The Lobby Fizeaustraat

Located in what was once an accounting firm, The Lobby Fizeaustraat—a favorite among Amsterdamers and visitors from the wider region—has been operating for several years as part of Hotel V. You can do it all here: lounge in the comfortably appointed corner seating area, enjoy drinks at the spacious bar-café, or dine in the eclectically decorated restaurant. There are also spaces available for meetings and events. All of this is located in Amsterdam-Oost, within walking distance of the train station and the ring road. Here, you'll find a regularly changing menu featuring seasonal ingredients. Soon after ordering, the sourdough roll from Bakkerij Mama arrives at the table, accompanied by Kesbeke pickles and cultured butter. It pairs perfectly with the steak tartare, served with kimchi mayonnaise, a 63-degree sous-vide egg yolk, and gherkin. The flat-iron steak, cooked to your preferred medium-rare doneness, is served with potato millefeuille, savoy cabbage, and a robust bay jus. We can't resist and order an extra portion of foie gras. From the extensive wine list, which offers many wines by the glass, we choose a full-bodied Rioja from Gómez Cruzado, poured generously. The service is pleasant, though a touch more personal attention wouldn't hurt. For dessert, we have a delightful panna cotta with coffee meringue and mocha ice cream. So far, so good. The bill is settled smoothly, and we are politely seen out. As it should be.

As part of Hotel V and sister to the同名 restaurant at the Nes in Amsterdam, this establishment is popular with businesspeople, young laptop users, and patrons who really enjoy a good lunch. Spacious, elegantly designed with flair, good...

What a contrast between the exterior of this concrete colossus, a former accounting office, and the interior. The decor of The Lobby, part of the nearby Hotel V, is warm and tasteful. Despite its considerable size, the architect has succeeded in creating an atmospheric interior. The exposed pipes on the ceiling give the restaurant a robust, industrial feel, much like the black room dividers. These elements pair excellently with the herringbone floor, the green and ochre-yellow velvet chairs, and the green velvet benches lining either side of the dining room. There are no table linens. Upon arrival, it is initially unclear where we should check in, and we do not immediately receive attention. Later, we also have to make an effort to flag down the waitstaff when we want to order an aperitif. We have high praise for the food from executive chef Jeroen van Spall, his chef Koen Marees, and their team, though we do have a few critiques. To start on a positive note: both of our main courses are outstanding. Umami plays a central role in both dishes, whether in the vegan combination of pumpkin, XO-dried mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, king bolete, coriander, and ponzu butter, or in the vegetarian creation featuring pointed cabbage, beurre noisette, sesame seeds, and a dark miso beurre blanc. The accompanying wines—a glass of Blaufränkisch from Austrian winemaker Ferdinand Mayr, and Irancy, a Burgundy from Domaine Ferrari made from Pinot Noir—are thoughtfully selected and expertly presented. One of the desserts is truly exceptional: a perfectly executed bread-and-butter pudding with raisins, Arabic coffee, and salted caramel ice cream. Unfortunately, the other dessert lacks finesse: while the combination of carrot cake, rum syrup, blood orange parfait, sea buckthorn berry, and fennel seed meringue sounds intriguing, the parfait tastes nothing of blood orange or rum, and the sea buckthorn berries do not harmonize well in the sauce. The service is pleasant, friendly, and competent. In particular, the host who selects and pours our wines clearly knows his craft.

An always-busy neighborhood restaurant that is part of Hotel V. Both regulars and hotel guests, along with passersby, whether dining alone or in groups, always find this address effortlessly. The interior boasts a retro design with wooden wall paneling, a light wood floor, spherical wall lamps, candlelight, and cutlery with wooden handles. Executive Chef Jeroen van Spall cooks in the open kitchen, following the seasons, while the kitchen brigade dressed in black works tirelessly to ensure the cheerful crowd is promptly served food and drinks. The wine list is impressive, featuring no fewer than 600 labels. The starter is pre-cured cod cooked in a sambal broth, accompanied by raw kohlrabi spaghetti, sweet and sour shiitake mushrooms, and a tempura-fried shiso leaf. A true delight of flavors—spicy, aromatic, fresh, and light. Next comes grilled leeks in melted Barilotto cheese, chopped macadamia nuts, and Vadouvan spice blend. The spice mixture gives the dish a spicy, slightly sweet, and smoky flavor. For anyone who typically swears by meat or fish, this vegetarian dish is a genuine revelation. In the glass, a Domaine de Valensac 2021, Roussillon, a Chardonnay from France. It carries a hint of oak without being too full-bodied, making it an excellent pairing for both the cod and the leeks. The pièce de résistance features gently cooked warm lobster with crispy fries from the Frietboutique, tarragon mayonnaise, and a crisp, fresh butter lettuce salad with vinaigrette and walnuts. We finish with cardamom crème brûlée. Excellent. And so is the value for money. You won’t easily find another gem like this in the heart of Amsterdam.

A beloved address and not just for regulars. The eclectically furnished large dining room with intimate seating areas and an open kitchen is part of Hotel V, and many guests staying there join the table to savor the culinary craftsmanship of executive chef Jeroen van Spall. The menu changes with the seasons and features local ingredients. There is a wide selection of wines, available by the glass as well. The hostess who greets us and leads us to our table stays to serve us throughout the evening, which feels quite special. Soon, generous portions of freshly baked bread arrive at the table with delicious spreadable cultured butter. For the starter, exceptionally fresh albacore tuna with jalapeño dashi, lime, and sweet-and-sour radish arrives, paired with a glass of Gilvesy Rajnai Riesling from Badacsony, Hungary. A lovely pairing. Next comes barbecued kohlrabi with zucchini flowers, enoki mushrooms, sesame, and a lightly spicy miso beurre blanc. It’s a vegetable with the bite of meat, marinated in a distinctive way that delivers a surprising flavor. The farm chicken is also a hit, cooked tenderly alongside tabbouleh, apricot, pea pods, and ras el hanout. There’s still room for dessert, and we indulge in a delicious lemon pie with meringue and passion fruit. A wonderful balance of sweet and sour. No wonder this place is always packed!

From the bustling lobby of Hotel V, we step into the spacious, contemporary restaurant featuring a large open kitchen. It’s a lively atmosphere here, thanks to a vibrant mix of young and old, leisure and business diners, tourists and locals. Our table is framed by plants behind glass. The service is cheerful, professional, and attentive. The once extensive wine list has become slightly more compact, but it still features excellent selections, which host and sommelier Midas van der Meiden presents with expertise. Chef Jeroen van Spall surprises with a starter of succulent harder, served lukewarm and nearly raw alongside a velvety horseradish cream, radish, and a zesty coriander oil. Delicate accents that achieve perfect flavor balance. For the main course, the fish of the day is red sea bass fillet. It comes with creamy sage ravioli that pairs beautifully with a zesty salted lemon sauce, fresh peas, and a pea purée. We finish with a soft almond biscuit accompanied by a crisp white chocolate shard, fresh sweet raspberries, and a creamy Swiss cream. The Lobby is exactly the kind of place you hold close to your heart and happily return to. Bravo!

Een lekkere loungehoek, een grote bar, een café en een ruim opgezet restaurant: The Lobby Fizeaustraat in een notendop. Gastvrijheid mag hier met een hoofdletter geschreven worden. Een vrolijk en hartelijk restaurantteam brengt onmiddellijk koel kraanwater, knapperig vers brood met huisgemaakte kruidenboter volgt daarna snel. Olijfolie extra vierge, zeezout en peper staan voor het grijpen. De inrichting van The Lobby, behorend bij hotel V Amsterdam, is kosmopolitisch. De opstelling van de tafels is ruim, de linnen servetten zijn krakend gesteven en de gasten zijn internationaal. Hier kun je terecht voor lunch en diner en op de menukaart kan naar lieve lust gemixt en gematcht worden. De keukenstijl onder leiding van executive chef Jeroen van Spall is werelds en dat is de kwaliteit van het gebodene ook. Heel fijn dat de wijnkaart goed betaalbare labels bevat en dat je maar liefst vijftig wijnen per glas kunt bestellen. Geen wonder dat het hier altijd druk is. Heerlijk adres om vaak naar terug te willen keren.

A bottle of cool tap water is immediately placed on the table, poured, and refilled. This is quickly accompanied by a basket of crispy fresh bread with homemade herb butter, which gets replenished without being asked for. Extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and sea salt are also provided. What hospitality in this special hotel-restaurant on the outskirts of Amsterdam. The setting is cosmopolitan, tables are generously spaced, linen napkins are stiffly starched, and the guests are international. The kitchen is open and spacious, and the staff clearly enjoy their work in the beautifully renovated 1970s building. On the menu, you can mix and match as much as you like. Appetizers can be ordered as mains and vice versa. You can order à la carte from the set menu options, and you can compose a menu from the à la carte selections. The wines are reasonably priced. It almost seems too good to be true, but that’s exactly how it is. We order a bottle of Champalou Vouvray 2017 Terra Vitis and indulge in a generous plate of corvina ceviche in tiger’s milk, enriched with corn, paper-thin sliced radish, and crispy quinoa. One of the better ceviches we’ve tasted this year. Next, served just as generously, is bonito tataki in (a slightly generous portion of) cucumber gazpacho with smoked mackerel cream, five-spice powder, and a dollop of strained horseradish yogurt. A sophisticated combination of fresh acidity with spicy accents. The main course is a two-part lamb dish: a buttery tender piece of rump in a rich lamb jus, and a small burger made from stew meat. Served with pea tapenade and a small bowl of spiced freekeh. What pure flavors on the plate. Kudos to executive chef Jeroen van Spall and hostess Hester Witte. They truly live up to their slogan: “eat, drink, and enjoy good company.