A typical Dutch brunch consists of chocolate sprinkles on toast.
No, I didn’t just make that up, it’s a real thing Dutch people genuinely enjoy (see, I wasn’t lying). Luckily, the Dutch are learning that sprinkles are meant for ice cream and leaning toward the eggs and bacon brunch we Americans love so much.
Being a devoted bruncher, I made it my priority to try Dignita as soon as my roomie told me it was her favorite brunch spot. Dignita not only serves an incredible brunch, they also do good. In fact, their tagline is “eat well, do good”. They donate an unheard of 100% of their profits to Not For Sale.
Not For Sale is an international organization that provides training and assistance to the people who need it most. In Amsterdam the goal is to help victims of human trafficking with job training and offer them a safe and supportive environment. They even employ some of the women they help!
Talk about a meal you can feel good about.
To ensure their menu is always fresh, Dignita sources their ingredients from local suppliers that produce their food in ethical and sustainable ways. They make nearly everything from scratch including the delectable cakes and pastries upfront. The menu includes a generous selection of coffee, tea, juice, smoothies, cocktails, beer and even ice cream floats and milkshakes.
Whenever I can order a sticky gingerbread milkshake, a raspberry beet juice and a side of craft beer, I’m a happy chica.
The first time I tried Dignita was a few weeks back on a Sunday afternoon. Unlike typical New York City brunch spots, there was astonishingly no wait! Eight of us were able to sit immediately- although we did have to kick out one annoyed looking couple (hungry Americans).
Naturally, I googled the menu the day before and immediately decided I would order the Forest Dwellers, a healthy serving of sautéed mushrooms, on sweet bread served with two poached eggs and a truffled creme fraiche. The meaty mushrooms and sweet bread complemented each other beautifully and the eggs were poached to perfection.
Even though I ate every morsel on my plate, I did experience inevitable food envy- the crispy potato hash served with the Benny-Boy and the Hot Smoked Salmon Royale = pure heaven. If you prefer a sweeter brunch, I recommend the nutty granola. The vegan coconut yogurt is made in-house and served with a raspberry chia jelly, seasonal fruit and crunchy granola. It may sound light, but the coconut yogurt is creamy and filling.
Honestly, no matter what you order, I can’t imagine disappointment.
Recently, Dignita added a simple dinner selection to their menu. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to try it!
Dignita Restaurant, Koninginneweg 218HS
