10 Best Restaurants in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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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!
Gebr. Niemeijer
Pllek
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Bakkerswinkel
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).
Café Americain
Although thousands of buildings in Amsterdam are designated historic monuments, few have interiors as stunning as the facade. This cafe 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. Tasty menu items include avocado toast, eggs Benedict for brunch, and a wide variety of classic dishes like salade Niçoise and burgers for lunch and dinner.
Café Luxembourg
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 terrific soups and salads and excellent Holtkamp kroketten (croquettes, here with a cheese, shrimp, 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.
Cafe Restaurant Amsterdam
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.
Coffee & Coconuts
Frietboutique
Winkel 43
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.