Jordaan & the West
Feisty house specialities at this long-running tapas café include picantes mejillones (mussels in spicy tomato sauce) and pimientos de piquillo con…
Must-see restaurants in The Netherlands
Rotterdam
Roasting its own coffee using single-source beans and offering both espresso and AeroPress styles, this industrial-chic cafe has its own on-site bakery,…
De Pijp
There are just 26 seats at this cosy restaurant, and it's a red-hot favourite with students and Surinamese and Indonesian expats; you'll need to book for…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Charming little Tomaz hides near the Begijnhof and is a fine spot for a light lunch or an informal dinner. Staples include a daily stamppot (potato mashed…
Den Haag
The main draw here is the sunny rear garden, which is a lovely spot in which to enjoy a sandwich or piadina (Italian flatbread) lunch, a generous high tea…
Leiden
Two Turkish brothers opened this fish stand in 1989 and their attention to quality has propelled them to the Netherlands' top ranks of seafood vendors…
Jordaan & the West
Laid-back Braai doesn't take reservations; order the house-speciality marinated ribs or other great bets such as fiery piri-piri chicken at the bar, grab…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
The fourth-generation-run Lanskroon is famed for its stroopwafels – crispy, big as a dessert plate and slathered with caramel, honey or fig paste. In…
Middelburg
Settle at a table in the light and airy dining room of this stylish restaurant or gaze out over the square from the wicker chairs outside. Ingredients are…
Amsterdam
On a little square and attached to the fringe Amsterdam Theater House just off Overtoom, this is a laid-back local favourite for a drink or a bite to eat…
De Pijp
Secluded in a leafy, residential corner of the neighbourhood, this elegant restaurant offers equally refined Japanese fare on its multicourse menus –…
Amsterdam
This ginormous, stylish, converted Renault car showroom serves up a range of international dishes, from steak tartare and Iberico pork cutlets to grilled…
Leiden
A small menu of dishes making the most of local seasonal produce draws locals and food-focused visitors to this restaurant in the shadow of the…
Rotterdam
This neighbourhood eatery is particularly favoured by vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diners, as there are always suitable choices on the small but…
Southern Canal Ring
This branch of popular deli Stach gets crowded but is a great option for takeaway meals like pastas, including spinach and ricotta ravioli, and sandwiches…
South Holland
This classic bruin café has a wooden floor and bar whose worn patina pay testament to decades of drinking action. Outside, there are tables under the…
Southern Canal Ring
Bojo was started by two cousins who'd worked on a cruise ship together more than 40 years ago, and is a good choice for some late-night, stomach-lining…
Amsterdam
With a chandelier interior, this small, unassuming yet classy Amsterdam favourite is the type of place locals put on their best shirt to go to. The short…
Amsterdam
Great when you need your cockles warmed, this is part of a chain that serves delicious fresh soups of the day, which may include a creamy sweet potato…
Amsterdam Noord
This hippie-like cafe in a container behind two large vintage stores, Neef Louis and Van Dijk & Ko, serves deliciously good toasties with fillings such as…
Amsterdam Noord
The rather swanky revolving restaurant at the top of the A'DAM Tower is an undoubtedly cheesy but nevertheless enjoyable novelty experience. There's one…
North Holland
Cute as a button, this cosy restaurant was once a forge, and is now decorated with beautiful old framed maps. Highly creative seasonal fare might include…
Petit Bonheur/Hotel Au Quartier
Maastricht
As the lights start twinkling on the delightful courtyard dining area, the Petit Bonheur feels like the filmset for an idealised French village square…
Amsterdam
Classy Lastage is a gastronomic oasis at the edge of the Red Light District. Step inside and you're a world away from the sleaze nearby, and the creative…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Haesje Claes' warm surrounds – with lots of dark wood and antique knick-knacks – make it just the place to enjoy comforting pea soup and a stamppot …
Delft
'Pure Cuisine' has a sleek modern interior arranged around an open kitchen. The menu includes breakfast favourites (pancakes with ricotta and honey,…
Noord Brabant
This modernist flavour palace offers almost 50 varieties of ice cream that you can watch being made at the glass-walled IJslaboratorium at the back. Sit…
Amsterdam
The Merkelbach cafe sits in the coach house adjoining Frankendael House, and proffers dishes such as soups, salads and pastas with slow food credentials…
Den Haag
All-day breakfasts (including a €5 coffee, juice and croissant deal) are on offer at this self-styled cafe-bistro, alongside lunch choices including soup,…
Amsterdam
This grand cafe has a superb terrace overlooking Oosterpark, and suitably for its setting in the Tropenmuseum, offers a global menu. The food receives…
Maastricht
Adjunct to a gallery for contemporary art, dishes span the Mediterranean spectrum, with a fair variety of meat-free options especially among the…
Amsterdam
A popular ice-cream stop close to Oosterpark, with benches outside and tons of delicious flavours inside. There are always happy punters around, tucking…
Den Haag
A member of Den Haag's ever-growing coterie of bistros with menus dominated by small plates rather than main courses, Dekxels concentrates on Asian dishes…
Leeuwarden
Join cent-smart locals at this student-busy sandwich shop for a light lunch overlooking the canal. Everything is organic, and the vast sandwich menu has…
Amsterdam
The white-walled simplicity is a serene setting for tasty organic dishes here at Bloem. Service is attentive and warm, and the daily changing menu uses…
North Holland
Despite having no running water (drinking water is delivered daily) and generator-only power, this roadhouse by the Dyke Rd's halfway-point monument still…
Southern Canal Ring
It may be in the Leidseplein, but In de Buurt keeps it classy, serving up spare ribs glazed with apple and ginger and steak tartare with truffle mayo, as…
Amsterdam
A lovely open-fronted bar right by the canal, with a superb terrace that's just perfect for a summer drink. Quaff beers by local Amsterdam breweries…
Texel
The cosy 'Tavern of the 12 Beams' is a locals' haunt that specialises in lamb dishes cooked on a Josper charcoal grill. Its front section is dark and…
Amsterdam
Neighbourhood favourite Narbonne offers a mix of well-executed Mediterranean tapas, with dishes to share including smoked mozzarella tortellini, baked…
