Amsterdam first time please help with restaurants
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Amsterdam first time please help with restaurants
We are going to be in Amsterdam in mid April for 4 nights, and have booked a hotel on the south side of Vondelpark. I am thinking it might be a little out of the way, but perhaps it's a bit late to make a change now. There don't appear to be a lot of restaurants close by our hotel, but on the plus side, it seems the Dutch eat early, at least earlier than Spain, where we will spend 2 weeks prior to Amsterdam.
This being our first time in the Netherlands, we are looking for interesting and typical restaurants, a mix between homey and maybe a Michelin star in there one night. Does anyone have any current suggestions? I say current because so many restaurants seem to have changed since Covid.
I found some suggested restaurants on TimeOut, and wonder if anyone has experience with any of them, in addition to any favorites of your own.
Here is the list: Blauw Indo, close to our hotel, BAK Restaurant, Troef, Rijsel French Flemish, Wilde Zwijnen, Klein Breda, Cradam, and also the Main Bar at Foodhallen, which looks like a good place to try many things.
Also, we may be able to fit in lunch at Rijks at the Rijksmuseum, before we tour it. Has anyone tried it?
I will appreciate any and all suggestions. TIA
This being our first time in the Netherlands, we are looking for interesting and typical restaurants, a mix between homey and maybe a Michelin star in there one night. Does anyone have any current suggestions? I say current because so many restaurants seem to have changed since Covid.
I found some suggested restaurants on TimeOut, and wonder if anyone has experience with any of them, in addition to any favorites of your own.
Here is the list: Blauw Indo, close to our hotel, BAK Restaurant, Troef, Rijsel French Flemish, Wilde Zwijnen, Klein Breda, Cradam, and also the Main Bar at Foodhallen, which looks like a good place to try many things.
Also, we may be able to fit in lunch at Rijks at the Rijksmuseum, before we tour it. Has anyone tried it?
I will appreciate any and all suggestions. TIA
Last edited by natylou; Mar 6th, 2024 at 02:27 PM.
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We loved Balthazar's Keuken! It is a set 3 course menu for 45 euros. They bring out tiered stand with all of the appetizers, a choice of the meat or fish, and a set dessert. It is very small and you are watching the chef prepare the meal. Everything was so good and creative, and it is a very intimate setting.
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I am rethinking whether we have enough time between Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum to enjoy a leisurely lunch at Rijks. But they are featuring a special 4 course Frans Hals lunch menu, maybe that would be doable. We have 2 hours for a lunch break.
DH also wants to visit Haarlem for a day...looks like there are a few good choices in Haarlem as well. Am I crazy to think we could take the Keukenhof bus back to Haarlem, and spend a few hours there after seeing Keukenhof Gardens?
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There’s an excellent craft gin bar in Haarlem we like a lot called Wigbolt, it’s a few hundred yards from the main square. They also make their own geniver and offer a wide variety of cocktails, the owner made something special for us based on what we liked.
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Great information, thanks everyone! Geetika, we are looking forward to tasting some gins, and that is probably the first place we will head after arriving from Keukenhof! It is a different bus, but the website now has detailed pics of where to catch each bus.
Balthazar's Keuken sounds good after our museum day is over...DH will need sustenance by then. Van Gogh in the morning, and Rijksmuseum in the afternoon. He does museums as a favor to me. I owe him.
Can't wait for Blauw! We have a friend who is Surinamese, but grew up near Amsterdam, so in his honor, we will taste his favorite dishes.
Kurieff, you must be getting excited. We leave the same time, but are heading to the south of Spain for 2 weeks before Amsterdam.
Balthazar's Keuken sounds good after our museum day is over...DH will need sustenance by then. Van Gogh in the morning, and Rijksmuseum in the afternoon. He does museums as a favor to me. I owe him.
Can't wait for Blauw! We have a friend who is Surinamese, but grew up near Amsterdam, so in his honor, we will taste his favorite dishes.
Kurieff, you must be getting excited. We leave the same time, but are heading to the south of Spain for 2 weeks before Amsterdam.
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Check with Rijks if 2 hours is enough for the lunch menu, if they know in advance they will make sure to speed up service if necessary. Some restaurants, certainly Ron's Gastrobar, probably Rijks, take a deposit when you book. This is charged when you book but refunded if you cancel on time. If you cancel on the day, you may not get the deposit back.
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Check with Rijks if 2 hours is enough for the lunch menu, if they know in advance they will make sure to speed up service if necessary. Some restaurants, certainly Ron's Gastrobar, probably Rijks, take a deposit when you book. This is charged when you book but refunded if you cancel on time. If you cancel on the day, you may not get the deposit back.
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Amsterdam is pretty walkable, and Vondelpark is lovely. For restaurants, I've heard good things about BAK Restaurant and Rijsel French Flemish. Also, Main Bar at Foodhallen is a fun spot to try different foods. As for Rijks, I haven't tried it myself, but lunch there before touring the Rijksmuseum sounds like a great plan! Enjoy your trip!
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