Amsterdam's oldest vegetarian restaurant. Offers international cuisine, pizza, vegan ice cream, juices, raw food, and desserts. Lunch is vegan, gluten-free. Floor seating area on the 2nd leve. Operated by a yoga-teacher couple, the woman is knowledgeable about raw food & nutrition. International staff. Spiritual chanting and music nights. Open Mon-Sun 5:00pm-11:00pm. Kitchen closes 9:30pm.
Categories: Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Indian, International, Western, Juice bar, Take-out, Catering
74 Reviews
First Review by mvanmaasdijk
Contributions +204
Nice food but service a bit hit and miss - Edit
Arrived on a Thursday night, restaurant was busy and the only unoccupied tables reserved. Luckily, a couple was just leaving and so after a short wait, we were seated.
We chose to share the salt & pepper tofu starter and SE Asian curry as a main. In hindsight, we should have just gone with the soup and menu of the day, which was not only cheaper but also quickly brought out from what I noticed. We on the other hand waited almost an hour for our food - not great when you get there hungry already.
Food was very tasty and good selection of vegan and gluten free options.
For a starter, two mains, a glass of wine and large apple juice, the bill came to 60€.
Pricing of the drinks seems a bit strange - I've not been to many places where mineral water or tea is more expensive than the alcohol etc
Pros: Many gluten free and vegan options , Tasty, healthy food
Cons: Service wasn't great on our visit , Pricey
Contributions +829
Good restaurant. - Edit
It's a nice restaurant, place, people, staff and great raw vegan desserts.
The reservation was easy online and you receive a nice welcome when arriving at the restaurant.
It is a vegetarian restaurant, so not everything is vegan, now it is nevertheless well labeled on the menu.
I took:
- Green juice to start with, which was great.
- Japanese avocado & nori tempura as a starter, which was fried and is not really my preferred way of eating, when I asked some further details on the plate, I was told there would be some seaweed in it, which was what made me decide for it.
- Tempeh, peanut & vegetable salad, as a main dish, which was ok, now as a raw food guy, I would have hoped the salad and raw vegetables to be fresher than they were.
- Trio of raw cheese cakes which were all great, now I did find the raspberry the best one.
Overall a good experience.
Pros: Helpful and happy staff, Nice location, Great raw vegan desserts
Cons: None
Contributions +31
Amazing good - Edit
Very friendly people
Well presented food and a fair selection on the menu.
Had a good time here.
Also do vegetarian food but the vegan is well labelled.
Pros: Friendly people , Good location, Amazing food
Cons: Little on the expensive side
Contributions +112
Nice place, central area - Edit
We had pizza (perhaps was a little dry) and an indian menu with interesting spices, that was really good. Also the ambience of the place is nice!
Contributions +59
Disappointing - Edit
Significantly overpriced
Pros: Good vegan options
Cons: Tiny quantities of the more expensive ingredients
Contributions +37
We loved it! - Edit
We are two couples visiting Amsterdam, in search of plant-based food. My husband and I liked it so much, we went back the next night, after our friends had left the city.
The main dishes cluster around Indian, Mexican and Italian (including pizza). The staff were very pleasant and efficient. It is expensive, but great for a splurge.
The first night, we were very hungry. We each ordered a different appetizer - all were delicious and pretty to look at. Three of us ordered Indian main courses, and one ordered risotto. We were very pleased!
My favourites were pakoras and the East Asian curry (that's what I ordered the second night). My husband ordered the vegan, mushroom pizza and it was quite tasty and satisfying.
Contributions +28
good place - Edit
From out side I was drawn in.... Cosy tables and seating. Nice décor . I love the circle of life murals
Pros: mostly vegan options
Cons: high price, needs a better sandwich bread
Contributions +78
Fine, but overpriced - Edit
The overall eating experience wasn't bad. The mains were well prepared and the portions were decent. Only a few options from the menu are vegan (but most of them are deep-fried, which we find not so appealing). The biggest disappointement was the raw cheesecake – not that good and in fact a very small slice for a ridiculous price. Hard to recommend it when there are many other great options for vegan food in Amsterdam.
Pros: Fine selection of Indian food
Cons: Overpriced, Too many deep-fried dishes, Not that many appealing vegan options
Contributions +20
Perfect! - Edit
Great ambience and fabulous healthy vegan food.
Contributions +13
Golden Temple - Edit
Slechte vegetarische restaurant ooit. Veel ophef over dit al 20jaar bestaande restaurant. Maar beiden echt zelden zo smakeloos gegeten. Echt heel jammer. We wilden er al heel erg lang heen, vanwege de goede resencies, maar wij snappen beiden de ophef over dit restaurant niet. Wij koken zelf 1000 keer beter. Gelukkig zijn er nog genoeg andere vegetarische/Vegan restaurantjes in Amsterdam, die het wel snappen. Zoals Meatless District, Spirit en Dophert, bijvoorbeeld.
Pros: Non, Non, Non
Cons: Smakeloos , Prijs te hoog, Heel kleine porties
Contributions +23
Fantastic food, Surly service! - Edit
I reserved a table at the golden temple also saying we would need chairs due to older family members joining me for dinner. Upon arrival I was greeted by a young Dutch waitress who didn't know we had a reservation and when she asked the surly brown haired lady (guessing the owner) she said we had to come back later, they were full. I explained that I had made the reservation the day before and the young girl did everything to help. She found me a table at the rear of the restaurant next to the kitchen (not the best ambience!) I contacted family to let them know I had arrived but they told me they were turned away at the door. Once our group was finally assembled we did enjoy some amazing food. The portions, contrary to other reviews I have read, were large, beautifully presented and filling. The plates from the kitchen came without delay (perhaps sitting next to the kitchen helped). I have to thank the young waitress for helping accomodate us as the other lady was quite rude. I realise when times are busy it can be stressful but there was no excuse for her behaviour.
Contributions +18
Terrible food and service - Edit
I ate here a couple years ago, so maybe it has changed since then. But I had a terrible experience. I ordered a dish with a mix of Indian food. After waiting almost an hour, it came out luke warm, bland tasting and not at all what i expected. There was no flavour in any of the food. After trying to flag down the waiter, it took almost another 20minutes. He still wanted me to pay for the food and I told him that I didn't even eat it so I shouldn't be expected to pay. I would have loved to order something else but my partner was almost done with his food and I didn't want to wait another hour. I ended up having to go to the store and get dinner because I was so hungry.
Pros: nice decor, floor seating, good location
Cons: bad service, low quality food, slow
Contributions +413
Nice people, good food - Edit
We came here for the first time and had a wonderful experience. We honestly do not know where some previous reviews about the staff came from: they were both so nice! The waitress told us she is vegan as well and was very welcoming. The food did not take long at all and was delicious. We agree, it's not a big portion, but not small either: we ate a starter, main and dessert and were completely stuffed at the end (and we are big eaters). Will definitely come back some time.
Updated from previous review on 2016-08-16
Pros: Delicious food, Friendly staff
Cons: Main courses somewhat pricey
2 Responses
sloeseb92 14 Sep 2016 - We are very happy to hear you had a nice evening at our restaurant. Hope to see you again soon!
sloeseb92 14 Sep 2016 - Seb- Golden Temple
Contributions +43
Great little place! - Edit
Visited Amsterdam with a fellow-veggie friend, and found Golden Temple listed amongst the recommended veggie places in my rather out of date guide book. We confirmed via the internets that it did still exist, and headed there for dinner.
Place was already quite full, but we were greeted and invited to wait a few minutes as a table was about to be vacated. We squeezed in (not much elbow room between the tightly packed tables!) and were then spoilt for choice from the menu!
I opted for the vegan version of the kedgeree dish (the waitress said I would get some of the soup instead of raita) while my veggie-but-not-vegan friend went for one of the burrito/enchilada type options.
Food was beautifully presented and delicious, enjoyed a chai (soy) while my friend had a tasty looking smoothie.
Agree with other reviewers that portion sizes could be a little larger, (eg maybe more than one chapatti with the curry?) but decided that as there were VEGAN DESSERTS on the menu and I still had room, it would be rude not to try one! Went for the raw chocolate pie with a hint of coffee...soooo good!! Enjoyed the decor and friendly little dogs, would definitely return again!
Pros: Quirky/laid back vibe and decor, Varied menu, lots of vegan options, Very tasty food
Cons: Can be very full , Not the largest of portions
Contributions +44
Poor service, small portions - Edit
All the food was pretty expensive and we received tiny portions of not so great food. Dishes with truffel only tasted like truffel. The costumer service was definately lacking and slow.
2 Responses
sloeseb92 14 Sep 2016 - Sorry to hear you were disappointed with our food quality, portion size and customer service. Thank you for your feedback!
sloeseb92 14 Sep 2016 - Seb - Golden Temple
Contributions +11
Loved Golden Temple - Edit
Loved the food and international menu options and dishes. Something for everyone. Really cute and cosy interiors and wholesome food. I had the mexican soft tacos, super filling and delicious. Recommend it if you are in Amsterdam and staying in the East side of town
Pros: cosy interior design, wide menu selection, yummy desserts & drinks
Contributions +38
Cute! - Edit
Very nice vegan/vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Amsterdam. The food is delicious, but maybe a bit expensive for some people. Nice ambiance and friendly staff. Worth a visit!
Pros: Wide variety of dishes ranging from Asian to Mexic, Cute ambiance/interior, Friendly staff
Cons: Pricy
Contributions +30
good food - Edit
wide range of food, veganfriendly menue, all we had tasted fantastic. especially the vegan desert of the week. service was deeply relaxed :-)
Contributions +22
Perfect Veggie Restaurant - Edit
The place has a nice atmosphere (compared to other vegan restaurants that can be very odd in styling and hygiene). There were a lot of options for a vegan on the menu. And it was not only indian food -as I would expect- but a lot of variety in dishes, which I liked.
The staff was a bit messy, but my overall experience of the food was great!
Pros: Nice food, Good atmosphere, Variety in dishes
Cons: Expensive, Busy, Messy staff
Contributions +21
Improving :) - Edit
I've been here three times, December 28, 2013, February 19, 2015 and September 3, 2015. It's a nice setting and I like the ambiance. I do not like the prices (ratio to serving sizes) though, although it is manageable with the 15% discount I receive as a member of the Dutch vegan society.
On December 28, 2013 (a Saturday), we sat down next to the entrance in front of the window, where you can lounge on some cushions, very laid-back! Overall we had quite a good evening although service was a bit slow (even though we sat down at 5 pm), but, then came dessert... three very small pieces of pie, the three raw pies of the menu, for over 10 euros. Absolutely not worth it! Moreover, one of us ordered just one piece and got almost as much as I did for much less money. It was a disappointment to end the night this way.
February 2015 (a Thursday) I was here again on a date. We did enjoy it, our waitress was a bit unfocused but it didn't bother us. We had one appetizer, two main courses and we split a dessert, that was enough. We had the South East Asian Coconut Curry - divine - and the Traditional Mexican - okay but small - dishes, the Salt & Pepper Tofu as appetizer - good - and a chocolate pie - not my taste but my date liked it - for dessert. Considering the serving sizes I think it's a little overpriced; with the 15% discount as a member of the Dutch vegan society it is manageable though.
September 3rd (a Thursday) was my most recent visit here, with a friend. This time it was great, with good food and good service; we took our time and enjoyed everything.
Pros: Nice vibe, Vegan options & options to veganise, Friendly staff
Cons: Ratios price - portion
Contributions +50
Very dissapointing - Edit
I paid 17€ for my pizza and was still hungry afterwards. I ordered the vegan mushroom pizza, which surely looked nice, but was really tasteless. I had to put salt and pepper on it to add at least little taste to it. The crust was whole wheat, healthy but not really tasty. I really enjoy healthy food, don't get me wrong here, but from time to time I wanna have a nice burger and pizza with lots of vegan cheese, which this pizza was definitely lacking. I liked the atmosphere, but the food and the personnel were really disappointing. I wont visit this place again.
Pros: Vegan options
Cons: Expensive, Unfriendly personnel, Tasteless
Contributions +107
Wonderful all around - Edit
I have so many good things to say about this place. Love the atmosphere, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly and there are so many options. My only regret is that we stumbled upon the Golden Temple after dinner, so I only had room for dessert. The "vegan dessert of the day" was not available, but I was not disappointed with my raw lime/coconut cheesecake. Next time we're in Amsterdam, we'll definitely be giving this place a full visit!
Pros: Friendly and knowledgeable staff, Great atmosphere, Number of options
Cons: A little cramped
Contributions +28
nice place with tasty food - Edit
atmosphere is really nice, chillout music with nice and helpful service. for my student's pocket it's expensive, but it's worth it
Pros: atmosphere
Contributions +256
Disappointed and annoyed - Edit
As a long time vegan, it is important that the food ordered is what you are given to eat. I ordered the thali and was very specific that I was a plant based eater and that it had to be vegan. It would have been an ok mistake if I had not been the one to point out that they had served me a vegetarian dish after eating some of it. It is important that customers can trust the restaurant they are eating in.
Contributions +876
Veggies done well. - Edit
Golden Temple has something for everyone. The staff were lovely, the food tasted great and the decor was intriguing. The only downsides was that it quickly grew noisy as it was quite busy, and the meals were quite expensive, but other than that I have no complaints!
Pros: Delicious food, Nice decor
Cons: Noisy
Contributions +140
Funky, comfortable decor - Attentive services - Edit
Many vegan and gluten free options. Food is good but didn't hit it out of the park for us. There are so many vegetarian choices in Amsterdam, this should be on the list but it wasn't a favorite.
Pros: good basic flavors
Cons: too basic
Contributions +97
not the best - Edit
really nice decor, and extremely friendly staff, but overall I was confused. This restaurant is based on a Gurdwara (temple) in India, so I was expecting Indian food, but the menu was a world away from Indian. yes, it had a few Indian options, but it also had mexican, Chinese & shepards pie!
the food was ok, I had the coconut curry, but it was lacking seasoning.
Pros: nice decor
Cons: expensive for what it was
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