Hi. Please recommend restaurants and coffeeshops in Amsterdam, preferably in the city center and south of city center (where our hotel is located). Also, from my previous trip to A'dam, we ate at this floating chinese/asian restaurant. It was damn good! I remember it being a big ballroom type restaurant with their name imprinted on their chop sticks. Does anyone know of the name and where? I was out of my mind when we were there and cant remember. I'd like to go back there.

oh! also, can you recommend any off the hook coffeeshops to visit? thank you all!

I'm 99% sure this was the pancake place my friend and I ate at back in 2005: http://www.pancake.nl/. According to their website, it's the most popular in Amsterdam, it's central (near the Anne Frank house), which both sound like it's the place.

They had tons of different types of pancakes (both sweet and savory), so you might give this place a try for some Dutch fare.

There's a pub right in the middle of town near Dam Square called O'Reillys that was cute. I think we ate lunch there, but I can't remember (too much beer). Another option nonetheless: http://www.oreillys.com/amsterdam/index.htm.

Have fun!

Is this it?

http://tinyurl.com/Amsterdam-Floating-Restaurant

All you need to know...
http://www.coffeeshop.freeuk.com/

hi sf, that might be it! thanks. I remember saying that it was awefully fancy, but not this fancy. But looks definitely very familiar.

travelnut, thanks. the interactive map is pretty good. did you go to any yourself? which ones? also, wondering if there are any coffeeshops south of the Rijksmuseum...

If you click on directory it gives you more maps of Amsterdam.

That should have been more areas of Amsterdam - just addresses.

That huge floating Chinese restaurant is right near central train station - just east of it.

I've been in a lot of neat coffeeshops but for the death of me i cannot remember their names or anything about them. Think there was a good one near some canal???????????

Hetismij i understand is a coffeeshop afficinado, however.

Der Blond Hollander and Le Zinc were great. We also went to the green lantern and were not impressed - we knew it was fondue but we were very tired and it seemed to take forever!

Let me start by saying that I am not a fondue fan -- the concept of dunking food slices in a vat of oil or artery-clogging cheese is just not appealing to me. But I'm replying because I'm wondering how fondue can "take forever" when you're essentially cooking your own dinner??? (Yuck)

I used Let's Go Amsterdam guidebook. It is very good with the "only in Amsterdam" topics.

Personally I enjoyed The Rookies (Leidseplein) because it felt like a regular low-key pub with a pool table, welcoming and not intimidating.

It took 'forever' since we were using hot wine instead of oil to cook the meat and veggies. Each piece took about 5 minutes to do...I'm not a huge fan of the cheese thing either but chocolate??? now, that's a different story!

Now now Pal, a little dig at sober old me maybe? I agree that the coffeeshop by the canal is the best one though
Of course some of those listed could have been closed down by the council before you get here. Bulldog, for instance, is threatened with closure - too close to a school it seems. The government are enforcing the laws and the council are reluctantly following.

Better than here in my small town. We have one coffeeshop, which causes no problems whatsoever, but because for some weird reason we have a right wing Protestant mayor (in a town which is tradionally liberal Catholic) it is threatened with closure because he doesn't like it.

When are you next visiting our soggy low lying lump of clay Pal??

Hetismij - i hope to spend a week or so in Amsterdam in late Jan/early Feb - not the best weather but when i can go and get cheap airfares.

Bulldog threatened with closure - an Amsterdam institution (well there are several branches of the Bulldog but only one original Bulldog - one of Amsterdamned's first coffeeshops - the Bulldog Palace on the Leidesplein is a major tourist site and young folk watering/smoking hole.

Hard to believe that the owner of the Bulldog don't have more clout than that - but he must be getting old and i read that the current regime in Amsterdam is not renewing licenses (or re-assigning them) when the original licensee dies or sells the business - perhaps that has happened.

But the old original Bulldog being too close to a school is a farce because it's in the middle of the Red Light District - though that may well be all gone i guess and turned into a school?

Tot Ziens! I am going to ask in the future you about some nice old Zuider Zee towns like Sneek that i have not been too - i always like new places - like Kampen which i first went to a few years ago.

we also ate at a tiny pancake place. cannot remember the name but if you are in Dam square facing the hotel, veer to the right down the side street that runs along side the hotel. There is a little place that will be on your right, up a steep flight of stairs. There is no smoking and no cell phones allowed, pancakes are to die for, tons of teapots hanging from the ceiling and if at capacity, would seat less than 16 people. loved it!

Pannekoekenhuis "Upstairs"ý -
Grimburgwal 2, 1012 GA Amsterdam, Netherlandsý - +31 20 6265603ý

this is the tiny place upstairs. the hours are a little crazy and the owner/host/cook can be gruff but the food was excellent

Our favorite coffeeshop when we visit Amsterdam is <b>The Bluebird</b>, on St. Antoniesbreestrat, just around the corner from the Waterlooplein flea market. Every time we are in A'dam we have to make at least one stop at the Bluebird.

We've visited dozens of coffeeshops and found we enjoy the morning and early afternoon crowd more than the evening crowd. During the day it's less crowded and more laid back - the &quot;dealer&quot; usually has more time to spend with you, helping you to decide what to select from the menu.

Between 3:00-6:00, when the locals start getting out of work, the crowd begins to pick up, although most locals just stop in long enough to make a purchase. By the evening, however, sometimes the shops get so crowded you can't find a seat.

We usually choose a coffeeshop by the vibe we get when we walk in the door. If the music is not to our preference, or the &quot;dealer&quot; is rude, we walk out. There are plenty of other coffeeshops to choose from.

Now for some Chinese food..... if you can't find your floating restaurant, I can highly recommend <b>Nam Kee</b> at Zeedijk 111, in the heart of little Chinatown (go to the Nieuw Markt and head north, it's on the right, across from the Chinese temple). There's nothing fancy about the restaurant (you might even share a table with other diners), but the food is a culinary delight, and inexpensive.

Enjoy your time in Amsterdam.

Robyn &gt;-

I hesitate to use this name on Fodor's, as I'm not usually a fan, but in this case I can say that Rick Steve's Europe book has a small but nice guide to coffee shops in Amsterdam. Sort of something for everyone.

I liked Paradox which he recommended. It is near to Anne Frank Huis and pretty mellow though so maybe not to your &quot;taste.&quot;

gruezi

Great little restaurant with really good food and wonderful staff.
&quot;Get ToGether&quot;
Vijzelstraat 49, Amsterdam,
phone: (020) 530 62 66


http://www.diningcity.com/amsterdam/.../index_eng.jsp