105 Best Restaurants in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Serving American homestyle cooking with an elevated twist, this relaxed restaurant perfectly blends a vintage diner aesthetic with a fine dining experience in a welcoming atmosphere. Cozy up in a booth or sit on a round stool at the counter for a view of the open kitchen; everything is made from scratch with meticulously sourced, sustainable ingredients or features products from local experts. Classic cocktails are mixed at the bar, and their homemade orange soda is a hit for visitors of all ages. Every bite on the menu draws inspiration from the owner's Southern roots and signature dishes include free-range spicy fried chicken biscuits or crispy fish sandwiches with fermented hot sauce. For an extra slice of Americana, finish up with homemade lime pie or a hot fudge sundae. 

This isn't your average sushi joint; in fact, sushi is just one of the choices on the sophisticated Asian fusion menu—which straddles Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Thai flavors—at the Conservatorium Hotel's signature restaurant. Chef Schilo Van Coevorden has built a reputation for bringing exciting flavors to Amsterdam's Asian palette. The atmosphere is urban chic, with exposed brick, industrial lighting, and a glass-box kitchen, and the stylish diners are likely enjoying Gunma Wagyu chuck rib or foie gras gyoza (dumpling) alongside standout sushi and sashimi.

Hidden under a cylindrical parking lot, this Surinamese hangout has an expansive canal view with a wraparound terrace and outdoor bar. Their picnic tables fill up quickly, especially on sunny days, while the cozy living room interior offers shelter from the infamous Dutch rain. Serving meals from breakfast to borreltijd, the menu has a tropical twist with plenty of vegetarian options and a wide range of drinks to wash it all down. After sunset, this waterfront bar turns into a club with DJs pumping beats on Friday and Saturday night (11 pm to 3 am). This tropical oasis champions diversity and is a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. During Amsterdam Pride week, visitors can see the world's largest Progress Flag on display.

While you're in Amsterdam, do try Surinamese food, a unique fusion of Amerindian, Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, Dutch, and Indonesian cuisines that arose from this South American country's history as a Dutch colony. Albina is a local fave that serves up one of the best rotis (the Surinamese take on Indian flatbread) in the city. It comes with a choice of fillings and is real-deal comfort food. Nieuw Albina, at No. 49, has the same owner and the same kitchen, if you find the original too crowded.

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.

For a taste of the neighborhood's regentrified café culture, check out this new corner bar-bistro that fills up most nights with parched Pijpers. Daytime means breakfast bowls, hamburgers, soups, and a daily lunch special, including a sandwich, salad, and fries for €16.95. Come for a meal, or just stop by for a coffee and apple pie or beer and bitterballen (a popular local snack, which is essentially a bite-size croquette). 

This is the oldest Indian restaurant in Amsterdam (it opened in 1977), and it's a longtime favorite of curry connoisseurs. All of the snacks, soups, and meals are delicious: you'll break out in a happy sweat if you order the spicy chicken Madras. The sweet cardamom tea is a good accompaniment to your meal.

This casual neighborhood bistro draws a relaxed local crowd with its seasonal preparations of seafood and meat, served in tapas-style portions designed for sharing (you'll need around three each for a full meal). At least one meat and one fish option reflects what has arrived fresh that day. If you can't decide, opt for the Chef's Choice multicourse prix-fixe menu.

The large menu of Thai standards—including some very good vegetarian options—doesn't hold many surprises, but everything's fresh and tasty; diners often rate Bird as the best Thai in town, and there are lines most nights. The space is filled with chunky teak furnishings and paintings imported from Thailand, while the takeaway snack bar across the street (at #77 Zeedijk) is more utilitarian. The best tables for savoring such dishes as coconut-chicken soup with lemongrass followed by fruity curry with mixed seafood are at the back of the restaurant overlooking the canal.

In the shadow of the golden lyre that tops the Concertgebouw (Concert Building), this culinary institution has been serving musicians and concertgoers for over a century. The classical, dimly lighted Old Dutch interior has dark-wood paneling and giant bouquets of fresh flowers. The menu leans toward tradition, with classic escargot and bisque, and asparagus flamande, when in season. Regulars appreciate the friendly and efficient service.

During the week, the sleek, modern furnishings and professional yet personal service attract a lunchtime business crowd, who enjoy the set three-course Bib Gourmand menu, as well as late-night diners, who come here after attending a performance at the nearby Concertgebouw. The French-influenced menu includes oysters, spinach soufflé, steak frites, and crème brûlée. There's outdoor dining on the street terrace or garden patio when the weather cooperates.

When you enter this classy restaurant inside the Hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, you'll pass a Karel Appel wall mural, before getting distracted by the peaceful hidden garden (where you can dine, if you'd like) and the pretty plant-covered bar of adjacent Oriole Garden Bistro. If you love French food, Bridges is the perfect destination for a wonderful meal. The creative kitchen produces an array of nicely presented dishes that are "classically French with some international influences and a local twist"; each menu item has a suggested pairing from their thoughtful wine list. For the best sampling of their seasonal cuisine, try one of their three-, four-, or five-course chef's menus for lunch or up to seven courses for dinner (there's also a vegetarian option).

This Amsterdam-based brewery churns out everything from craft beers to spirits and sodas at multiple locations throughout the city, and each has its own brewpub. Visitors to this location next to Westerpark can enjoy a beer or two with burgers and other tasty pub foods outside on the large terrace or in their expansive indoor dining area.

The "burger masters" first opened their doors near the Albert Cuyp market in 2007 serving fresh, homemade burgers made from sustainable ingredients. Aside from the traditional beef patty option, Burgermeester’s tasty range includes falafel and spinach burgers for plant-based eaters, along with monthly rotations including lamb, salmon, and more. There are a number of side dishes like fries, corn on the cob, and salad. Other locations include De Pijp and Centrum.

Bustling and student-filled, this cozy restaurant near the university serves large portions of traditional Dutch home cooking—chicken satay or slabs of steak with rich sauces, french fries, and piles of mixed salad—along with highly rated burgers. You can sit at the wood bar, at the tables downstairs, or higher up in the rafters at the back; in summer you can watch the passing boats from the enchanting canalside terrace.

Although thousands of buildings in Amsterdam are designated historic monuments, few have interiors as stunning as the facade. This classic grand café is an Art Deco extravaganza with stained-glass windows, vaulted ceilings, and stylish leaded-glass lamps with a warm glow. While the brasserie-style food can't match the exalted surroundings, it earns good marks for a scenic high tea or afternoon bite. 

This dark, woody, and well-loved café—as cozily cluttered as a Jan Steen painting seen through a ’70s filter—has been serving the same simple cheese fondue for decades, along with a steak entrecôte that you cook at the table. Order a salad to start (there are five types to choose from) and then dunk bite-size bread bits into the gooey melted cheese. The atmosphere is boisterous and friendly: you'll very likely be sharing a communal table with a group of locals out for a night on the town.

A wide variety of locals love this bustling bistro-like Dutch institution, where the prime attraction is the beef fillet or a spicier "Bali" version for an extra €2 (extra-large versions cost a little bit more). All steaks are served rare—you can't get them any other way. If you're not in the mood, you can order the hamburger, the veal liver, or, for the non–meat eater, several types of fish and vegetarian dishes—there's even a convincing plant-based "steak" created on a 3D printer (yes, really!). The best dessert on the menu is the sticky toffee cake. There are five more locations in Amsterdam (check the website for details).

One of the city's best-known grand cafés, Luxembourg has a stately interior and a view of a bustling square, both of which are excellent for people-watching. Lunch, when the restaurant fills with locals and tourists, is the best time to come. The classic café menu includes soups, salads, "Luxemburgers" and excellent croquettes (oblong-shape meatballs), here with a cheese, shrimp, lobster, or veal filling. Those with less interest in urban sociology can entertain themselves at the communal table, which is democratically packed with an assortment of Dutch and international newspapers and magazines.

This airy spot west of the Jordaan is an industrial monument: for a century, it housed a plant that pumped water from coastal dunes. Now, under a sky-high ceiling, it's a popular destination for international cuisine, from rib-eye béarnaise and steak tartare to crowd-pleasing seafood platters piled high with oysters, clams, mussels, and optional crab or lobster. The restaurant usually bustles with families and larger groups. If it's too noisy for you, ask for a table on the peaceful terrace. The sticky toffee cake is an after-dinner winner.

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.

The stunning decor in this expansive space on Artisplein at the ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo is reason enough to visit, but the Mediterranean-influenced food is good, too. Exposed brick walls, birdcage-like chandeliers, and windows overlooking a volière (aviary) are a lovely setting to enjoy dishes such as Basque fish soup, marinated lamb served with rice and mint yogurt, or fava bean-and-ricotta ravioli. A selection of tartines (open-faced sandwiches) is available at lunch. The reasonably priced wine list, which helpfully categorizes wines as light, medium, or full, complements the food perfectly.

Try to nab a spot on the terrace of THT—the theater café of the Tolhuistuin music venue—as its spectacular setting by the Amsterdam-Noord waterfront is a great place to chill out with a snack or a light meal. The rolls and pasta choices on the menu will satisfy traditionalists, while those wanting to venture "off piste" will also find much to like, especially in the form of the many plant-based offerings, such as vegan noodles or dahl (split peas cooked with spices) with naan bread.

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.

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 herring tartare to slow-cooked pork cheeks; there are also four-, five-, or six-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.

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.

Smack in the middle of the Red Light District, this Thai establishment juxtaposes the original wood beams and wall panels of the 17th-century warehouse with a rich color scheme, modern furniture, and traditional Thai wall decorations, which give the space a warm atmosphere. The menu balances spicy dishes like stir-fried beef with onion and chile peppers with milder options to please a variety of palates, though ordering a main is compulsory.

Crisp-crusted Roman-style artisanal pizza is baked in wood-fired ovens at this neighborhood favorite, where you'll find everything from classic Margherita to chocolate calzone. There are also antipasti, salads, and more. Apparently, Italians prefer drinking beer or prosecco with their pizza, and there are ample to choose from here, along with wine, cocktails, and other Italian staples such as grappa, limoncello, and Amaretto.

There are Film e Pizza nights on Wednesday, with a pizza and film at the nearby Kriterion movie theater for €16.