Wils

High quality cooking

Located next to the Olympic Stadium, where the Olympic flame was first lit in history in 1928 on the initiative of architect Jan Wils, you will find the eponymous restaurant Wils. Figuratively, the spark of the Olympic flame has leapt to Wils' wood-fired ovens and barbecue: fire is the restaurant's defining signature. SVH Master Chef Joris Bijdendijk, also head chef at RIJKS®, alongside chef de cuisine Thomas Val, craft bespoke multi-course menus in their open kitchen, complemented by an extensive à la carte selection. Sommelier Barbora Peterikova pairs these with exquisite wines, while pastry chef Tania Yabra completes the dining experience with her delightful desserts. The interior strikes a balance between luxury and homeliness, and the terrace is highly inviting. Oven-fresh bread arrives from the bakery located directly beneath the restaurant, served alongside rich, velvety butter. We begin with a cream of wood-roasted peas featuring basil, tomato, and crispy lardo—a deconstructed BLT sandwich. A variation we thoroughly enjoy. Next comes coffee-marinated Japanese hamachi slices, topped with a paper-thin crispy sugar glaze, sambal, pear, and coconut. A delightful interplay of robust flavors. To accompany it, we have an organic, creamy Albariño Attis Lías Finas from Spain in our glass. The barbecued vegetarian oak mushroom holds its own against meat (in both texture and flavor intensity), while the roasted quail with wild garlic and blossoms delivers bold flavors and exceptional tenderness. The knife glides through effortlessly. This exquisite course is paired with a fruity Canadian Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake. Blood orange sorbet served with sweet potato purée and macadamia nuts provides a fitting finale. Thumbs up for the polished and skilled service that turns an evening out into a true celebration. Tip: ask for a brief tour to admire the rooftop garden.

Wils is and remains a unique culinary destination in Amsterdam. The location, atmosphere, and interior already create a truly special setting on their own. The genuine, welcoming team immediately makes us feel right at home in the vibrant atmosphere. And then there's you...

Chefs Joris Bijdendijk and Thomas Val create the most beautiful dishes here, cooked on the barbecue, in the wood-fired stove, and in wood-burning ovens. Upon entering the hip ambiance on the third floor of the Move Mobility Experience Center, we are welcomed with a special sparkling drink: a deliciously refreshing beverage based on fermented kombucha, along with a small skewer snack: smoked carrot with five-spice powder. A fine start. It’s busy with predominantly young guests, and the atmosphere is cozy and bustling. From the à la carte menu, we taste a little masterpiece consisting of thin slices of yellow beet, arranged in an overlapping, tile-like pattern to form a cylindrical parcel. Served with finely sliced fresh apple, almond mousse and crunch, surrounded by a likama jus (a blend of various Eastern spices). Fresh and pure is what this dish is all about. We are equally charmed by the white asparagus with Lambada strawberries, sambal matah, and coconut vinaigrette. A refined combination of flavors that are well-balanced yet have plenty of kick. The youthful service team is well-coordinated under the inspiring guidance of hostess-sommelier Barbora Peterikova. We continue with the main course 'Bara': veal sweetbread, tomatillo, green asparagus, and yuzu. Accompanied by a bara potato croquette and a sauce of lime and green olive oil. A special and intense flavor experience. In the glass, a perfectly matching Fattorie Parri I Chioppi 2020 from Tuscany, Italy. We finish with a fresh corn cream caramel, brown butter ice cream, and passion fruit. And all of this for a bill you rarely come across in the capital anymore. Class!

Wils can be found on the third floor of the Move Mobility Experience Center, located on the south side of Stadionplein in Amsterdam. Fire takes center stage in the impressive open kitchen of executive chef Joris Bijdendijk (also head chef at RIJKS) and his fellow chefs de cuisine, Friso van Amerongen and Thomas Val. At Wils, you will only find dishes prepared on the barbecue, in a wood-burning stove, or in wood-fired ovens, resulting in a subtle smoky flavor. The large dining room, decorated in a modern and highly atmospheric style, is bustling and cheerfully lively. You can keep a close eye on the chefs by reserving a seat at the long bar that runs parallel to the kitchen, or take a spot at one of the many small wooden tables accompanied by comfortable wall benches, complete with loose cushions and light armchairs. The menu offers a choice between the chef's tasting menu of four (lunch) or six courses, alongside à la carte dishes. For an aperitif, there is an approachable, fresh Domaine Dugois Crémant du Jura. Delicious is the pumpkin stewed in olive oil, served with a fresh-sweet foamy mandarin sauce, walnuts, onions, and raisins. Just as tasty are the juicy slices of pork from the wild boar, paired with smoked red pepper and raspberry. We treat ourselves to a glass of Boscarelli 'Sotto Casa' Vino di Montepulciano, served via Coravin—robust and spicy with a pleasant hint of spices. The service pace is perfect, and unlike last year, it is handled with expertise and professionalism. Useful to know: parking is available in the Olympic Stadium parking garage, which is open 24 hours a day.

Executive chef Joris Bijdendijk pays tribute to fire at Restaurant Wils, named after Jan Wils, the architect of the Olympic Stadium who brought the Olympic flame to Amsterdam. At the heart of the restaurant lies a massive kitchen equipped with barbecues, a wood stove, and wood-fired ovens where exquisite dishes are prepared, carrying a subtle smoky flavor. The experience begins immediately upon arrival, with a refreshing glass of house kombucha served to us. Dining takes place either at the expansive bar adjacent to the open kitchen or in the warmly appointed dining room. You are guaranteed a front-row view of the flames and the fire masters, Erwin Oudijk and Friso van Amerongen. We sample crisp, fresh sea bass with grilled artichoke and green asparagus, accompanied by a buttery-soft artichoke cream and a lightly spicy Charentais melon and chili vinaigrette. It is a delicious dish, elevated by its interplay of flavors and textures, and pairs beautifully with a glass of Kerner, a relatively obscure wine from South Tyrol that offers stone fruit notes, well-balanced acidity, and a touch of minerality. Unfortunately, the service lacks polish: tasks are handled sloppily, descriptions are unclear and hard to make out, and the bill contains errors. They need to quickly tighten up these details, as Wils deserves excellence across the board.

Everything, absolutely everything, is excellent about this restaurant located in the immediate vicinity of the Olympic Stadium. The atmospheric dining room is long, featuring seating at the bar – surrounding the open kitchen – and along the windows, with a view of the stadium light towers. There, you sit on benches upholstered in yellow leather, adorned with matching, partly Escher-esque cushions, or on comfortable ochre-yellow and anthracite fabric chairs. The food is simply outstanding: we can only note one minor drawback in the six-course menu, in the form of a slightly too bitter iceberg lettuce mousse. Otherwise, every dish leaving the kitchen of executive chef Joris Bijdendijk – also the man behind RIJKS – is nothing short of a gem. He serves a modern, light cuisine and isn't afraid to experiment, without ever veering into eccentricity. We struggle to decide whether to crown the grilled lamb neck glazed with rhubarb reduction, served with Swiss chard, yellow beet puree, and rhubarb jus, as the highlight of the evening, or if the dessert – black sesame mousse, raspberry sorbet, and crispy seaweed – takes home the top prize. We are equally enthusiastic about the service at Wils. The waitstaff are knowledgeable, friendly, and highly personable. They are relaxed, which fits perfectly with the restaurant's informal atmosphere.