photographing and writing about cities around the world is the best part of my job, hands down. but i admit that it is not always so glamorous. i’m forever lugging a heavy camera around and unfortunately have mixed experiences trying to navigate the most efficient way from one point to another without draining the battery of my phone too quickly.

even when i have help from my wonderful husband – my partner in crime – it can sometimes become a little too much, and i find myself in need of a pick me up. luckily, my list of places to see and things to do always includes at least a dozen coffee places and foodie walhallas. as for amsterdam, i didn’t even get to visit half of them because i was only in town for a day. but boy, did i love the ones i did pop into.

dare i call scandinavian embassy my favorite? i think i will. i loved the cortado i had here, the place was the perfect example of cosy yet sleek scandinavian style, and co-founder rikard andersson – a swedish lawyer turned consultant turned chef – turned out to be an amazing storyteller. i thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the bar, listening to the story behind this place, and hadn’t it been for my lunch meeting around the corner, i would have loved to try their delicious-looking scandinavian-inspired dishes.

but i was set to enjoy lunch a few meters away, at sla. by now you’ve all seen the pictures and perhaps heard the stories – and i am here to tell you it’s all true. the place looks amazing, and the salads – which you can compose yourself – are super fresh. i had a soup myself, and though the portion was more than generous, i enjoyed it to the very last drop. but perhaps my favorite part about lunch was finally getting to meet travel blogger sabine de witte, who is based in amsterdam and is all kinds of lovely.

i took some time for another coffee at caffè il momento, based on a recommendation from margot van der krogt. she has this amazing feed over on instagram, where she shares the coolest spots in amsterdam. and if you have some time, be sure to check out her latest project – the makers amsterdam – where she portrays the city’s creative entrepreneurs. as for il momento – lovely coffee, quirky branding and cosy place. i wasn’t a fan of their cake, so maybe stick to the caffeine at this one.

and last but not least, i had an amazing fresh mint tea at vinnie’s deli – the one place everyone has consistently recommended to me, and for good reason. it was a bit late in the day, so i didn’t have the oomph to take a lot of pictures, so you’ll have to take my word for it (or check out fellow blogger kim’s report). next time i’m in town, i’m so trying their homemade granola.

photos by stephanie duval