I often complain that the Italian restaurants near the Leidseplein all seem the same. Same menu, prices, tacky plastic plants and wall murals. Well at least the Pisa Restaurant ditched the plastic, giving this place a more modern, less dusty feel.

I’ve always enjoyed the lasagnas in Amsterdam, because they are a bit different from what you get in other cities. My guess is that instead of the typical combination of mozzarella and ricotta cheese, you get a richer selection of Dutch cheeses substituting for the traditional Italian cheese. This makes for a delightful change.

So I ordered a vegetarian lasagne and a beer. I was long thru my beer, and had to wait almost a half hour (or so it seemed) for my lasagne, which I guess was made from scratch to order. It was excellent with a variety of vegetables and lots of cheese and a combination of bechamel and tomato sauces. It was so good it was worth the wait, and I ate every bite. My only complaint was they served me a basket of bread just before the lasagne came out. It would’ve been much more welcome 20 minutes earlier when I was ready to eat the table setting! Traditions die hard in these Italian restaurants.

Open from noon until 11 pm daily.