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Ottolenghi is going global in 2026 – and it’s not where you might expect
Yotam Ottolenghi is, these days, synonymous with London’s modern food scene. His clutch of delis and restaurants stretches from Hampstead to Spitalfields. Since the first Ottolenghi opened in Notting Hill in 2002, foodies have lined up to nab a seat in one of the bustling cafés for sunshiny brunch or Middle Eastern and Mediterranean, veggie-forward lunches; stashing hamper items such as granola and dressing from the Ottolenghi pantry shop in their bags to recreate the magic at home.
Despite his two-decades-long success at the top of London’s food scene, it’s only recently that Yotam and his team branched out to pastures new. First, a deli in Switzerland – Ottolenghi Geneva is set within the sumptuous Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, and marked the brand’s first overseas outpost. Now, the team has announced exclusively to Condé Nast Traveller that in 2026, a second overseas iteration will open – this time in Amsterdam.
Set in the brand-new Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Ottolenghi Amsterdam will open in early 2026. Fans of Yotam’s cooking can expect to find his trademark vibrant and distinctive flavour for the first time on Dutch soil. The new space – inspired by the ROVI restaurant in London – will form part of the city’s iconic glass atrium. It marks a sentimental return to the city for Yotam, who moved there in the ’90s to complete his Master’s Degree before relocating to London in 1997.
He told us, “Returning to Amsterdam is a bit of a walk down memory lane for me. In the mid-90s, I lived there while studying for my master’s, and it was a wonderful time – everyone sitting on doorsteps drinking wine, riding their bikes around town. I loved it!
“Now, 30-odd years later, we’re opening our second-ever international restaurant within the beautiful Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam, just a stone’s throw from the Van Gogh Museum and not far from my old neighbourhood. The food will follow the same philosophy as our London spots: vegetables at the centre, bold flavours, plenty of ferments and pickles. I really can’t wait.”
