Marqt on Overtoom

If you’re

after some shopping, but looking for something a bit more out-of-the-ordinary,

then forget places like Super de Boer or Albert Heijn. Of course, they are

there whenever and wherever you might need them, but if you’re visiting

Amsterdam, you should definitely go more ‘local’ and check out the organic-oriented

Mecca of everything fresh and tasty – the Marqt on Overtoom in the exciting

area of Vondelbuurt.

The location

The close

western part of Amsterdam boasts a truly special appeal, combining the gradually

fading remnants of the original heart of the city as you move more and more to

the west and the stimulating developments of today, like the wonderful

Museumplein lined with treasuries of art (Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum or

Diamond Museum, to mention a few) and a modern underground shopping precinct,

but also featuring a stimulating contrast in the form of the ever-fresh and

leisurely Vondelpark to provide you with a moment of tranquility without the

need to distant yourself from all the local attractions. In this setting, there

lies the fantastic Marqt – Farmers’ Market located on Overtoom, famous for a

mind-boggling selection of top-quality produce, with a special focus on

everything organic, healthy, fresh and – most of all – local!

The market

If you

happen to spot a classic Dutch dark-brown-bricked tenement with large vertical

windows and a simple font saying ‘marqt’, then you’re at the right place.

Additionally, if you’re visiting the Venice of the North in any warmer season,

you might expect to be also guided by the pleasant smell in the air – a

characteristic mixture of fragrant vegetables and fruit displayed on outdoor

stalls. The interiors will welcome you with a breathtaking array of almost

every kind of food you might think of, and on top of that, the modern simple

and intelligent décor is bound to make your shopping a real pleasure, not an

unwelcome necessity. To be quite fair, this place has breathed a totally new

quality into the area of Overtoom, once a highly-trafficked part of the city

and now a place associated with excellent food supplies. Also, with opening

hours from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (except for Sundays), this spot is one of the

main contributors to the local hurly-burly.

The offer

Forget the

majority of imported goods – although you may still count on some exotic

spices, Mediterranean delicacies and other treats; however, inside Marqt you

will find the best of the best of Dutch cuisine – both raw products and ready

takeaways. To start with, you should definitely try the bread, baked four times

a day on the spot, so you can be sure that whenever you come for shopping, it’s

always super-fresh. It is impossible to list all the great stuff you can come

across while you’re there, but keep in mind that it’s worth to try at least a small

sample of each type of product, as it is more than certain that you won’t find

anything like this in any other shop; a cheese corner with all the cheeses of

Europe, a range of crispy pastries, meat and fish from sustainable sources only

or freshly-squeezed juices and lemonade. Need more? Then check out the Brandt

& Levie dried sausages and the first-rate lager as a welcome addition. Alternatively,

you can make your mouth water with the rich supply of chunks of chocolate with

hazelnuts, peanuts, raisins or flakes – ‘Lekker eten’, as the locals say! To

continue, among other significant features is the selection of organic wines

(mostly French, but not only), absolutely splendid poultry and the host of most

tasty locally-grown vegetables. And this is one of the few examples of both

quality AND quantity going hand in hand.

The service

As for the

staff, you can expect them to be really helpful and involved. As for the prices

– well, better quality comes always with higher price and that’s a universal

rule working all over the world; still, even with the rates going up among the

bigbest supermarket chains in recent time, the Marqt has managed to keep theirs

at quite reasonable level, if you may, but taking into account that you pay for

pure quality, you shouldn’t complain. Also, one significant thing has to be

kept in mind if you plan to visit the place –

no cash is accepted, so you can pay only by debit or credit cards.

The main Marqt shop is found on Overtoom 12-25,

but there are two more Marqts in Amsterdam as wall – available at Haarlemmerstraat

165 and Utrechtsestraat 17. And for all of you who speak Dutch, you can find

out more at www.marqt.com 

to be as up-to-date as possible.