Café Carbòn's signature spareribs are grilled low and slow over coconut briquette embers, building a charred exterior while the meat stays tender and juicy. House-made spice mixes and glazes are applied throughout cooking. The ribs are praised in reviews as some of Amsterdam's best — complex smoke flavor without being heavy. Typically served with jacket potato and steak fries.
Tips from diners
The spareribs are the best value here — complex flavor, generous portion, and under €20. Ask for medium-rare char.
These are shareable if you want variety. Ask the server for a second fork — the ribs pair beautifully with a glass of red wine.
The Côte de Boeuf is the top of the steakhouse hierarchy at Café Carbòn. A bone-in rib steak is grilled hard over coconut briquette coals, building a blackened crust while the interior stays rare and tender. The bone adds flavor and makes for impressive table presence. Reviews single this out as restaurant's showpiece — a beef-lover's dream.
Tips from diners
This is the special-occasion steak. Reserve ahead and request it — they'll have it specially aged. Pair with a Burgundy or Bordeaux.
The Côte is shareable for two but spectacular for one — the bone provides visual impact. Arrive hungry.
Thick-cut fried potatoes with salt and house mayo.
Tips from diners
Skip these if you're getting the jacket potato. They're redundant with a full steak order.
Charcoal-grilled baked potato topped with sour cream and chives.
Tips from diners
This sides deserves its own mention — the charcoal gives it subtle smoke. Essential with steak.
The Entrecôte is a classic cut that benefits from the charcoal grill technique. The meat is seared hard for crust while the center stays rare and beefy. This is the everyday steakhouse order — less dramatic than the Côte but still showing the grill expertise.
Tips from diners
A solid, consistent choice. Ask for medium-rare — Café Carbòn's default is often medium, which is still excellent.
Café Carbòn opened in De Pijp by preserving the soul of a historic Amsterdam brown café while reimagining it as a modern steakhouse. All meats — from spareribs to premium Côte de Boeuf — are grilled over a signature blend of coconut briquettes and charcoal, a technique that builds a complex, smoky crust while keeping the interior rare and tender. The restaurant has maintained a neighborhood feel while attracting serious meat enthusiasts.
Call or reserve ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday dinner. This is a neighborhood favorite that fills up. Weekday lunch is quieter but they open at 5 pm (no lunch service).
The intimate brown café atmosphere with charcoal smoke creates romance. Arrive early enough to get a table near the window overlooking Van Woustraat. The bar is lively if you're solo.
Open until 1 am Friday and Saturday — a good late-night option if you want steak rather than burgers. The grill runs consistently until close.
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