Great area, I really like Vondelpark, went cycling round there a few times.

For live music in cafes you're not in the best of cities, don't actually know of one here.

Meatless district is a nice place for vegan food thats not too expensive.

pmd

Thanks toin for the PM and sofashionmuchamaze for your advice. I have booked De Plantage for Saturday and will keep Friday free to discover something or try one of the less formal spots.

We are staying near Amsterdam Centraal station.

Vegan Junk Food is a good shout. Personally think plantage is overrated, the interior is nice but the food is so-so and the service really poor. Just my two cents though..

Thanks for both of your suggestions.

Thanks mate, going next week so useful for me and no doubt others.

going in a few weeks for 4 nights w/ mrs. Planning to check out meatless and vegan junk food bar as per above, any other shouts for reasonably priced vegetarian restaurants or cool-but-not-too-overpriced bars worth checking out? TIA

the Cafe at De Ceuvel (circular community place in Amsterdam Noord) does pretty good vegan food (it's not exclusively vegan, but mostly). beer menu there is good too. at this time of year it's only worth going at lunch time if the skies are blue.

Little Collins does good vegetarian dishes.

Fou Fow does a good vegetarian ramen.

Plantage also nice; a bit more expensive, but not crazy. Hotel Goudfazant is pretty awesome, they only do a few vegetarian dishes though so call ahead if you like the look of it.

bar wise… depends what you're after. Brouwerij het Ij is always good. Binnen Visser does good wine. 't Smalle and Cafe de Pels are my favourite brown cafes in the centre / 9 streets area. Troost has a few locations and does pretty good beer.

if you want coffee (not coffee shop) Toki, Lot 61, Bocca and Back to Black are all excellent; i've listed them in order from most to least hipster.

Bar centraal near the food market (food & great wine)

Also their other bar glouglou