Foodbar & Theatre Scala opened its doors in Amsterdam

14-7-2023

Yesterday, a tantalizing new concept opened its doors on the Van Hallstraat in the Westerpark neighborhood in Amsterdam. Foodbar & Theatre Scala is an inspiring, one-of-a-kind theater and catering concept, where guests can create their own ideal evening: choose from a rich selection of short shows, or relax with a delicious cocktail and matching dishes.

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Foodbar & Theatre Scala | Contemporary interpretation of theatre visits

“With Scala we bring our guests the best of both worlds: the pleasures of a cozy catering experience combined with professional shows. Guests have complete freedom to shape their own evening. Whether it’s a nice evening of (shared) dining or a spontaneous walk in for a drink and to enjoy a show, everything is possible,” says founder Tessa Harmsen about the opening of Scala. The location has a modern restaurant area and four theatre rooms. The rooms offer space for four different shows per evening. Each show lasts twenty minutes and is performed three times, giving guests plenty of opportunity to visit any show they wish.

Scala is the renewed version of TapasTheater

Foodbar & Theatre Scala is the renewed and more extensive version of the popular TapasTheater, which was a great success Amsterdam East in recent years. TapasTheater was founded in 2018 due to the growing need for a contemporary interpretation of theatre visits. “I noticed around me that friends and family went increasingly less to the theatre. Eating a quick meal after a busy day at work, and then queuing for the toilet, bar and cloakroom in a lackluster lobby; not much fun! At our place, guests decide when they want to watch a show and when they want to enjoy food and drinks,” says Harmsen about her unique concept.

Responding to growing needs | Foodbar & Theatre Scala

The fact that the concept was often fully booked for the evening, underlines their success in the last couple of years. That is why the step to a larger location was essential. Not only will Scala be almost twice as large as the old TapasTheater, the food & drinks menu will also be expanded considerably. For example, on the Scala menu you will find an extensive selection of antipasti, mezze and flammkuchen. The one-of-a-kind theatre experience remains unchanged because, as Harmsen says: “It is high time that even more people could enjoy this unique night out. The concept works and with Scala we can adapt even better to the wishes of our guests”.

A place full of culture

Scala presents a mix of different genres every night, from cabaret to theatre and music to dance. Due to the diversity of genres and the duration of the shows, it is interesting for visitors to visit several shows in one evening. Because artists usually play in Scala for two weeks, they can make a lot of hours. This is valuable for established names who want to stage their own (solo) show, but also for emerging theatre makers who want to bind an audience to them. For example, Merol, Lisa Ostermann (Winner of the ‘Leids Cabaret Festival’) and Luuk Ransijn (Winner ‘Amsterdams Kleinkunst Festival’) have been able to develop here.

Website: Foodbar & Theatre Scala

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