The Baanderij building on the NDSM wharf is not your average restaurant building. The listed building dates from 1957 and for decades served as a canteen, office and meeting space for the workers and management of the NDSM shipyard. That history is in the walls, in the windows overlooking the IJ, in the proportions of the space. Café Restaurant De Baanderij did not choose that name for nothing: it is a direct nod to the building and the shipbuilding history that made this shipyard great.
The Baanderij is the successor to the IJ Canteen, which sat in the same location for many years. Those who knew the IJ Canteen know that it was always a place with character: rough, spacious, with that wide view over the water. The new infill builds on that, but takes a different direction. French-Mediterranean is the starting point of the menu, from breakfast to dinner. That's a conscious choice for a place that runs all day, from morning coffee to late at night.
The terrace is probably its greatest asset. Right on the IJ water, next to the ferry that shuttles to Central Station, is a large sunny outdoor terrace. On a summer day, you sit here with the water in front of you and the wharf behind your back. The ferry is at once practical and symbolic: Noord is accessible from the center within fifteen minutes, and De Baanderij benefits directly from the flow of people crossing every day.
The Baanderij building already has the setting: tall windows, a monumental scale, and that water that is always present.
The NDSM Wharf in North has proven it in recent years: raw industrial spaces with a good concept attract people from all over the city. The Baanderij building already has the decor. Tall windows, a monumental scale, and that water that is always present. The question is not whether people wind their way to The Baanderij, but whether the concept can handle the space. Based on what's there now, at least the ingredients are there.