Cafe Piazza — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Visited Amsterdam for the first time this year (2024). My husband has food allergies and finding dining options that were safe and also delicious was near impossible. I do not have food allergies and was underwhelmed by the vast majority of my dining experiences as it was. We had a free night to explore and I came across Cafe Piazza as an allergen conscientious restaurant and set my sights on giving it a try.

It was a short walk from our hotel in Dam Square, just past the Red Light District. As we approached we noticed it was very small, but wonderfully cozy against a chilly February night. Warm amber light welcomed us in. We did not have reservations, but were seated immediately at a small table on the first floor, near the built in, but unused, fireplace at the back. We nestled among several other tables filled with patrons enjoying food that smelled heavenly. As we sat down we couldn’t help but overhear the British couple next to us absolutely raving about the food. Brits really know how to give compliments, and these flowed nonstop as they finished their meal. The man said it was possibly in the top ten meals of his lifetime. Of course this brought out expectations in us, as our food experiences in Amsterdam up to that point had been disappointing, to say the least.

The waitstaff was immediately attentive, and listened carefully when we described my husband’s food intolerances. Our waitress carefully considered his options, made sure to inform us of all possible ingredient issues, and made a very strong effort to accommodate him.

Bearing in mind the server’s suggestions, we ordered the Caesar salad to split, and my husband ordered the pork entree off of the Gluten Free menu. I ordered the pizza, as many patrons were enjoying it by the looks of it.

As we waited, we deeply enjoyed the intimate atmosphere and jovial demeanor of the other patrons. It was very obvious nobody was complaining.

Once the food arrived, we tucked in with abandon, as we felt confident that my husband could safely enjoy this meal. To say we couldn’t have been more impressed is an understatement. The balance of flavors in every bite was impressive. Everything was prepared and served with utmost care and attention.

To end this perfect meal, we ordered the special chocolate dessert that was safe for my husband, and I ordered the tiramisu. It was the crown upon the head of a dining experience that, as my husband told our server, was the meal that “single-handedly saved Amsterdam” for him.

Absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Amsterdam, and especially anyone who is gluten free. Cafe Piazza is a splendid gem in this...

We had just arrived in Amsterdam. It was really windy, and loads of rain. All our clothes were soaking wet, we were hungry and a little grumpy, maybe? We were just wandering around to find a place that could be cosy for a first night. Keep in mind that my girlfriend has celiac disease and it's important that the food is gluten free.

We came across this lovely little Italian restaurant, with dimmed lights, and smiling staff! We informed the waitress about the allergy my girlfriend has and she was so helpful, they had 4 different gluten free beers to choose from, and that's rare for a restaurant! Very pleasantly surprised. They also had gluten free pasta, which tasted great and had fantastic texture. The pizza I ordered (not gluten free) was also really good. A bit big for a portion sized pizza, so you could probably share one if you're not too hungry!

We stayed for a bit to have a drink after dinner and beers, and I would probably say that I've had better drinks in my life. Very basic, but OK.

A bit pricy, but over all we left with a very pleasant experience and thought it was worth the money. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what we payed (got a little tipsy there at the end), but I remember that my girlfriend mentioned that it was one of the more expensive places we ate during our stay in Amsterdam.

10/10...

Food is not worth the price. Also, I was asked if I had any allergies, I told them I do and they assured me my food would be made without the things I was allergic to. Moments after taking my first couple bites, I found out that was not true and spent the rest of my meal in pain from ingesting what I was assured would be left out of my meal. Other than that, the other food was bland and oily and felt incredibly overpriced. Waiter was nice with myself at least, but other staff was incredibly rude to and short with incoming customers.

Edit: I am allergic to garlic and onions, I specified that to my waiter and asked if the bruschetta could be made without garlic. He said he would ask and I said if it can’t be made without garlic then to not put it on the order. Upon receiving the bruschetta, it looked like it had been made without garlic. However, after a few bites I was able to tell there was garlic because of the stomach pain I began to feel. My boyfriend then tried it and verified that there was in fact garlic in the bruschetta, which I promptly stopped eating and he finished. We were happy to pay for the bruschetta since my boyfriend enjoyed it, however I was not happy with how I felt after eating it having believed it was...