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I Went to the World’s First Avocado Restaurant to See If It’s Worth the Hype

Willa Tellekson-Flash

April 5, 2017

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Photo: Instagram/@hotspotsofamsterdam

As I walk into The Avocado Show in Amsterdam for the first time, after months of anticipation (seriously, I'd been counting the days), I suddenly feel...worried. So much avo-love—could it possibly live up to the hype? After all, at this foodie paradise, my favorite healthy fat stars in every single item on the menu. (And BTW, Brooklyn's soon-to-be-open Avocaderia should really stop calling itself the "world's first avocado bar"—because it's here in the Netherlands.)

I slide into a plush pink booth, beneath a ginormous wall of greenery, and I take a look around the "classy urban jungle," as co-founder Ron Simpson calls it. The decor is avo-centric, with fun graphics covering the menu and the coffee cups, but the space is decidedly chic—and super Instagrammable (not surprising, considering the restaurant had nearly 50,000 followers before it even opened its doors earlier this year in De Pijp, a hip neighborhood south of the city center).

As for the menu, it goes way beyond guac. Options include: an avocado ring full of poké, club sandwiches with generous slices of the creamy green fruit, and burgers served on avo-buns. Toast junkie? Fear not. You can still get your fix—and it’ll be topped with the most beautiful edible rose you’ve ever laid eyes on.

The waiter helps me pick a dish that's as tasty as it is photogenic (sorry, priorities), and I am not disappointed.

For dessert, there are shakes, cakes, and mousse, all featuring the it-ingredient. (Simpson's favorite dish is the date cake, which combines avocados and dates with citrus, nuts, and seeds, and served inside the skin of the fruit.) And if you're used to paying extra to add avocado to your meal, you likely won't bat an eye at the prices, either. Most dishes are around 15 euros (about $16), and desserts under 10 (about $11).

The waiter helps me pick a dish that's as tasty as it is photogenic (sorry, priorities), and when the avocado garden arrives, I am not disappointed. The two halves serve as boats for freshly made hummus, and the rims are dusted with paprika, cumin, cayenne, sesame seeds, and edible flowers. Not only is it a work of art, but each bite is full of intense flavor.

all avocado restaurant — Photo: Willa Tellekson-Flash

“We love everything about avocados. They're nutritious, versatile, yummy, and good-looking,” says Simpson, who created the eatery with friends Julien Zaal and chef Jamie Van Heije. “A food like this deserves its own mono restaurant.”

As I dive into the rich, but not overly sweet, avo-banana-choco mousse for dessert—whose delicate brown and green layers make it extra camera-ready—my worries that a menu dedicated to one ingredient will be, well, one-note are gone. Somehow, The Avocado Show manages to make me appreciate the beloved superfood even more—and I'm already planning my next trip back. (Must. Have. The poké bowl.)

I'm not restaurant's only fan—the avo-crazy spot is a social media sensation. Scroll down to get a first look.

The Avocado Show, Daniël Stalpertstraat 61, 1072 XB Amsterdam, theavocadoshow.com

Using your vacation days is good for your career, so an avocado-filled trip has got to be even better, right? But if you can't make it, at least you can make your own hummus-filled avocado boats at home.