Every now and again you discover a really nice new gem in Amsterdam. Where many restaurants in the capital city of the Netherlands can be a bit of a tourist trap, especially in the busy areas, it’s really nice to discover the exceptions.
Box Sociaal is one of those gems. It’s located right next to Amsterdam’s zoo Artis and absolutely worth going too.
The name sounded a bit strange to me at first (it’s inspired by a 1900’s tradition of bringing together the community over good food), but don’t let the name stop you from going there. Once you’ve entered Box Sociaal you’ll understand what I mean. The waiters are one of the friendliest in Amsterdam. If you’re not from here you might find most waiters in Amsterdam quite rude, but the staff at Box Sociaal is the absolute opposite. They welcome you with a positive energy that is very contagious.
Box Sociaal is open for lunch and dinner and their menu is quite extended.
For lunch they have some lighter dishes like a fresh fruit platter or their Bondi Breakfast Bowl which contains fresh strawberries, bananas and oat with organic yogurt.
They also have more heavy items like their Hangover Breakfast Sandwich of which they also have a vegetarian version with grilled Portobello mushroom and halloumi cheese.
Speaking of vegetarian, they have many vegetarian options on the menu. Like this Belshazzar’s Feast; a pig pita bowl with green hummus, grilled asparagus, broccoli and spiced almonds. Optionally you can add an egg or smoked mackerel.
You can also go for the Mortgage on toast pictured above, their smashed avocado sandwich with heirloom tomato and shallot salad served with Dutch goat’s cheese (you can add a poached egg if you’d like).
You can read more about Box Sociaal on their website and check all my Amsterdam favorites on my Amsterdam food page.
