• CLOSED: De Vliegende Schotel - The Flying Saucer

  • (34)
    12

    Closed

  • White Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Organic
Raw
Western
Dutch, Wine

The oldest operating veggie restaurant in town; under current management since 2009. The menu is mostly vegan with a few lacto-veg dishes (with cheese), plus raw food, wheat grass juice, fresh sprouts. Take tram 12 or 14 to Bos on Lommerweg. Relocated from Nieuwe Leliestraat 162 in July 2014. Reported closed, Dec 2017.


Venue map for De Vliegende Schotel - The Flying Saucer
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34 Reviews

First Review by Drago

VroNi

Points +32

Vegan
30 Jul 2017

Very dirty

Everything was very dirty and the interior is arranged pretty unconsiderate. I've never seen such a dirty and messy kitchen at any restaurant before even though there were no other customers! We ordered the chickpea soup which was very watery, the carrot cake was alright and so was the wrap. Unfortunately there were many dishes that were not available that day. Also the glasses and plates looked like they weren't cleaned after being used the last time

Pros: Good public transport connection

Cons: Very dirty and messy, Many dishes not available, Dirty glasses and plates

vegagut

Points +125

Vegan
24 Aug 2016

Unfortunately too dirty...

After the mixed reviews here on HC we had a look ourselves... The place is super dirty, tables and windows not clean, used dishes on the tables although there were no other customers present and the kitchen: OMG! I've been in many places around the world but I've rarely seen something this dirty in messy. We just ordered a Tajine to go because we didn't dare to eat there. The food itself was good but it was impossible to enjoy it after having seen the circumstances it was prepared in. A no go in our opinion.

Pros: taste in principle OK, organic

Cons: super dirty

Maria K.

Points +88

Vegan
13 Nov 2015

Simple food with living room atmosphere

I really like the living room atmosphere of this place. The amount of food you get for the price is good, you will be full afterwards. In general the food is simple but good. If you are looking for a some food inspirations this is probably not the right place for you, but if you wanna have a cozy evening with your veggie friends, go for it. At the cashier I had a glimpse into the kitchen and was shocked how dirty it was. Please, please clean your kitchen!

Pros: Cozy, Good portion, Nice flavours

Cons: Very dirty kitchen

Charlo

Points +13

Vegetarian
23 Jun 2015

A New(ish) Face for an Old Friend

My story is similar to Gudrun's below. I ate a good few times here in the late 90's but gave up on it - too shabby, too unfriendly, too dirty. I heard recently that it had moved so thought to give it another go.

It was much improved while still retaining some of its old school semi-ramshackle vegetarian restaurant atmosphere. It is full of bits of bric a brac, has an open hearth, a cat (fine by me), a table with half done restaurant admin etc. The cook/waiter (fine as it was a quiet, midweek evening with bad weather) was similarly old school and nice and pleasant.

The portions were huge and the food fine without being spectacular. The red house wine was also fine and the Budels beer very nice. It is near my neighbourhood and I will be sure to go back again as I think this sort of restaurant needs to be supported as a balance to the 'image is king' chains that proliferate nowadays.

Pros: Old school atmosphere, Nice chef/waiter, Big helpings

STFro

Points +37

Vegetarian
12 Oct 2014

Not impressed

Had the worst vegetarian lasagna ever, which was not even cheap

Pros: Bio, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cons: Not Tasty, Price

Gudrun

Points +4875

Vegan
31 Aug 2014

Nice

Many years ago when I moved to the Netherlands I discovered "De Vliegende Schotel" in a regular tourist guide, listed as vegetarian restaurant. I did not know "Happy Cow" back then and was happy to find a restaurant called "vegetarian". But after my first visit I decided not to get back - ever. The place was filled with a stench of fish and something else (as bad), the staff was unfriendly (especially after I asked them why a "vegetarian" restaurant served fish), the food was bland and I had to wait for ages...

But I learned that many things changed throughout the last years - a new owner who does not serve fish, a new location... so I decided to give it another chance.

I went there outside of the usual lunch / dinner hours, and so it happened that I was the only guest. The owner was very friendly and explained me the menu which had quite a few vegan options (including carrot cake as dessert). I went for the "Veggie Dish from the Rainforest in Borneo" with tempeh, cashew, cauliflower, green beans with spicy coconut milk. It was quite nice, although not very spicy, in fact I found it a bit bland. The way it looked and was prepared reminded me very much of the few veggie restaurants I have seen in the 70's and early 80s'. Balanced and healthy, but no surprises.

The eclectic interior with chairs and tables painted in bright colors and some nice little details here and there reminds of the 70's and 80's as well. All nice and cozy.

This time I am sure I will come back!

Pros: Healthy food, Friendly owner, Cozy atmosphere

Cons: "spicy" is not "spicy"

SusanPike

Points +13

Vegetarian
03 Aug 2014

Friendly service, great food

We visited just before they moved location in July. Lovely food. Friendly service. Burrito was so tasty! Worth the trip on the tram or by bike!

Pros: Easy going, Friendly , Great food

gcam

Points +29

Vegetarian
26 Jul 2014

Enjoyable meal

varied menu and good portions.

Pros: excellent food, good value, friendly staff

Amy1274

Points +4979

Vegan
20 Jul 2014

Good quality vegan food

This is a fully vegetarian restaurant with a varied, international menu which always includes three or four vegan options. The owner was very friendly and took the time to go through the vegan options, even though these are not marked on the menu, and the current location has a colourful theme and an authentic, welcoming feel; normally I do not like being the only customer in a restaurant, but here I did not feel rushed or under scrutiny. I'll be interested to try the new venue (Admiraal de Ruijterweg 331 (tram 12 or 14 to Bos on Lommerweg)) which opens on August 1st 2014 (current location closes July 26th). The food was delicious and the portion size generous; after one main course I was full, and I particularly liked the number of accompanients – five alongside a dish of curry and bulgur. I tried the wonderful cashew nut curry which cost 13.50 Euros – normal for the area, whilst three courses can be had for as little as 16.50. It's just important to remember that in constrast to some places in Amsterdam which no longer accept cash, this is the only method of payment accepted here.

Pros: fully veggie, portion size, quality

DanielAmaral

Points +707

Vegan
10 Jul 2014

worth a visit

This place is kind of small and cozy, which is awesome. The dishes are well served, but I could use more flavour. I don't remember if it was expensive or not.

VeganTrav

Points +164

Vegan
30 Nov 2013

Lovely veg restaurant hippie Amsterdam style

The place is lovely and cosy, the staff very kind and the food very tasty and healthy. Try the fried seitan as a starter!

Pros: cosy, cheap, tasty

_mayz_

Points +74

Vegan
13 Oct 2013

cute!

This place is on a little residential street and is very cute. Lovely old china and the food was great.

We didn't have a reservation which I think they prefer, but they seated us in the little room next door which was full of old antiques!

Lovely place

PatrickKnight

Points +28

Mostly Veg
22 Sep 2013

Excellent vegetarian food again

Despite some negative comments in other reviews, we had a good evening here. Yes the decor is basic and dated. We arrived about 1800 so our order was taken almost right away, and service was not bad at all. Considering there is only one guy there, assisted by 1 waitress, they do a good job. The seitan starter was very tasty - changed my view on seitan. We had the stamppot - a Dutch potato and veg mash - for main course. Very tasty, as were the selection of salads and accompaniments. And the portion are generous. So - excellent value for money. Would definitely go there again.
On an amusing note, the light switches in the men's loo are hard to find (situated well inside and high up) we saw many poor guys struggling with this.


Updated from previous review on Sunday March 17, 2013

Made second visit now. Not disappointed. Had the Stamppot. Hearty plate of delicious food. And the seitan starter was very tasty. Getting to like seitan now.
Still managed by the same one man and one helper, but the service was good. Yup - it might be a bit slow if they are very full - but it will be worth the wait.
Updated from previous review on Sunday September 22, 2013

Pros: Excellent food, Good value - prices and portions, staff friendly

Cons: Decor a bit tired and dated, Service might be slow if busy

Sioh

Points +21

Vegetarian
20 Aug 2013

Lovely Place

Great, off the beaten track place for well cooked, tasty veggie food - reasonable prices too!

kfletch

Points +57

Vegetarian
16 Mar 2013

Great food

We very nearly didn't go to the Vliegende Schotel (Flying Saucer) based on the reviews I read on Happy Cow. I'm glad I read the reviews. We went NOT expecting swanky decor and brisk service, so weren't disappointed on that score. Let's just say the decor is rustic and the service laid back. Fortunately we had plenty time.
But . . I am SO glad we went. The food was fabulous. They serve tasty down to earth food. It's not inexpensive (around €12 to €14 for a main) but the portions are generous. Note! They do not accept credit cards despite stickers on the door. We shared a starter of fried seitan with a fresh tomato sauce and we each had the Dutch Stamppot main. It's a mixed veg mash with gravy and came with a mix of five different sides. No space for dessert after all that.

Pros: Great food

Cons: Service laid back

Steve_vegan

Points +115

Vegan
12 Sep 2012

Great vegetarian and vegan fare in Amsterdam

After spending a week in Croatia I flew to Amsterdam desperate for a good vegan meal, I went to the flying saucer as it was just around the corner from where I was staying and I am so glad I did. The waitress was very friendly and spoke perfect English, the portions were generous and the food was fantastic. Also there's a great selection of beer. We enjoyed some vegan white wine with our dinner. If I ever return to Amsterdam I will be sure to visit the flying saucer again.

Pros: Food, Beer, Wine

Cons: Vegan menu could be expanded.

Joloco

Points +311

Vegan
17 Aug 2012

Quite liked it

The Vliegende Schotel is a strange place, but not a bad one. It's certainly run-down and looks as much like a junk shop as it does a restaurant, and the other reviewers who speak of a musty smell are certainly correct, though there were no cats to be seen when we visited. It's not at all posh, shall we say.

The lone guy working there was nice enough, but not very communicative. The state of his kitchen wouldn't win any awards, but the food he made was nice! He was helpful with showing us which options on the menu were vegan, and we both had a nice meal there. The portions were large and filling, and came with a nice salad.

Everywhere in central Amsterdam seems expensive, but we both felt it was a little pricey for the state of the place, though the large portions do counter this I suppose.

Take note though - the kitchen closes at 9.30pm, so don't arrive too much after 9pm or you'll be turned away! (Why do veggie places in the Netherlands close so early? All the meaty places are open long after this!)

Pros: good location, large portions, nice food

Cons: musty atmosphere, early close, a little pricey

slithers

Points +701

Vegan
22 Jun 2012

Good food, avoid the "fresh" juice

First, I should say that the owner said they weren't yet open when we came by around 2pm on Sat. afternoon, but he was willing to open for us, so maybe this is normally a dinner place? Anyways, there were several vegan options and my dish was quite good and healthy (lots of veggies), some kind of stew. My dutch friends and girlfriend (omnivores) seemed to like it. My mistake was in getting some kind of fresh-made juice, which was horrible - it was warm on a warm day, the fruit was not very good and there were chunks of other stuff in it and a weird taste, like the juicer hadn't been cleaned all week. I drank it because, well, in Amsterdam, they don't really give you water and I didn't want to make a scene. The atmosphere was charming - lovely antique chairs and a whole back room (by bathrooms) full of antique oddities. Other than my drink, I really liked it here.

Pros: charming atmosphere, healthy/tasty vegan options

Cons: terrible "fresh" juice

misspurpleann

Points +258

Vegan
11 Apr 2012

Good food, alternative & relaxed atmosphere

We went with 4 friends, we all had a Groupon type of voucher for a 3-course meal. The owner preferred that we came during the week. There were only a couple of the tables taken, lots of dishes were on the other tables, the cook/ waiter was all alone, so didn't manage or mind to clean the tables. Another negative point is a smell that lingers in the restaurant, of mold.
We could choose from 5 main dishes as well as several entrées and all desserts. I had a delicious peanut soup, which was quite filling in itself & the Bornea main course: tempeh, string beans in a coconut, very spicy, sauce, served with either millet or some other grain. It was a lot, very filling and very tasty as well.
There were no vegan desserts, so I was offered a tea for dessert, which I found to be very thoughtful of the owner.

All in all, good and tasty food, alternative atmosphere, not recommended for a romantic dinner or for people that are in a hurry.

Pros: quality of the food, size of the servings, lots of vegan choices

Cons: no vegan dessert, moldy smell

bscheld

Points +24

Vegetarian
11 Mar 2012

Mwah

friendly staff, oke choice on the menu, but my pie was a little bit dry and the place is not very cosy (gezellig) and not very clean. At first it looked oke, but wait till you have to use the toilet. you have tot cross an adjoining rook which smells off cats. and is not very inviting. I wont't be going back.

P-chan

Points +74

Vegan
18 Jul 2011

Best lasagna ever!

Although we did have to wait a while for our food and the restaurant looks a bit old and worn, it was a good experience.
The cook was helpful in pointing out what was vegan and could be made vegan.
We received plentiful vegan food at a low price. I can recommend the lasagna!

Pros: tasty, cheap, plentiful

Cons: waiting, old

marieke.head

Points +90

Vegan
26 Jun 2011

Disappointing

I really like supporting vegetarian restaurants and I will usually give places the benefit of the doubt, however I was disappointed by my experience at De Vliegende Schotel. We ordered the aubergine soup (soup of the day) and the fried seitan as appetizers. We found the soup to be good but a bit too salty. I liked the fried seitan but my husband didn't care for it. For the main course I ordered the goulash and my husband order the Bornea curry. My goulash came with sour cream on it (after I was told that it was a vegan option), but they did give me a new one. It was alright but it actually really needed to be served with the sour cream to balance out the flavours. My husband found his curry to be ok, but the vegetables were rock hard (and this wasn't a raw dish) and the curry flavour was somewhat bland. Both meals came with an assortement of small salads, which we both didn't find very tasty (one was even an egg salad which I ate around). We didn't order dessert but I wouldn't have anyway since there wasn't anything vegan on the dessert menu. On the plus side the restaurant stocks really interesting organic/fair trade beer, so we enjoyed those. Also, the service was not as a slow as some of the other reviews indicated. All in all, however, we probably won't go out of our way to go to this restaurant again.

Pros: eclectic atmosphere, good beer selection

Cons: marking vegan items, flavours not balanced

hack_man

Points +23142

Vegan
26 Feb 2011

Fly me to the Moon

One of the most wonderful places I have ever been to. The more cats on the counters the better as far as I am concerned. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and at least 3 gorgeous cats one of which was a totally cute kitten who we had the pleasure of welcoming to our table. The food is excellent with an extensive menu. It's not gourmet but it's well cooked and well presented. The wine list is superbly priced and fully of variety particularly on the red side. We arrived at 20:45 expecting to be late but customers kept arriving well after 21:30 and they were served as normal. Really look forward to going back here again.

Pros: food, portion size, atmposphere

Kristel

Points +34

Vegetarian
05 Feb 2011

Not that good...

We went here on our first day in Amsterdam, with a high expectation after reading the reviews on HappyCow. We didn't have a reservation and it was quite late, but we could still order.
We noticed it was cold in there, and not very clean, with cobwebs hanging on the ceiling, dust on the vase next to our table, 3 cats running around on the other tables and the bar (we did notice cats in every restaurant where we went in Amsterdam)...
The food was fast and hot, but our soup was too thick and much too spicy, as was the main dish. The side dishes that came with the main dish weren't that great either. The chick peas and lentils were ok, but there were 2 sorts of very cold mush that really weren't good at all and clashed with the very hot rest of the food.
The owner was friendly though, and it was very cheap.

Pros: cheap, friendly staff

Cons: the food, hygiene

·X·

Points +17394

Vegan
11 Oct 2010

Flying Saucer

I was starving a few days back and made my way over to Flying Saucer. When I walked in, the place was dead and actually smelled very bad. The guy came out of a side room, where he was smoking, and went through what was vegan with me. Although he was very nice, I just didn't feel right about everything so I opted to go somewhere else - that's a big deal for me because when I'm starving I just deal...but not this time.

aisawesome

Points +127

Vegan
28 Sep 2010

yuck!

This place was my worst meal in Amsterdam and one of the worst meals I've ever had in general! I got the lasagna and it was disgusting, I tried to eat it since I was hungry but it was horrible! Made me nauseated. After reading the good reviews on here for this place now, I'm thinking maybe I just ordered the wrong dish and other food is better there. The service was really slow (the waiter told me it might be a while but I didn't expect it to almost be 30 minutes) AND then while I was eating noticed he and the other girl working smoking in the kitchen! Disgusting!! even if the food is good here, that's enough of a reason to not want to go back.

I'd give 1 star if I could but I guess 2 is the minimum

Pros: nothing

Cons: the food, smoking in the kitchen, place was empty which says something

karunali

Points +52

Vegan
02 Aug 2010

Nice informal restaurant

My friends and i went to the Flying Saucer for a little lunch. I think the main business is in the evening, because, except for us, nobody else was there. The rooms are simple, but colourful and nice. The waitress and the cook were very nice. Most of the ingredients are organic. We took just small dishes like blue nacho chips with guacamole, deep fried seitan and a small salad with goat cheese. The nacho chips and the seitan were vegan. I didn't like the fried seitan, it was very tough, only the tomato dip was very nice. My friend liked the goatcheese-salad very much and the guacamole dip was also delicious.When I'll return to Amsterdam I will visit this restaurant again and order some main dishes. I liked the atmosphere and the nice people, so I'll give the Flying Saucer a second chance.

Pros: healthy cuisine, friendly staff, good value




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