternoon for a drink accompanied by freshly shucked oysters, charcuterie, or a cheese board. From five o'clock, they serve a daily rotating three- or four-course menu inspired by French cuisine. On weekends, the doors open as early as one o'clock. The narrow, corridor-like entrance with its long bar gives way to a slightly wider rear room. The small tables dressed in white linen and the Thonet chairs are comfortably adequate, if not particularly luxurious. But none of that matters, because the atmosphere is fantastic and the food from Maarten’s open kitchen is superb. We begin with an Assailly Avize Grand Cru Brut Nature champagne and savor six oysters. The roasted Baambrugse piglet is expertly prepared, served in succulent slices alongside ribbon-cut pumpkin, tangy capers, and crisp radicchio. Life is truly lovely at Parlotte.

Reservations are a must since Café Parlotte on Westerstraat is always packed. And that’s hardly surprising, given the carefree and pleasant atmosphere in this narrow, French-looking alleyway where sommeliers Margot Los and Marjolein Peltzer, together with chef Maarten Pinxteren, call the shots. From around four o’clock onwards, you can drop by the bar or one of the tiny tables with Thonet chairs for a nice glass of wine, with or without freshly sliced charcuterie, an oyster or two, and a cheese board. At five o’clock, Maarten ties on his apron to serve you a daily rotating three- or four-course menu, which you can enjoy at one of the carefully set tables dressed in white linen. We tuck into toast topped with pan-fried goose liver, followed by a delightful risotto cooked al dente with morels. The generously sliced lamb leg is beautifully tender, served with sweet-and-sour vegetables like radish and bell pepper, along with a green herb salsa. From the extensively curated wine list (how could it be otherwise with two passionate wine enthusiasts?), we choose a Pierre Gonon Les Iles Feray, featuring bold dark fruit aromas, bright acidity, and a long finish. As for the chocolate mousse dessert, we’ll be back for it straight away. Rich, creamy, and pure in flavor. Meanwhile, the bar stays lively, as guests continue to find their way to Parlotte well into the night. We can certainly see why.

Café Parlotte remains just as popular as ever. It’s packed every evening. This is due in no small part to the charm of the friendly sommeliers Margot Los and Marjolein Peltzer, who together with chef Maarten Pinxteren run this welcoming café. The atmosphere is relaxed in the narrow street, which features a dining counter, small tables with wooden Thonet chairs, and towards the back, a slightly wider dining room with linen-covered tables. Wine plays at least an equally important role here as food, and the wine list features nearly four hundred selections, more than a hundred of which can be ordered by the glass. And what’s also great is that you can join from around four o’clock for a good glass paired with a plate of charcuterie, cheese, or another small dish like oysters, toast with pan-fried goose liver, clams with coriander, or something sweet. The restaurant opens for dinner from five o’clock. The three-course menu begins with red mullet fillet, its skin fried until crispy. The piece rests on a seasoned antipasto base with various types of tomato, olives, good extra virgin olive oil, fresh tarragon, and chervil. The Riffel Weissburgunder Trocken Rheinhessen 2020 pairs seamlessly with it. We continue with a generous portion of roasted lamb shoulder accompanied by double-husked broad beans, spring onions, carrots, garlic, and a rich lamb jus. Margot recommends pairing it with a glass of Domaine Leger Bourgogne Epineuil Pinot Noir 2019. Delicious! A fine spot.

Every city truly deserves its own Café Parlotte. From the very first day after opening, this friendly little spot – complete with a (dining) bar, petite French tables paired with wooden wall benches and Thonet chairs, an adjoining open kitchen, and a back room filled with tables dressed in crisp white linen – is always packed. Wine holds a role here just as vital as the food. This comes as no surprise, given that sommeliers Margot Los and Marjolein Peltzer are at the helm. Alongside chef and co-owner Maarten Pinxteren, they nurture this wonderful wine café with an almost unmatched passion for their craft, cultivating a warm, family-like atmosphere that pays dividends in every direction. On the Monday evening of our visit, numerous fellow sommeliers gather to unwind with a bottle of wine and one of the small French plates on the menu. Guests can also opt for a three- or four-course tasting menu. We start with a beautiful aperitif of Vincent Carême’s Vouvray Brut, paired perfectly with flawlessly cooked scallops seasoned with garlic, piment d’Espelette, and fresh coriander. We mop up the juices with crusty sourdough bread. The perfectly roasted cep mushrooms arrive nestled under melting lardo atop frisée, adding a lovely bitter contrast. Honestly, the dish needs nothing else. Paired with it is a bright, well-chilled 2018 Rovellotti Morenico Colline Novaresi. For the beautifully medium-rare duck breast slices served over lentils with sweet onion and fresh artichoke, Margot recommends a Saint-Joseph ‘Les Reflets’ 2016 by François Villard. Joie de vivre! Welcome to Lekker.