Amsterdam food guide for food lovers!
We’ve been to Amsterdam so many times over the years, sometimes staying for extends periods, it’s one of our favorite cities in the world. Each time we visit, we are always delighted to try new foods. We’ll keep adding to this list as we make new discoveries, so make sure to pin this post to help you plan your trip to Amsterdam.
Of course “best” foods can be subjective, but this Amsterdam food guide rounds up the best of the best of what we tried during our many visits to Amsterdam over the years!
Amsterdam food guide
This is the Amsterdam Food Guide you need to make the most of your trip to Amsterdam! It includes all the foods you need to try to make the most of your trip.
Stroopwafels
Head to Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels, in the Albert Cuyp market, for the best stroopwaffels in Amsterdam.
Rudi’s started 45 years ago in Gouda when the founder of the company, Ruud heard a rumor that the Swiss clock company he was working for was going out of business.
At that moment, he decided he no longer wanted to be an employee but wanted to take his future into his own hands and start his own company. Always a sucker for a great story of entrepreneurship, I loved this story!
Fantastic stroopwafels already existed in Gouda but apparently not in his hometown of Amsterdam, so he decided to bring them there! He connected with an elderly stroopwaffel baker from Gouda who was eager to pass on his traditional recipe to the next generation, and the rest is history!
Location :
Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels
Albert Cuyp Straat, t/o 182, 1073 BL Amsterdam
Bagels
Our favorite bagels are at Breadwinner in the Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam.
I’m from New York, and as an expat in Paris, have spent most of my adult life searching for delicious bagels and missing the real thing.
That is until I went to Breadwinner…
Recommend by local friends, one of whom is an expat, also from New York, I was so excited to try these bagels and they did not disappoint! In fact, they delighted and Hugo and I went several times during our most recent trip to Amsterdam to stock up on bagels to have for breakfasts and lunches during our two-week stay.
The bagels nail the texture of a real bagel – firm on the outside, chewy on the inside, which makes all the difference; The cream cheese, which they also sell in tubs to bring home, is divine and you can get bagel sandwiches with a variety of fantastic toppings like traditional smoked salmon, cooked smoked salmon (our favorite!) and pastrami (also incredible!).
We can’t wait to go back, honestly!
Location :
Breadwinner
Tweede Laurierdwarsstraat 50HS, 1016 RC Amsterdam
Bitterballen
The tastiest bitterballen in Amsterdam are at Holtkamp. Here, you can buy a box of 10 bitterballen to bring home and heat up. They will explain exactly how to heat them up. Sometimes you can purchase them hot and ready to eat as well, depending on when you visit.
Location :
Holtkamp
Vijzelgracht 15, 1017 HM Amsterdam
Slagroom truffels
Don’t missing trying these Heavenly dark chocolate truffles filled with whipped cream during your time in Amsterdam.
The most delicious ones can be found at Lanskroon Bakery.
Some local friends shared Lanskroom Bakery with us and we’re so thankful they did! We loved everything we tried there including these slagroom truffels, the apple –, and the rum-raisin olliebollen (available since we were visiting at Christmas).
You can take your treats to go or stay and get a coffee to enjoy with your food.
Location :
Lanskroon Bakery
Singel 385, 1012 WL Amsterdam
Herring sandwiches
Hugo is a huge fan of this typically Dutch snack and loved the ones at Frens Haringhandel.
The traditional sandwich includes marinated herring, chopped onions and pickles on a bun.
Location :
ABC
Singel 470, 1017 AW Amsterdam
Authentic Dutch fries
Our favorite fries in Amsterdam are from Fabel Friet. They are other-wordly.
We have taken many early-morning walks around Amsterdam and seen frozen French fries being delivered to other famous fries spots in the city.
At Fabel Friet they use the finest quality Agria potatoes, from Dutch soil, and cut and cook them daily on-site.
Our recommendation will always and forever be to get them slathered in their Piccalilli sauce (spicy mayonnaise like a Samourai sauce in Belgium), but their specialty is actually french fries topped with truffle mayonnaise and heaps of grated parmesan cheese which is absolutely exquisite too!
Try them both before you leave Amsterdam.
Location :
Several locations
Fabel Friet
We’ve had the best chance of popping in without waiting on line at the Oude Hoogstraat 21, 1012 CD Amsterdam location
Cookies
Another food I’ve missed sinced living in France all these years are cookies!
Don’t get me wrong, I feel grateful to live in the land of delicious pastries, but there is something about a crisy-on-the-outside-gooey-on-the-inside cookie that will just make your mouth water.
Again, Amsterdam has you covered!
The cookies at Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje were some of the best I’ve ever had (and that’s saying a lot – as I’ve had my fair share of cookies!).
Location :
Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje
Runstraat 3, 1016 GJ Amsterdam
Oliebollen
If you visit during the Christmas season, make sure you try oliebollen!
Olibollen are delicious balls of deep fried dough, prepared in a variety of ways, and topped with powdered sugar. They’re most commonly made with raisins incorporated into the dough.
Location :
Lanskroon Bakery
Singel 385, 1012 WL Amsterdam
Amsterdam Food Guide – Brown bars
There are so many incredible brown bars in Amsterdam (basically the Dutch version of an English pub!).
Our favorites are
The Money Bar Amsterdam, In’t Aepjen
This is our favorite brown bar in Amsterdam!
It’s housed in one of two remaining wooden buildings in Amsterdam, making it one of the oldest buildings, and oldest bars, in Amsterdam.
As the story goes, sailors used to pass through, drink all night, then settle their bar tabs by leaving their pet monkeys brought over from Asia. At one point there were so many monkeys living in the bar that it became absolutely infested with fleas.
Customers started to complain and the owner of the bar gave all the monkeys away to a wealthy client who had a large garden in Amsterdam. This garden eventually became the Amsterdam Zoo; one of the oldest zoos in Europe!
Not only does this brown bar have a great story, it is also extremely quirky with its monkey decorations. Visit just to see the odd collection of monkey statues, monkey painting, stuffed (toy) monkeys and taxidermy monkeys.
They also have delcious beers (including their own house beer!), a lovely selection of wine, non-alcoholic drinks, tasty snacks including a cheese board, and more!
Location :
The Monkey Bar, In’t Aepjen
Zeedijk 1, 1012 AN Amsterdam
Cafe De Wetering
What we love about this brown bar is that it has a roaring fireplace upstairs. If you are visiting Amsterdam during the Winter months, this is the coziest spot to warm up with a beer, glass of wine, or hot chocolate in front of the fire.
Cafe de Wetering is located in a 17th century house and is known to be a spot where locals gather to chat and drink.
Location :
Cafe de Wetering
Weteringstraat 37, 1017 SM Amsterdam
Cafe De Doffer
We first discovered Cafe de Doffer when we went to Amsterdam for our friends’ wedding and they organized a drink for the wedding guests here the day before the wedding.
I love the dark wood, perfect location (in the 9 Straats/9 streets area), friendly service and delicious drink selection. They also have quite a large food menu which is wonderful if you want to have lunch or dinner or just add some tasty snacks to your drink order.
Location :
Cafe de Doffer
Runstraat 14, 1016 GK Amsterdam
Amsterdam Food Guide – Traditional, homestyle Dutch food restaurants in Amsterdam
Moeder’s
Moeder’s is an old favorite of ours. We first came here in 2013 right after we got engaged and had planned a romantic weekend away from Paris to Amsterdam.
This special restaurant is dedicated to – you guessed it – mothers! The walls are filled with photographs of mothers brought in by clients over the years.
The food is hearty, traditional Dutch food. Here you’ll find Dutch classics like
A word of warning, the food here is not light so make sure you go hungry. Also, the menu is very meat-focused, so not a great place to make a reservation if there are vegetarians in your group or if you are looking to have fish.
Location :
Moeder’s
Rozengracht 251, 1016 SX Amsterdam
The Pantry
The Pantry is also a winner!
This Amsterdam Food Guide would not be complete if we didn’t The Pantry to our recommendations. This is such a good restaurant for traditional Dutch food in the heart of Amsterdam at affordable prices. The ambiance of the restaurant is really nice too.
The staff is lovely and so warm and welcoming!
Try their goat cheese croquettes, baked dish with beef, cauliflower, Old Amsterdam cheese, onion and mashed potatoes (the veggie version is delicious too!) and poffertjes for dessert.
Location :
The Pantry
Leidsekruisstraat 21, 1017 RE Amsterdam
Where to stay in Amsterdam
- The Pulitzer – this is such a special place to stay if you want to have the experience of staying in an authentic canal house that has been converted into a luxury boutique hotel. The small hotel has rooms with canal views, a gorgeous hotel bar and fabulously chic restaurant.
- The Dylan – such a special hotel located in the heart of Amsterdam. This hotel is so elegant and chic. Enjoy the beautiful bar and 3-Michelin star restaurant.
- Eden Hotel Amsterdam – this affordable 4-star luxury boutique hotel is well-located and beautifully decorated.
- NH City Centre Amsterdam – you can always count on NH hotels to offer comfortable and clean lodging in great locations and the NH City Centre Amsterdam is no exception.
Don’t miss these other activities in Amsterdam!
- Book a canal cruise with unlimited cheese and wine – we’ve tried several canal cruises and this was our favorite!
- Visit the Van Gogh Museum – enjoy this gorgeous museum dedicated to Van Gogh’s work.
- Visit the Anne Frank House – learn more about Anne Frank’s story and see where she and her family hid.
- Visit Rembrandt’s House – experience the home where Rembrandt lived and learn about his life and work.
More Amsterdam posts to help you plan your trip!
- 2 Days in Amsterdam (what to see, where to stay, what to eat & more!)
- Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam (everything you need to know to plan your trip!)
- Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (plan your trip to the Rijksmuseum with this post!)
- Breadwinner Amsterdam (the best bagels in Amsterdam!)
- Best Museums in Amsterdam (don’t miss these fabulous museums during your trip!)
- Rembrandt House Museum Amsterdam (get to know the painter intimately by visiting his home and learning about his life)
- Monkey Bar Amsterdam (In’t Aepjen) (discover our favorite brown bar in Amsterdam!)
Amsterdam food guide
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