Tired of the grind at your workplace? Go wind down at Bar Kantoor, the West Amsterdam restaurant where elegant office decor meets tasty wining and dining.
This restaurant’s Dutch name literally translates to “bar office”, but don’t let this fool you!
We went there ourselves, and can confirm that at Bar Kantoor, your only job is to eat and drink to your heart’s content. 😉
What is Bar Kantoor?
Bar Kantoor is a sustainable restaurant located in Westerpark in West Amsterdam. It owes its name to the building where it’s housed, a former office of the Westergasfabriek.
Today, the building feels far removed from its past industrial context: it’s an elegant, finely decorated brick construction featuring a big, sunny terrace, ideal for soaking in whatever sunrays Dutch weather allows.
The interior is even more interesting: the furniture is entirely inspired by the building’s former function, in a cosy yet tasteful mix of second-hand pieces. If you observe the bar, for example, you’ll notice it is made of original filing cabinets. 🗄️
The perfect spot for a boozy brunch
Bar Kantoor’s menu is rich and varied, featuring both Dutch classics such as bitterballen and kaaskroketten and international favourites such as hummus and flammkuchen.
All ingredients are 100% organic, seasonal, and prepared with a zero-waste mindset. As we went in late autumn, for instance, we had some delicious pumpkin and feta flammkuchen — highly recommended!
The drinks list reflects the same care for quality and detail as the rest of the menu.
For purely professional purposes, we also sampled some drinks and can definitely recommend the Paloma and Dutch Negroni. 🍸
Join their events, or host your own
Owing to its ample space, Bar Kantoor is also a great event venue.
You can check out the events they organise on their website: from brunches to drag queen disco bingo nights, you will definitely find something that floats your boat or flies your kite (…or moves another metaphorical outdoor sports-related object of your liking).
If not, you can also rent out the space for your own events: from work meetings to birthday parties to weddings, those walls have truly seen it all.
The Library
For a truly exclusive experience, we recommend renting out the beautiful Library.
Yep, you’ve guessed it: as per Bar Kantoor’s usual, it is not a literal library.
Rather, it is a cosy meeting room, perfect for organising an office brunch, for example. After all, business runs smoother when nibbling on a crunchy bitterbal. 😉
Like the rest of the Bar Kantoor spaces, the Library can be booked online as a simple venue or coupled with different catering services.
📍 Location: Haarlemmerweg 8, 1014BE Amsterdam
⏰ Working hours: Daily 7 AM to 9 PM, open until 11 PM on Fridays
💰 Prices: The menu and rent fees can be found on this brochure or on the website
Don’t want the night to end? Stay at the Conscious Hotel
If you’re having a bit too much fun with those Palomas, you can even sleep them off on-site!
We don’t mean simply dozing off on one of Bar Kantoor’s comfy couches: there is a far better option.
Housed in the same building as Bar Kantoor, the Conscious Hotel is a 100% electric, sustainable hotel.
Featuring 89 elegant rooms, it is the perfect place to get a restorative night of sleep, recharge for the day with Bar Kantoor’s delicious breakfast, and set out to explore Amsterdam West.
As Wiz Khalifa put it, Bar Kantoor is the ultimate work hard, play hard, sleep hard location. I’m sure you’ll agree once you see for yourself.
What other hidden gems are hiding out in West Amsterdam? Tell us all about your favourite spots in the comments below.