Best Amsterdam Food: What to Eat in Amsterdam and Where

So you’ve found yourself in Amsterdam, looking for a bite to eat but don’t know where to go or what’s good. Amsterdam may be known for its beautiful canals and museums, but it also has an extensive range of delicious food you need to try. The tricky part is, how do you know what Amsterdam food to try and where to eat?

Like any big city, there are many tourist sites to eat at (which isn’t bad). But with a little effort, you can discover some great food that will make the search so sweet.

Amsterdam is an international city with all types of cuisine there. You can find delicious dumplings, falafel, and more. But you’ll also find tons of Dutch food worth trying. For many travelers, myself included, no trip to Amsterdam is complete without sampling some Dutch gouda, pickled herring, or the famous Dutch apple pie. Additionally, traditional Dutch cuisine is simple but tasty, comprising of meat, potatoes, and vegetables as the base of most Dutch food.

If you’re looking for suggestions about what to do in Amsterdam, check out these 18 things you should do there! The activities and food choices are endless in Amsterdam. But I’ll dive deep and tell you all about the foods you need to try and where to go try them.

How Expensive is Amsterdam Food

Like any city, food in Amsterdam ranges in cost. On the lower end, you can try grocery food or hit a food stall. On the higher end, there are many Michelin star and fine-dining restaurants to be experienced. Compared to countries like Vietnam or Korea, the food will be more expensive, but it’s pretty average relative to Europe.

For example, an iced latte from a specialty cafe will cost about 6 EUR. A frozen dumpling pack from the grocery store is 4 EUR. Eating costs vary depending on your budget and where you go. Luckily, there are options for every type of traveler.

What to Eat in Amsterdam

There are so many dishes to try in Amsterdam, but we’ll start with some foods that Amsterdam is known for.

Dutch Apple Pie

Dutch apple pie, or Appel Gebak or Appeltaart, is one of the most famous baked goods in the country. Every bakery or cafe will have its own version of an apple pie served with fresh whipped cream. It is made with a crumbly streusel topping covering large apple slices. It’s not too sweet, nicely spiced, and the apples are cooked to perfection. While it can be found everywhere, looking for the best one is worth the extra effort.

Where to Go

Winkel 43 is, without a doubt, the most famous place to try Dutch Apple Pie. It is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter on a picturesque street corner, offering great people-watching but, more importantly, the best apple pie in the city. A slice of Winkel’s apple pie + whipped cream is 5.60 EUR.

I was so full from lunch when I went to try Winkel’s apple pie, so while I thought it was good, it didn’t wow me. The whipped cream was so fresh and delicious, though. I just wished the apple pie I got was fresher. The topping on top of the pie is also very thick, so if you like pie crust or topping, you will love this! You can also stumble upon a bakery that might make a fantastic apple pie as well, so keep your eyes peeled.

Raw Herring

Herring is a street food delicacy that is frozen and laid in salt for several days to preserve. Although the Dutch call the dish ‘raw herring,’ it is not raw. It’s fresh and salty and not fishy in taste. The fish’s soft texture pairs exceptionally well with pickles and white onion. This is one of the best cheap eats in Amsterdam, costing around 4-6 EUR depending on the haringhandel (herring stall). It’s a very common snack in the Netherlands and is served almost anywhere you go. This is my favorite snack to get in Amsterdam! I loved it so much on my trip to Amsterdam that I had it twice on the same day.

If you like sashimi, you’ll love raw herring. You can eat it by itself, chopped up, served with onions and pickles, and eaten with a toothpick. It’s also served whole with condiments or in a sandwich called broodje haring. Both are delicious, but I prefer the broodje haring, which is the fish in a bun with chopped onions and pickles.

Where to Go

Frens Haringhandel is the place to try raw herring from! Frens Haringhandel is a family-owned fish stand owned and operated by the Frens family that has been around for over 25 years. This little kiosk serves some of the best herring in town. They’re located at the end of the flower market on the corner of Singel and Koningsplein. They’re one of the most popular places to get herring from, and their fish is smooth and delicious.

Poffertjes

Poffertjes, or Dutch Mini Pancakes, are small, fluffy, yeasted buckwheat pancake puffs cooked in a special cast iron pan. It’s served with powdered sugar and butter and sometimes syrup or honey. What makes them so addicting is the texture: they are baked until golden crispy on the outside but remain soft and airy on the inside. The name literally translates to “fluffy pancakes”! Poffertjes are popular all year round, especially in winter when the cold weather makes the perfect atmosphere for hot and warm mini pancakes.

Where to Go

You can get Poffertjes from multiple places, but the most iconic is getting them from the street food market! I recommend the Poffertjes Albert Cuyp in the Albert Cuyp market. You’ll get to watch them make it fresh right in front of you, and you can choose whatever toppings you like. For a small plate, it’s 4 EUR.

For a sit-down restaurant, go to De Carrousel Pannenkoeken Amsterdam for exceptional Poffertjes! It’s warm and buttery inside and slightly crispy on the outside. For a plate of Poffertjes with sugar and butter, it’s 8 EUR.

Stroopwafel

Stroopwafel needs no introduction—it’s probably the most iconic snack the Netherlands has to offer the world. The history of this treat starts in 1784 when a baker from the town of Gouda wanted to use leftover pastry crumbs. So, they baked a waffle using the old crumbs with spices, then glued it together with sweet syrup. Because it was made with leftovers, the stroopwafel became popular with the poor. Today, it’s a popular treat globally and can be found in almost every major supermarket.

It’s buttery, warm, cinnamony, and sweet—the perfect treat to accompany you while you walk along the canals. You can find this treat sold from small stalls and some cafes. You can also find premade stroopwafels in stores and at the grocery store, making the perfect souvenir! I love the cinnamony taste of a stroopwafel, and it would be so perfect in the winter near the holidays.

Where to Go

Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels at Albert Cuyp Market is known for being the best stroopwafels in Amsterdam. They’re an old-fashioned stall that makes each stroopwafel made-to-order, and they’re cheap! It’s warm and gooey; you can even get them dipped in chocolate. In addition to delicious treats, the service is even sweeter with incredibly friendly workers who do their best to make your experience great. The original stroopwafel is 2 EUR.

Bitterballen

Bitterballen, or Dutch meatballs, is a very popular bittergarnituur, or garnish for bitters (alcohol), served at bars along with beer. It’s typically eaten as an aperitif before lunch or dinner and is the perfect way to use leftovers from the day before. This classic Dutch snack is made with a slowly braised beef stew thickened with a roux and then refrigerated until firm. The mixture is rolled into little balls, breaded, and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. Bitterballen tastes best when piping hot and served with a side of mustard.

Where to Go

Cafe de Tuin is a cozy cafe bar that serves some fantastic Bitterballen and various beers on tap. It’s the perfect place to enjoy an aperitif before dinner or to catch up with friends. It’s in a residential neighborhood, so stop in and experience what it’s like to be a local!

Winkel 43 is also another place to try bitterballen. Not only known for their apple pie, Winkel also serves great traditional Dutch snacks and food. Enjoy some Dutch snacks on their outside patio, people watch, and top it off with a delicious apple pie or a coffee!

Rijsttafel

Rijsttafel, translating to “rice table,” is a meal and eating style that can feature up to forty Indonesian dishes, usually served to a small crowd of people. It’s a direct product of Dutch-Indonesian colonial history and an important part of modern Dutch cuisine. So much so that in 2022, the Netherlands added rijsttafel to the list of intangible cultural heritage. You can read this amazing article about its history and colonial ties.

Like Spanish tapas, Rijsttafel is an assortment of small plates, each with a different Indonesian dish like beef rendang, gado gado, sate, etc. Its purpose is so diners can sample all the Indonesian cuisines in one sitting. Similarly, back then, rijsttafel allowed colonial Dutch to sample regional dishes from as many of the thousands of Indonesian islands as possible in one meal. It was also an excellent way for Dutch colonists to impress visitors and show off the culinary wealth of their colonial empire. Thousands of Indonesian people migrated to Amsterdam after World War II and set up rijsttafel restaurants, resulting in the withstanding popularity of this colonial dish today.

Where to Go

The most popular place to go for Rijsttafel is Restaurant Blauw Amsterdam. It goes without saying that rijsttafel is best enjoyed by a group of people as the meal is served with many dishes. It’s also more pricey as you pay for both the food and the experience.

Plenty of Indonesian restaurants serve delicious and more affordable food, but few serve it rijstaffel style. A great authentic Indonesian spot is Warung Barokah, which is popular with the locals.

Dutch Kaas (Cheese)

The Dutch love cheese. Demonstratedly, Dutch people consume 25% more dairy products on average than British, German, or American people. This love affair started ages ago when the marshland of the Netherlands became fertile farmland. This provides the perfect fertilizer for nutritious, moist grass perfect for grazing dairy cows. As a result, this makes Dutch cheese delicious—it’s strong, creamy, and flavorful. There are so many cheeses to choose from as well, from semi-soft to hard to mild and strong flavors. You can’t leave the Netherlands without trying cheese, and luckily, there are cheese stalls and shops everywhere in Amsterdam. You can also try cheese in bars, where kaasplankje cheese platters are a popular bar snack.

Where to Go

Try cheese in any cafe bar as an appetizer, or stop into a grocery store and browse the Dutch cheese selection. Many artisanal cheese shops are available with cheese experts who can help you figure out what cheese you like best.

Henri Willig is the most famous Gouda cheese maker in the Netherlands, and they have shops everywhere in Amsterdam. They’re known for their delicious Gouda cheese flavors and offering free in-store samples. They’re the perfect souvenir to take back as well.

Beer

The Netherlands exports the most beer in the world, and the oldest brewery in the country, Brand, has been brewing continuously since 1340! However, it’s thanks to their German counterparts that led to the flourishing Dutch beer trade. Because of the city’s strategic location on the river that connected with Hamburg, in 1323, William III gave a monopoly on the import of beer from Hamburg, which was prohibited previously. As a result, the beer trade flourished, and in 1386, more than 50,000 barrels were traded through Amsterdam, twenty times the city’s population.

Thus, Amsterdam was already a beer capital when Heineken came into the picture. Beer is the drink of choice when going out and is paired with most meals. Amsterdam has a huge bar culture as well, and you can find dozens of locally produced beers on tap in most bars or pubs.

Where to Go

Pop into any bar that suits your fancy and ask the bartender what they have on tap! Most places will have popular brands like Heineken or Brouwerij ‘t IJ, and there are a ton of microbreweries you can discover as well. But when in Amsterdam, the Heineken Experience or Brouwerij ‘t IJ Brewery are fantastic places to learn about the company’s history and taste delicious beer too.

Fast Food at FEBO

FEBO is an automat, Dutch fast-food chain that has been around for over 80 years. An automat is a fast-food restaurant serving food and drinks via vending machines originating from Berlin. Customers see and choose food items through glass windows and insert coins to get what they want.

FEBO started as a bakery by Johan Izaak de Borst, which became famous for its kroketten or croquettes. However, the croquettes were so popular (with long lines of people waiting for them) that de Borst closed his bakery and, in 1960, opened an automat of fried foods like the croquettes. Now, FEBO is a Dutch night-out staple, colloquially called a fried food wall, with dozens of fried treats waiting behind glass windows of what looks like a microwave door. They’re famously cheap and warm, making it the perfect fast food.

Each item costs €1.60-2.20. You can also get food at the counter if the food in the wall is out (and use card to pay). If you want to use the windows, you’ll need cash and won’t get any change back, so use the change machines.

Kibbeling

Kibbeling is a simplified version of kabeljauwwang, the Dutch word for cod cheek. However, the name refers to any waste products from the cod because back in the day, industrious fish sellers fried cod leftovers and sold them as street food to not waste any part of the fish. Now, kibbeling is fried with plump cod pieces and served with a tangy sauce like tartar, ravigote, or garlic aioli. It’s also often eaten with fries and mayonnaise, serving as a Dutch version of the British fish and chips.

Kibbeling differs from fish and chips because it’s cut up into bite-sized pieces and fried in a spiced batter made of cayenne, paprika, mustard, and sometimes ginger. Kibbeling is usually portable, served on a disposable paper tray, and can be made with other types of fish.

Where to Go

Zeeduivel Visspecialiteiten is a great spot that serves fresh and juicy Kibberling that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s a hidden local spot with a relaxing vibe outside the city center. You won’t regret it!

Dutch Fries

When I first saw the queues for Dutch fries in Amsterdam, I thought, “What?? Aren’t these the same as Belgian fries?” Golden-brown and thick-cut, Amsterdam Dutch fries are sold on nearly every street corner and come with a dazzling array of toppings. You can find everything from stewed meat, peanut sauce, diced onions, and more. But most people get mayonnaise or ketchup on top for a more classic taste. What makes them different from Belgian and French fries is the thickness of the fries and the kinds of toppings you can get. But like Belgian fries, Dutch fries are served in a cone with a fork.

Where to Go

Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx is the most famous place to get fries in Amsterdam, with their shining quality being the 28 types of sauces you can choose to top your fries from. They opened in 1957 and are a crowd favorite, locals and tourists alike.

Genever

Genever or Jenever is Dutch’s version of gin. While gin can be distilled from any raw material, Genever must be made from grains such as rye, malted barley, and corn. It’s often described as a cross between gin and whiskey, with a juniper, coriander, and anise flavor profile similar to gin. Genever is a traditional liquor of the Netherlands, and there are many famous distillers and tasting rooms in Amsterdam where you can enjoy Genever! The liquor is served to the brim in a tulip-shaped glass, similar to Danish Schnapps, and sipped on throughout a meal or tasting.

Where to Go

Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal and Spirits is the most famous place in Amsterdam to taste Genever. It’s a historic 17th-century liquor store and tasting room selling liqueur and genever with friendly and knowledgeable staff. It is a small space and can get packed, so plan beforehand! It’s important to note that this is a tasting room, not a bar. The interior is cozy and oozing with history, making it a really unique and fun place to try Genever!

McDonald’s

You’re probably thinking, what??? McDonald’s??? And yes! If you’re a McDonald’s enthusiast, you’ll know that McDonald’s has location-specific items in different countries, and the Netherlands is no stranger to that.

Dutch croquettes are so popular that McDonald’s sells its own version, McKroket, which is a must-try from the menu! The McKroket is a deep-fried, breaded meat ragout patty sandwiched between two buns with a layer of sweet mustard sauce.

Stamppot

The national dish of the Netherlands! Stamppot is a traditional Dutch dish of mashed potatoes and one or several vegetables served with sausage on top. It’s known as the best Dutch comfort food. The word “stamppot” comes from the Dutch word “stampen,” which means to stamp or mash. The dish originated with farmers who mixed leftover vegetables and potatoes to create a nutritious meal. The vegetables used included kale, spinach, or sauerkraut and seasoned with bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg. It’s traditionally eaten in the winter and on special occasions like Christmas or New Year’s.

Where to Go

Hap Hmm is a classic traditional Dutch restaurant with a homely ambiance and a simple menu. It’s a local favorite and serves affordable traditional Dutch food. They’re known for their Dutch beef stew and schnitzel, with great service and atmosphere. They’re a popular dinner spot, so make sure to make a reservation ahead of time, especially for peak dining hours.

Pannenkoeken

Last but not least, everyone needs to try Pannenkowken when in Amsterdam. These Dutch pancakes are thin, buckwheat, similar to French crepes, and originate from China and Nepal. What makes it unique is that it can be eaten with virtually any topping you’d like, from sweet to savory. Traditionally, the pancakes are rolled, sliced, then eaten.

Where to Go

De Carrousel Pannenkoeken Amsterdam not only has exceptional Pofferjes, but also amazing pannenkoeken. They have a wide selection of flavors and huge pancakes, perfect for families or groups. They’re close to Museumplein, making it the perfect pre or post museum meal.

Pancakehouse Upstairs is another popular spot for delicious pancakes. The restaurant is in a 16th-century house with a ceiling of hanging teapots. However, the space is small, so tables are limited. I recommend getting a reservation well ahead of time so you can enjoy the excellent food and pleasant atmosphere.

Let’s Get Eating!

Now that you know the foods to try and where to go, I hope your next meal is delicious! Dutch food has so much history, making it fun to try and learn about. But if you’re in the mood for a different cuisine, don’t feel obligated to eat just Dutch food, as Amsterdam has superb global cuisine. Hopefully, you will experience what living in the Netherlands tastes like (literally and figuratively) and explore the food scene to your stomach’s content. Happy travels (and eating)!

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