Studio Bazar

Billed as 'the shop for people crazy about cooking', Studio Bazar was founded 40 years ago by Dutch chef Julius Jaspers and his sister Rooslinde and has been expanding ever since. The company now has five branches, four of which are in Amsterdam.

The cookery shops sell everything from cutlery and crockery to cake tins, knives, Le Creuset oven dishes, espresso makers and novelty paper napkins. In fact, everything a budding foodie could want.

As this is Amsterdam, all the shops in the centre are relatively small and can get quite crowded, particularly at weekends. If you're a claustrophic chef, go during the week or visit the new branch located in the Kauwgomballenfabriek (Chewing Gum Factory). It's just south of Amstel Station, but occupies around a thousand square metres, which means more space, more choice and room for Smart Bites, a café selling good, high-quality coffee, sandwiches, salads and soups.

Other branches of Studio Bazar can be found at:
Reguliersdwarsstraat 60-62 (Centrum). Also open on Sunday from 12.00-17.00. Tel: 020 622 0830
Beethovenstraat 31 (Zuid). Tel: 020 471 4447
Paul van Vlissingenstraat 8a. In the Kauwgomballenfrabriek (take the metro to Spaklerweg and look for the girl blowing a big pink bubble). Tel: 020 560 6990