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Centrum · Amsterdam · Netherlands

TerraZen Centre

A fully vegan cafe blending Jamaican and Japanese cooking traditions in an intimate, Rastafarian-inspired setting near Dam Square.

The essentials, at a glance

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Impact score
2 - Engaged
→
Documented practices
Local sourcing
Sustainable meat/fish plant-based kitchen
Plant-forward menu

Style
Café
Casual
Cosy
Alternative
Cuisine
Asian
Fusion

The delicious details

TerraZen Centre is Amsterdam's first vegan restaurant, founded in 2011 by Sw. Izaba and Tomomi, a Jamaican-Japanese couple who spent 25 years living together in Tokyo. Their menu draws equally from both culinary traditions: Jamaican plates with plantain sit alongside jackfruit karaage and crispy dragon rolls. The Ital food philosophy, rooted in Rastafarian principles of eating natural and unprocessed foods, underpins every dish.

The small space on Sint Jacobsstraat, steps from Centraal Station, seats guests at communal high tables surrounded by hand-painted artwork and reggae music. Portions are generous, and the kitchen works with fresh ingredients to deliver bold Caribbean and Japanese flavours in an entirely plant-based format.

Menu
What's on the table, and what's left off

The kitchen builds entirely vegan dishes from plant proteins, fresh vegetables, and whole grains, drawing on Japanese techniques and Caribbean flavours. Jackfruit becomes karaage, tofu fills gyoza, plantain joins jerk-spiced plates, and several dishes can be adapted gluten-free on request.

Cuisine
Asian
Fusion
Dietary options
Vegetarian options
Fully plant-based
Gluten-free options
Dairy-free options
Alcohol-free
Impact score
How this restaurant rates
2 - Engaged

As a fully plant-based restaurant, TerraZen inherently operates with a low environmental footprint through its exclusion of animal products. The Ital food philosophy prioritises natural, unprocessed ingredients.

The impact dimensions
Local & direct sourcing✓
Sustainable animal products✓
n/a
Social impact
Plant-forward menu✓

Described as organic on review platforms; no named suppliers or certification identified.

TerraZen is described as 'organic' on several review platforms including HappyCow and Vegan Amsterdam. One aggregation source claims the restaurant partners with local farms and suppliers. The label appears to originate from the restaurant's self-categorisation and is propagated across platforms without independent corroboration.

Strongest sourcehappycow.net ↗

This kitchen is 100% plant-based; dimension not applicable to vegan restaurants.

TerraZen Centre operates an entirely vegan menu with no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood served. The absence of animal products is unanimously confirmed across all platforms consulted.

Strongest sourcehappycow.net ↗

Family-run, Black-owned business hosting community art exhibitions and events.

TerraZen is a family-run, Black-owned business that serves as a cultural gathering space in Amsterdam-Centrum. The restaurant hosts local art exhibitions and community events, and is recognised in Black-owned businesses directories and cultural guides.

Strongest sourcenovacircle.com ↗

Fully vegan kitchen where plant-based ingredients are structural; menu features jackfruit, tofu, tempeh, plantain, whole grains.

TerraZen Centre is a fully vegan restaurant where plant-based ingredients are unambiguously the centre of every dish. The menu features jackfruit, tofu, tempeh, plantain, vegetables, and whole grains as primary ingredients. Vegetables and plant proteins are the structural foundation, not an accommodation.

The Ital food philosophy, rooted in Rastafarian tradition, further emphasises natural, unprocessed plant foods. No animal proteins are present in any form.

Strongest sourcehappycow.net ↗
Visit & practical info
Address, price, and more
Address
Sint Jacobsstraat 19HS, 1012 NC Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open in Google Maps ↗
Price
€€
Format
Communal high tables; vegan menu, no alcohol
Hours
Monday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
Thursday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
Friday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
Saturday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
Sunday13:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00
Style
Café
Casual
Cosy
Alternative
Web
terrazencentre.com
Social
@terrazencentre
Reviewed by My Treats
Last reviewed 12 Apr 2026
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How we score
The My Treats impact scale

Every restaurant is assessed against SEERO, our six-dimension sustainability framework — covering sourcing, seasonality, waste, animal products, social impact, and plant-forward cooking. Each finding is weighted by how strongly it is corroborated. The combined result is translated into a planet rating from 1 to 5.

The five levels

SEERO is an acronym for Starting, Engaged, Endorsed, Recognised, Outstanding:

Starting First verified signals of sustainable practice.
Engaged Credible practice across two dimensions.
This place
Endorsed Meaningful practice across three or more dimensions.
Recognised Strong practice across four or more dimensions, with independent corroboration.
Outstanding Top-tier practice, confirmed by recognised third-party audit.

How a level is reached. Each level needs two things together: a minimum number of dimensions covered, and a minimum overall strength of evidence across them. A dimension only counts once its evidence is specific and substantiated — a passing mention doesn't qualify. Meeting only one of the two keeps a restaurant a level lower.

Ratings of four or five planets require human validation and, at the top tier, an external audit. Scores are based on publicly available evidence and restaurant submissions at the time of assessment.

Full methodology→
Impact dimension
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How this dimension works
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How evidence is weighted
Self-declared Stated by the restaurant on its website, menu or in a submission. Plausible, but not yet independently corroborated.
Researched Found through independent research; one credible third-party source backs the claim.
Vouched Corroborated across more than one independent source. Some gaps may remain.
Audited Fully corroborated across independent sources or by a recognised third-party certification.
What the sourcing checkmarks mean
✓ Full check — independently verified: corroborated across more than one source, or audited / third-party certified (vouched or audited).
✓ Light check — self-declared or from a single source. Not yet independently verified.
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