Polly is the new flagship of the Goudvisch family, a group of bars spread throughout Amsterdam. As the first to take up residence in the north of the city, Polly represents a new chapter for the family – she has her own character and charms, but is still clearly a Goudvisch. The interior is a nod to the traditional Amsterdam brown cafe, with wooden panelling on the walls, brass and copper details, and elaborate woodwork like twisted table legs.Materials and patterns, old and new, are mixed to create a venue that feels like it’s been there forever, but has a distinctly contemporary feel. 

The bar is Polly’s beating heart – not just because of its sheer size, but thanks to the materials and refined details that invite you to draw closer. As you approach the floor turns from wood into black and white terrazzo.The bar itself is finished in a variety of materials in warm earthy tones with Goudvisch logo details. The fishtail reappears in both 2D and 3D form, integrated in the design of the cupboard and the glass plateau. To make the most of the bar’s length, the front is covered with an array of materials: coloured marbles, wood and copper in an array of finishes. Two pillars rising out of the bar are covered in the same burnt orange glossy tiles featured in the vestibule. Circular plateaus made from textured glass and steel with integrated lighting are placed around the pillars, so that wine and waterglasses can be placed on top of them. 

Look up to the ceiling, and you’ll see that it’s plastered with a multicoloured texture. A long coloured neon light frames the bar and is reflected in the mirror wall behind the bar. In front of the mirror, a selection of liquors is presented on a marble liquor tower, made from stacked marble blocks in different colours. The terrazzo floor follows the bar around the corner. On the short side of the bar, you’ll find the service area of the kitchen and on the other side a bread and wine station, with cabinets made from dark coloured oak wood with tiled corners and a marble top. Finally, in front of the bar is an area with high tables that have a copper fishtail rounded side and twisted legs, connecting the bar to the windows overlooking the terrace and the river IJ behind. 

The restaurant is a long but intimate space, naturally divided in the middle by the entrance. It consists of one open area and a series of small interconnected spaces, each with its own atmosphere. The open area has two group tables, one high, one low, attached to the two columns with lights wrapped around them. Each of the smaller spaces has its own layout with custom-made sofas and furniture, different wall finishes and bespoke light fixtures. Most of the tables are finished in wood, with some high gloss purple accents. In the left corner of the restaurant, you can find a slightly secluded area, with custom-made sofa seats on the window sides. The seating part of the sofa is made of a soft toned blue leather, parted into various surfaces. 

The terrace is covered with parasols in red, pink and purple unicolour, combined with black, white and grey striped fabrics. Around the border of the terrace there’s a custom-made foldable wooden windscreen that features textured and normal glass embossed with the Polly Goudvisch logo, which is a recurrent motif throughout. Custom-made benches are located alongside the building frontage with round and heart-shaped table tops. The tail of the Goudvisch logo is incorporated into the in- and outside corners of the benches. 

As the terrace offers a wide view over the river IJ, it has a wonderful spaciousness compared to the crowded city centre on the other side of the water. After crossing the terrace, you’ll arrive at the main entrance to Polly. Step through the vestibule and you will see that it’s made from oakwood and glass, with brass doorhandles in a mirrored upsidedown triangle shape that forms the tail of the Goudvisch logo. Glossy burnt orange tiles wrap around each column.