Hotel De L’Europe Is A Premiere Food And Beverage Destination In Amsterdam

Seated directly above the site where the Amstel River splays out into a network of canals, De L’Europe lays claim to several hundred years of history. In fact, this coveted real estate has been home to an inn since the 17th Century. It exists today as Amsterdam’s oldest independent luxury hotel (it’s owned by the very same family who brought the world Heineken beer).

And yet despite the proud past, the property is anything but a relic. It’s doing its best to ensure contemporary relevancy. For evidence, turn to its vibrant food and drink scene. The hotel is now home to four separate venues including Flore, which took home two Michelin stars within a year of opening in 2021. More on that stunning spot later.

First let’s talk about the comforting cornucopia of flavors on offer at Graziella, the property’s designated Italian trattoria. A seasonally expressive list of pasta and carpaccio is plated here to be shared and paired with inventive spritzes, or alongside a large number of Mediterranean-sourced wine by the glass. Tagliatelle with ragù, for example, mixes quite well against an unctuous and effervescent adult beverage made bitter with the addition of Crodino. It’s all served in a convivial space where just about all staff—both front and back-of-house—hails from Italy.

When it comes to craftier cocktails, however, De L’Europe is buoyed by Freddy’s. Here you can choose from about a dozen house specialities, all of which synthesize depth and balance from seemingly disparate ingredients. The New Amsterdam is a case in point, combining aged genever with peated scotch, ruby port, and Beerenburg for something that is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. The current menu reads like the opening credits to a White Lotus episode, adorned by colorful illustrations of jungle flora and fauna. The dimly-lit drinking den takes its name from Alfred Heineken. So, yes, you can get plenty of the local beer on tap, too. And you can expect a soundtrack of live jazz piano, played nightly after dark.

As for Flore, if you want to dine here, you’ll have to line up your reservation well in advance. Head chef Bas van Kranen is overseeing one of the hottest kitchens in town, where “conscious fine dining” equates to an explorative, vegetable-forward menu—and the city’s only Michelin Green Star. You never know what the nightly menu will consist of beyond the ‘vegetable of the moment.’ But you do know that it will set you back nearly $200 per person.

The experience is enjoyed within a cozy dining den, showcasing the familiar canals just beyond its oversized windows. It’s about as classic a view of Amsterdam as you can get. And you’ll get to hold onto it for much longer if you book a stay at De L’Europe, where rooms start at $1000 per night. Later this year a new wing of suites will swing open with art and furnishings curated by some of the Netherland’s most celebrated designers. So even when you’re not eating and drinking memorable fare here, you’ll still receive a feast for the senses all the same.