Vapiano

On était à la recherché d’un endroit sympa où manger quand on a vu cette grande devanture un peu classe.
On s’approche du menu, et on découvre avec surprise que c’est un restaurant italien et que c’est plutôt bon marché.
On continue, on entre et là nouvelle surprise: la personne à la caisse dans l’entrée nous tend des carte magnétiques (comme des cartes bleues) et devant notre regard un peu surpris nous explique le concept.
En fait c’est un sorte de self ou plutôt un food court (qui m’a un peu fait penser à Eataly à New York), on commande directement aux différents stands en mettant sur la carte et on paie le tout à la fin en rendant les cartes (attention une carte perdue vous en coûtera 50 €)
Franchement on s’est régalés, c’est cuisiné minute, frais et pas cher !
On en a eu pour environ 25 € pour un plat de pâtes, une pizza, un verre de vin et un soda. C’est limite un bon plan à Amsterdam, non? :)

The food is good. I want to start with that. And I wish I could give it four stars.
My major issue is how long you want in individual lines just to order. So if you want pizza and pasta you have to wait in two lines that go quite slow. This is because usually someone is making the food and taking the order. If you want a drink that isn’t at the bar, be prepared to wait again. There isn’t even much room for the lines.
This location has a lot of seating but it still gets full rather quickly on a night people like to go out. Once we got in and I realized the set-​up, I remembered how crazy it got sometimes (at the one by Centraal). Between the line to order, then pick up your food, and the lack of space to get in a line, it was all a bit confusing.
Review: Food is good. Concept is what I don’t like!

Ok really, don’t mind the low rating! It’s about the balance between what you get for your money.
Vapiano has a very good balance! Don’t take pizzas though… No. Not their strong side.
Pasta! Decent price, good quality, good portion, why would you be upset with it?
Pro tip: if you are into shrimps take pasta Scampi E Spinaci! It’s their most moving product and it is really good!
5 for the easy concept and good quality food for a reasonable price!

It is a 3 floor building. You order the food at the third floor downstairs, then try to find a spot. What is quite hard! After that you have to come back at the 3^rd floor to pick up your food and return to your place. Inside it is very hot! It is impossible to enjoy your meal. I tried to cancel the order and it is another problem.

Great atmosphere, nice options of pasta and pizza and fare prices. I got a scampi and spinach past that was delicious!!!

I have to update my review as this place has really improved since my initial visit over a year ago.
My first experience was bad due to a rude hostess however I have since been back three times and everyone was pleasant, accommodating, and you can tell having a good time!
I have enjoyed their pasta, pizza, salad, and dessert in recent trips.
It can get crowded and confusing but over all it’s a place with good, fresh, quality food and a fun atmosphere with a group of friends.
These last two times I did take-​away service which is packaged very nicely to take back to my hotel.

I’m a big fan of this Vapiano! Their food is executed in front of you, it’s fresh, fast, and delicious! In fact, it’s much better than most Italian restaurants around here!!!
So, anyone who knows me knows how big of a pizza whore I am. I don’t eat much, but when it comes to pizza, I could have one as an appetizer, one as my main dish and… f*ck it! Another one as dessert! (given that I have my lactase capsules with me). Since my favorite pizzeria in Amsterdam closed, I’ve been looking for that perfect pizza but until then, there are a few very good pizzerias and pizzas out there.
One pizza that I absolutely love here at Vapiano’s is not even on the menu. Thankfully, the cooks don’t mind if I play with the ingredients a bit. I always ask for a gorgonzola pizza but without the honey crap they put on it and instead I ask for mushrooms. Boom! Also, I do without the rosemary twig in the center of it… it has no business being there. Then I add some oregano on top and I’m good to go! So — honey, –rosemary, +mushrooms +moar oregano!
I’ve tried several pastas and they’re all really good! Of course it also depends on who makes it, but I have my favorite guy and I always go stand in his line. I can’t emphasize enough that everything is executed properly. My Italian friends agree 100% with me! (See what I did there? I increased the credibility of my word by claiming that Italians vouch for this place and agree with me… no, but seriously. It’s true).
My favorite pasta is the wholewheat (don’t deny it before you try it) spaghetti with mushroom sauce and when he asks if I want some chili, I say load that b*tch up. Cheese on top? White cheese, please and thank you! Then I go to the pizza stand and add a bit of oregano on top (seriously… if I had a mortar and pestle, I’d probably grind that stuff up and snort it. That’s how much I love oregano). I also add some fresh basil and Boom! Bön appetit!
Just a few days ago I went there and ordered that pasta and my Italian friend, Mikael, said «browne espaghetti?! No no no no». Then the f*cker tried some of my food and he wanted to trade his plate for mine.
Go to Vapiano. It’s most likely better tasting than most other Italian restaurants in the area and it’s cheaper, too.

Even though this is a fast-​food chain (which in the food world is the worse of profanities) I actually really like Vapiano. The pasta is genuinely good, it’s fast and cheap! But really, the food is nice and healthy, the ingredients are fresh and your dish is actually made on the spot for you. It’s so nice to actually see the cooks prepare your food!
The menu offers a good choice, with some traditional dishes and some more creative. They are options for vegetarians. I would definitely recommend the pasta over the pizza (not sure about the salads, but they do look nice).
The interior is quite nice and modern/​cosy. You get a card when you get in, you grab your food directly at the counter, showing your card, and then seat on one of the long wooden tables. You put everything you consume on your card and pay as you go out. Very efficient system!
It’s a nice place to grab a quick dinner with friends!

Staff asking customers to wait while they cook lunch for their colleagues on break…
Welcome to the Netherlands and «Dutch service!»

Not a huge fan of large chain restaurants, but I’ve ended up here several times with friends. And I’ll likely be back.
I’ve tried their salad Nicoise about 20 times and haven’t yet ventured out to test their pasta or pizza. The salad is great and always fresh, as is their bread.
The concept is cool, but I don’t particularly like all the waiting. First you wait in different lines to order your meal, and perhaps a different line from your friends. Then you wait near the counter for your food. Depending on the size of your party and what you each ordered, you’d likely all get your meal at different times. Some might finish before the others even begin.
At the busy dining hours, this place gets packed and the lines are long. It’s also not easy to find a table.
I like to go here in the off hours with a large group of girlfriends. It’s perfect for the large tables and the facility of splitting the bill at the end. It’s also much quieter with plenty of seating.
If you’re looking for fresh and affordable food, or a loud and busy atmosphere, this might be your place.

Vapional eben — der McDonalds des italienischen Fast Foods :-) Man weiß, was man bekommt. Und das muss noch nicht mal schlecht sein.
Hier gehen wir ab und an mal hin wenn uns der Sinn nach bezahlbarem Essen mit kalkulierbarer Qualität während Messezeiten in Amsterdam steht.
Das Konzept wirft keine Fragen auf — wie in jedem anderen Vapiano. Man sollte speziell hier allerdings gut im Treppensteigen sein — ausser einer Getränkebar befindet sich alles in den Untergeschossen.
Sauberkeit so lala da stark frequentiert. Personal an den Tresen teilweise stark planlos und langsam. Aber letztendlich bekamen wir, was wir wollten und gingen zufrieden wieder in unser Hotel gegenüber.

Sadly, this is the worst Vapiano. On our last visit, I ordered first and my husband then told the chef he wanted to also order what I was having. We didn’t stay fixated on the chef while he was cooking, so in the end he handed me my correct order and my husband a completely different entrée. We brought to his attention that he’d made a mistake and he tried to tell my husband that was what he had ordered — the guy absolutely would not budge on anything. In the end, the chef rectified the situation by just pouring tomato sauce over the incorrect entrée. We were still charged for it… fabulous customer service, right?!? Additionally, the crowds can be crazy to the point that there is literally not a seat left in the place. I’d suggest coming here if you’d like to eat a dish you didn’t order and possibly have to stand while eating it!

The concept would be great = the food could be great. But Vapiano appears to have a high labour turnover rate at the pasta preparation desks. Every time I visit there seems to be a new staff member (amongst the regular ones) preparing pasta dishes for paying guests, learning-​by-​doing, being slow or making mistakes. And this isn’t the only reason why every time it’s a surprise what you’re gonna get. Vapiano is like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you’re lucky and a nice person carefully prepares a perfectly delicious pasta meal for you. But more often some ignorant, bored staff member throws the ingredients together, making the pasta sauce too thin /​forgets to add salt /​composes the ingredients inharmoniuosly /​almost burns the food etc.
Recently the guy who prepared the dish even started adding different (extra) ingredients, claiming that not all of them would be listed on the menu. Wrong. No-​go. Apply for Masterchef if you want to be creative.
However, Vapiano Oosterdokskade is worse, so if I feel like getting a surprise pasta dish, then I visit this one at Rembrandtplein.

Thou I heard this is a German franchise the food is what we all love of Italy, simple ingredients, quickly combined to make great food! Not expensive and varied, give it a try!
Important! The kitchen closes at 11pm sharp!

Points positifs: restaurant a petit prix avec un grand choix de plats, par ailleurs vraiment très bons.
Mais petits prix riment avec… peu de personnel. En effet bien que la salle soit très grande (3 étages), il y a beaucoup de monde donc peu de places, et il faut aller chercher soit meme son plat. Ce dernier est preparé devant soi, donc il faut être patient devant cette looooongue file d’attente.

Full bellies and wallets? Winning day for a college student.
When you first come in, they give you a card (Keep this or else you won’t be able to leave). Then you go downstairs to order your food. They have counters each for pasta, pizzas, antipasti’s and desserts. After ordering, they scan your card and give you a buzzer that tells you when your food is ready. After you’re done eating, you go back upstairs, scan your card and pay on your way out. Brownie points for efficiency.
The food is made to order. You can watch them make it behind the counter too. The portions are big, sharing sizes — split with your friends to try different things! We tried an open-​faced calzone pizza, scampi pasta in creamy sauce and a pesto beef pasta. A little more flavor would be nice, but they provide potted plants of herbs (I looove basil) and spices on the tables. The chefs are nice about making adjustments to your dishes as well.
Décor is modern and clean. It may be difficult to find open tables during busy hours. Can get loud, but it’s still good for group get-​togethers. I wish they had a place like this in the States. Olive Garden is a total yawn.

I really like this restaurant! I never went to a restaurant with this kind of concept, but I really enjoyed it! You have to queue up at different places for different types of Italian food, my partner and I chose pasta. When it’s your turn you give the cook your order and they’ll make it in front of your eyes! And it doesn’t take them long at all!
When your food is ready you can choose a place to sit (often with strangers at the same table) and enjoy! My partner and I really enjoyed the food and it was really cheap as well! Very good for my student budget!
This place is unique, so it’s definitely fun to try out! It’s also really cheap so that’s a big plus! And also very important, the food is good! I definitely want to visit this place again!

Fresh and Cheap pasta’s, pizza & antipasta’s.
A great place to have a simple dinner. Don’t expect to much in terms of a restaurant experience but it’s just perfect if you want to have a quick, good and cheap dinner.
I tried the past Evista, a special, with chicken, red pepper and sundries tomatoes. Loved it!

ich gehe so gerne dort essen. yummiiii ich liebe Vapiano mein Lieblingsessen!

Essen war okay. Nicht besser und auch nicht schlechter als in allen anderen Vapianos auf der Welt.
Es waren zwar kaum Leute im Restaurant, trotzdem war beinahe jeder Tisch mit Geschirr belegt und nicht abgewischt.

I have visited Vapiano only once, quickly before going to the movies. It is an order and pick it up yourself type of place. Once you make an order for pasta/​salad/​pizza you get the buzzer that will let you know when you order is ready. I had some pizza there and I have to say that it was mediocre. Some people are saying that it is a great budget place, but once again for a place where you need to pick up your order, find your own seating place and get up each time you would like, e.g. an additional drink, I think that it is overpriced. There are many nicer places to eat in Amsterdam.

Food: fresh and tasty; small-​ish menu. (I’ve only had the pasta)
Décor: contemporary and interesting; multilevel; potted fresh herbs everywhere.
Staff: polite and attentive.
Location: touristy.
I had lunch with some colleagues here one week-​day.
When you walk in you’re given a card (the size of a bank card) that tallies your food orders. When you leave, you give this card to the hostess at the front door who collects your money. I thought that was kind of cool.
I ordered a tasty, spicy pasta dish — can’t recall the name — from a chef behind the counter. It took about 10 minutes for him to put my plate together, and it looked as if only three pasta chefs could be taking orders at a time, so I can imagine that this place can get very crowded and slow moving.
Initially I was going to get the Pizza, but when the Pizza chef told me it was about 28 cm wide, I thought that would be too much food and I’d end up wasting what was left. In retrospect, I only thought that because my metric measurements understanding is weak. Next time I’ll order the pizza — and it better be good, Amsterdam!

As chains go, I’m a fan of Vapiano. (The one in Stockholm is still my fave.) The food is consistently fresh and tasty and not overpriced for the portions.
The setup for this location is rather odd though. There’s a large seating space upstairs and the food is downstairs in a rather dark and cramped space, especially when there’s people queuing. The stairs are not precarious unless you’re carrying a tray full of food, which you will have to do if you eat upstairs. Upstairs is the better option for a work meeting /​lunch though as the noise level is pretty good and there’s plenty of table space and light.

I love Vapiano! Everything here tastes super fresh and delicious! For my student budget this place is perfect. I love how the restaurant has seating on differant levels. Even though this place is really big it can get supercrowded. The interior and atmosphere remind me of ‘La Place’ (Also love it there!).
This place is really great; tasty and fresh italian food, friendly people and nice seats. Only down side is that it can get so crowded, that you will not find a decent place to sit.

Situated in one of the most sought after locations in Amsterdam, this location of the international restaurant chain Vapiano started out with great promises. They did throw a wonderful opening party, spent on tasteful decoration inside the premises, and offered great introductory discounts. But, as with all mediocre chains, they just cannot keep the quality of the stuff that matters consistently good.
Since I work very close-​by, I frequent this restaurant for lunch. Odds are very high that I would go for the caesar salad and a drink. Even then, it is crazy how inconsistent the outcome is, depending on who prepared my salad. Generally, there is a lot of cheese and salt (signs that the ingredients are not all so fresh).
There have been times when I have tried the pasta dishes, and they vary a lot, too.
Lastly, although the location and the interior is awesome, there is hardly the same personal experience that you would expect and experience at a neighborhood restaurant. While one could argue that this is not unreasonable for a chain restaurant, I have seen better. It just seems to be a Vapiano culture thing to appear detached.
In summary, if you’re on a budget and wouldn’t mind average quality grub, head to Vapiano so that you could spend that extra cash elsewhere in Amsterdam.