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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 res
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 varie
Not so long ago, Dutch cuisine consisted mostly of fried food—french fries, bitterballen, and frikandel (deep-fried saus
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!
For innovative "New Amsterdam" cuisine, head to this Michelin-starred restaurant near the Station Zuid Metro stop, in sleek Zuidas. The design is Scandinavian-inspired lacquered wood and angular chairs, but the set six-course menu is hyperlocal, and everything is beautifully presented; many of their vegetables and herbs come from the on-site kitchen garden, one of the largest in Amsterdam. Expect creative vegetable-led dishes like "risotto" of cauliflower and ricotta, topped with herring roe, or 30-day dry-aged beef with parsnip and apple.
George Gershwinlaan 30, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1082 MT, Netherlands
With a dizzying array of recently opened restaurants offering so-called New Dutch Cuisine, it's looking like Dutch food has finally been given the makeover it long deserved. This Centraal Station–adjacent establishment gives brasserie classics a Lowlands twist, using seasonal ingredients fresh from a local organic farm. Bring the kids; there are kids' menus and regular family lunches with a fun educational twist on Sundays.
Damrak 1-5, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 LG, Netherlands
Amsterdam's famed Rijksmuseum displays a dazzling collection of Dutch masterpieces, and the adjacent restaurant, with a warm but understated decor, shares a similar lofty goal: to create edible art using as many Dutch-produced or -influenced products as possible. This means the vegetable-heavy menu of mainly small plates may feature such delights as red cabbage gazpacho, celeriac with hazelnut miso, and the signature mille-feuille of beetroot with soy-infused beurre blanc and parsley oil. Order à la carte or go for one of the Chef's Menus (the latter is compulsory on busy Friday and Saturday nights) but well worth it.
Museumstraat 2, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1077 XX, Netherlands
With the northern Dutch province of Friesland's wealth of local ingredients from fertile pastures and seafood-rich seas, this hidden bar-restaurant was a thúskomme (''homecoming'') of sorts for its young Frisian chef-owners. Stop off for a beer or indulge in New Dutch Cuisine with Frisian flair. Located in the lesser-known Indische Buurt, Thúskomme attracts creative locals with its easy vibe, living room-like looks and regular musical interludes.
Batjanstraat 1a, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1094 RC, Netherlands
The "Five Flies" is a rambling dining institution that takes up five adjoining Golden Age houses filled with densely evocative decor—complete with bona fide Rembrandt etchings, jenever barrels, crystal and armor collections, and an endless array of old-school bric-a-brac. The menu of Dutch-international cuisine emphasizes fresh (and often organic) ingredients in dishes from Dutch gray shrimp salad to slow-cooked pork cheeks; there are also four- or five-course menus, which change quarterly based on what's in season. The wine list and the selection of flavored jenevers are—like the decor—epic in proportion.
Spuistraat 294-302, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 VX, Netherlands
When in Amsterdam, do as the Amsterdammers do: enjoy some cured herring, the ultimate Dutch snack. Despite popular belief, the herring is not actually raw; it's partially gutted when caught (leaving in the pancreas to develop its flavor) and then salted and frozen for at least two days to prevent parasites. At this landmark shop (est. 1938), you can snack in local fashion; make your purchases inside and then just take the fish by the tail, tilt your head backward, and let the slippery, salty sea creature find its way down. Don't ask for chopped onions here because, according to third-generation owner Gerrie Palmer, you would lose out on the taste. In fact, some herring sellers use pickles and onions as a way to disguise less-than-fresh fish—you've been warned!
Zeedijk 129, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 AW, Netherlands
Since its 2019 renovation, this Dutch brasserie has become a beacon on an otherwise uninspiring road; it's one of the few non–fast food restaurants around packed Dam Square. The fare is poshed-up Dutch food, like risotto of Alkmaar pearl barley with roast beetroot, preserved lemon and sour cream, or Dutch Bouillabaisse with fresh North Sea fish. It gets busy with passing tourists, but this restaurant is worth a stop if you're shopping at the nearby de Bijenkorf department store and need a pick-me-up.
Damrak 93-94, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 LP, Netherlands
Despite appearances, this precariously crooked building near the solid Round Lutheran Church is here to stay: it's managed to remain standing since 1614, and it should certainly last through your dinner of contemporary Dutch cuisine prepared by talented young chef Yves van der Hoff, whose father owns the place. Inside "The Silver Mirror," wood beams, Delft tiles, and candlelit tables create a romantic mood in which to enjoy local ingredients like Zeeland mussels and Dutch trout, and expertly prepared meat plates like dry-aged Dutch rib-eye steak with potatoes, onion compote, and "grandma's gravy." To sample a little of everything, opt for one of the three- to seven-course tasting menus.
Kattengat 4-6, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 SZ, Netherlands
Amsterdam isn't generally a city where food comes quickly, but FEBO is an exception: this Dutch chain of restaurants functions like an old-school automat, with walls of prepared dishes displayed behind glass. Simply press a button and insert your money, vending machine–style, and you'll get your meal, be it french fries, burgers, or Indonesian croquettes. The food is far from gourmet, but it's a Dutch experience to be sampled at least once—and one of a few options if hunger strikes past midnight.
Leidsestraat 94, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1017PE, Netherlands
In a 1520 monument groaning with pewter tankards, stained glass, rich gold leather paneling, original Delftware and other curiosa, this restaurant's "Old Holland" vibe and matching menu attract lots of tourists. Expect simple, hearty old-fashioned Dutch fare such as pea soup and a selection of stamppotten (potatoes mashed with veggies and often meat). On cold winter nights, opt for the hutspot, a stamppot of mashed potato and carrot supplemented with steamed beef, sausage, and bacon.
Spuistraat 273, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1012 VR, Netherlands
Traditional Dutch home cooking is just what to expect at a place called Mothers. Outside there's a sunny terrace, and the kitsch interior feels like a living room, full of antiques and photos of mothers (to which you can contribute your own snapshot). Guests are treated to simple dishes prepared with a refined gusto, including erwtensoep (split pea soup) and stamppot (mashed potatoes with sausage). Vegetarians be warned: pickings are slim but they do offer two main courses.
Rozengracht 251, Amsterdam, North Holland, 1016SX, Netherlands
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