Review of lunch place Gary's Deli, Amsterdam

Having a bagel at Gary’s Deli

Gary’s Muffins used to be one of the bagel store chains in Amsterdam. Unfortunately because of a series of unfortunate events, all the Gary’s Muffins stores disappeared and all that we have left now is the renamed Gary’s Deli in the Kinkerstraat. The menu still consists of all manner of bagels, but has been expanded to include some soups and salads. Also they offer different kinds of muffins and sweets to go with your coffee or juice.

The decoration of the shop is still the same as in the Gary’s Muffins days, although they added two lounge chairs in Starbucks style. When we got here the shop was quite full, so we took a table upstairs on the balcony. A little later the chairs opened up and we took them, much more comfortable Unfortunately next to us was a mum with three children she could scarcely keep under control. I could tell from her face she was exhausted. The children were screaming and wrecking half the place. I wondered what happened to good old discipline.

Anyway I went downstairs to place our order, because there is no table service. I ordered, with a very friendly guy behind the counter, a pumpernickel bagel with tuna salad for myself with a chai tea latte and for my friend a coffee and a cheesecake brownie, because they were out of normal cheesecake. I took some time before they brought our order and from the balcony I had good view of the goings on behind the bar.

Two girls were behind the bagel preparation place chatting as they were making the bagels. I noticed that one of them was putting on some tomato on the bagel, lick off her fingers and then use those fingers to grab some salad for on the plate. A very thoughtless and unhygienic action.

A little later our order was brought to our table by the guy. The bagel tasted nice, although the best tuna salad in Amsterdam is still at Toasty. The chai tea didn’t have as much flavor as the one of Starbucks or the Coffee Company, but is was a real tea from a bag, not a premix from a pack. As a dessert I took a huge chocolate muffin

Gary’s Deli is a nice place to have a bagel if you are not into the strictest of hygiene and cleanliness.