Vegan bakery cafés in Amsterdam

SAINT-JEAN Bakery and Deli

For sweet and savoury treats that will make even the most ardent pastry lover forget all about butter, head to these twin TikTok sensations in the Jordaan. When owner Yann Pierre-Jean founded his bakery café three years ago, he simply wanted to create “100% plant-based versions” of the things he was “missing in Amsterdam”. Named after his grandmother’s French épicerie, SAINT-JEAN’s all-natural pistachio cruffins soon created a buzz. You’ll also find more recent additions to the menu, such as French toast and sticky cardamom apple buns, which pair well with espresso-based drinks made with beans from Dak Coffee Roastery. Meanwhile, the deli across the street, which opened in 2023, leans more savoury with spiced vegan cheese croissants, beetroot-hummus focaccia sandwiches and chestnut-mushroom brioche buns, though there’s also chocolate babka.

SAINT-JEAN | Lindengracht 158H and 99, De Jordaan

Liever Hier

Sitting pretty in a historic former bruin café along one of the city’s most scenic cycling routes, this charming vegan bakery café juxtaposes a wall-sized reproduction of Adriaen van Utrecht’s ostentatious 17th-century still life with thoroughly modern bakes. Aside from the fact that you won’t find regular milk here, you probably wouldn’t even notice that it’s 100% plant-based. Says co-owner Ellen Wiggers, “Baking vegan is different, but not hard. The biggest adjustment when we switched to vegan three years ago was playing around with new ingredients to get the same flavour and texture profile you’d get from regular milk and eggs.” Luckily, all that hard work has paid off. The spiced pumpkin latte tastes just as good with pea milk and the hummingbird cake is moist and moreish. Apparently, the banana bread with banana jam is a bestseller, and the brownies, blondies and apple crumble are “always a hit”. There are also house blend teas and homemade lemonades on offer.    

Liever Hier | Nieuwedammerdijk 413, Noord

Margo’s Amsterdam

When Margot Abdine longed for the delicious pastries she used to enjoy before going plant-based, she decided to experiment with ingredients and teach herself the art of laminating dough. Later, she opened bakery-café Margo’s Amsterdam with her husband Ayden, so they could “show the world that plant-based pastry could not only match but rival the very best of traditional, dairy-based pastries.” And they’re on to something: the croissants at this busy little corner café are, indeed, some of the best in town. The vegan croissant au jambon fromage is a revelation, but there’s pain au chocolat, double-baked almond croissants, and other varieties too. Sweet and savoury Danish pastries come in flavours such as tiramisu, pistachio and za’atar-feta. There are also tahini buns, lemon poppy cakes, flaky pastry sandwiches and sesame-sea salt cookies, as well as espresso-based drinks, matcha, fairtrade hot chocolate and seasonal offerings such as pumpkin spice lattes. Tip: Grabbing a seat is a little easier at the larger second location in West (Bellamyplein 18H), which opened in July 2024.

Margo's Amsterdam | Eerste Tuindwarsstraat 2A, De Jordaan

Rose & Vanilla

Specialised in certified organic, gluten-free and dairy-free baked goods, this chic minimalist bakery-café is a haven for pastry lovers with diverse diets, allergies and intolerances. Over 80% of the selection is vegan, with many options that are also free of nuts, soy, or refined sugar. Says co-owner Erik de Wit, “Creating the most mouthwatering cakes for everyone is our sole focus. Everything is crafted using only high-quality, pure and sustainable ingredients, ensuring that our treats are not only delicious but health-conscious too.” Several of the confections, such as the walnut chocolate brownies, mango-yuzu cheesecakes, mocha-hazelnut tart and carrot cake, also come as cute petit fours so you can sample as many as you like. Wash it all down with a huge mug of chai latte, organic espresso-based coffee drinks or fresh ginger or mint tea. Hungry for more? There are also granola bowls, soups and sandwiches on the menu.

Rose & Vanilla | 1e Constantijn Huygensstraat 74, Oud-West

Petit by Sam

This pastry shop and café offers an “alternative to traditional cakes and pastries” with treats like mini almond-raspberry swirl cakes, individually-sized pumpkin spice loaves, gluten-free Death by Chocolate cakes and full-sized tiered sprinkles birthday cakes. Half of the offerings are fully vegan, while the rest is gluten-free. Additionally, 20% of the selection is both vegan and gluten-free. Explains founder Samita Raheja, “Our focus is on offering cakes for people with dietary restrictions such as vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free, though some people also just prefer pastries that are a little less sweet. We never want someone to say ‘Oh it was good for a gluten-free cake’. It should be one of the best cakes they’ve ever had.”

Petit by Sam | Vijzelstraat 93, Eastern Canal District

Iets Aparts

Founded by a mother-daughter duo with longstanding roots in the neighbourhood, this cosy De Baarsjes-based bakery café and lunchroom has been popular with locals for almost a decade – even those who wouldn’t normally go for vegan, “like the old lady across the street”. That attests to the love and dedication of the owners, who really try to create “a home away from home, with a family feel and warm, friendly service”. Except for the old school cheesecake, all the cakes and pastries here are plant-based, with some sugar-free options and a few that are gluten-free too, like a decadently delicious fruit-topped chocolate cake with salted caramel. Says vegan co-owner Sher Bos, “The carrot cake is our enduring bestseller but everything pistachio is doing well right now, especially our pistachio tiramisu.”

Iets Aparts | Postjesweg 122H, De Baarsjes

Have a Roll

This vegan bakery and pandemic success story, founded by Dennis van Peel and Ruben Har, had already built a strong following in Antwerp, Ghent, and Brussels before expanding to the Netherlands in late 2023. The menu features nine varieties of Insta-worthy cinnamon rolls, including two rotating monthly specials, often inspired by seasonal flavours like almond paste in the autumn or lime and lavender in the summer. Made American-style, using soft brioche dough, staples include a classic cinnamon roll with vanilla icing and brown sugar, the bestselling pistachio-almond roll, a speculaas roll and a breakfast roll with coffee icing and espresso powder. All rolls are handmade daily and contain gluten but no dairy or eggs.

HAVE A ROLL | Van Woustraat 42, De Pijp

SUE Bites Bar

Situated in the Jordaan, this vegan bakery specializes in all-natural, gluten-free and refined sugar-free versions of popular candy bars like Snickers and Mars. Owner Kim Sue Palm’s “bites” are square, not rectangular, and “brimming with goodness instead of guilt”. Today, SUE Bites Bar offers a variety of bestselling “bites” like the popular Marz but also versions inspired by apple pie, Dutch kruidnoten cookies and gevulde speculaas, as well as newcomers like the Dubai bite (made with gluten-free cornflakes). Every bite is “packed with wholesome ingredients like nuts, coconut and dates”. The selection also includes gluten-free bread, date truffles, homemade granola, banana bread and coffee from Rotterdam-based Man Met Bril roastery.

SUE Bites Bar | Elandsgracht 4H, De Jordaan