Every city needs its own fervent debate about who serves the best pizza. Amsterdam is no exception with Renato’s on Karel du Jardinstraat and more recently opened Forno Communale on Rhijnvis Feithstraat mentioned frequently.
I love truffles and generally prefer restaurants that focus on the food rather than the interior design. So my vote goes to Yam Yam Trattoria and Pizzeria on Frederik Hendrikstraat, just west of the Jordaan, close enough to walk, far enough to be off the beaten path.
Yam Yam is both trattoria and pizzeria. The trattoria menu offers typical dishes such as saltimbocca, branzino, or linguine with salsicce and porcini. The pizza, however, is so good that I rarely get around to trying them. Yam Yam’s pizza has a thin crust, is baked in a wood oven and generously garnished with fresh ingredients.
My absolute favorite is their pizza Yam Yam with truffle sauce, Parmesan, rucola and ham. You may also want to try the vegetarian version, which is the same but without the ham. Or indulge in one of the other pizza specialties such as the Tartufata (more truffles) or Contadina with mozzarella, Gorgonzola and pear.
The decor is simple with a hip but casual feel to it. The restaurant is split into two rooms with an open kitchen and the wood oven prominently featured behind the counter. It has a dense feel to it as both rooms are filled with lots of small tables. And Yam Yam is always packed with a mixed crowd of locals and alternative globetrotter types.
The same friendly staff has been running the restaurant for a long time. And while I occasionally hear complaints about slow service, I generally appreciate their down to earth attitude.
The wine list is short. It does not have any special wines on it but does amply provide you with a few decent red Italian wines. The coffee is good for Amsterdam standards where unfortunately good espressos are few and far between. A lot of guests end their dinner with the popular home made limoncello.
Yam Yam’s address is Frederik Hendrikstraat 90. Make sure you make a reservation and – if you liked the alternative international flair – consider heading on to De Nieuwe Anita, a squatter house turned club, for some bottles of beer and local DJs.