Planning to explore Alkmaar? Good idea! This city in North Holland has it all: a beautiful old centre, cosy streets with unique shops and... lots of nice restaurants. Best of all? You can also enjoy it in a sustainable way! From second-hand shops to hip, greener restaurants: you'll find it all in Alkmaar. So whether you fancy a coffee, an extensive lunch or a nice dinner, there is always a sustainable option. Time to go exploring. We take you along the nicest sustainable restaurants in Alkmaar.
Discover the best sustainable restaurants in Alkmaar
After your stroll through the historic streets of Alkmaar - you know, where the famous cheese market has been taking place since 1365 - it's time to explore something other than cheese. Because while those piles of golden yellow cheeses are impressive, Alkmaar also has a lot to offer in terms of sustainable food and drink. From cosy cafés with local, seasonal dishes to trendy restaurants that are completely organic or vegetarian. We have collected the best green spots for you, so you can explore this beautiful city with a good feeling and satisfaction. Are you ready for your city trip to Alkmaar? Then check out our list of favourite second-hand shops in Alkmaar.
Restaurant Neder
From the first sip of wine to the last grain of salt: at Lower everything comes from home. This sustainable restaurant in Alkmaar works exclusively with Dutch ingredients and proves that you don't need to cross the border for distinct flavours. No pepper, coffee or olive oil here, but wild picking, fermentation and artisanal products from all corners of the Netherlands. Think shoyu from Wieringer beans, miso from Frisian rye bread and pumpkin seed oil from Gelderland. To work locally all year round, elderberries, sea buckthorn and blackberries are preserved in summer, so you'll still be surprised with special flavours in winter. Even the drinks menu is 100% Dutch, with wild herbal teas, homemade vinegars and tasty alternatives to coffee. In short, a culinary journey of discovery through the Netherlands, without having to leave the country. Their vision of sustainable cooking has even been awarded a green Michelin star.
Laat 85, Alkmaar
Vegan fine dining in Alkmaar is what you do at restaurant Neder. A lot is written about this restaurant and it definitely belongs on the sustainable restaurants-in-Alkmaar list. Photos: Platefully.
Miss Central
Miss Central is the place where style and taste come together. At this hip lunch spot, with an art deco vibe and an abundance of greenery (plants!) and vegetarian choices, vegetarian is the norm and non-vegan the exception. Top! Whether you plop down for a good cup of coffee, a colourful lunch or a drink, this is the place to be. Extra fun: treat yourself to a high tea, high wine or high gin. Finding it hard to choose from the menu? Then they have a flower tree: a festive flower tower with a selection of their best dishes. A happy, healthy place guaranteed to make you happy!
Laat 183, Alkmaar
RNGRZ
RNGRZ (pronounced as Ringerz) is not just another (daytime) restaurant, but a social hub where good food, sustainability and social commitment come together. Housed in the old Ringers chocolate factory, a historic building that has been renovated in a sustainable way without losing the old details. Read: lots of second-hand furniture, but also second-hand building materials have been used in the renovation. The kitchen is also a conscious choice. The menu (of course) offers plenty of vega and vegan options, but RNGRZ deserves a special mention as far as we are concerned because opportunities are offered here to people with a distance to the labour market. Under the guidance of catering professionals, they get the chance to gain work experience and grow. Whether you come for a all-day breakfast, a healthy lunch or drinks with finger food, here you taste not only good food, but also a good story.
Noorderkade 7, Alkmaar
RNGRZ is a restaurant in Alkmaar where sustainability, circularity and social commitment come together. In a beautiful building (an old chocolate factory).
Out in India
In India, they know better than anyone how to prepare the most delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, and you can taste that at Out in India in Alkmaar. This restaurant brings authentic Indian cuisine to the Netherlands, with an extensive menu full of spicy dishes. From creamy curries to fragrant masalas, everything is prepared with care and homemade spice mixes. Choose your favourite dish from the vegetarian or vegan menu, tell if you like mild, medium or spicy and let your taste buds take a culinary journey through India.
Houttil 46, Alkmaar
Blooming
With this tip, just outside Alkmaar, cheating we a little, but here sustainability is carried out to perfection. Tucked away in the forests of Bergen is blooming, a hidden gem where you can enjoy culinary delights in the middle of nature. With restaurant Zandhoeve, blooming bar and Het Hof, you have plenty of choice. Everything here revolves around pure, seasonal ingredients from our own organic vegetable garden, the Hoftuin. Here, cooking is not only done with attention to taste, but also with respect for people and nature: the garden is maintained by the Scorlewald care community, where people with mental disabilities can develop their talents. And while you enjoy the view of the forest, the little ones can let loose in the large nature playground. In short, a paradise! A place where everything is right, and which you prefer to keep to yourself. So don't tell too many people.
Duinweg 5, Bergen (9 km from Alkmaar)
Hidden in the woods of Bergen is blooming, a hidden gem where you can enjoy culinary delights in the middle of nature. With restaurant Zandhoeve, blooming bar and Het Hof, you have plenty of choice. Everything here revolves around pure, seasonal ingredients from the hotel's own organic vegetable garden, the Hoftuin.
‘t Fnidsen Alkmaar
In the historic centre of Alkmaar is ‘t Fnidsen the place for a sophisticated culinary experience, both for lunch and dinner. The restaurant offers two carefully curated menus: Animal Kingdom, with meat and fish dishes, and Bloom, a creative vegetarian menu that fits perfectly on your greener list. Here, it's all about seasonal ingredients, artisanal preparations and surprising flavour combinations such as celeriac with truffle, shallot and sorrel. We would know: Bloom!
Fnidsen 107-109, Alkmaar
Kaatje's Bakery Café
If you walk from Alkmaar station to the city centre, it is Kaatje's Bakery Café the perfect first stop. This cosy café serves delicious organic coffee and the menu features all kinds of homemade treats. The dishes pop off your plate - perfect for your next Instagram post. Kaatje's is open all day for breakfast or lunch. Their philosophy? Simple and honest. You choose how healthy you make it: they provide the basis and you add what you like.
Zevenhuizen 8, Alkmaar
At Kaatje's Bakery Café, you will enjoy healthy colourful bowls. This fine spot also definitely belongs in the list of sustainable restaurants in Alkmaar.
Soup
The most retro place to have lunch in Alkmaar is without doubt Soup. This organic restaurant is a true vintage paradise, full of old radios, vinyl players, lamps and sofas - and best of all: everything you see is for sale! Soepp is not only organic, but also completely vegetarian, with many vegan options. It's all about the upside-down world here: oat milk in your coffee is standard, and you pay a small surcharge for organic cow's milk. It's such a cosy place that you'd want to stay there all day - from breakfast to lunch and dinner. And if you really don't want to leave, you can even stay overnight in one of the fully vintage decorated B&B rooms.
Hekelstraat 31, Alkmaar
Is it a second-hand shop or is it a restaurant? Soepp in Alkmaar is both: you can have a delicious sustainable lunch and browse around. That way you get the most out of a day of shopping in Alkmaar.
Sencha Lunchstore
Another cosy yet sustainable place to have lunch in Alkmaar is Sencha Lunchstore. Here you can enjoy a sumptuous lunch with plenty of vega(n) options, organic tea or fairly produced coffee, accompanied by homemade cakes that are also gluten-free or raw can be. This sustainable restaurant in Alkmaar works mainly with local suppliers and strives for as much organic and fair trade products. At the back of the café, you will find a bright conservatory where you can relax, surrounded by vintage furniture and industrial accessories - which you can buy, by the way! At Sencha, it feels like a second living room where you can score a nice piece of furniture for home in addition to delicious food.
Koorstraat 19, Alkmaar
Head lettuce
In between shopping for something refreshing? At Head lettuce you can go for freshly made juices packed with fruits and vegetables, all organic and locally produced. They offer a wide range of fresh produce, from colourful vegetables to juicy fruits. Even if you are still full from lunch, it is worth taking a look inside. After all, the shop looks beautiful with all the fresh food smiling at you - and who knows, it might inspire you to have a healthy snack.
Fnidsen 83, Alkmaar
Salad bar Harvest
The motto of Salad bar Harvest: locally harvested, lovingly prepared. Since 2016, this is the place in Alkmaar for fresh meal salads, richly filled wraps, homemade soups and colourful smoothies. Everything is prepared fresh every day and you can taste it. Whether you drop in for a quick lunch, take something healthy home or have your meal delivered, Oogst is all about food that makes your body happy. Be surprised by a salad bursting with flavour or a warming vegetable stew, perfect for cold days. Extra nice: Oogst makes healthy eating easy and accessible for everyone.
Limmerhoek 62, Alkmaar
The Insider
When the shops close, De Binnenkomer on Church Square is the place to plop down for a while. This cosy café has a cosy, homely atmosphere with second-hand furniture that gives the interior a unique character. At the back, you'll find a corner with a large games cabinet - perfect for a game of ‘Who is it?’ or ‘Pim pam pet’ while you wait for your food. The staff are super friendly and if you're lucky, you'll run into the old house cat, which makes the café even cosier. On the menu you'll find something for everyone: from vega(n) dishes to meat and fish. Our vega-tip? The delicious halloumi burger! Whether you come for lunch or dinner, at The Insider you're always in the right place. And don't forget: everything you see, from furniture to accessories, is again for sale!
Kerkplein 6, Alkmaar
Really
Good food without fuss. At REAL is all about pure ingredients, homemade dishes and conscious choices. No artificial additives or unnecessary frills here, just fresh and tasty food that will make you happy. Think well-filled rice bowls, homemade butter cake with your coffee and fresh juices. Whether you come for their all-day breakfast, lunch or something sweet for the road, at ECHT you are welcome seven days a week. No reservations, just walk in. And if you prefer to take something with you? Then just call and your order will be ready for you on time.
Marktstraat 4, Alkmaar
Fresh
This atmospheric eatery in Alkmaar is all about ehhh... fresh. The menu offers something for everyone: from a colourful salad or fresh soup to a surprising lemon risotto or a homemade lentil-carrot burger. Whether you come for lunch or dinner, meat lover, vegetarian or vegan, at Fresh you are in the right place. The menu is balanced, with one-third meat/fish dishes, one-third vegetarian options and one-third vegan treats. And do you have an allergy or intolerance? No problem, your wishes are happily taken into account here. Prefer to take something with you? There is a tasty vegetarian dish of the day waiting for you daily from 17:00.
Stationsweg 41, Alkmaar
Green Room
Looking for a cosy place where you can eat delicious food and be surrounded by greenery? Then Green Room THE spot in Alkmaar. This atmospheric lunchroom feels like a urban jungle and is known for homemade delicacies. From a freshly baked cake with your coffee to a well-filled avocado toast or a hot bowl of soup, everything is prepared with love and fresh ingredients. Extra special: at Groenlokaal you can not only eat, but also stay overnight! Above the lunchroom you will find a cosy flat with roof terrace, perfect for a relaxing stay in the heart of Alkmaar.
Hekelstraat 21, Alkmaar
The Eagle
If you are looking for an atmospheric place for dinner, then The Eagle definitely recommended. This restaurant works exclusively with seasonal produce from local suppliers, which makes us think it is also definitely worth a mention on the greener list. So while it is not a vegetarian restaurant, vegetarians do boast their vega burger, made from Dutch celeriac with fennel seeds - a great flavour combination! The cosy interior with leather sofas and candlelight makes it the perfect place to relax after a day in Alkmaar. Just add a red wine!
Alckmariapad 2, Alkmaar
Mooij
Mooij we think is worth a mention for its beautiful botanical interior full of greenery alone. Is the menu sustainable? Our answer: In part, and that's enough. The menu features a number of vegetarian and vegan dishes such as a tasty linguine with forest mushrooms and kohlrabi steak. On the shared dining menu there is even more choice such as vegan sushi. At Mooij, you can enjoy all day long, from morning to late night.
Koorstraat 30, Alkmaar
Anne&Max
Anne&Max is a well-known sustainable coffee and lunch concept that you will find in several cities. Everything here is about fresh, organic and homemade produce with plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices. Here you will find everything from healthy sandwiches on homemade bread to complete bowls. What makes the Alkmaar branch extra special is its unique location: you can sit not only on the terrace, but also in the glass boat, the flower barge, by the water. A perfect place to catch your breath before exploring Alkmaar further. And when the sun shines, Anne&Max has one of the nicest terraces in town.
Kraanbuurt 3, Alkmaar
More sustainable restaurants in Alkmaar?
Eating out sustainably in Alkmaar easy peasy. Have you found another hidden gem not on this list? Let us know via the contact buttons at the bottom of this page. Together we will make Alkmaar even greener and tastier! And don't forget to tag on Insta (@thegreenlist.nl) if you find somewhere a greener hotspot discovered. We'd love to share your tips!
More city tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Take a day trip to Tilburg and also discover the many cosy restaurants there.
- Or how about a city break to Eindhoven? That city also breathes sustainability and you can taste it!
- Lots of fun we always have in Nijmegen too, this city was even once awarded European sustainable capital.
Photo credits: main image from left to right: Platefully (chef), blooming (estate), Kaatje's Bakery (bowl) Other: Platefully (Neder), RNGRZ, Blooming, Kaatje's Bakery Café & Soepp.
