The title of this cozy neighbourhood restaurant in Amsterdam West might seem ill-advised to native english speakers, but the proprietors have utilised the Dutchies’ love for a double entendre and weaponised it. One little word tells you what’s on the menu and hints that actually, it might not be bad at all…

Worst has been on our radar for some time but being in a part of the west Team Kompas was yet to explore, we hadn’t managed the trip. Then, open air movie night Pluk de Nacht (down the road at Westerdock) gave us good cause to go. So we cancelled the reservation we’d made at a fancy restaurant, and off we went with butterflies in our hungry bellies.

As the name implies, the main event at Worst is the sausage. But this is not your average rookworst. These are some meaty bangers, all sourced from suppliers around Europe who put their heart and soul into their produce. So with such a wonderful main ingredient, it would be sacrilege to just slap it into a bun. Instead, each delicious centrepiece has a thoughtful and equally delicious accompaniment. For instance the lamb sausage was served on a slow-cooked lemony stew of aubergine and fava beans. The chard sausage, which came with lentils and tomato was equally moreish.

An individual dish is a perfect size for lunch, but if you are looking for a bigger fill there are several really tasty side dishes to compliment your main plate. Of those we tried, the bread served with homemade salsa, guacamole and refried black beans was a standout. We were left debating whether to order more.

Worst and its sibling, Marius

As we said at the top, Worst is nestled into the west of the city. It lives on the quiet Barentszstraat and suits its residential surroundings, feeling more like a kitchen from your fondest childhood memory than a conventional restaurant. The chefs prepare everything in the open kitchen by the entrance, meanwhile small tables inside and out – and stools at the kitchen pass – mean you can rub shoulders with your fellow diners. All of whom, by the way, will have smiles on their faces and enthusiastically recommend what they just had to eat.

We’ve been evangelical about Worst since our visit and we can’t wait to go back to polish off everything on the menu we couldn’t try first time around. We’ll also have our eyes peeled for their food truck which makes its way to festivals throughout the summer, but if that wasn’t enough, we’ll also be visiting Worst’s non-identical twin brother, Marius, which happens to be next door.

Marius promises a daily-changing four-course menu put together with ingredients bought from the market that day. It sounds delicious, so with these two gems finally uncovered (and new western frontiers explored), there are more and more reasons for Team Kompas to go west, again and again… and again. It’s a good time to eat in Amsterdam.