I love good food. If it happens to be healthy as well, I am even happier. I’d say that in Amsterdam (and the rest of the Netherlands) the world-wide movement towards biological and organic food is in full swing. People are starting to realise that a healthy life can be achieved through healthy food, not some fake produce packed with chemicals. That’s why there are quite a few organic shops in Amsterdam and some periodic farmers’ markets (Boerenmarkten).

One of the best biological markets in Amsterdam is Noordermarkt, which used to be a pigeons and canaries market, now transformed into something more contemporary.

Situated in the beautiful neighbourhood of Jordaan, close to Noorderkerk, this biological fresh food market seems to be the most popular one in Amsterdam at the moment.

It is open each Saturday from 9.00 to 16.00 and it’s packed with fresh, local produce: fruits, vegetables, fish, honey, fresh handmade pasta and great cheese of all kinds. The best mushroom selection can also be found here — wild, freshly picked from the woods or grown by the local farmers (but no, the hallucinogenic mushrooms are not sold at the market, you’ll need to find a Smart-shop for that). There are small artisans selling home-made jam, juice and sweets, while sea-food lovers can enjoy fresh oysters eaten right on the spot, accompanied by a glass of wine. Pancake aficionados (and who doesn’t love pancakes?) can skip the oysters and head straight for the pancakes stand. Raw foodists will be delighted to find a good assortment of super-foods and all the supplements they could imagine. No matter your preferences, you are bound to leave Noordermarkt happy, with everything you need to prepare a nice, healthy meal safely tucked into your bags.

Talking about all the food, I almost forgot to mention that there is a flea market right next to the food market (or, better said, mixed with it), where antiques or different handmade objects can be found. This market is open every Saturday and Monday from 9.00 to 13.00.

How does one get there? It’s a ten minutes walk north from Westerkerk (close to Anne Frank House) or by tram 3 or 5 or bus 18 and 21, stop at Marnixplein and then a five minutes walk on Westerstraat, towards Noorderkerk. More info about the market and the producers can be found on their website: Biologische Noordermarkt.

You can follow Amsterdamian on Instagram and Facebook for daily stories about life in Amsterdam.