Now, you might have a soft spot for food markets like me. Who doesn’t love doing strawling and chewing at the same time, I know I do. It’s my favourite past-time! Like any other big city in the west, Amsterdam also got stung by the foodbug. We have ‘De Hallen’, a gorgeous overpriced old cable cart storage space, rebuilt into a cinema and food court. We have markets like ‘Rollende Keukens’ with food trucks in hipster-heaven Westerpark. But now, there is a real food court: World of Food. And it’s the most non-pretentious food court I know around this town. Yes my dear foodies, I know you want to read this.
In a land far, far away
Have you heard of the Bijlmer? Probably not. It’s an area outside the ringway surrounding the part of the city that tourists hardly ever exit. The Bijlmer is part of the South-East side of Amsterdam. The area was a social housing project, with high-rise buildings that are typical for the Bijlmer. It is a multicultural area, with over 150 nationalities. It is not known as a ‘good’ neighbourhood among, say, the average middleclass Amsterdammer. But the bad reputation has started to wear thin, as the Bijlmer and it’s local politicians have never seized to stick with their pride of the neighbourhood and it’s potential. A lot of energy has always managed to keep it not only afloat, but has made the neighbourhood improve itself slowly and steadily. And one thing that has always fascinated outsiders, was the food culture. Because what do you get when you stuff 150 nationalities in one area: real good grub.
World of Food
So now the Bijlmer has a food court, and I am sure people from the Bijlmer knew where to get their perfect nasi, coconut cake or mango lassi before the start of World of Food, but us downtown city people did not, unless you knew someone who lived there. I could always imagine the Bijlmer being a great place for food but how do you find those culinary hotspots when you feel like a lost tourist when you walk around? I didn’t even try. That’s why reading about World of Food was such a happy moment for me. Different nationalities, all in one place, without losing the spirit of the Bijlmer. Which means it is situated in an old parking garage, between a highway and a McDonalds. It sounded as fancy as a piece of concrete on a stick. And oh how I wanted to go there.
Simple and real
World of Food. As I said, it’s tucked right at the back of a McDonalds. In an old parking garage, 25 small food stalls sell anything from Surinam, Indonesian, Liberian, you name it. The smoke from one of the bbq-stalls floats freely through the area where high tables invite you to just buy some food and eat wherever. There’s cakes, rice dishes, satay, fried chicken (ofcourse), soups, pizza’s, too much to mention. It’s not gigantic, 25 stalls is not that much after all. But there’s plenty to choose from. The prices are very reasonable and the smells are fantastic. Nothing here is chain or plain: it’s just a real good place to hop into and have a bite. So unless you really, really, really want your sourdough bun with your organic chicken and hand picked lettuce with home-fermented pickles served to you by a bearded college student who rides a bike and owns a Beatles record: do try World of Food. Is it ‘adventurous’? Nah, just unpretentious and easy going. And once that smell of bbq or satay sauce hits your nostrils, you don’t give a damn about sourdough anymore anyway. And you’ll be served with a smile, now how’s that for something new in your culinary experience!
How to get there
Ah, yes, that’s kind of a bummer.* World of Food is not situated right next to a bus stop or tube station. By car, you’ll get there in 20 minutes from the central station, free parking even, oh my lord (they had me at ‘free parking’ really) But by public transport? Ayay. Don’t be discouraged, it’s not impossible at all. You can take the tube to Amsterdam Strandvliet or Diemen Zuid station, but it’s a 20 minute walk from there. Don’t let that stop you now, just make sure you bring your smartphone so you don’t get lost. Check public transport at Googlemaps, and enter Develstein 100 as the address.
When to eat there
World of Food is open daily, just be aware that it is not a hipster commercial food court where every stall will be open al those days. When I was there, on a weekday around 4 pm, half was closed. No, let’s rephrase that: half was open. And it was still a bit quiet, but by the time I left, it was getting pretty busy.
Monday: 12.00 -22.00
Tuesday: 12.00 -22.00
Wednesday: 12.00 -22.00
Thursday: 12.00 -22.00
Friday: 12.00 -24.00
Saturday: 13.00- 24.00
Sunday: 13.00 – 22.00
World of Food
Develstein 100, Amsterdam
Nearby tube stations: Amsterdam Strandvliet or Diemen Zuid
*On Facebook, someone mentioned this:
One can also take Bus 41 from Muiderpoort station and hop off at Dolingadreef OR take the Metro to Verrijn Stuartweg, In both cases only a 5 mins walk.
Thanks Wouter!
