the seafood bar
at the iconic
beurs van berlage

crustaceans, grand spaces and a toast to timelessness

There are places that tell a story before you even take a seat. The Seafood Bar in the Beurs van Berlage is one of them. A century-old stock exchange turned cultural landmark, the Beurs doesn’t just house history—it lets you dine in it. With vaulted ceilings that whisper of trade deals and ticker tape, the space now hums with the sound of champagne corks and oyster shells cracking open. A fitting evolution. Amsterdam’s seafoodies flock here for a reason. The Seafood Bar has built its reputation on fresh produce, quality, and consistency—it never fails. And for seafood, that’s everything. The menu is a showcase of the ocean’s finest, served up at a decent price for the freshness. It’s seafood without the fuss, without the pretension—just pure, fresh, perfectly executed indulgence.

Everything about the Seafood Bar is designed to let the ingredients do the talking. The marble tables, the understated nautical palette, the sharp uniformity of the staff—it’s all in service of the star attraction. And that star arrives on crushed ice, adorned with lemon wedges. The Gilardeau oysters, silky and briny, the tender calamari, and the crustacean platter—a towering spectacle of snow crab, king crab, prawns, langoustines, and crayfish, all served with aioli and clarified butter. Yet, it’s not just about the plate; it’s also about the setting. Eating a towering seafood platter under the brickwork majesty of Berlage’s design is an exercise in contrast—the raw meeting the ornate, the ephemeral nature of a meal set against a backdrop of permanence.

And if you’re still hungry for a final flourish? A tarte tatin, caramelized to perfection, with a scoop of velvety vanilla ice cream will round out the decadence. After all, luxury isn’t just about excess—it’s about getting it right. And here, it’s all just right.

It’s a moment. A nod to the past and a toast to the present. Proof that some dishes—are simply timeless.