6 of the Best Delivery Services for Foodies in Amsterdam
There was a time when takeaway meant pseudo chow mein from the dodgy Chinese restaurant around the corner, or Turkish pizza from that place down the street with the giant rotating meat stick in the window. Fortunately, times have moved on. We have the internet, for a start. Which – broadly speaking – has led to more choice, a greater appreciation for authenticity, and a range of different pick-up and delivery services that are better tailored to the people googling them.
All this is good news for those moments of laziness in which both cooking and going out to a restaurant are too much effort. Hangover Days, I’m talking about you. And Netflix Days – I’m talking about you, too. And so I present…
Yes, Thuisbezorgd has been going strong for a while – and with pretty good reason. It’s simple to create an account, and the range of cuisine is huge – although it is limited to the usual takeaway suspects: Indian, Thai, pizza, ribs, you get the idea… Thuisbezorgd collects them all in one place and facilitates the delivery process. Of course, you could cut out the middleman, but every time I’ve tried to spell my address over the phone in Dutch with my English accent to another non-native Dutch speaker with (for example) an Indian accent – well, it’s quickly descended into linguistic chaos. Not what you need with that hangover…
Hummus, aubergine and other goodies from De Hummus House – delivered by Thuisbezorgd
Find out more at thuisbezorgd.nl (my favourite delivery options are Top Thai Thuis, Indian Food Express and De Hummus House – I think you can guess which types of food they each serve!). Note from the writer: JustEat.nl looks to perform more or less the same function, but their tagline – “Don’t Cook, Just Eat” – is practically against my religion. So I’ve boycotted them.
For those healthy mid-week days: Cropbox
It’s debatable whether you’re really going to crave vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free boxes of virtue on a Hangover Day, but let’s say either a) you’re one of these sensible, non-fry-up, hungover people; or b) you’re not actually hungover at all but are busy working. Cropbox currently makes up lunchboxes stuffed with greens, roots, nuts, seeds, grains and more that they deliver on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12 and 1 pm for €9 throughout Amsterdam. The day I tried it (disclaimer: for free), my Cropbox included rice-stuffed papaya, Sri Lankan chickpea, spinach and cauliflower curry, roasted root veges, green beans and a sort-of onion bhaji – all dressed with a light coconut dressing. Conclusion: I’ll definitely be ordering it again!
Lunch from Cropbox – perfect for a sunny day on the roof!
Dedicated to bringing you the best, most authentic, highest quality food from Italy, Spain and France, What About Leo sources its products only from locally loved growers and producers. You won’t find their stuff anywhere else (except, of course, if you go and visit them in their respective countries – which is a tad pricey). What About Leo’s assortment currently includes wines (I loved this Cabernet Franc from the north of Italy), meats (I’ve got their smoked duck breast and a tin of rillettes currently sitting in my kitchen making eyes at me), cheeses (try the Parmigiano – to die for), fish, condiments and sweet treats. But as they visit more producers, their assortment changes and expands. Crack open a bottle of wine, cut up some salame and cheeses, and re-create your very own Italian aperitivo in Amsterdam.
Ignore the guy (if you can) and order the salami from What About Leo
For family suppers: Marleen Kookt
I first discovered Marleen in 2014, and then realised she was cooking for half my colleagues at MegaCorp too. Her concept is to create healthy, family meals that are delivered fully prepared but cold; you then warm them up at home in the oven or microwave (she sends instructions with every dish). Orders need to be placed before 11 am on the day you want them delivered – but it’s also possible to pre-order for the coming two weeks. You then choose a 30-minute delivery slot between 4 and 8 pm. It’s been a while since I’ve ordered from Marleen Kookt, but you can read about my initial experience here and a couple of the dishes I’ve tried.
If (like me) you can’t afford to order food all the time, you need my cookbook to spice up your lunch! The print version is the price of a simple meal; the e-book version the price of a craft beer 🙂
For restaurant food at home:Deliveroo
The difference between the Thuisbezorgds and Deliveroos of this world may not be immediately apparent. But the idea of delivery services like Foodora and Deliveroo is that they’re providing food that generally doesn’t tick the takeaway box – it ticks the restaurant box. Which means there are quite a few healthier options (SLA, Juice Brothers and Dr. Blend, for example, are all signed up to the service) as well as favourites like Salsa Shop, Shirkhan and Huf, which it’s nice not to have to leave the house for. If you’re feeling exceptionally lazy, you can even order wine, beer and ice cream! Delivery costs €2.50, waiting times are stated on the site when you order, and the selection of restaurants available depends on your postcode (so don’t kill me if you live in Oost and can’t see the places I’ve mentioned above!).
Food from Asian restaurant Nooch – brought to me by Deliveroo
For local, seasonal produce: De Krat
A crate of beautifully fresh, local, seasonal ingredients brought straight to your door, complete with the recipes for how to cook them. Ok, so it takes a bit more preparation time than the other delivery options in this list, but you still don’t have to leave the house for it. You can order De Krat’s food boxes as a one-off, or get a subscription. A regular crate comes with three meals’ worth of ingredients and recipes, and prices start at €35 per crate. This is food you can feel good about!
