Restaurants in Amsterdam
-
A
Bagels & Beans
Join the crowds for bagels with all the usual toppings, plus some new-fangled ones (smoked chicken with avocado and pesto). Top it all off with a slice of dense fig cake; it goes exceedingly well with coffee. It has another branch in De Pijp (Ferdinand Bolstraat 70).
reviewed
-
B
Van Dobben
It has been open since the 1940s, the venerable Van Dobben has white tiled walls and white-coated counter men who specialise in snappy banter. Traditional meaty Dutch fare is the forte: try the pekelvlees (something close to corned beef), or make it a halfom, if you’re keen on that being mixed with liver. The kroketten (croquettes) are the best in town and compulsory after a late-night Rembrandtplein booze-up.
reviewed
-
C
Japanese Pancake World
If the Dutch are famous for pancakes of meat, seafood and vegies, so are the Japanese. At the continent’s only shop specialising in okonomiyaki (literally ‘cook as you like’), you’ll get yours in a hot iron dish with your choice of fillings, topped with flakes of dried fish. There’s a J-pop backdrop and barely two dozen seats.
reviewed
-
D
Los Pilones
Owners Hector and Pedro consistently set the standard among Amsterdam’s handful of Mexican restaurants. If you’re looking for wonderfully grilled bistek (beefsteak), crispy chicken rolls and fruity margaritas, you’re definitely in the right place. A few shots from the 60-plus tequila list, and you’ll be ready for a hat dance.
reviewed
-
Pata Negra
Tapas and only tapas. The alluringly tiled exterior is matched by a vibrant crowd inside, especially on weekends, downing sangria by the jug and all those small plates (the garlic-fried shrimps and grilled sardines are standouts). Margaritas are made with freshly squeezed lime juice, as they should be. Arrive before 6.30pm or reserve.
reviewed
-
E
Bazar Amsterdam
In a glorious former Dutch Reformed Church, the light-filled, Middle Eastern-style decor matches the Middle Eastern-style food. Fish and chicken dishes please meat eaters; aubergine and portobello mushroom dishes gratify vegetarians. Breakfast and lunch are served all day.
reviewed
-
F
Oriental City
This huge Hong Kong-style restaurant with the requisite red lanterns is always lively. Join gaggles of local Chinese for daily dim sum (11:30 to 16:30; we like the meaty, flavoursome cha sieuw bao pork buns) and a 24-page menu (!) of classic Canto cuisine.
reviewed
-
G
Thais Snackbar Bird
Don’t tell the Chinese neighbours, but this is some of the best Asian food on the Zeedijk – the cooks, wedged in a tiny kitchen, don’t skimp on lemongrass, fish sauce or chilli. The resulting curries and basil-laden meat and seafood dishes will knock your socks off. There’s a bit more room to spread out in the (slightly pricier) restaurant across the street (No 72).
reviewed
-
H
Pancake Bakery
This basement restaurant in a restored warehouse features a dizzying 79 varieties of pancakes, from sweet (chocolate) to savoury (the ‘Egyptian’, topped with lamb, sweet peppers and garlic sauce). There are also omelettes, soups, desserts and lots of tourists given its proximity to the Anne Frank Huis.
reviewed
-
I
Café-Restaurant Amsterdam
One of the city's hippest eateries is housed in a former water-processing plant. Expect classic French brasserie cooking (steak bearnaise, mussels, roasted garlic chicken). Note the 30m wooden ceilings (with hanging metal hooks and chains) and the huge floodlights rescued from the former Ajax and Olympic stadiums.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
De Keuken Van 1870
You’d never guess that this smart-looking place was once a restaurant for the poor. It still keeps up that heritage, though, with decent cooking (think stamppot or couscous) at exceedingly decent prices. The service can be a bit surly – just consider it part of the cultural experience.
reviewed
-
K
Blauw aan de Wal
Tucked away in a long, often graffiti-covered alley in the middle of the Red Light District, this charming 17th-century herb warehouse (complete with exposed brick and steel weights) is the setting for contemporary French- and Italian-inspired cooking. In summer, grab a table in the garden.
reviewed
-
L
Duende
Flamenco music (Saturday night), big shared tables and reasonably priced tapas guarantee Duende's popularity. It's great for a party with a big group of friends - or strangers. The front room is the more lively (and attractive) of the two. Note: order at the bar.
reviewed
-
M
Wagamama
The long rows of rectangular tables, laid out cafeteria-style, are often filled with hipsters fortifying themselves for bike trips or nights on the town. Staples include chicken ramen, Japanese curries and fried noodles or rice.
reviewed
-
N
Hap Hmm
Elsewhere €7 might buy you a bowl of soup, but at this wood-panelled neighbourhood place it might buy an entire dinner: simple Dutch cooking (meat + vegies + potatoes), served on stainless-steel dishes.
reviewed
-
O
Koevoet
Koevoet’s congenial Italian owners took over a former cafe on a quiet side street, left the gezellig decor untouched and started cooking up homemade pastas and seafood dishes.
reviewed
-
P
Wil Graanstra Friteshuis
Wil’s little stall near the Anne Frank Huis has been serving up freakishly golden crispy frites since 1956. Legions of Amsterdammers swear by them.
reviewed
-
Q
Nam Kee
It won’t win any design awards, but Nam Kee is the most popular Chinese spot in town. There’s a new, fancier location at Geldersekade 117.
reviewed
-
R
Taart van m’n Tante
This popular, uberkitsch parlour bakes apple pies, pecan pies, and tarts with lush ingredients such as truffles and marzipan with strawberry liqueur.
reviewed
-
S
Odessa
Odessa rocks. Literally. This groovy boat, with indoor and outdoor eating decks and a 1970s-themed ‘plush-porno’ decor, is just the sort of place where Hugh Hefner would hold a debauched pyjama party. As if to emphasise that fact, DJs take over late at night. The menu changes frequently, and although opinions on food and service run the gamut from ‘love it’ to ‘hate it’, there’s no denying it’s a scene.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
T
Le Petit Latin
Easy to overlook, with its step-down entrance, the 'Little Latin' drips with culinary authority, and it's not just the curled travel posters from the Côte d'Azur. If you can't read the blackboard scrawl, chef Jacques from Marseille will crouch to give you the day's specials - Aquitaine lamb? Fresh mullet flown in from the Riviera? Who can say non. The wine list is brief but formidable. Reserve or weep.
reviewed
-
U
Gare de l’Est
Gare de l’Est has both the smallest menu in Amsterdam and also the largest. They say that because four chefs (from traditions including North African, Mediterranean and Asian) take turns nightly in the kitchen, and what their course menus lack in length they make up for in variety over the course of a year. Portuguese tiles and glowing Middle Eastern lamps adorn the interior, and courtyard seating exudes good vibes.
reviewed
-
V
Villa Ruysch
The Oost is short on stylish eateries, so this grand cafe stands out. Particularly nice is its package breakfast: eggs baked with cheese, a perfectly flaky croissant and homemade preserves. At night, it’s on to cocktails and a menu of French bistro fare. There’s lots of outdoor seating, but then you’d miss out on the gorgeous interior, which glitters with Murano-glass mosaics and other flash details.
reviewed
-
W
Herrie
The name translates as 'uproar' - after all, the chef appeared on a Dutch cooking programme 'Uproar in the Kitchen' - but make no mistake, this skilled team runs like clockwork. Refined creations such as marinated lobster with parmesan cream emerge from the open kitchen with choreographed timing, served in the chic grey-and-black interior. The only drawback is the limited ventilation, irritating if smokers are present.
reviewed
-
X
Fifteen
Fifteen ‘Naked chef’ Jamie Oliver has brought to Amsterdam a concept he began in London: take 15 young people from underprivileged backgrounds and train them for a year in the restaurant biz. Results: noble intention, sometimes spotty execution. The setting, however, is beyond question: Fifteen faces the IJ, and the busy, open-kitchen space is city-cool, with graffitied walls and exposed wood beams.
reviewed
