Edited by Holly Stark
Amsterdam is a great destination for serious food lovers. The Dutch kitchen isn’t world-famous, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t tasty! From sweet and delicious stroopwafels, poffertjes (mini fluffy pancakes), and fresh mint tea to fusion Suriname cuisine and bitterballen, the question of where to eat in Amsterdam is an ever-growing challenge.
From hidden Amsterdam street food spots serving fusion food to the array of hipster cafes and cool restaurants, the best food in Amsterdam is dotted all over the city. With the city flourishing as a foodie spot and multicultural metropolis, the energy and food situation of the Dutch capital is well worth checking out.
For those who want to experience the best of the city’s culinary world without confusion, check out some of the best restaurants in Amsterdam, sweet bakeries serving tasty goods, offbeat Amsterdam food markets, unusual joints conjuring up the downright strange for the brave and discover my top cool places to eat in Amsterdam.
Biefstuk at Loetje
A meal at Café Loetje in Amsterdam is a must for any food-lover. Loetje's filet of steak or 'biefstuk' is served with French fries and is said to be the best in the city.
The meat is so tender that you can practically cut it with a spoon. Whether you prefer it medium, rare, or well done, with or without gravy, mushrooms, and onions it will pair perfectly with a carafe of house wine.
Or maybe opt for shrimp croquettes or liver with onion and bacon. If you want to be Dutch with the Dutch go for ‘raasdonders’ Kapucijner peas, served with apple sauce and piccalilli. Café Loetje a must-try place in Amsterdam where a meal won’t break the bank.
Photo credit: flickr.com/photos/franklinheijnen/3065955
Indoor Street Food at Foodhallen
Do you like the idea of choosing street food from around the world in an atmospheric historic building? How about shaking off your thirst with a yummy in-house brewed craft beer? Foodhallen Amsterdam is located inside the 1902 De Hallen building.
Once a tram depot, the space was preserved and transformed into a cool multi-use food center. While holding onto its industrial character, the hall is a warm, quirky and homely space, packed with shops, a cinema, studios, apartments, a hotel, and galleries.
Now a community, Foodhallen Amsterdam is home to gastronomic wonders from twenty different indoor food stalls. From dim sum to sushi, burgers to tacos, you will be spoilt for choice at Foodhallen Amsterdam; with options for even the pickiest of eaters.
Don’t miss this Foodhallen Amsterdam food market from your Amsterdam food guide. Find your food, pull up a seat at one of the communal tables, and soak up the good vibes and aromas.
Surinamese Cuisine at Albina
Amsterdam is known for its Surinamese cuisine. When the tiny country of Suriname, situated on the northern coast of South America, was granted independence in 1975, its people were given the choice of Surinamese or Dutch citizenship, and nearly half the population opted to migrate to the Netherlands, thus bringing their intriguing multicultural cuisine, comprising indigenous, African, European, and Asian influences, with them.
It’s not surprising then that Amsterdam is a great place to explore Surinamese cuisine. Among the bundle of Surinamese restaurants located near Albert Cuypmarket in de Pjip, a diverse, artsy and bohemian district home to some of the best food in Amsterdam is Albina; an inexpensive Surinamese-Chinese restaurant with a vast menu dedicated to the mix of Surinamese, Chinese, Indian, and Indonesian foods. Try a curry roti; a large, flaky, buttery flatbread with spicy chicken curry and stuffed with potatoes, vegetables, and egg.
Sweets at Patisserie Holtkamp
Founded in an old pastry shop that dates back to 1886, the lavish family-run Patisserie Holtkamp has welcomed its locals for many years and is even said to be frequented by the royal family.
Choose from an incredible selection of traditional Dutch baked goods inside a charming historic space. Browse the homemade pies, pastries, stroopwafels, and cakes in delightful glass cabinets.
Packed in the smallest and most beautiful original Art Nouveau interior shop, you can find indulgent pralines, tarts, and cookies from Amsterdam and beyond within.
While there are many delicious cakes available at the bakery, Patisserie Holtkamp also makes yummy savory items, like handmade artisanal bitterballen and meat-filled kroket.
Holtkamp even produces their own hagelslag chocolate sprinkles, which the Dutch love to eat on toast. Those with a sweet tooth wondering where to eat in Amsterdam will be sure to love the beautiful bakery of Holtkamp.
Beer at Oedipus Brewery and Taproom
From hip microbreweries to canalside hangouts that embody Dutch charm, beer connoisseurs and ale enthusiasts can expect to be spoilt for choice in Amsterdam.
Take the free ferry to Amsterdam Noord to a quaint and thriving hub of culture and activity, where you can find the Oedipus Brewery and Taproom; a warehouse-style taproom run by four friends with a shared taste for international beers and experimental brewing methods.
Try the delicate and citrusy “Mama” pale ale creation, a Thai-spiced “Tripels” or the aptly named 9.5% proof “Ring your Mother”. Each beer has colorfully illustrated labels and the taproom pays homage to their iconic branding with elaborately painted walls. Want to drink like a local in Amsterdam? Don’t miss the Dutch beer experience at Oedipus Brewery and Taproom.
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