Bridges

The best michelin I’ve had in Europe so far

Had the Chef’s Table at Bridges. You sit inside the working kitchen, maybe two meters from the stove, watching every plate come together. Raoul Meuwese’s tasting menu, six courses. The seabass with citrus, mussel, and kohlrabi was clean and bright. The langoustine with celeriac, pistachio, and tarragon was the most beautiful plate of the night. Catch of the day followed. Then sweetbread with gnocchi, anchovies, and chervil root. Rich and earthy in a way I wasn’t expecting. The dry-aged beef with potato, mushroom, onion, and miso was where Dessert closed it out perfectly. Green apple, shiso, yoghurt, pineapple. Bright and acidic, a clean reset after the heavier courses. Had a ruby red drink and a martini. Both excellent. The team works with this calm, quiet precision right in front of you. No shouting, no chaos. You see how much care goes into every single plate and it makes you appreciate the food on a different level. Service was immaculate and attentive whenever needed. Felt personal the whole way through. Three hours and I didn’t want it to end. If you’re picking one special dinner in Amsterdam, this is it. Highly recommended!

We enjoyed a 6-course lunch, starting with a table full of flavourful amuse-bouches. It is also always nice when the chef comes to the table, takes his time with you, and conveys his enthusiasm. The wafer-thin raw langoustines and the crispy fried veal sweetbreads with anchovies were divine. We found the dessert to be on a different level in terms of taste, texture, and presentation. However, that did not detract from the lovely afternoon. One point of attention, though. If a guest asks for a glass of something, it is friendlier not to immediately bring wine for 30 euros a glass. Well-intentioned, but a bit too much for us. Otherwise, the service was fine!

We really enjoyed ourselves immensely! It was extra delicious and fun because we were seated at the Chef’s Table. If you have this opportunity, I definitely recommend it. Delicious food, good wines, nice atmosphere.

2014 review: I remember I was there about a year ago (2014) with a big group of friends. It was my suggestion to go there because I had read somewhere that it was good. False information!!!! Food was average and service sucked ! We paid too high for that food. You better go to okura or izakaya type of place rather than wasting your money here. 2019 review: I’ve been there yesterday again (2019 December) although it was not my preference, I just had to go. Five years later I hoped it would be better. Unfortunately both the food and service were again average. Firstly even my husband “who likes almost everything he eats” told me the food was very average. He had beef and risotto. That risotto was just “couscous rice”. (Beef at Duchess is much better, 5 min walk and it also has a Michelin Star) I had asparagus and risotto. The sauce for both dishes were the same (very surprising), very heavy butter/oil mixture which had a disgusting taste. I could barely eat it. blonde waiter (he) brought me Becel LIGHT in a breakfast cup. (Incredible for a Michelin Star Restaurant ! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣We laughed so hard :) Other waiters were much nicer and friendlier. Ironically they insisted serving me by saying “lactose free” although I have no problem with lactose. ??!! So I was very confused about what I was eating. It was uncomfortable.

The food isn't anything you'll be thrilled about, nothing unexpected, and nothing you'll really like. The atmosphere is pleasant, the view is beautiful, and the service is excellent.

Had a delicious meal with fantastic service.

Christmas Brunch at Bridges, we chose this place after and extraordinary experience last year, however this year was a borderline disaster. There was no welcome table, when we arrived there was no one to guide us inside or receive our coats. First impression while walking in after waiting for someone to receive the coats was a very cold room and a few very flustered waiters walking around with trays to set the buffet table, which looked as if half of the food and decor hadn’t been placed yet, but not apparently everything was already layed out. Last year when we walked in it felt magical, elegant, relaxing. This year it was definitely not the same feeling. Regarding the cold room we had to ask the waiter if the heater could be turned up a bit, only then we were informed that apparently the central heating was not working and soneone “was looking into it”. Good costumer service would have someone receiving guests at the door and informing them about the issue, perhaps offer a solution for it rather than waiting for the costumer to find out something is wrong, needless to say the heater was never fixed, and we were cold the entire time. We were not the only ones, tables next to us were chatting about the same things, on a very cold day with temperatures reaching the minus this was not pleasant. The buffet although with similar options as last year it was lacking enormously on the presentation at the table, it look plain, an every day hotel buffet and not as a special occasion. This goes for both the starters and the dessert buffet, again it gave the impression that things weren’t ready, last year the spread was fantastic with chocolate fountain and visually striking desserts, these year it was massively underwhelming, not even picture worthy. There were no food labels so we had to guess what we were eating, perhaps not a big issue if you have no allergies or restrictions or if you like all kinds of foods, not ideal if you have kids, intolerances, religious food restrictions or are simply a picky eater. Service was lacking, we had to be catching the waiters to ask them for drinks, to pick up dirty plates, etc. and even then we had two bowls of soup that sat at our table for the entire brunch in spite of us asking if the dirty dishes could be picked up. The table next to us was having a similar experience with the added bonus of the waiter dropping items around them several times. The mains were luck warm, mashed potatoes room temp at best. Additionally one of our mains was forgotten and I had to walk to the door where several of the waiters were hanging out to ask them about it. It came once everyone else at the table had finished theirs. Again compared to last year when the service was exceptional and we had the coordinator coming over several times to make sure everything was fine, this experience didn’t match the price tag or expectations of a place like The Grand. All in all we didn’t had the best experience and the joke at our table was that we couldn’t wait to be back in the warm comfort of our house or that we could have been more warm and better service at our local Chinese restaurant when last year we were all amazed about the fantastic experience and couldn’t wait to repeat. This experience has certainly changed my perception of your hotel and the service it provides.

Ok

Wonderful evening away with great service, delicious food and perfect account of your wishes.

Thank you for this delightful moment. Deserves its first star

During my recent stay at the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, I had the chance to dine at Bridges twice, and both visits left a strong impression on me. The restaurant is small and intimate, tucked inside the hotel, and although I’m not entirely sure if it currently holds a Michelin star, it certainly feels like the kind of place that deserves one. The menu is built around creativity. Every dish feels like it has its own identity, its own character. We tried the seabass and the steak filet mignonettes, both cooked with precision and full of flavor. Even the small touches, like the house crackers, stand out more than you would expect. But the dish that truly surprised me was the potato dish. It’s rare for something as simple as potatoes to become the highlight of an entire evening, yet this one did exactly that. It comes in different textures in a single plate: a light potato foam, tiny fried micro potatoes, and a single crisp potato skin on top like a signature. The flavors layer on each other in a way that is both comforting and completely unexpected. It’s the kind of dish you remember and the one I would tell anyone visiting to try without hesitation. The wine selection is excellent, with thoughtful pairings that elevate the dishes even more. The staff add a lot to the experience. They’re professional yet warm, and the way they guide you through the menu shows how much they care about what they do. Bridges is definitely a place I will return to whenever I’m in Amsterdam. It is popular, so a reservation is necessary, but it’s absolutely worth planning ahead for.