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Vegan food cafe near Dam square. Menu combines Caribbean and Japanese tastes and ingredients. Sample dishes like the house-made vegan burger, quinoa salad, fresh spring rolls, udon noodle, hijiki seaweed salad, and changing vegan cheesecakes and desserts. Beverages offered include fruit shakes, tea, and coffee. Hosts special events. Reported to close an hour earlier than stated times. Open Mon 13:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00, Wed 12:00-15:00, Wed-Sun 17:00-22:00, Thu 13:00-15:00, Fri 12:00-15:00, Sat-Sun 13:00-15:00. Closed Tue.
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19 hs Sint Jacobstraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1012 NC
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- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 09 Sep 2024 by koortje
Update business info -
Added by The Veggie Cook on 08 Nov 2011
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688 Reviews
First Review by ChakaKamaNath
LauraVerbich
Points +82
DELICIOUS & quaint~ - Edit
I love this cute little oasis in the middle of the city, on a very small street. It was super eclectic and had a nice hippy vibe, very relaxing, very causal. I had a big plate of food for 15EURO which wasn't so bad in my opinion! My friend had an onion soup for 3EURO! All in all, tasty food, fairly quick service, almost all the food is organic - I would def go back! Could be spicier, though ;) but thats just me
Read moreGuest
Eepie
Points +1135
Fantastic food - foreign ambience - weird staff - Edit
The food was really really good!! And we didn't pay much at all.
Read moreI would not go there with a big group or when going for something ''chic''.
We were attented by a young boy and girl. The boy was cute, but not so social and the girl didn't seem the care at all. We got the feeling they were the kids of the owner ''forced'' to help with the family business.
Either way, I would definitely return.
Owh, and they didn't have sugar for in the coffee... don't know if that's something standard or they just ran out of sugar XD
Pros: Food is really good, Funny/authentic ambience, Close to the city center
Cons: Waiters are not so social or helpfull, Small place
Guest
RespectKitchen
Points +288
Great cafe - Edit
A lovely small cafe tucked down an alley way.
Read moreFriendly staff and a great list of Japanese and Caribbean dishes to choose from.
Pros: Lots of choices
Cons: On the expensive side
Guest
VickyMan
Points +176
Wonderful! - Edit
The chef is outstanding, he's so down to earth and friendly and cooks amazing food.
Read moretried their burger and curry- both very delicious, cooked so well!, very unique flavours, not mild and not strong- just perfect.
only wish the staff who were serving would be friendlier, the looked sad (esp the girl)
Guest
Qamfu
Points +23
awesome food - Edit
food was great, but waiting time and service were a bit off, especially considering the upper average prices.
Read moreGuest
Myvegandreams
Points +23
nice - Edit
The food taste very nice and the staff is very nice as well! I would definitely recommend you visit this place if you're in Amsterdam!
Read moreGuest
Kulitahu
Points +34
Different, Spicy, Expensive - Edit
Ambiente
Read moreDas TerraZen befindet sich sehr zentral in Amsterdam und ist sehr gut zu erreichen und leicht zu finden in einer charmanten Seitengasse. Der Eingang in das Etablissement ist äußerst ungewöhnlich — lose, in Erde eingelassene Steinplatten zieren das Entree. Ansonsten ist das Interieur bunt gemischt. Die Ausstattung beinhaltet in die Jahre gekommenes retro-modisches Mobiliar, das nicht jedermanns Fall sein dürfte. Auch die Gerüche erinnern nicht unbedingt an ein Restaurant, sondern an die eines Headshops. Pflanzen runden das Arrangement ab.
Bedienung
Hinter der Theke begrüßte uns sehr freundlich und herzlich der Chef. Nach kurzem Smalltalk erläuterte er uns die heutige Menükarte und sprach Empfehlungen aus, welche nicht einleuchtend verständlich waren.
Essen
Wir entschieden uns für Spring Rolls, Sushi mit Avokado und die Vegan Plate. Auf Nachfrage des Chefs, ob die Speisen "spicy" gewünscht seien, drückten wir unmissverständlich aus, dass es auf keinen Fall ("not spicy, please!") erwünscht ist.
Nach kurzer Zeit (ca. 10 Minuten) wurden die Spring Rolls serviert. Die Rolls waren paniert, interessant gefüllt und schmeckten bis auf die Tatsache, dass die dazugehörige Sauce spicy war, sehr empfehlenswert. Wenige Minuten später wurden Sushi und die Plate serviert. Bei den sieben Sushis wurde zwar der Wunsch nach Avokadofüllung missachtet, jedoch schmeckten auch diese anders-interessant. Man sollte allerdings beachten, dass sie mit herkömmlichen Sushi nichts gemein haben (allein die Tatsache, dass sie nicht mit normalem Reis, sondern mit braunem Reis hergestellt wurden). Auch hier wurde an Schärfe nicht gespart. Die Vegan Plate sollte aber noch einmal in Sachen Schärfe einen drauf setzen... die auf der Platte befindlichen Sachen waren ausnahmslos frittiert und aufgrund der Schärfe beinahe ungenießbar.
Preis
Die drei Speisen kosteten insgesamt 36 Euro (ohne Getränke) und waren in unseren Augen nicht gerechtfertigt.
Fazit
- für hygienisch-penible Leute nicht zu empfehlen
- Portionen zu klein
- Essen entweder zu fettig oder zu scharf
Pros: friendly chef, short wait
Cons: price
Guest
aenkelkind
Points +265
delicious - Edit
Indeed, you easily walk past the TerraZen Centre, but once you stepped into this tiny restaurant through a tiny garden (!), you will find some delicious food! Everything looks a bit crappy, but it's very cozy. The chef is nearly always singing to reggae music, and everybody is very friendly. The first day I had the "Vegan Plate" with lots of fake meat (usually not my cup of tea), but it was tasty and crispy. The bread that comes with it was far beyond anything I've ever tasted--so yummy! The next day I was not that hungry, and took the Samosas, very delicious, too, but nothing else comes with it, it's a side dish. My wife ate the TZ Burger, which was not a burger in the commom sense, but very good! The TZ Jamaican Plate was an explosion of taste.
Read moreTo make it short, visit this place, even if the looks may deter you.
Pros: taste, staff, limited seating (if you want to chat)
Cons: expensive, the look of the place, limited seating (if you want to be alone
Guest
Kvein564
Points +28
Best place in Amsterdam for vegan food - Edit
We had to go there twice to try the rest of the menu. First day vegan plate, spring rolls, sushi and chocolate cake. Second day, Jamaican plate, noodles, spring rolls(again), chicken rott wrap. We wanted to try samosa and burger but was so full.
Read moreVery nice relaxing atmosphere, cosy small place. A little hard to find the first time. But the next day, easy. Nice couple running the place. Good service and no stress.
You HAVE to go there!!!
Pros: fantastic food, close to city centre
Cons: a little hard to find
Guest
shutingn
Points +11
lack of service - Edit
Our group of 4 arrived at TerraZen, hoping for good food as reported on Happy Cow. However, we could not bear to stay to order after the service (or lack thereof) at this restaurant. We sat down at a table, and two young ladies came up to our table and asked us what we wanted to order. The menu was written on the blackboard in front of the cashier. We started off by asking them what was in the 'Vegan Plate', as it was not indicated on the blackboard. One of the young ladies explained it in a tone like talking to my teenage spoilt cousin. My friend then asked about the 'Jamaican Plate', and it was like talking to a spoilt teenage princess and repeated the contents of the 'Vegan Plate'. I explained that we wanted to know the contents of the 'JAMAICAN PLATE', and the two waitresses giggled along with the man behind the counter. There was no language barriers, as we all spoke English. The food may be good, but we didn't think the attitude would come with it.
Read moreGuest
roguesby
Points +236
AMAZING - Edit
Everything here was completely delicious!!!
Read moreGuest
KellyJayneJones
Points +36
DELICIOUS!!! went back 3 times in 4 days - Edit
Really friendly and chatty couple (if you want to have a natter). EXCELLENT food, sugar free desserts. Very unassuming little place that was a gem to find! Can't recommend enough.
Read morePros: food top quality, service v good - quick & friendly, funny decor inc. mini zen garden inside!
Cons: perhaps difficult to find
Guest
Nad
Points +26
WOHOOOO That was AMAZING - Edit
Seriously the food is incredible!!! And the staff is super kind and friendly. BEST restaurant ever!!!!
Read moreWe had the spring rolls, the sushi rolls, the curry and the ginger tea. And all the people reading this you have to try the food there. It is simply AMAZING...
Pros: EVERYTHING , FOOD, STAFF
Cons: Nothing!
Guest
melarish
Points +707
Very interesting food! - Edit
I had a bowl of something called "natto", which is a Japanese dish of fermented soybeans. Something I'd never heard of but loved a lot!
Read moreIt's a bit pricey though (~€12-15 per dish) so wouldn't eat there every day.
Also, they can sometimes be closed when it's supposed to be opening hours, so you might want to ring in advance.
Great atmosphere with wall paintings, reggae music and vegan "propaganda" :)
Guest
Franky1985
Points +16
Excellent food with a comfortable atmosphere - Edit
I ate here the last two nights. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is great. The owners are a man from the Caribbean and a women from Japan. We had two combination plates, which were great. We also had spring rolls which were breaded and with a very good sauce. It is a bit expensive, but I think it is worth it. After dinner, the chef even gave us a free drink to enjoy for our walk home. Overall this is a great find, it is a little tricky to find as it is tucked away in an alley but it is worth the extra trouble of finding it.
Read morePros: Great Food, Great Atmosphere, Great Service
Cons: Hard to Find, limited menu, Prices are not clearly displayed
Guest
jennyc32
Points +4592
Nice food, abysmal service - Edit
The food at TerraZen was nice, but probably not worth the struggle it takes to get it. There are no prices anywhere, so the bill was a bit of a surprise - as other reviewers have noted, the setting is neither big nor particularly attractive, so I'd expected the prices to reflect that. We had the combination plate, which had some really well-prepared vegetables, rice and deep fried mock chicken. Everything tasted good. We were told there was only one dessert option (others were given two options), and were served the scrawniest piece of cheesecake imaginable. The centre was nice, but the outer part had no base and was almost frozen. The main problem was the surly attitude of the waitress. We arrived at 7:15 and it was full, so we asked to reserve a table for 8, which she cheerfully agreed to. When we returned at 7:55 and it was full, all she said was "It's not 8 yet", so we hung around for 20 minutes, despite the fact that only 2 people there were actually still eating, everyone else had finished. She made no effort to offer anyone the bill, or offer us a drink while we waited. When we finally placed our order, she told us that we could have ordered while we were waiting. She could have told us that! It seemed like everyone had to make an effort to be served - she wasn't asking if people wanted another drink/dessert/the bill. It was very peculiar service.
Read moreGuest
LeanneV
Points +57
Great food, lovely atmosphere - Edit
The food was absolutely amazing, it was honestly the tastiest food I have ever eaten, we ate there everyday for the 3 days we were in Amsterdam. I had the combination plate, the crispy chicken roti wrap and the crispy chicken burger with roti. I can't recommend this place enough. Fantastic Caribbean/ Japanese food in a friendly chilled out atmosphere, what more could you want?
Read morePros: Delicious food , friendly chef and waiters/waitress
Guest
Ryecatcher
Points +2227
Room for improvement - Edit
Very central but still a bit hard to find. I was there a few days ago. Yes, it is small and sticky and seemed not very hygienic either. For my mixed plate, which was a rather basic, not exiting dish I payed 15 Euro. Even for Amsterdam is was insanely expensive. Besides, there are no prices declared anywhere, regarding both food and beverages, so this came as a surprise to me. I don't want to impute they are ripping off unaware costumers, yet it's tinged with lack of understanding. Apart from that TerraZen have by no means 'moderate' prices. I have to admit though that there was nothing wrong with the taste or quality of the food, that was untainted. Since I had to wait for quite a while (few other guests had to wait even (much) longer although they had ordered earlier than me), back in the hotel my cloths had a penetrating oil smell. The staff seemed a bit overchallenged, some small child scrambled about in the food counter aso. But there were good things too: Reggae music, nice other guests and after all everything is vegan. Still, there is quite some room for improvement.
Read moreGuest
helsinkigoesvegan
Points +57
No prices anywhere - Edit
When you step in it's dirt everywhere cause of the plants inside. The place looks nothing like the pictures. No prices anywhere to be seen and the staff is mostly 10 yo kids that speak bad english. They sell the most expensive brands of water in smallest bottles. Foods for two people cost us almost 45€. The waiters drops forks and knives on the dirty table and the chef handles cash and coins the same time as he's cooking.
Read moreGuest
KobeMangelschots
Points +62
A Guide to dining at TerraZen - Edit
So, after reading a bunch of reviews and visiting the place myself just this weekend, let me tell you how to enjoy TerraZen.
Read moreFirst, make sure you are not too hungry, prepare for it by making sure you are going there for the hunger to come. If it is closed and you give them a call, just hang out in the neighborhood until the time they tell you to. Should be about right. Plenty of things to see in the area, so no reason to stay.
Second, the menu is more like a guideline. Don't busy yourself too much with it, just go with the flow. The chef will take custom orders if you want to (just be a bit specific). Also, this chef just says what he thinks. I like that in people.
Third, ignore the surroundings, the "shabby"-ness of the place. It resembles a squatted place, loosely, both in interior decoration (lol) and mannerisms.
Fourth, it is not called terraZEN for nothing. Don't rush, take your time, talk to people. YOU create the atmosphere you want at this place. Going here and expecting to be served like in a normal restaurant will yield you little results and lots of irritation. Just have an open mind!
Fifth, enjoy the food! It might be pricey, but it is well worth it in my book. Just remember that you are in the center of Amsterdam, and that this might be one of the cheapest places to get some decent food in the evening. Don't know where you are from, but most capitols I've visited are always overpriced. - insert memory of 5€ stale beer at a random pub -
So, if you have the right mindset for this place, go for it! You will not be disappointed!
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 04, 2015
Pros: Great food, ZEN, Attitude of owner
Cons: Waiting time, few chairs
Guest
ViajedeunaVegana
Points +96
A piece of jewel in Amsterdam's city center - Edit
When you enter this place, you wouldn't say the food is going to be as good as it is. The place is small and very simple, but the food has a very high quality. The vegan chicken is is excellent!
Read morePros: excellent food, friendly personal, a bit expensive
Cons: not enough place
Guest
PinkPuke
Points +26
Good food - Edit
The food was really good. The interior is kinda shabby looking, so if you're the kind of person that is bothered by that or by a little mess, don't go here.
Read moreIt's a nice place, not my favourite, but I would totally go back!
Guest
HenningHappyCow
Points +32
not really sure what to think - Edit
First of all: The food is good but the place is not very inviting. We were three people and we asked for a large plate to share. The plate we got was small so I asked for another one and earned a strange look and "I saw u coming in and knew u were sceptical..." That brought a very strange vibe to the whole thing. We payed 39€ for two plate (each 15€ which was basically enough for one person) + 3 drink á 3€. I would like to recommend the place but my overall impression was more negative (what I have being told about my second order + the overpriced plates).
Read morePros: good taste
Guest
Marrakech2014
Points +11
Excellent Food, Good Vibes in the City Center - Edit
This owner run establishment is a breath of fresh air in the City Center. The menu has something for everyone.
Read moreThe owner is very accommodating and takes special requests with an open heart and a big smile.
We felt like we were having dinner at a close friend's house.
We were there for 4 days and ate their for dinner every single night.
Five Stars!!
Pros: Owner Operated, Fresh Produce Daily , Good vibes
Cons: Cant name one
Guest
EndikaW.Bush
Points +187
Nice and different - Edit
I enjoyed my meal at this place. The owner is a friendly man who recommended us the combo plate with rice, veggies, tofu, tempeh, chicken flavoured something... Really tasty and enough amount for a meal. A bit overprized though. Prizes are not written anywhere and i felt a bit surprized when he told me the combo + a drink were 17,5€. Anyway, i'd recommend to give it a try at least once.
Read moreGuest
twoveganlovers
Points +40
not what we expected - Edit
To start, the place looks like anything and certainly not a place to eat. The atmosphere is really bad, there is two poor tables. All is dirty, tables, floor, fridges, cutleries ... There is also a showcase with questionable food, tabacco, cigarrets papers, filters ... We didn’t understand. There is no prices, bad explications. And that’s why we paid 35 euros for two mixed plates. It was fried fake chicken, barbecue sauce ... It was late, we were starving, and the reviews were good. That’s absolutely not what we expected.
Read moreGuest
GardenTiger
Points +267
Trippy cafe - Edit
OK, this place has totally changed over the past years and I'm not sure why. I was there with my partner in December. There were only two tables in there (1 oval and 1 small square). The whole interior is very weird and looks like they combined any furniture they could find randomly. It is a very trippy sort of cafe (exactly the kind of psychedelic joint your usual meat eater/omnivore has in mind when you tell them about a vegan place). To be fair, the food was very good. I had a Tempeh burger and it was delicious and very satisfying, the portion was big. Also the staff was very nice as well. We found the prices also OK. But...this place could be so much nicer and the small space could be used a lot more efficiently - What happened here over the past years?! Seems like there is absolutely no business model or concept behind this. Last but not least...ATTENTION: For some reason they sell "Rivella" drinks (saw them in the fridge) and they are NOT VEGAN. Rivella contains Milk Serum and it even says so on the label...do not drink that if you are vegan. This lead me to rate this cafe with 2 points instead of maybe 3.
Read moreGuest
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