VEGAN JUNK FOOD BAR
Marie Heinekenplein 9 /10, 1072 MH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hours: 11 a.m-midnight daily
Menu: https://www.veganjunkfoodbar.com/menu
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, junk-food junkies, people who don’t take themselves too seriously

Before I even landed at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, it was on my list. No, not the Van Gogh Museum (though that was there, too). Not a canal cruise (though same). Not even a coffeehouse!

No, what was at the top of my list was a visit to the Vegan Junk Food Bar, a powerfully decadent beacon from across the miles, a siren luring me in with promises of chik’n sandwiches and fresh sashimi.

Now, the Vegan Junk Food Bar takes vegan dining to the extreme. Immediately, it eliminates any notion of vegan equaling health food at every turn. Mental health food, maybe. But this is certainly not where you go to commune with a bowl of fresh steamed kale. And that’s A-OK with me.

The eatery is so popular, it now has outposts across the city! But the one we visited was near the aforementioned Van Gogh Museum, a wonderfully decadent respite after a morning of taking in some of the finest art in the world. It took only seconds after we crossed the threshold to be seated and immersed in a menu that was dizzying in its options.

Shawarma. Bratwurst. Cheesy spring rolls. Or even a no-tuna Caesar. But after much prayerful consideration, we landed on a signature burger and an uber-chik’n sandwich, respectively. And I think we made the right decision in the end.

LeeLee went with the Original VJFB burger, and he found it to be a rousing success. I mean, really — a thick, soft bun with a huge slab of veggie-meat and all the fixings? C’mon, now. What could be better? He adored the burger and ate every morsel – and there were a plethora of morsels.

And I, I chose the McDaddy Chik’n, a double-decker monstrosity that was better suited to a fork and knife than a straight-up handheld big-bite sandwich. Now, let the record show that I tried, goodness knows I tried, but eventually I succumbed to the fork. At Vegan Junk Food Bar, many, many diners succumb to the fork. I don’t regret it, really. The chik’n and all the bread and all the toppings were so ding-dang good that I had to make a sacrifice for the taste. Form over function, y’all. Form over function.

You see what I mean?

Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, we should have had some dessert. As I write this weeks after visiting the Junk Food Bar, a cheesecake sounds mighty nice. But in the moment, there was simply no room. Not even for me, someone built with a “separate compartment” for dessert. I just couldn’t do it.

When in a new city – or in this case, country – I pride myself on trying new things and tasting new meals. But the next time I find myself back in Amsterdam, I can guarantee you there’ll be one place I’ll make a beeline to. The Vegan Junk Food Bar is nirvana itself. I long to taste it again.

:)