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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 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!
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.
You can't miss this over-the-top floating Chinese restaurant, moored on the Oosterdok near Centraal Station—the ornate atmosphere of red paper lanterns and red- and black-lacquered ceilings that wouldn't be out of place in Hong Kong or Vancouver could easily be a tourist trap. But it's not: the extensive Canton, Macau, and Peking duck menus and other dishes are consistently fresh and authentic.
This unpretentious bakery and tearoom evokes an English country kitchen—one that lovingly prepares and serves breakfasts, high tea, hearty sandwiches, soups, and divine slices of quiche. The closely clustered wooden tables don't give much privacy, but the lively atmosphere is welcoming and warm. There are two other locations: one complete with a garden patio inside Westerpark and the original location in Oud-Zuid, plus a takeout-only counter at Warmoesstraat 133 (all serving breakfast and lunch only).
Craving coffee with tiny travelers in tow? Head to this colorful café on trendy Javastraat, where there's a play area for the little ones, plus a children's concept store and in-house hairdresser. A small menu offers sandwiches, cakes, juices, and healthy kids' snacks.
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 Plantage.
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.
If you need a rejuvenating break from art viewing, head to this café across from the Rijksmuseum for coffee and cake, or for lunch on one of the terraces, if the weather is accommodating. An adjacent playground makes this café a good choice for families. Menu highlights include homemade apple pie, sandwiches, and Dutch beef croquettes with fries. Or try the Dutch poffertjes: small buckwheat pancakes served with powdered sugar and butter. And make sure to check out the bizarre bathrooms in the basement.
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.
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.
Although you can order à la carte at this spacious and airy Indonesian restaurant, most diners opt for one of the four rijsttafels, each with at least 12 different dishes and flavors that range from sweet and coconutty to intensely spicy (the light local witbier is an excellent accompaniment); one version is vegetarian. There is a takeout counter around the corner (Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 342), which serves inexpensive noodle and rice dishes.
The Indonesian-inspired Surinamese food at this often-cramped local favorite includes many simple but well-prepared variations of chicken, fish, lamb, or beef with vegetables and nasi (rice), bami (noodles), or roti. You can also try Javanese rames, a mini-rijsttafel-style smattering of everything on a plate. The restaurant is very casual, but the staff are friendly, the food is tasty, and the price is right—no wonder it's always busy. There are two other Amsterdam locations, but this one is the most central.
Tasty sandwiches, salads, and pastas are available at this popular café, but the crowds come for the appeltaart. Locals, students, and tourists in the know gather here for slices of the thick, cakelike Dutch specialty, studded with fresh apples and cinnamon. Order it with homemade whipped cream, if you'd like, accompanied by mint tea or coffee. The best place to eat is on Winkel's large patio—but Saturday can get crazy before 5 pm, when crowds spill over from the adjacent busy outdoor organic market, Noordermarkt.
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