This is the Costco of the Netherlands…read more You can only enter Makro with a Makro card by scanning the card at the entrance. You're officially allowed to bring along one guest who's not a member. So how do you get a Makro card? If you have a KvK number, Chamber of Commerce number, then you can apply for one for free. At Makro they list everything excluding VAT and under that, in small print, the actual price you'd have to pay. When you do the taxes for your business every quarter, you can apply for a tax rebate on all your purchases (at Makro). Don't have a KvK number? Don't feel too bad. This place is HUGE, yes, but is it really cheaper? Mehh. Most, not all but most, of the things they sell are not (much) cheaper than online shops and/or some actual shops. What is interesting however is the array of food products they have. Lots of options you normally wouldn't see at your regular supermarket. What's even more interesting is that the Makro gas station outside is accessible to everybody, i.e. no card required, and they are open 24/7. In addition to that it is one of the cheapest gas stations in Amsterdam. So if you're visiting Wah Nam Hong across the gas station or the Arena nearby, I highly recommend you fuel up here.

This is a pretty good store for specialty food, baking ingredients, canned food, bottled drinks,…read morecleaning products, some electronics, kitchen tools and office stuff. They also have a lot more like a lot of kinds of cheeses and a lot of types of meat that you cannot find anywhere else. The vegetables aren't that trustworthy (I like my vegetables and fruit to be very fresh) and sometimes they're good sometimes, they aren't. Same thing goes for the fruit. In the refrigerated part, you can find a lot of cooking creams and milk, tubs of yogurt and types of butter so that's good. My favorite part are the teas (they have a lot of kinds and boxes) and the Asian/Italian part with all the All the spices and stuff. it's free grades to find some products that you can't find anywhere else in the city, but I do think that a lot of stuff there is very overpriced. So I only go there when I absolutely need to. Upstairs you can find clothing, shoes (yay for cheap socks), electronics and office stuff. I would not buy from their cheap electronic brands, especially for kitchen stuff. Like brands you have never really heard before, because they are horrible and I have had bad a experience with it. So there's a tip. A bad thing is that there always seems to be mice everywhere. I cannot leave the store without at least seeing one mice once. So I always check if the packages of the products that I'm buying are open or something. Overall it is a great place for me to go buy baking products and kitchen tools, and professional cleaning products and specific thing you might need for the house. My boyfriend also loves going there to buy car cleaning and car related stuff. Just remember you have to be a member to the shop there, and you need to own a business to have a card. But if you don't have that and you know someone who has a makro card, they can take you there as a guest shopper.

This place is so freaking cute it hurts my heart!…read more Unlike other Amsterdam knick knack stores like Pylones or Flying Tiger, Kitsch Kitchen seems to have a) less foot traffic, and b) somewhat of a unifying theme - an obsession with all things Mexico (but...why???). From colorful hand painted ceramic bowls to Dia de los Muertos style figurines, this place has got you covered. Its sections range from stationary to kitchenware to kids stuff to party supplies to furniture - really a dizzying array of things both practical and/or pretty. My favorites have got to be the vintage style posters and drawer liners by the meter - not like I purchased any of these, but looking through these colorful rows or patterns is so much fun! The upstairs is a whole outlet area with discounted stuff, some pretty good bargains to be had! If I ever need a piñata or a painted skull or knockoff Barbie doll clothes or a replica Acapulco chair, I know EXACTLY where to go now!

It might be impossible to be sad at Kitsch Kitchen…read more It is so bright, it'll knock the sads right out of you -- and leave you wanting more, more, more Dutch designs to fill your home, your mailbox, Christmas tree, gift list, kitchen, walls and heart. Luckily I was flying Easy Jet back, or I may have loaded up a trailer or a boat and floated myself back to London on a brightly colored ship with all the doo-dads. ALL OF THEM. Instead I bought a red rooster tape dispenser (10 euros) and a really cute mobile (for a baby boy). I even got 15 percent off the mobile because it was the only one left, and a display model. They offered this without any protestation from me! Great customer service. A very fun shop to pop into. Great to buy a few little things for kids back home, or a statement piece to remind you of the fabulous time you had in Amsterdam. Also, bright umbrellas -- you'll need one here, and in Europe.

Great place to buy items for parties! Everything is laid out rather logically, easy to navigate…read morewith big aisles.

From the owner: Sinds de oprichting van De Kweker in 1968 zijn wij dankzij de waardering van onze klanten…read moreuitgegroeid tot een gespecialiseerde levensmiddelengroothandel met meer dan 25.000 producten. Wij danken ons bestaansrecht vooral aan de kwaliteit van ons brede en diepe assortiment, de kennis en toewijding van onze medewerkers en de loyaliteit van onze klanten en leveranciers; allen professionals in food. De Kweker heeft naast een breed assortiment voor de horeca, met bijvoorbeeld veel aandacht voor exotische producten en een ruim vers assortiment, circa 1000 biologische artikelen in het assortiment en het aantal blijft stijgen. In onze vestigingen in Amsterdam en Purmerend bent u welkom een kijkje te komen nemen. Daarnaast hebben wij ook een uitgebreide bestel- en bezorgservice waarmee we leveren door het hele land.

Trendy/hipster coffee place. There was a line out the door when I came, so it was just as busy…read moreinside. Self-serve water is available inside. It was difficult to hear when my order was ready. The coffee was ok - I personally think this place is overhyped and a bit pricey, but maybe the wholesale/beans is where they get their major points from.

One of my absolute favorite coffee spots in Amsterdam. Amsterdam had some amazing coffee and this…read morewas one of the best ones I tried. The baristas were super friendly and I loved the vibes of their shop. Wish I could come back again but I'm not from the area unfortunately! I bought their beans to take back home with me and it tasted great even with my little at home espresso machine! We love consistency here. A must-try if you are a coffee lover.

From the owner: Liefde voor het ambacht en een echt familiebedrijf, dat is Kesbeke…read more Kesbeke is nog de enige inleggerij van echte Amsterdamse Tafelzuren. Sinds 1999 geleid door Oos, derde generatie Kesbeke. Zijn grootvader, Charles Kesbeke, de grondlegger van het bedrijf, begon in 1948 in een keldertje in hartje Amsterdam, aan het Waterlooplein. Hij was naar Amsterdam verhuisd nadat hij in Zeeland was gestopt met zijn bakkerij. In Amsterdam vond Charles nieuwe mogelijkheden. In tafelzuur, want Amsterdammers bleken daar een grote voorliefde voor te hebben. In dat keldertje werden de eerste augurken en uien gewassen, gepekeld en in glazen potten gepasteuriseerd. Dat pasteuriseren deed hij, bij gebrek aan beter, in vuilnisbakken die hij op de markt en in de omgeving 'gevonden' had. Hij verkocht het zuur vaak ook in de kroeg, hij hield van gezelligheid en een praatje. Charles was goed bevriend met de stokers van de jeneverfabriek in de buurt... en zuur past prima bij een borreltje.