Review | Vegan Junk Food Bar, Amsterdam

Before I headed to Amsterdam, I asked the internet for recommendations on where to eat vegan and almost everyone insisted that I had to check out Vegan Junk Food Bar, so I did just that.
VJFB is exactly what it says on the tin: a vegan joint with multiple restaurants across the city that serve up filthy, mouthwatering vegan junk food proving that vegans eat a whole lot more than greens – basically my kinda place! I've been lucky enough to visit Amsterdam twice this year and both times, as a truly dedicated vegan junk food enthusiast, I made a pilgrimage to Vegan Junk Food Bar and I'll likely be going back next time I'm there too!

The Atmosphere
The first restaurant opened in Amsterdam-West back in 2017 and just two years later, VJFB is rapidly expanding with a total of four restaurants across the city and one set to open in Rotterdam. Each restaurant boasts vibrant, edgy interiors with street art and graffiti splattered across the walls and an upbeat hip-hop soundtrack making it the perfect place to swing by on a weekend before (or after) a night on the town. I've found that both times that I've been, it's been pretty busy on a weekend so if you're planning on heading there on an evening, I'd recommend booking a table ahead if you're not willing to wait for a table.

The Menu
As the name would suggest, the menu is pretty indulgent: stacked burgers, loaded fries, mouthwatering hot dogs and utterly convincing shawarma slathered in sauces. This definitely isn't a place for the faint-hearted, health conscious, calorie-counters – oh no! This menu is designed for the gluttonous junk food aficionados, both vegan and non-vegan. That's right, even a fully-fledged carnivore would appreciate VJFB's menu, so take your mates that are skeptical of vegan food!
My first visit to VJFB was a solo mission and I stopped by the Marie Heinekenplein restaurant on a Friday evening. As expected, it was pretty busy but I managed to get a seat at the bar within 15 minutes or so because I was on my own. I completely underestimated the size of the portions on my first trip and definitely over-ordered so it's worth bearing in mind that the portions are GENEROUS. The Pinky Shawarma (pictured above) literally has mock shawarma meat rupturing from between a vibrant pink bun and loaded with lettuce, tomato, red, spring & fried onion mix, fresh herbs, pomegranate, jalapeños, pink aioli, and the signature VJFB 'Daddy' sauce.

Despite the size of the Pinky Shawarma, I wasn't leaving without trying the Amsterdam Bitterballen (pictured above). If you're unfamiliar with bitterballen, it's a classic Dutch bar snack and are essentially deep-fried, bite-size beef and gravy balls served with mustard. You'll pretty much find them served at most bars to accompany a beer or two, but finding a vegan version can prove a little more difficult. As an advocate for most deep-fried foods and having been a fan of bitterballen back in the day when I was still eating meat, I counted my lucky stars to discover that VJFB offered up a plant-based version on their menu and they really did not disappoint – I recommend ordering a side dish if you ever visit!

My second trip to VJFB was to the Reguliersdwarsstraat venue a month or so later, but this time I arrived with the gang in tow. This time, I was solely focused on trying out one of their burgers options and after much deliberating over their options, I settled for the Daddy McChik'n burger (pictured above). Two stacked, crispy faux chicken fillets between blackened, sesame buns, with melted vegan Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, pickles, and that famous Daddy sauce once more, which is reminiscent of a typical burger sauce. Excuse me for gushing but it was one fo the best vegan burgers I've ever eaten and I've eaten a lot of vegan burgers in my time!
There are also a couple of plant-based beef style burgers on the menu too, including the Notorious Sumo 3.0 and the Original VJFB 3.0 (pictured below).

Kapsalon is another traditional Dutch dish that originated in the city of Rotterdam consisting of fries layered with shawarma, grated cheese and dressed with lettuce, garlic and hot sauce. VJFB have created their own spin on the Dutch classic and have devised their own plant-based version (pictured above). Their own take on the dish uses their vegan shawarma topped with grated vegan cheese, jalapeños, spring, red and fried onions, plus their homemade garlic & spicy VJFB sauces! It's bloody delicious!
There are also a few dessert options including a brownie and a red velvet cake, but unfortunately I've never had the room left to try them out after scoffing my face with their savoury options. If the food I've tried is anything to go by then I'm gonna guess that the desserts are just as good!
Find Vegan Junk Food Bar
Locations:

• VJFB WESTSIDE, Staringplein 22, 1054 VL, Amsterdam
• VJFB DE PIJP, Marie Heinekenplein 9-10, 1072 MH, Amsterdam
• VJFB EASTSIDE, Eerste v. Swindenstraat 389, 1093 GA, Amsterdam
• VJFB DOWNTOWN, Reguliersdwarsstraat 57, 1017 BK, Amsterdam

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