Amsterdam Day Trip: Sustainable Dining at Vuurtoreneiland Restaurant
This is the story of how, one of my Amsterdam summertime dreams finally came true! After such a troubling and secluded past year, it was extra special to get dressed up, gather with friends, and trade the busy city for a luxurious meal served in nature.
Vuurtoreeiland (Lighthouse Island) is a unique, sustainable dining experience in Amsterdam. This seasonal restaurant functions without electricity or running water, cooking locally sourced ingredients slowly over open flames and inside a wood-burning oven. With limited availability, tickets go quickly and sell out months in advance...with a bit of luck (and persistence), we finally scored seats.
The cast-iron lighthouse on Vuurtoreeiland has guided ships into Amsterdam's harbor for over 300 years. Today, a family lives on the island year-round, and the Vuurtoreneiland Restaurant only takes place for a few months of the year…
We rode a boat from the Lloyd Hotel on the east side of the city, past Durgerdam, out to the secluded natural island. The boat trip to Vuurtoreeiland takes about an hour each way, and we sipped bubbles and munched on a typical Dutch borrelplank with oudeamsterdamse kaas, my favorite.
Once on the island, we had some time to explore the stunning surroundings. We watched the bees nibble clover, waved hello to the sheep, and watched boats sail past. To my delight, there were plenty of wild blackberries growing all over the island! I ate handfuls of berries and somehow managed not to stain my dress. I can’t resist a ‘zelfplukken’ moment, and this reminded me of my childhood backyard in Chicago that was full of brambles. I would hideout with my coloring books, while stuffing myself with berries galore! Side note: did you know Amsterdam is full of wild foraging opportunities? I’ve picked loads of blackberries, raspberries and more around the city!
Inside the greenhouse, we opened another bottle of bubbles and dined on slow-roasted, locally sourced dishes served hot off the fire. My favorite dishes were the creamy aubergine spread with edible flowers, a delicious seabass, slow-roasted beets, and crisp leak with smoked salt. Before we knew it, our six-course meal was finished, and we hopped back on the boat for a tasty plum dessert and coffee while heading back to Amsterdam.
“This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive.”
I'd also love to try the winter edition of this unique restaurant. I bet it's cozy to dine inside the old fortress cellar by candlelight.
If you've tried other unique, sustainable restaurants in the area, let me know in the comments below!
