Pllek 🏖️🍔🍹 Amsterdam 🇳🇱

The NDSM neighborhood in Amsterdam’s Noord, formerly among the largest shipyards in Europe, has in recent years blossomed into a creative and cultural hotspot with an expanding offering of restaurants and bars. Think of it as the Low Countries’ take on Brooklyn. When I learned that the hipster haven was home to a beachfront restaurant, I had to check it out.

NDSM

First, let’s discuss how to get to NDSM and Pllek. Make your way to Centraal Station. Once inside, follow the signs to the ferries; this will bring you through the station and across the train tracks onto the water. Locate the next ferry to the NDSM Wharf; you should see a sign counting down the minutes until the next arrival at one of the piers. The ferry is free, bike-friendly, and takes about 20 minutes.

The free ferry to NDSM

You’ll see Pllek on the water as you approach the NDSM Wharf, but it’s actually about a 5-minute walk, and the route isn’t well-marked. Your best bet is to locate it on your GPS, or else simply take a right off the ferry and stay as close to the water as you can. The walk through the seemingly desolate, post-industrial area can be a bit jarring after days spent among the canals and crowds in Amsterdam proper, but that’s a part of the restaurant’s charm. If you see an establishment called ‘SEXYLAND,’ you’re going the right way.

Pllek was built almost entirely from re-purposed shipping containers.

Pllek is best-known for its spot on Amsterdam’s favorite man-made beach, but its stylish interior is nothing to scoff at. The industrial interior stays true to the building’s metallic exterior, with high ceilings and a variety of seating options for groups of all sizes. The deep, luxurious leather sofas looked especially inviting.

One thing that made Pllek feel unique to me was the number of younger people, which included small groups of friends as well as solo creative professionals hard at work in the 2nd floor gallery. It was one of the only bars or restaurants in Amsterdam where I felt that I was not only in the minority as a tourist, but as a 30-something – a welcome change. I visited during lunch on a weekday in early September, so it wasn’t very busy, but I got a sense for the type of cool crowds that Pllek is known to attract on warm summer weekends.

The sand beach has picnic tables, lounge chairs, and hammocks, and even old row boats that have been converted into seating. In the summer months, the beach is host to an outdoor cinema, yoga classes, art exhibitions, a kids’ program, and more.

Pllek’s man-made beach.

Though not exclusively a vegan restaurant, Pllek doesn’t serve dishes with beef or other breeding meets, and all fish is caught wild. The menu is 75% vegetarian (of which 25% is vegan), so carnivores may have some difficulty finding options among Chef Dimitry Muder’s culinary creations. The restaurant also serves locally sourced vegetables, and beer with a ‘social mission’ from breweries that double as social workplaces for self-development.

I had the wild boar burger. The apricots were an unexpected and flavorful touch, but the bun was extremely dry, and no sides were included. Service was terrible; the waitress who greeted me left for the day before taking my order, and it was a struggle to flag somebody down. The food did come out rather quickly, though.

The wild boar burger. Meh.

My honest opinion? Pllek is probably a better choice as hangout spot for drinks with friends than as a dining destination for a solo traveler.