Mexican cantina vibes at Coba Taqueria
By Deepa Paul
Schaafstraat 4, 1021 KE Amsterdam, Netherlands
BOOK NOWShort of hopping on a plane to Mexico, the closest we Amsterdammers will ever get to a proper Mexican cantina is just a bicycle and ferry ride away: Coba Taqueria in Amsterdam Noord.
Here, Mexico’s heat and grit is filtered through a lens of urbanite flair, and the resulting atmosphere is both hip and rustic. From the warm glow of dripping white candles to the pious Catholic iconography, the artfully dirty windows to the oversized tropical greenery, walking into Coba is an immediate escape to someplace sultry and warm, where the beer is cold, the cocktails jolt you alive, and the tacos just keep on coming.
Grab the cozy corner with a battered leather couch for cocktails; sit at the bustling bar for ready access to the extensive mezcal menu, the first (and possibly best) of its kind in Amsterdam; or watch the chefs sling tacos on the plancha as you dine. This is formerly industrial Noord, so it’s spacious enough that you can choose a spot to suit your mood, whether it’s a romantic date or pregame drinks before a sweaty night out dancing at Skate Café or Garage Noord nearby. But that doesn’t mean you should sleep on making reservations; on the contrary, Coba is so ensconced in the Amsterdam restaurant scene that it’s nearly always booked out. Thankfully, you have Unbookables to get you in the action.
First, the cocktails. You could go classic with a Margarita, but since you’re at the house mezcal built, why not have a Mezcalita instead? A Paloma loyalist myself, I’m partial to the hit of tequila, lick-your-lips spice rim and punchy grapefruit, but can always be lured away by the refreshing sourness of a Clamachela, made with clamato (that’s clam and tomato juice to the uninitiated), tabasco, celery, lime and beer—think Bloody Mary with a splash of beer. If you’re feeling more adventurous, the heat-and-sweet punch of the Pilaga, made with red bell pepper, sotol, and ancho reyes, will tease your senses with a wood-smoked infusion of Palo Santo. House-made aguas frescas are available for the sober and sober-curious, flavours upon request.
But you’re here for the tacos. We all are. Coba serves a mix of crunchy tostadas (typically one per order) and soft tacos (3 per order). If you only have one tostada, make it the Ceviche Lubina: succulent sea bass with sea urchin mayonnaise, bursting with flavour fireworks from mandarin, habanero, vanilla, macha oil and cured egg yolk.
Meanwhile, it’s almost impossible to decide on just one type of taco. Meatlovers, you’re spoilt for choice here: fillings range from Lengua con Salsa Tomatillo (tender veal tongue with tomatillo salsa, salsa macha and cucumber) to Pato (duck leg cooked in pipian rojo, peanuts, with a crisp wafer-thin tuille of chicken skin) to Suadero (slow-cooked beef brisket with chipotle, confit onion and salsa macha). Seafood standouts are the Taco de Jaiba, crunchy deep-fried soft shell crab with black garlic salsa, pineapple and habanero, or Pulpo, octopus with guacamole, brown beans, peanuts and spicy salsa morita. Vegetarians need not fret, as Coba offers equally enticing options such as the Tostada de Poblano (corn, parmesan and morita chili), Tostada de Hongos (like the octopus, but swapped out for eryngii mushroom), and a superb Quesadilla with three-milk cheese, huitlacoche, and ancho guacamole. Yum.
It is worth noting that the prices at Coba are higher than most other Mexican eateries in the metro—cocktails rainge from 10,50 to 15 Euros, while non-veg tacos are in the 16-18 Euro price range. But hey, it’s definitely cheaper than a ticket to Mexico.
Coba Taqueria
The Place: Atmospheric taqueria in Amsterdam Noord, serving up vibrant Mexican flavours, well-crafted cocktails, and a mezcal menu to knock your socks off.
The Space: Dirty-pretty cantina vibes with a touch of urban flair, cozy corners, tropical greenery, an open kitchen and plenty of face-flattering candlelight.
The Base: Dinner for two, with cocktails, from €120-150. Choose the vegetarian options and you could knock that under €100.
The Face: Effortlessly stylish, casually cool and in the know, but no show-offs here.
The Ace: Ask if they still do the chef’s menu, a tasting portion of each taco on the menu. Maybe you’ll get lucky, maybe not.
The Veg: Tacos and tostadas featuring corn, meaty mushrooms, plus quesadillas with melty sheep-milk-goat cheese, all big savory mouthfuls of Mexican goodness. You won’t go hungry here!
Opening Hours: Wed-Sat 18:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-20:00, Mon-Tues Closed
Images from coba-taqueria.com, Coba Taqueria
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