Restaurant Asmara in Nieuwmarkt/Lastage

I went here to try and share some african culture with some of my foreigner friends. When we arrived and sat down, the server immediately asked us in a relatively displeasing tone that he was not expecting us. No where does it indicate that you need to make a reservation on their Google profile. Eventually he left us with some menus. We waited around 10minutes before he came back (note that there was only one other table that was still eating) We wanted to get a combination of vegan options. He told us that we can't do that. He started arguing and we couldn't understand why we couldn't get the vegan combo of our choice. He then eventually told us that we can only eat what they cooked that day. If he communicated that relatively early on we would've been able to decide whether it's worth eating there. When we thought of perhaps going to a different restaurant, he told us to go because he "takes our money and gives us everything". And made a point in saying that he doesn't need us. Eventually we just took what he said we could have just to keep the peace. He kept insisting we order more food even though not all of us wanted to eat and told us we couldn't get 1 serving of a dish but needed to take 2. The food was relatively good with the occasional imbalance of flavour. Perhaps with another server who had better communication skills, we would've enjoyed our "eastern african" experience a bit more.

Very good food, friendly and helpful staff.

Super tasty and lovely staff, best to trust them to choose something for you to try and can take a little bit of time, but sooo well worth it!

the food is AMAZING and everyone should come here!!! even if you don’t know what the food is the owners are super sweet and will answer any questions. the sponge/sourdough bread they serve with the food is gluten free and they offer a ton of vegan options. everything is seasoned very well and the restaraunt is beautiful with great service! i would recommend trying the mongozo coconut beer- it is very delicious and unique!

The person who helped, I assume he's the owner, kept forcing his choice on me I kept saying I want a number 12 and he kept insisting that he'll bring a number 10. If there is one thing I hate is others telling me what I should pick when they're not the one paying for it. He insisted to the point that I chose to walk away instead of entertaining his arrogant behavior. Another thing that I would like to mention is that if you have so much problem with dutch people then go to your own country and speak your own language there. I'm a brown expat and this man automatically assumed that I'm a dutch hater so he started telling me how he forces dutch people to speak English because that's what his prime minister told him to do to "these dutch people". Well tell your prime minister to keep people like you in their own country. And if you want to stay in another country then at least respect them and their way of life. You people are a disgrace here and it's because of you that the rest of us are treated differently.

I came here not knowing what to expect and oh my Lord, I was taken on a journey of taste and beauty. Will come back

The food was tasty but there was too little injera.

Very good Eritrean restaurant. The place is a little away from the most touristy streets. The atmosphere is charming and calm. We eat typical preparations served in large flatbreads with Eritrean music in the background, and we can also sip local beers. I recommend it for an original world dining experience.

After being customers for a long time, my friends and I are not going there anymore. All the reviews here are about food, and the food is nice, yes. But we got internal information leaked and learned how the owner abuses workers inside. When facing customers, he is such a nice and friendly person, but inside, he is completely different. First of all, he does not allow workers to take payment, and you have to stand long waiting for him to pay. This is to direct all tips from workers to his accounts; guess what he expressly asks for tips, which is the reason for him to forbid other workers from receiving payments. We met an intelligent guy, who used to work there, on the street and after greeting him, asked why we hadn't seen him there later days. The guy smiled and replied, "I'm from the academy and do not want to be there anymore. I tried to support myself working there, but it's no longer my thing." We took time to discover more and asked why not, if you can support yourself. He said, "I know, but like I said, I know my rights and do not allow anyone to abuse me." What do you mean by abuse? we asked, and the gay replied "... iiim I can't tell you all, but the owner does not pay salary unless I ask repeatedly, I have the right to work in the Netherlands, and he does not want to pay a minimum legal wage, there is no break and you work 7 hours uninterrupted, yet he decides the payment as he likes and, when you ask for discussion, he replies 'you're poor and have no option, just work and I give you.' Last month, he deducted 700 euros from my salary, and I asked the reason, but no proper response other than I'll pay you next time. I told him I was stopping working and handed the key over, guess what, he locked me in and forced me to stay. But I told him I could enforce my rights, and he feared and released me. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask a lady who still works there; she was standing and watching everything. The boy is smart enough with evidence and showed us WhatsApp messages he exchanged with the owner to get his 700 euros back after stopping working, and the time of the message and the time of the credit of 700 euros to his account match, the message became immediately before the transfer time. We are a media group and are considering conducting a deep interview with a gay person and publishing his story in the newspaper with evidence. This is important because people fled their country and came to Europe for a better life, and they should not be forced, enslaved, and abused by here by unethical business owners. Authorities should also enquire about this restaurant's workers, as we have come to know that the man employs only those who have no valid right to work in this country, abuses them by appealing to their weaknesses, and asks for a minimum legal wage. SHAME ON YOU. You laugh and appear nice before customers and act like you love the workers, but behind you the reality reads something fishy. We request the owner to make corrections on the way the restaurant recruits workers and treats its employees.

The mixed plate was great! And at a fair price!

Lovely atmosphere and friendly, welcoming staff who were happy to talk through the menu and how to best enjoy the food. I had the mixed vegetarian option which was delicious. Felt like a great place for solo diners, couples and small groups.

Nice environment, African cuisine a little spicy, we ate 4 people on a large plate with 3 different types of meat and 6 types of vegetables and sauces. Special flavors, beers with fruit flavors that are served in African mugs. Polite staff, normal prices. I highly recommend it!

Amazing food, it was light and delicious, we asked for a recommendation and with just a few questions about our preferences we got this beautiful plate that blew our minds. Can’t miss it, it’s magic!

We'll definitely be back. Great place, easily accessible, and delicious food. Mango beer is highly recommended! Very nice people too. Just do it.

Best Ethiopian vegetarian restaurant we have eaten in. Service was excellent and the owner is very warm. Flavorful and comforting

The food was delicious and the owner was very helpful and kind! Highly recommended.

Really delicious Eritrean restaurant. One of the best in Amsterdam.

Delicious food. Super friendly staff. Really an amazing place if you want to eat something different.

Super delicious food! Fine traditional cuisine, prepared with love and days in advance. Foodie tip!

Great food, big plates and portions you eat with your hands and drink flavoured beer out of a coconut. It is a bit pricey but the staff feels like family and it is a comfortable spot.

Very good service and exquisite food. Very pleasant place.

Not kosher. Delicious, too good to waste. Seasoned with innovative and Middle Eastern taste. Everything was really delicious. The waiter was helpful and kind. We enjoyed it very much

Very beautiful place. Ensar, mesut çok tessekurler. See you soon. I had a great time and 5 visits in 8 days in Istanbul. Thank you very much.

The google reviews didn’t lie! Our favorite restaurant of our Europe trip so far. Even my 8 yr old son loved it. My 14 yr old said it deserved 100 stars! What a great experience! The flavors were fantastic and the staff were very friendly and hospitable. Highly recommended!!!

Great food and cheap beer from a friendly owner- not my first visit, and I hope not my last. Food as art!

The food was delicious! And the owner is super welcoming. I'll definitely make it a stop during my visit to Amsterdam!! A real BANGEURIE🔥 (banger+crazy)

Real Eritrean food, eat with your hands, enjoy dinner with friends, all shared, lovely Eritrean beers and a warm and welcoming service. We cleaned our plate and we’ll definitely be back!

Probably my favorite (and best) Eritrean/Ethiopian restaurant in Amsterdam.

Delicious food, not extra spicy and wonderful service!

The food was very, very tasty, well seasoned. All 5 dishes were tastefully arranged on a large platter so that everyone could help themselves to something. We ate with our fingers, but there were also forks and spoons. We had 3 vegetarian dishes and 2 with meat. The waitresses were nice and the boss was very accommodating. We would eat here again at any time.

Delicious food and friendly staff!

We are visiting Amsterdam and got into the city late, but saw the amazing reviews at Asmara and hurried over at 9pm. They were super accommodating despite it being so late, and even threw in extra items that they had at the end of the day! It was incredible food - the njera was perfect and the beef and lentils were delicious, we ate everything in record time. Truly an excellent meal and a lovely group of people running the restaurant! Will definitely be back.

Had a very nice dinner experience! The vegan platter was tasty and very filling and the waiters and staff were friendly and helpful as well!

The food was really delicious with great value. Generous service and very tasty beer. The atmosphere was nice with lovely local music.

Incredible food, kind service, wonderful atmosphere. Go when you're not in a hurry and enjoy your time there. Highly recommend.

Some of the best food I have ever had! I had the veggie combination platter and loved trying so many different bites. Staff and chef were extremely attentive and helpful. Embrace eating with your fingers and the injera! Also a super cozy and nice atmosphere for a solo diner.

Amazing place!! Great dishes! Can’t recommend enough

Omdat het mooi weer geweest belosten we op de bonnefooi naar een restaurant in de buurt te gaan.. en reden langs Asmara..Wat een enorme verrassing dat het hier niet alleen gezellig is, heel erg goed en lekker eten, voor veganisten, vegetariers en vleeseters, we hebben zo ontzetten genoten en zelden zo lekker gegeten. Wij hebben er een authentiek Eri biertjes bij, maar ze hadden ook heerlijke honing wijn en een zelfgebrouwen sterk drankje :-). WE kregen er extra injera bij toen het bijna op was. De staff weet wat gastvrijheid betekent!

Great food, new dining experience!

Very friendly people, delicious food and a beautifully decorated restaurant. We got extra injera when we asked and we got 2 banana beers to take home to taste!

A great restaurant with delicious food 😇 a must try!

Great food, friendly service, many vegan options

So tasty!!! Went here a few weeks ago to catch-up with 2 other friends after work, and it really hit the spot. We got spicy lamb, stewed beef, and combo veggie dish - the lamb was so good we put in another order for just the lamb after wiping the dish clean, and they were so generous.. we got a portion of all three of our previous orders again. This place gets me :D I've only eaten here this once, and at two other spots for similar cuisine multiple times, but what I noticed here was that the meat here was so moist and tender.

My first experience of Eritrean cuisine and it is amazing. Basically chef chooses foods for you and you just take the ride. Owner has his vibe but definitely friendly.

Everything was amazing. But they raise the price.

Best west African food in Amsterdam

Had an absolutely lovely time at Asmara, the food was rich in flavors and the honey wine was a fun drink to try. Felt genuine and will definitely go back when i visit Amsterdam.

Great place for a foody. Food is amazing, so that means for me 5 stars. However, service can be a little different from other restaurants. The quality, taste and authenticity of the food overcomes any inconvenience. Therefore I recommend here most of the dishes from the depths of my heart ( beef, lamb, tuna, lentils, pumpkin, spinach). Try it out, it is worth it.

This is the best Eritrean food I have ever had, the owner is very friendly and you can really see the heart and soul that he puts into his food. All the dishes served on the injera were delicious and the extra injera was needed as we ate the delicious vegan dishes on offer! There was an amazing variety! 100% recommend! I frequent an Eritrean restaurant in the UK and I wish it was half as good as this one. I will definitely come back to Asmara next time I am visiting family in Amsterdam!

Delicious food, a really unique experience compared to usual restaurants in the Netherlands because you eat with your hands. The owners were really friendly

Would definately come back next time we visit Amsterdam! Food, atmosphere and service was 10/10!

A great new experience, nice staff and good food !

The culinary world rediscovered... Isn't that what we're all secretly looking for as we get older? After what we all had in childhood!? The discovery of the new!!! For me it was definitely extremely exciting to get to know completely new spices and taste completely new flavors. But it wasn't just the spirit of discovery and the inspiration of the "new" that now makes me rave so much; No, the food was really exceptionally tasty and also very filling. On my next visit to Amsterdam I will definitely reserve a table here again and that will be quite soon. Now I've raved so much about the food that I almost forgot to praise the really friendly hosts who made your stay in this wonderful restaurant pleasant in every way.

ive been trying ethiopian/eritrean food in every city i go to and this is by far the best ive had in europe. first one that matches the quality of my fav place in new york. the owner is also so friendly and said the biggest difference is the food being made with love <3 highly recommend!!

Wat een heerlijk Eritrees eten, we waren verrast omdat het in Nederland niet gemakkelijk is écht goed Eritrese gerechten te verkrijgen. Maar hier was alles origineel, smaakvol met njera's van echte teff. De bediening was ook heel aardig. We dronken er een prima wijn bij. We hebben genoten!

Delicious food, a mixed plate can be tailored to your wishes. Planted based and gluten free options

cozy, perfect atmosphere+ music and interior, super friendly owner and amazing food

A very tasty and pretty unusual cuisine. Friendly staff and moderate prices make this restaurant a very attractive place!

This is unacceptable. I arrived on December 31, 2024, having reserved a table for three people online via TheFork, at 5 p.m. The restaurant was supposed to open at 4 p.m. However, when we arrived at 4:50 p.m. the door was closed. We saw two people inside, and waited for them to open, since we had a confirmed reservation and the restaurant was supposed to be open since 4 p.m. When they saw us, the people inside changed places without speaking to us or giving us any explanations. It is unacceptable to travel all the way after reserving a table, only to end up standing outside for 20 minutes without any response.

This is a bad, irresponsible restaurant. We arrived at 4:50 p.m., it was open, people saw us, but the staff didn't even dare to open the door to explain to us what the problem was.

amazing experience !!! the food is made with magic, and is addicting to eat and eat! thank you to the staff for such a wonderful service

A kitchen unlike any other. Well seasoned. Good beers from Eritrea. Super friendly service

Small cosy place, food is unique and to fall for, cheap, great service... What else to say. If I could give it 6 stars I would

Great culinary discovery, we enjoyed ourselves. And the staff was very welcoming. I highly recommend. And the prices are very fair

Great service! The food was great and we felt very comfortable

Very nice and warm staff, very delicious Food.

Food was excellent. Very authentic and delicious. Friendly staff. Warm and inviting atmosphere

Super super tasty and great atmosphere, not too expensive either!

This place is the real deal. Wonderful food. Humble, unassuming, kind staff. Fantastic restaurant.

The restaurant was almost full, which is why the boss/cook couldn't offer anything in the near future. That was completely understandable. Unfortunately, the whole thing went without a greeting and with little friendliness.

Great authentic food in a cozy atmosphere. We had a selection of vegetarian dishes and each was better than the last. A real taste explosion. Great recommendation!

Amazing, tasty, food, and great service. No problems catering for vegetarians, gluten-intolerance, and making suggestions to get the most of the visit. I would certainly recommended a visit.

Great African food, flavourful and nutritious. Several vegan options and great beer served in a coconut bowl!

Tasty food and very intimate atmosphere. Attentive service and sound advice.

the host is super friendly and the food is amazing! been here three times already

Sososo good food! Great atmosphere, we celebrated the birthday of a friend and it was the perfect place, all the staff is super friendly :) highly recommend

One of the best BEST restaurants in Amsterdam!

Tasty food and lots of vegan options. We had seven vegan dishes that we shared, with options for meat or fish as well. The owner was nice, and the Eritrean beer in special glass was a nice addition. Recommended!

Amazing food, absolutely great way to discover Eritrean cuisine. Very friendly people and nice vibe too

Super yummy and authentic Eritrean food. Great service. I recommend eating with your (clean) hands for full experience 😉 Vegan menu is fantastic!

Awesome food! Superb quality, very delicious, very friendly staff. Best in town, so far

Asmara offers authentic Eritrean cuisine with rich flavors and traditional dishes. The food pairs well with African beers, and the warm ambiance makes it a must-visit.

Good food, friendly service. Definitely will visit again

The food was amazing and we tried their traditional combo with mango beer. The service was good.

Went spontaneously on a calm Saturday night, the food was amazing - perfectly filling, very tasty, and the owners were very charming and took well care of us. We ordered tasty African beers as well which were served in coconut shells, a great experience. The dessert with yoghurt and figs was also really nice. Really good value for money - paid about €25 per person, we shared a big taster plate and two desserts. Very happy 🥰

Every time I am in Amsterdam the Asmara Restaurant is on my list, to visit. The food is amazing and it is thoughtfully made by the cook and the staff. The waiters are such lovely people and welcome you with open arms. Love love love the restaurant🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Fantastic vegan meal with a group of 10, atmosphere is very relaxed, so waiting times are quite long. If you don't come expecting to be in and out quickly, and have let the owner know when and how many you are coming, this is the best restaurant I know in Amsterdam. At the end I received a digestive from the owner, 10/10.

Amazing good, great service, and just an amazing experience overall.

Amazing place, with fantastic food! I loved It. Highly recommended

Something different than usual. You can taste pure and only fresh ingredients. Super friendly service that makes the longer waiting times quickly forgotten.

Even before ordering, they offered to surprise us by choosing for us. Even though we were hesitant, we accepted and were positively surprised, despite the high expectations. We received a large, full and varied plate to share, from which we could eat with our hands. Unique experience that was worth the wait, modest price and food so good that once we finished we hadn't even opened the cans. They offered us grappa and even gave us a generous portion of samples to take away!

Without a doubt some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten. Honestly, I was absolutely blown away. We chose the vegan combination plate and every single bite was mind blowing. I’m only sad I discovered it our last day in town, otherwise would’ve eaten here every day.

Internet promised a reservation that didn't go through, but we were seated anyway. Asked for help for vegetarian meal for 5. Everything was amazing (4 of us are not vegetarian)! Authentic and savory.

A very tasty place. We ordered beef and lamb - very tasty. In addition to meat, the dish also includes very tasty side dishes

We were lucky enough to find this gorgeous restaurant when we visited an old friend in Amsterdam. The lovely staff made us so welcome, and it was wonderful to catch up over a shared plate between the 6 of us. We tried fish, chicken, beef, mixed veg, and jackfruit. The flavours were just divine. We all ate a little more than we should have because no one could resist another bite until the plate was empty! It was excellent value.

Delicious food!, the best Eritrean restaurant so far. Service is very customer friendly and nice atmosphere with Eritrean music in the background. Definitely worth repeating 🇪🇷😍

Without doubt.. the best meal I ate all year so far. Wonderful food… I went for the vegetarian combination, all of which CH were so fresh, so flavoursome and genuinely delicious. I noticed there were also a large number of vegan options and some meat dishes on the menu. it was an outstanding meal and the owners were so friendly, so kind and really welcoming. you will wait for the food but then… So you should with all that wonderful stuff coming out of the kitchen fresh. Very reasonable prices. I cannot recommend highly enough

A different than normal restaurant. Delicious food cooked by someone who loves cooking for people. Don’t expect the norms of Amsterdam restaurant culture.

Super nice staff! We came in early without a clue In the world what to get. (Presumably) the owner came to take our order, which he did for us. Our food was spectacular, many flavors and tasted that can’t easily be found in some places. Tons of vegetarian options too.

Very tasty, good service. The honey wine is highly recommended.