Restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Waterfront vegetarian menu with serious wine.
REM Restaurant sits in Amsterdam's western harbour with a Vegetarian Chef menu and a wine list recognised by Star Wine List in 2026. The kitchen shows clear ambition with original plant-forward dishes, though reviewers note it is still developing the finesse to match its better-established peers. Book for the setting and the wine programme; arrive with calibrated expectations on the food.
Getting a table at REM Restaurant is not the challenge here — booking is direct, which makes it an accessible option when you want something more considered than a neighbourhood bistro without the stress of a competitive reservation window. The harder question is whether the experience matches the effort of getting to Haparandadam 45-2, a waterfront address in Amsterdam's western harbour that is not on the way to anything else. For the right diner, it is. For others, there are easier options closer to the centre.
The short answer: REM is worth booking if you are curious about plant-forward cooking in Amsterdam and want a kitchen that is clearly working toward something, even if it has not fully arrived yet. Star Wine List recognised the restaurant in 2026, which signals a wine programme worth paying attention to. The food, built around a Vegetarian Chef menu, shows genuine ambition — original dishes, a clear direction , but reviewers have noted it needs more finesse to compete with Amsterdam's stronger plant-based and ingredient-led rooms. Come with appropriate expectations and you will eat well.
The location alone is a reason to make the trip. REM sits on the water in one of Amsterdam's post-industrial harbour zones, and the setting is the kind that adds something to a meal before a dish arrives. For a special occasion dinner where the backdrop matters as much as the plate, that counts. It is a genuinely different experience from booking a table in the Jordaan or on a canal-facing terrace in the city centre.
Vegetarian Chef menu is the primary draw on the food side. Plant-forward menus in Amsterdam tend to fall into two camps: the kind that treat vegetables as a concession to dietary preference, and the kind that treat them as the actual subject of the cooking. REM sits closer to the second camp, though the kitchen has not yet committed fully to an all-plant approach. That tension , the will to go plant-based without the full follow-through , is noted by Star Wine List, who describe the food as original but point to finesse as the area requiring development. That is honest feedback, and it is useful for setting expectations: this is a kitchen with a clear identity still being sharpened, not a finished product.
Wine programme is a genuine strength. A Star Wine List recognition in 2026 is a verifiable credential that puts REM's list above most neighbourhood restaurants in the city. If wine matters to your evening, this is not a venue where the list was assembled as an afterthought.
REM works leading for a date or a two-person special occasion dinner where the combination of setting, a tasting-format vegetarian menu, and a serious wine list adds up to a full evening. It is less suited to groups looking for a high-energy room or diners who want the most technically polished tasting menu in Amsterdam , for that, [Ciel Bleu](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/ciel-bleu-amsterdam-restaurant) or [Vinkeles](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/vinkeles-amsterdam-restaurant) are the stronger bets at the €€€€ level. Solo diners can absolutely eat here, though the harbour location and tasting-menu format lean toward a shared experience.
If you are travelling from outside Amsterdam and building an itinerary around the leading the Netherlands has to offer, REM sits in a different tier from [De Librije in Zwolle](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/de-librije-zwolle-restaurant) or ['t Nonnetje in Harderwijk](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/t-nonnetje-harderwijk-restaurant). But within Amsterdam, it fills a specific gap: ingredient-led, vegetable-forward cooking in a setting that most of the city's restaurants cannot offer.
| Venue | Price Tier | Booking Difficulty | Format | Leading For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REM Restaurant | Not confirmed | Easy | Vegetarian Chef Menu | Date night, wine focus, harbour setting |
| De Kas | €€€ | Moderate | Set menu, organic | Garden setting, seasonal produce |
| BAK | €€€ | Moderate | Farm to table | Waterfront, ingredient-led |
| Wils | €€€ | Moderate | Set menu | Creative, world cuisine influences |
| Ciel Bleu | €€€€ | Hard | Tasting menu, à la carte | Special occasion, top-tier finish |
REM's address at Haparandadam 45-2 in the western harbour requires a deliberate trip , factor in travel time from the city centre. No confirmed hours or booking platform are available in our current data; check directly via the venue before planning an occasion around it.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| REM Restaurant | Easy | ||
| Ciel Bleu | €€€€ · Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Bolenius | Modern Dutch, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| De Kas | €€€ · Organic | €€€ | Unknown |
| Wils | €€€ · World Cuisine | €€€ | Unknown |
| BAK | €€€ · Farm to table | €€€ | Unknown |
How REM Restaurant stacks up against the competition.
The vegetarian chef menu is the format to go with here — it is the main event and the reason Star Wine List recognised REM in 2026. Ordering à la carte is possible but misses the point of what the kitchen is building toward. Pair the chef menu with a wine pairing given the programme's recognised credentials.
The chef menu is vegetarian-led, so plant-based diners are well accommodated in principle. That said, Star Wine List's 2026 write-up noted the kitchen has not yet gone fully plant-based, so confirm vegan requirements directly before booking. For strictly vegan tasting menus, De Kas is a more established bet.
It is a workable solo option given the harbour setting and tasting-menu format, but nothing in the available information suggests a dedicated counter or solo-friendly seating arrangement. For solo dining with a more interactive counter experience, BAK on the waterfront is worth considering alongside it.
Yes, particularly for a two-person dinner — the combination of the post-industrial harbour location at Haparandadam 45-2 and the vegetarian chef menu makes it a considered choice for a date or anniversary. Star Wine List's 2026 recognition adds confidence on the wine side. It is not yet in the same league as Ciel Bleu for a full-scale celebration, but the setting does a lot of work.
For vegetarian-forward cooking with more established credentials, De Kas is the clearer reference point in Amsterdam. Wils holds a Michelin Green Star for sustainable cooking and is a direct peer. If the waterfront setting is the draw but you want more culinary polish, BAK on the IJ is worth comparing. Bolenius sits in a similar bracket for creative, produce-led menus.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
