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Discover 15 dishes and drinks not to miss when you travel to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is a charming Dutch city known for flowing canals, colorful tulips and wooden clogs. It’s also a city where it’s possible to spend days strolling along waterways and visiting iconic sites like the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. But what about the best food in Amsterdam?
While finding the top Amsterdam sites isn’t challenging for those with a plan, even intrepid travelers often find it difficult to find great food in Amsterdam. Let’s face it, the city has an ample number of touristic eateries serving hamburgers and pizza. However, the better option is to eat Dutch dishes like bitterballen, stroopwafels and poffertjes. You also want to experience rijsttafel and eat local street food too.
🔓 Key Takeaways
- Amsterdam’s must-try foods include bitterballen, stroopwafels, poffertjes, pannekoeken, herring sandwiches, stamppot and rijsttafel.
- The city’s food scene blends traditional Dutch specialties with diverse international cuisines like Indonesian and Chinese.
- You’ll love eating classic Amsterdam street food at Albert Cuyp Market and Noordermarkt.
- Don’t miss local drinks like jenever and craft beer.
- Amsterdam is a popular destination. Book your hotel or apartment ASAP. Book a food tour too!
Amsterdam is a great city to eat Dutch food and global cuisine between sightseeing and other extracurricular activities. The city has restaurants and snack shops serving a variety of tasty food at all price points. Eating in Amsterdam is fun if you know what to eat and where to find it all.
Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with the city’s food scene or maybe you’re visiting Amsterdam for the first time. If you fit in either category, we recommend starting your culinary exploration with the following Amsterdam food favorites:
1. Bitterballen
In Amsterdam, crispy meatballs called bitterballen are the go-to snack at bars around the city. Since most travelers visit at least one bar in Amsterdam, eating bitterballen is almost inevitable when visiting the DAM. But, you may be wondering, what are bitterballen exactly and why is everyone so obsessed?
The bitterballen recipe is fairly straightforward and can be completed in a few steps. First, Dutch chefs slow cook meat and refrigerate the resulting stew until it solidifies. They then form the meat mixture into little balls, bread them and fry them to crispy perfection. Eaters get the better end of the stick, or in this case ball. The outside delivers a satisfying crunch while the inside stays molten, rich and deeply savory.
Plan to eat bitterballen with your fingers, dipping each round nugget into spicy mustard before popping it into your mouth. be careful not to burn your tongue. The filling can be scorchingly hot even when the exterior is warm to the touch. Consider yourself warned.
Where to Eat Bitterballen in Amsterdam
Eetcafé Rosereijn
2. Pannekoeken
Unlike their fluffy American cousins, Dutch pancakes called pannekoeken are flat, savory and fill the plate from edge to edge. Think of them as somewhere between a French crêpe and a hearty griddle cake. Locals eat pannekoeken at all times of the day, often topping the starchy base with cured meat or smoked salmon. However, some Amsterdammers add fruit or chocolate to create a sweet dessert pancake.
Top your pannekoek with both powdered sugar and stroop. Thicker than maple syrup with a consistency more similar to caramel, stroop adds a sticky sweetness that completes the pannekoek eating experience. Once you’ve eaten pannekoeken fresh off the pan with a drizzle of stroop, eating other pancakes will feel like a profound disappointment.
Where to Eat Pannekoeken in Amsterdam
Eetcafé Rosereijn and Pancakes Amsterdam
3. Herring Sandwiches
If bitterballen is the most popular bar food in Amsterdam, then pickled herring sandwiches win the prize when it comes to street food. Locals stop at haringhandel (i.e. fish stands) to order herring sandwiches called broodjes haring all year long but especially in the summer when fresh herring are at their peak.
Order your broodje haring with pickles and onions. The combination of briny fish, sharp onion and tangy pickle is a winner. If you don’t like bread, you can eat chunks of herring with toothpicks. If you don’t like herring, then order smoked eel instead. Whatever you order, don’t forget the pickles and onions!
Where to Eat a Herring Sandwich in Amsterdam
Fish stands like Stubbe’s Haring all over the city as well as Noordermarkt on Saturdays
4. Stroopwafels
Stroopwafels take the cookie concept to the next level by filling two thin wafers with sweet stroop, the same caramel-like syrup that goes well with pannekoeken. Originally invented in Gouda but perfected in Amsterdam, stroopwafels are best eaten hot off the griddle. The packaged versions sold at airport gift shops are fine in a pinch but they’re a pale imitation of the real thing.
Pair your hot stroopwafel with hot coffee or tea. Not only is this the traditional way to eat sroopwafels, but it’s also the best way. You’ll know what we mean once the steam from your drink hits the bottom of your stroopwafel and gently warms the stroop filling. The reaction is magical.
Where to Eat Stroopwafels in Amsterdam
Original Stroopwafels at Albert Cuyp Market
5. Poffertjes
Sweeter than pannenkoeken thanks to generous amounts of powdered sugar and butter, miniature pancakes called poffertjes are a popular snack available at stands around Amsterdam. Dutch cooks prepare poffertjes batter with buckwheat flour before frying the petite treats to crispy goodness in special dimpled pans.
You can add toppings like Nutella and syrup to your poffertjes if you’re so inclined. Keep in mind that most locals stick to powdered sugar and a knob of butter but it’s up to you. Either way, your plate of bite-sized poffertjes will likely disappear faster than you expect.
Where to Eat Poffertjes in Amsterdam
Poffertjes Albert Cuyp at Albert Cuyp Market
6. Stamppot
True confession: We never heard of stamppot until we visited Amsterdam. Always game to sample new food, we gave it a try and loved the mashed-up mix of vegetables, potatoes and butter. Dutch cooks traditionally add kale or swiss chard to stamppot, but more modern renditions include greens like tarragon.
You can eat stamppot as a comforting side dish or pair it with a rookworst, a Dutch sausage, to create a complete Dutch dinner. The combination is hearty, filling and totally satisfying after a long day of cycling or canal-gazing. Though it may be a challenge, try to save room for dessert.
Where to Eat Stampott in Amsterdam
Moeders Restaurant for Traditional Stampott and Carstens Brasserie for Modern Stampott
7. Rijsttafel
With a history that dates back to the 17th century when the Dutch colonized Indonesia, rijsttafel is a veritable rice feast that spans the gamut of Indonesian cuisine. It’s also a colorful parade of little plates that fill the table first and the belly later.
The Dutch word rijsttafel translates to rice table and the name is not an exaggeration. You’ll want to come hungry and come with friends so that you can try dozens of dishes across one glorious, sprawling meal.
Expect flavors to hit all notes from sweet to spicy in a feast filled with meat, fish or vegetables, curries, satays, sambals, tempeh and more. But don’t expect to eat rijsttafel in Indonesia. The elaborate multi-dish format is a Dutch colonial invention. Also, be sure to book your reservation well in advance since Amsterdam’s better rijsttafel restaurants fill up fast.
Where to Eat Rijsttafel in Amsterdam
Restaurant Blauw and Sama Sebo
8. Dutch Cheese
Dutch dairy farmers produce enough cheese products to fill a cheese plate and then some. Amsterdam cheese shops sell these cheeses, though true cheeseheads will want to take a day trip outside Amsterdam to experience a cheese market that dates back to the middle ages. The experience is theatrical, delicious and absolutely worth the time.
Start your Dutch cheese exploration with the mass-produced classics, Gouda and Edam, and taste how their flavors shift with age. You can then move on to lesser-known varieties like Maasdammer, Boerenkaas and Schapenkaas. Extra points if you can pronounce Dutch cheese names correctly on the first try!
Where to Eat Dutch Cheese in Amsterdam
Cheese Shops and Noordermarkt
9. Brunch
No longer relegated to Sundays, brunch occurs on a daily basis in Amsterdam. Local restaurants serve pancakes (both Dutch and American style) as well as eggs, omelets and more exotic fare like avocado bowls and dim sum dumplings. And the best part? You don’t have to wake up early since some of the best Amsterdam brunch spots serve brunch all day long.
Plan to eat brunch before or between sightseeing expeditions. The food and coffee will fuel you up for a full day of cultural exploration.
Where to Eat Brunch in Amsterdam
Little Collins and Dignita
10. Dim Sum
Although the distance from Amsterdam to Hong Kong exceeds 5,700 miles, dim sum is a surprisingly popular cuisine in Amsterdam. More than a dozen local restaurants serve this fun style of Cantonese cuisine, known for steamed dumplings, har gow, turnip cakes and all manner of savory treats. You can eat dim sum in the center of Amsterdam, outside the ring, at the Foodhallen or within a restaurant that looks like a floating pagoda.
Amsterdam has a long Chinese-Indonesian community history and that heritage is evident at the dim sum table. Grab your chopsticks, order a pot of jasmine tea and grab a seat at the table. The experience is one of Amsterdam’s underrated pleasures.
Where to Eat Dim Sum in Amsterdam
Sea Palace, Oriental City and One Dim Sum
11. Fried Potatoes
Fried potatoes are popular around the world from french fries in New York to chips in London to pomme frites in Paris. This universal love of the fried potato has not escaped Amsterdam where locals eat cones of double-fried, thick-cut patat friet topped with mayonnaise and other saucy toppings made with ingredients like ketchup, curry and peanuts.
Plan to eat patat friet as an afternoon snack or after a night at the bars. Pick your toppings while you wait in an inevitable queue. Your cone of fried potatoes will be worth the wait. The combination of hot, crispy fries and cool, creamy mayo is both decadent and delicious.
Where to Eat Fried Potatoes in Amsterdam
Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx and Manneken Pis
12. Appeltaart
Leave your impression of apple pie at home when you visit the Netherlands. Available in restaurants and cafes through Amsterdam, the appeltaart is notable for its crunchy crust and a chunky apple filling that’s flavored with spices like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. It’s essentially an apple pie that means business.
You’ll want to eat an iconic appeltaart at Winkel 43, the Amsterdam institution located on the bank of the Westerstraat canal. The slices are generous, the crust is glorious and the line out the door is inevitable. Be sure to order a slice with a dollop of whipped cream for the full Amsterdam apple pie experience.
Where to Eat Apple Pie in Amsterdam
Winkel 43
13. Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Bars
Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars come in a variety of flavors including milk chocolate caramel sea salt and dark milk pretzel toffee. They also have catchy names, bright packaging and fun designs. Teun (i.e. Tony) van de Keuken founded the Amsterdam candy company in 2005 as a way to combat exploitive practices in the chocolate industry. His candy bars with a mission have since gone global.
In Amserdam, you can buy chocolate bars at food markets but the better option is to buy them at the Tony’s Chocolonely Superstore. The dedicated shop has a mega-monster-super-choco-wall that’s not to be missed. Plus, you can customize a special bar to eat on the spot or enjoy later.
Where to Buy Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Bars in Amsterdam
Food Markets and the Tony’s Chocolonely Superstore
14. Jenever
Pin
PinAmsterdammers have been drinking jenever since the 16th century. Originally prescribed for medicinal purposes, as the best spirits often were back in the day, jenever is now a popular juniper-flavored spirit similar to gin but older, smoother and more complex. Locals drink jenever at bars as well as at distillers like the House of Bols where you can learn the full story behind this quintessentially Dutch spirit.
Go to a traditional Amsterdam tasting room to drink jenever properly. You’ll want to cross your hands behind your back when you bend over to take the first sip directly from the glass. After the first sip, whether you hold the glass is up to you.
Where to Drink Jenever in Amsterdam
De Drie Fleschjes and Wynand Focknink
15. Beer
Famous for commodity beers like Heineken and Amstel, Amsterdam has joined the craft beer scene with real enthusiasm. The city now has a multitude of worthy drinking establishments for those times when you want a brew with more character..
You can spend a couple hours at the Heineken Experience, but the better option is to spend that same time at Brouwerji ‘t IJ drinking craft beer inside a repurposed windmill. It’s one of Amsterdam’s most atmospheric spots and the beer is genuinely good. You can also drink excellent beer at bars like Craft & Draft. This particular bar serves a wide selection of Dutch and Belgian brews that can keep the most dedicated beer enthusiasts busy for hours.
Where to Drink Beer in Amsterdam
Brouwerij ‘t IJ and Craft & Draft
Bonus – Amsterdam Street Food
PinPacked with local character, Amsterdam street food is local, tasty and doesn’t break the bank. Many of the city’s best street foods (i.e. herring sandwiches, stroopwafels, patat friet cones and poffertjes) double as Amsterdam food favorites. Others like kibbeling and oliebollen are seasonal. Then there are global bites like the ubiquituous doner kebap.
Not only are street foods part of daily city life for locals, but they also make great on-the-go snacks for tourists who need nourishment between museum visits and canal walks. You can find and eat many of them at the Albert Cuyp Market and the Noordermarkt in a single afternoon.
Pin💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Dutch food rules the roost in this international city. Amsterdam is famous for bitterballen (crispy deep-fried meatballs), pannenkoeken (Dutch pancakes), poffertjes (mini buckwheat pancakes), stroopwafels (caramel-filled wafer cookies) and pickled herring sandwiches. Beyond those Dutch classics, the city also has Indonesian rijsttafel traditions, craft beer and a vibrant brunch scene.
Fresh, briny and topped with diced onion and pickles, pickled herring sandwiches (broodje haring) served at haringhandel stands are among Amsterdam’s most celebrated delicacies. Bitterballen, hot-off-the-griddle stroopwafels and poffertjes dusted with powdered sugar are also Amsterdam delicacies.
Food in Amsterdam ranges from cheap street eats to high-end fine dining. You can easily eat well for under 50€ a day by combining street food, market snacks and casual café meals. . You can also blow out that budget and spend considerably more on a full rijsttafel feast or a tasting menu dinner.
Bourdain visited Albert Cuyp Market, Cafe Noorderlicht, Café Soundgarden, De Drie Fleschjes, Frens Haringhandel, Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs, Tempo Doeloe and Wildeman Cafe while filming the first season episode of The Layover. It’s a solid hit list that still holds up today.
No. Tipping is optional in the Netherlands since service is typically included in the bill. That said, leaving a little something extra (around 5-10%) for genuinely excellent service is always appreciated and perfectly in keeping with local custom.
People in Amsterdam typically eat dinner between 7pm and 9pm. Restaurants tend to fill up during these hours, so reservations at popular spots are a must.
Yes. Advance reservations are necessary for Amsterdam’s better restaurants. However, you should be able to walk into most cafes and bars without issue. We especially recommend making reservations for Amsterdam’s best Indonesian rijsttafel restaurants due to their popularity with both locals and tourists.
🇳🇱 Amsterdam Travel Checklist
🎥 Video Recap
🧭 More in Amsterdam
Article Updates
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We purchased and ate all food featured in this article.
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