Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Not so long ago, Dutch cuisine consisted mostly of fried food—french fries, bitterballen, and frikandel (deep-fried sausages)—along with thick pea soup and hearty meat and potato dishes. These days, however, Amsterdam restaurants serve much higher-quality and more varied food than ever before.
Many forward-thinking Amsterdam restaurants have embraced a "New Dutch cuisine," using organic and locally sourced meat, fish, and seafood, and expertly cooked vegetables served with interesting sauces and side dishes. Some chefs are taking it a step further and growing produce and herbs on land or rooftops attached to their restaurants—garden to table cooking, if you will. Multicourse tasting menus or small plates that you can mix and match are popular at upscale eateries, making use of what's freshest at the moment, perhaps farm-fresh asparagus or North Sea mussels. The classic standbys are still widely available, too—it's hard to resist those delicious bitterballen—but they're often prepared in updated, modern interpretations.
Amsterdam has a wealth of international cuisines. The city has long been known for its Moroccan, Turkish, and Indonesian food, and there are excellent Vietnamese eateries, where you can finally get a decent bánh mì, as well as pretty much every type of cuisine you might be craving. Another thing that's big on the Amsterdam food scene these days is brunch. Traditionally, the Dutch opt for relatively simple breakfasts of buttered toast with chocolate sprinkles (called hagelslag), but places for more American-style brunch—eggs Benedict or oatmeal with fresh fruit—have popped up throughout the city, attracting the city's trend-followers. Although steak restaurants have existed for years (and continue to open on a regular basis), hamburgers are also trendy, with tiny spots elbowing their way in to become the most popular in town.
Pockets of interesting dining are emerging away from the city center, too, but Amsterdam is a small city, so don't be daunted by distance. Everything's still easy to reach by cab, tram, or bus—or make like a local and burn off some calories by renting a bike.
Despite all these changes, one thing's stayed relatively the same: the pace of service. Expect a wait to get menus, to order, and then to receive your food. You just have to go with it: it's the Dutch way!
Hidden in plain sight down an alleyway in the crook of the Canal District, this small insider's secret serves up a six-course seasonal chef's menu year-round. The atmosphere is intimate, the cooking supercreative, the service warm and personal, and the wine pairings an experience not to be missed.
Considering its Northern European location, it is, of course, entirely possible to encounter miserable weather in Amsterdam any time of the year. Therefore, should cold weather cravings hit, Bistrot des Alpes is the perfect place to go for comforting Savoyard cuisine: Think raclette bubbling over coal-fired ovens, cheesy trays of tartiflette (rich potato gratin), generous mounds of mountain cheese and charcuterie, and the city's finest fondue. With its retro wood paneling complete with dangling copper utensils, the restaurant would fit right into a French mountain village (there's even an original ski-lift).
On the edge of the Canal District, this classic Amsterdam restaurant is blessed with gorgeous Art Nouveau detailing and wallpaper, as well as views of the Herengracht. The romantic atmosphere combined with attentive and friendly service create the perfect setting for enjoying the French- and Italian-inspired menu. In winter, hearty game dishes such as venison with a red wine and shallot sauce are the focal point of the menu; in summer, the fare is lighter, and can be enjoyed on the terrace. The signature Entrecote Belhamel dish of sliced sirloin with mushrooms, green beans, and fondant potatoes in a creamy sauce is always an excellent choice.
The cozy canalside location of this award-winning wine bar near Leidseplein makes it all too easy to linger over a glass (or three). There's also an extensive bites menu, from oysters and charcuterie platters to Thai papaya salad. If what's in your glass grabbed your fancy, get a bottle to go at the in-house "wine boutique."
What started as Librije's Zusje, the elegantly understated sister restaurant to the three-Michelin star Librije in Zwolle, northeast of Amsterdam, has since become a renowned two Michelin starred restaurant in its own right. The colorful and subtly Dutch-inflected dishes using local ingredients are beautifully presented and often include imaginative flavors. The 10-course tasting menus are the way to go, though you can also order à la carte. Save room for the cheese course—it's always spectacular here. Service can be on the stiff side, though it befits the Waldorf Astoria locale.
This hugely popular sandwich shop from an Italian pizza chef serves up a selection of meat and veggie combos on schiacciata, a crunchy yet spongy flatbread similar to focaccia, using fresh Italian ingredients such as mozzarella di bufala and prosciutto di San Daniele. Meat-lovers can’t go wrong with the Porchetta, roasted pork loin and belly with gorgonzola and rucola (arugula), while vegetarians swoon over the Pomodoro, with Parmigiano Reggiano, red pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes.
At this friendly and long-popular Japanese-owned neighborhood eatery, you can enjoy a relaxed evening meal accompanied with excellent umeshu (plum wine), beer, or sake. The menu focuses on sushi and sashimi, but the kitchen also turns out chicken teriyaki and delicious gyoza—steamed or fried dumplings filled with pork or vegetables—and an excellent selection of vegetarian (and vegan) dishes like hijiki (cooked black seaweed) and agedashi dofu (deep-fried tofu). There's also omakase (a tasting menu) with a seasonal selection of fish, meat, and vegetable dishes.
A proprietary roastery and bakery ensures that everything's fresher than fresh at this always-jammed coffee bar, which serves some of the city's best sustainable coffee. There's also brilliant banana bread, apple pie, and a mind-blowing espresso brownie (no, not that kind!). There's a second location in the west at Van Hallstraat 268.
Next to the same-named hotel, this landmark has an authentic Art Deco interior, wood paneling, and a cozy atmosphere that makes it especially inviting when it's cold and wet outside. Expect a satisfying mix of French classics such as steak tartare and escargots along with a few Dutch stalwarts like bitterballen and appeltaart.
The menu at this popular, well-established spot highlights typical café items, from pasta to fish to grilled steak, with a local and organic slant, but the loyal crowd of regulars who frequent it know to check the daily specials (perhaps herb-crusted salmon) before they order. Inside, the space is casually inviting, with dark wood-panel walls and blue velvet upholstery. The main dining room can get boisterous, so if you're looking for a quieter meal, ask for a table in the more secluded and intimate mezzanine or, in the summer, on the terrace.
You’ll be entranced by the smell of freshly baked sourdough wafting from sister bakery Bakkerji Wolf next door even before you see this charming and airy breakfast and lunch café. Dishes make good use of the baked goods on offer, from delicious croissants to rich croque monsieurs, combined with international crowd-pleasers such as shakshuka (poached eggs in a bell pepper-and-tomato sauce and Greek salad.
The Dutch-French recipes at this cozy, moodily lit spot are far from nouvelle cuisine; rather, they lean heavily on butter and meat, with dishes such as tête de porc (pork head) baked in brioche and roasted veal kidney with sea lavender, paired with equally traditional wines, with an emphasis on Burgundy. To see the young chefs in action in the open kitchen, ask for a seat at the counter or on the second floor with a counter view.
The interior at this Asian dining spot is fanciful, with original historical details blurring into a frenzy of rice-paper umbrellas suspended from the ceiling, with colorful art, intricate Oriental furniture, and a gaggle of golden Buddhas. The menu also runs the gamut, with Cantonese, Szechuan, and Thai culinary classics. In the summer, ask for a table on the terrace majestically set in a Golden Age courtyard.
It doesn't get more deeply Dutch than at this white-tiled shrine to Dutch sandwich culture, where the broodje kroket (a crispy veal croquette on a fluffy white bread roll, served with mustard and pickles) reigns supreme. Amsterdam locals also flock here for Van Dobben's other famous fillings, from meatballs to salt beef, liver, and tartare.
The Kwok family's award-winning Cantonese restaurant is known for its steamy open dim sum kitchen, but the crispy scallion pancakes, beef stir-fry, and siu long bao (soup dumplings) are also really good. The extensive menu also features clay pot specialties and roast meats. Grab a seat by the window for some very satisfying secret people-watching on the street below.
The decor of this stylish Pulitzer Hotel restaurant is an updated take on old-world elegance, featuring green velvet banquettes, white marble tables, beamed ceilings, and Dutch Masters–style portraits. It echoes the contemporary classics on offer, like rack of lamb, steak frites, and fish of the day; while not overly imaginative, the food is prepared with a sure hand and a light touch. Ask for a table with windows overlooking the pretty Keizersgracht canal or the Reestraat shopping street for prime people-watching while you dine.
Tasting menus are an enduring trend in Amsterdam, and this intimate 15-table eatery in a historic canal house with a minimalist decor—wood-beam ceilings and white walls spruced up with black-and-white portraits—ups the ante by keeping the monthly menu a surprise (à la carte plates are also available). You can be assured, however, of beautifully presented dishes that blend a light French cooking style with international ingredients and flavors. The only decision you'll need to make is whether to pair your four-, five-, six, or seven-course menu with their delicious selection of wines.
Head to this tiny Lebanese eatery for the freshest griddle-baked flatbreads. The authentic manouche (flatbread) here come slathered with toppings such as halloumi cheese and za'atar (spice mix); labneh (a Lebanese soft cheese) and beef; or fattoush (salad made with fried bread and vegetables) and hummus, after which they're rolled up, and ready to eat. There are two other locations, at Haarlemmerstraat 54 and at Wijde Heisteeg 1, in the Nine Streets.
Not far from the Rijksmuseum but refreshingly removed from the crowds, this Mediterranean restaurant specializes in mezes like hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush, and more. A short but appealing list of grilled meats, fish, and a vegetarian dish of the day rounds out the menu. There's a pleasant canalside terrace, from which, on your way out, you can pay your respects to the bustling and friendly kitchen staff.
Freshly prepared Vietnamese classics, relatively brisk service (for Amsterdam), and a relaxed vibe has made O Mai a favorite with young locals. The sparse decor doesn't detract from the main event: watching the bánh mì (a Vietnamese sandwich, available only at lunchtime in traditional pork, spicy chicken, or vegetarian varieties) made from scratch at the tiny preparation area in the center of the restaurant, or ordering soothing hot pho (noodles) or rice noodles chock-full of meat and veggies.
It's hard to go wrong when going out for Dutch pancakes in Amsterdam, but the ones at this 50-year-old stalwart are among the best in town. The 17th-century warehouse has a petite canalside patio near the Anne Frank House, and the mammoth menu has more than 75 choices of sweet and savory toppings, from traditional (with syrup and powdered sugar) to over-the-top globally inspired creations, including an Indonesian pancake with chicken satay and crispy prawn crackers. You can also order omelets, or a convincing take on the folk dish of erwtensoep (a superthick, smoked sausage–imbued pea soup; October–April only). Be prepared to wait: it's popular, and reservations are taken only for groups of six or more. Bring the kids. Pancakes are seen as children's food in the Netherlands anyway, so the vibe is always very family-friendly.
This intimate and softly lighted restaurant follows the Slow Food philosophy, paying respect to unique heritage foods and small local farmers and producers. The set menus of three to seven courses, including vegetarian options, are a sure bet and may include brandade with tomato and asparagus or tortelli pasta of ancient grains filled with Swiss chard and smoked ricotta cheese. The pasta, like the bread, is made fresh on the premises from organic ingredients.
Named after a market town in the south of the Netherlands where its chef-owners were born, BREDA offers frequently changing Franco-Dutch chef's menus and novel preparations in a simple brasserie-like setting. Dishes are heavy on meat, fish, and seafood—Dutch staples like smoked mackerel and cod often make appearances, with subtle twists—and vegetarians beware: the restaurant offers no meat-free variations. Although there's no written menu, diners can select from three-, four-, or five-course tasting menus at lunch and more extensive options at dinner.
Inside this Italian temple to the taste buds, cheery palm print wallpaper, wicker lampshades, and hanging plants give the dining room a warm, contemporary feel. Foodies will be tempted by the four-course chef's menu, but the à la carte choices—perhaps the creamy black mushroom and truffle risotto or flank steak with arugula, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan—are always excellent, too. Ask the friendly and knowledgeable Italian owner/sommelier for recommendations about the best wines from their extensive Italian list to pair with your meal.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
