Spring is in the air! A terrific place to enjoy the rays is the new terrace at ARC. restaurant: a beautiful patio overlooking the Amstel river, a quiet spot in the hustle and bustle of the Dutch capital.
Earlier this year, chef Peter Lute and his wife Marieke opened the new ARC. restaurant, that shares the impressive former town hall and city archives building at Amsteldijk 67 with five-star Pestana hotel.
“We’re really proud of ARC. When we got the opportunity to open a restaurant here, we felt the same energy as 15 years ago when we started De Kruidfabriek in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. The building, the history, the environment – everything was perfect.”
Perfect patio
“The building in Neo-Renaissance style, designed by Dutch architect Roelof Kuipers, was constructed in 1892 and is a real eye-catcher. We wanted more natural light in the restaurant and a better connection with the garden and the terrace. ARC. consists of a bar, a narrow room with high tables, a restaurant and an atrium, all designed and decorated by Studio Linse. It’s the ideal place to go for drinks and a few snacks or a nice meal. The new, very light conservatory brings old and new together.”
‘ARC. is great for lunch, afternoon drinks or dinner’
Moreover, the conservatory connects inside with outside and vice versa. “In winter you get the feeling of being in touch with the outside world, that’s what we experienced the first few months. But now we’re looking forward to connecting outside with inside”, says Peter Lute, who’s also the owner of Soundbites in Amsterdam Zuidoost and Explore in Muiden.
Cosy corners
The terrace has sixty seats, varying from cosy corners to designer tables with comfortable chairs for easy dining. There are heaters with a sleek design that makes sitting outside enjoyable even at low temperatures. “It is a great location, right at the Amstel River. You can really feel the city vibe here. It’s not simply a very pleasant spot.”
Another bonus: as it gets sun all day long, the patio at ARC. is the perfect outside space. “We provide all food & beverage for the Pestana hotel so ARC. is also open for breakfast. The terrace is going to be a wonderful meeting place throughout the day. It is meant for after-work drinks but people can also stay for dinner or have lunch here.”
So the ARC. terrace will be one of those places where you meet up with a friend and before you know it you’ve spent half your day there? “That could very well be”, Peter laughs. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s going to be a place for families or a group of friends to relax, with live music every now and then. We’ll make sure our guests will be well looked after.”
Monumental tree
They’ve got heaters to bring warmth to the terrace in early spring and for warm summers there’s a natural solution: the European cornel – one of five species of monumental trees in Amsterdam – that functions as a beautiful natural parasol. “We like to connect inside with outside and in that respect this wonderful tree is a real gift”, Peter explains.
‘The terrace will be a wonderful meeting place throughout the day’
Another nice detail: the tree grows berries that are edible. And of course Peter Lute is going to use them. He’s well-known for his herb garden and the wild herbs growing near his restaurants. “Last year we picked the berries and put them in the freezer and now we use them in our cocktails and in a jelly for one of our desserts.”
A nice cocktail
The ARC. bartenders are the best cocktail makers in town and they know what to do with all those nice berries. “Especially in summer, people like having a nice cocktail with their meal instead of a glass of wine. Our team serves drinks that match the dishes on our menu. We want to present the whole package and innovative cocktails are part of that.”
But the ARC. terrace is not the only ‘place to be’ this spring and summer. After they completely restyled De Kruidfabriek last year, Peter and Marieke felt it was time to give its terrace a make-over as well. “The terrace at De Kruidfabriek is going to get some fresher colours in order to bring it in line with the new interior. It’s a bit more quiet there but just as nice!”
ARC. by LUTE
Amsteldijk 70
Amsterdam
T 020 472 2462