Italian food in Amsterdam still hasn’t quite reached the same regional level as it has in Italy (as in, here, Italian restaurants exist. In Italy, only Roman restaurants, Florentine restaurants, Sicilian restaurants, and so on, exist). But, that aside, there’s some very well-prepared, fresh, homemade Italian cuisine to be found. And while the regional split still isn’t that strong, there’s certainly differentiation among Amsterdam’s Italian restaurants. Whether you’re looking for a simple but perfectly formed pizza, a hearty bowl of pasta, fine dining for a special occasion, generous aperitivo, or even live music with your meal, Amsterdam has something for every Italo-phile.
Parts of this post are taken from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide. Want to find out more about Italian restaurants plus all the other cuisine Amsterdam has to offer? Download the guide here:
Italian fine dining in Amsterdam: Momenti
The smarter sister restaurant of La Maschera del Lillotatini (which I’ve not yet been to but heard is lovely, cosy and traditional), Momenti is flexing its culinary muscles a little harder by combining tradition and creativity in a larger space on the Herenstraat. The restaurant has four fixed menus (between €44 and €80), each with a different theme – traditional, creative, vegetarian and truffle – and seasonally changing dishes. The evening I was there, we kicked off with a board laden with regional charcuterie “Cinta Senese” and cheeses, all of which were excellent but I especially enjoyed the truffle-laced pecorino. The trompe l’oeil “Tonno Tonnato” was a take on the traditional vitello tonnato: in this case, pork that resembled tuna, with a sauce of mayonnaise, capers and anchovies. Ravioli with truffle was rich and decadent, while another version of ravioli stuffed with wild boar and topped with chocolate sauce and candied orange peel was not one for the purists but certainly worth tasting. The tricks of the eye continued at dessert, with tiramisu-inspired flavours that had been fashioned to look like a mushroom. Service was warm and professional, and since Momenti is a newcomer you’re still in with a chance of scoring a table at the last minute on a Friday night.
Is it a mushroom? No, it’s tiramisu at Momenti!
Neapolitan-style pizza in Amsterdam: nNea
Opening in 2019 to huge critical acclaim, nNea’s dough takes over 50 hours to produce, and the result is like a warm pillow… fantastic, if you’re in it for the dough. (If you’re the kind of person who leaves pizza bones on their plate, nNea is going to look like a waste of calories.) I ordered the amatriciana pizza because it included the magic word guanciale – possibly my favourite pork-based ingredient in the world. Think bacon but ten times sexier. The amatriciana also involved pecorino, basil, chilli oil and a decent layer of tomato sauce but without mozzarella. The result was the perfect balance of umami, spiciness and doughiness. I only had one glass of wine (a smooth red from Ischia) but the drinks and service seemed to be up to the same quality as the pizza.
Amatriciana pizza at nNea
Roman-style pizza in Amsterdam: La Perla
I’ve had many a heated discussion with people about where to find the best pizza in Amsterdam, but when it comes to thin-and-crispy Roman-style, I’m resolute in my decision. It’s La Perla – hands down. They import most of their produce from Italy, and their buffalo mozzarella, ‘nduja and finocchiona are to die for. La Perla has a pizzeria on one side of the road (where they do mostly takeaway) and a restaurant on the other side (where you can order pizza plus various other dishes). Be sure to arrive early or reserve a table.
Pizza Carciofo from La Perla
Where to eat pasta in Amsterdam: Cantinetta and Spaghetteria
Top of the pasta list is the aptly named Spaghetteria, now with six locations in Amsterdam. Not limited to spaghetti, they serve up three classics that are always on the menu and three other traditional dishes, which change on a daily basis. The ingredients themselves are top quality, and the dishes are both authentic and imaginative. I absolutely loved their slow-cooked deer ragù with broad ribbons of freshly made pasta and lashings of parmesan. Also worth checking out is Cantinetta in West, run by two women with a passion for Italian farm-to-fork cooking. I had linguine con vongole: the pasta was fresh, the tomatoes sweet and the clams plentiful. Cantinetta offers a well thought-out wine list too.
Aperitivo in Amsterdam: Primi
Flying the flag for aperitivo o’clock is Primi, where the friendly Italian guys offer free snacks with your drinks between 5.30 and 7.30 pm every day. I tried their Aperol Spritz and Smoky Margarita, and tucked into a board laden with olives, nuts, marinated artichokes, creamy little basil tarts and (my favourites) tiny pizza pockets stuffed with oozing mozzarella and a smidge of tomato sauce. Not stopping there, we ordered various antipasti to share: arancini (fried balls of risotto) were tasty. We also tried the excellent burrata, which was served with a sort of cold pea soup, and a dish of aubergine parmigiana – simply triumphant. Primi also serves pasta dishes, gnocchi, main courses and desserts – but after all the aperitivo snacks you’ll probably be far too full to eat them all!
Aperitivo o’clock at Primi
Italian food meets live music: Agliojazz
With its tea-light candles, natural materials and warm and friendly hosts, Agliojazz is like a cross between your long-lost Italian family and your hipster Amsterdam friends. Both of whom happen to play jazz on a Friday night – bonus! Agliojazz’s menu is relatively long, offering antipasti, soups and side dishes, followed by primi (primarily pasta and gnocchi), secondi (meat and fish main dishes) and desserts. Start with the lardo di colonnata – thinly sliced strips of fatback cured in herbs and spices, served with shavings of truffle, truffle oil, and a sort of pear chutney. Decadent and entirely addictive. From there, continue the truffle theme with fettuccine doused in butter and topped with culatello and more truffle. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and ascend straight to pasta heaven. If you’ve got room, try the caciucco di mare next: a rich seafood stew with a sunny tomato base and a generous array of octopus, clams, langoustines and much more. Once you’ve had your fill of food, wine and jazz music, take my mum’s advice and make it a long walk home in the fresh air to digest…
Ascend straight to pasta heaven at Agliojazz
Sicilian food in Amsterdam: Le Due Sicilie
While I mentioned that most Italian restaurants in Amsterdam are not regionally specific, there are a few exceptions. A little off the beaten track in Oost is Le Due Sicilie – a Sicilian restaurant with all the warmth and sunshine in their food and in their manner that you’d expect. So far, I’ve tried the pulpo, the swordfish, the parmigiana di melanzane and the ziti pasta – all of which were spectacular, especially when washed down with a well-rounded glass of Nero d’Avola.
The mouthwatering pulpo at Le Due Sicilie
Amsterdam’s cosiest Italian café: Koevoet
I’m not really sure why this is a category for me, but it is. Because when in Amsterdam, it’s all about the gezelligheid (cosiness). In the picturesque Jordaan neighbourhood, Koevoet looks like an ancient brown café, but serves some excellent primi and secondi from what feels like your grandmother’s living room. I particularly like their carbonara and ravioli, but they have plenty of non-pasta dishes that are heavier on the protein side.
One of the best carbonaras outside Rome at Koevoet
Gone are the days when fish restaurants meant starched white tablecloths and stuffy waiters. Today’s seafood restaurants and fish cafés are catering to an altogether less formal clientele. Plus, with meat consumption looking like a less and less sustainable option, fish and seafood has become the protein of choice among the younger generation of climate-conscious diners. There are lots of pescatarian options in Amsterdam nowadays, so I’ve divided this list according to type and occasion.
Parts of this post are taken from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide. Want to find out more about seafood restaurants plus all the other cuisine Amsterdam has to offer? Download the guide here:
Best fine dining: Vis aan de Schelde
Despite what I just said about the death of white linen tablecloths, Vis aan de Schelde is probably the most upscale of all the fish restaurants on this list – smart, chic and with a price tag to match. But it’s definitely worth it: in addition to oysters, caviar, lobster and fruits de mer, diners can select the monthly changing Chef’s Menu from €48 for three courses. The day I went, my favourite dish was probably the haddock with scallop, pata negra ham and black venus rice, although I also enjoyed the monkfish wrapped in pancetta and served with fish croquettes, kohlrabi and purees of aubergine and peas. The service and wine pairings are also top-notch.
Best concept: Pesca
While Pesca calls itself a “Theatre of Fish”, it could perhaps be better described as a market: on entry, you’re invited to peruse the catch of the day, and choose your fish by weight or by the piece. There’s no menu, as the seafood on offer differs depending on availability. Plus, Pesca’s dynamic pricing policy means the price of the fish decreases during the day so as to sell out and avoid food waste. Having selected the fish (each of which is prepared differently) and side dishes, you then step into a wine market, where a member of staff is on hand to help with wine selection. Once at your table, the food is prepared and served to be shared. On the Sunday lunchtime I visited, I loved the softshell crab with mango and jalapeno, the fresh oysters and the grilled octopus. Plus, Pesca’s patatas bravas were also some of the best I’ve ever tasted.
Pesca’s “Theatre of Fish”
Best local seafood restaurant: The Good Companion
Tucked at the end of Westerstraat, this cosy neighbourhood find has been serving up its signature fish & chips since 2017. And while the Brits among us are thrilled at this (the cod and chips that I tried came complete with mushy peas, Sarsons vinegar and tartare sauce – exactly as they should), it’s taken the rest of the community a little longer to get on board. But the word is now out: The Good Companion serves up seafood that’s almost exclusively caught off Dutch shores. And their menu features not only the fantastic fish & chips, but also feisty ceviche, plump oysters (prepared a few different ways – it’s definitely worth venturing away from the classic lemon), grilled seabass and home-canned sardines. Plus, they do Happy Oyster Hour on Saturday afternoons, a mussels promotion on Tuesdays, and a Sunday-brunchtime crawfish boil – the latter of which I’m very excited to try given my Louisiana connections. The ultimate in comfort seafood.
The Good Companion’s fish & chips
Best international fish restaurant: Bar Fisk
Bar Fisk is a combination of Middle Eastern flavours, ultra-fresh fish and killer cocktails. The food is designed to be shared but is larger than tapas-sized portions. Highlights for me were the corvina tartar, which was essentially a cross between ceviche, tabbouleh and smoky aubergine: literally three of my favourite things on one plate. Mackerel (cured rather than cooked) was served with roasted cauliflower, chilli and a tahini sauce: again, there were so many of my best-loved ingredients here that I couldn’t fail to love the dish. Squid came with earthy beetroot salad and crunchy roasted pecan nuts. Golden fried sardines arrived swimming in a peppery dressing atop a marine blue plate. And pan-fried bream fillets were served simply with some roasted garlic, toasted almonds and yoghurt. For me, it’s the combination of Middle Eastern flavours and fresh Mediterranean ingredients that really sets Bar Fisk apart.
Middle East meets Mediterranean: mackerel, cauliflower and tahini
Best for smoked fish: Frank’s Smokehouse
For 20 years, Frank was peddling his smoked fish and other delicacies from his tiny shop out the front of his smoking kitchen. Lots of locals knew about Frank’s as a specialty food shop, and you’d see his wares on restaurant menus around the city. Then, a couple of years ago, he decided to branch out into the restaurant business himself – serving his own excellent smoked goods as part of a broader menu at Frank’s Smokehouse. Don’t miss his Alaskan wild smoked salmon, but for the full range of smoked fishy flavours, order the Best of Fish – a selection of five smoked fish to share between two.
“Best of Fish” (photo credit: Frank’s Smokehouse)
Best for ceviche: Sjefietshe
I’m not sure what’s so difficult about pronouncing the word “ceviche”, but apparently were a Dutch person to say it phonetically, it would sound something like Sjefietshe. I don’t know why I find the name of the restaurant slightly annoying, but I do. Luckily, however, that was the only thing that annoyed me. The ceviche itself was just as I’d anticipated: it came in six different versions, all of which sounded heavenly. Sadly I could only manage two, so I made it the classic ceviche – with crunchy chulpe corn and red onion that had been slightly pickled from the acidic leche de tigre – and the shrimp and haddock ceviche, which came with a slightly sweeter (but still pleasantly sour) combination of pumpkin puree, coconut milk, hot yellow chillies and crispy puffed rice. Both were full of delightfully bright, feisty flavours, and went wonderfully with a pisco sour. The only dish I wasn’t such a fan of was the fish cakes; they tasted ok but the filling was grey and gelatinous, with an eerily homogenous texture. But stick to the ceviche and you’ll be more than happy!
Ceviche two ways at Sjefietshe
Best for fruits de mer: Seafood Bar
You can’t really go wrong with a huge platter of fruits de mer and a bottle of chilled Sancerre so long as the seafood is unfailingly fresh. The “Fruits de Mer Seafood Bar” was a colourful sculpture of fishy delights arranged artistically over ice. The gamut ran from heavy hitters like lobster and oysters through to understated molluscs like winkles and clams. And at €62 per person (ok, we drank half a bottle of wine each), it wasn’t cheap. My American guest felt that seafood requires more of an intimate setting, especially for the price; I’m not sure whether I agree, but the restaurant’s industrial chic is certainly a sign of our fuss-free, post-austerity times.
Fruits de mer at The Seafood Bar
Best for mussels: Mossel & Gin
The best of the Westerpark’s restaurants that I’ve visited, Mossel & Gin serves (you’ve guessed it) mussels and gin. The mussels come in one of six sauces: classic (the usual moules marinières), Thai, Roquefort, truffle, Dutch bacon and mustard. I went for the Thai version on the grounds that I wanted to try something different, but not so different that it involved blue cheese and seafood (which doesn’t sound like a match made in heaven to me – but I could be wrong!). The Thai mussels were pleasantly fragrant, creamy from the coconut milk, and came with dippable bread, chips and salad. The lobster croquettes we shared to start were rather delicious, as was the fantastic G&T (there are ten to choose from). Don’t miss the outdoor terrace in summer for perfect park dining.
A question I get asked a lot is how often I go out to eat. There’s no hard and fast rule, but for dinner it’s at least twice a week. Add in a couple of lunches, a few coffee dates and the inevitable drinks after work, and the proportion of time I spend at restaurants, cafés and bars in Amsterdam gets even higher. When Mr Foodie and I were analysing our finances before we bought our apartment two years ago, we discovered that a third of our expenditure goes on what we categorised as “food & fun”. And no, that doesn’t even include our supermarket expenses.
So when it was announced last weekend that all restaurants and bars in the Netherlands were being closed down because of the coronavirus crisis, my first thought was: “Fuck, where am I going to get ramen?” And my second thought was: “How on earth are all those food businesses going to stay afloat?” (In that order – I’m not proud of myself.)
Luckily, Amsterdammers are creative types, and many businesses have been coming up with ways to keep serving their customers in different ways. This is a list of all the good stuff I’ve found so far, but it’s undoubtedly incomplete. I’m also planning to treat this as a working document – adding more over time as foodie entrepreneurs find their feet in this new reality we’re living ourselves in. So if you hear of any other initiatives that would fit the bill, please leave a comment below or email me at amsterdamfoodie@gmail.com.
Gebroeders Hartering – Dutch(ish) restaurant serving takeaway menu and offering gift vouchers via Whatsapp to 0614991834 or email to info@gebr-hartering.nl
Mayur – Indian restaurant offering takeaway and delivery between 5 pm and 9 pm via phone: 020 623 2142
Betty’s – Vegetarian restaurant offering their surprise menu plus drinks for takeaway or delivery via bettys.nl
Pendergast – BBQ restaurant offering takeaway and delivery between 5 pm and 9 pm via pendergast.nl (use the code HOMEDELIVERY to waive the delivery fee on UberEats)
Pikoteo – Fusion tapas restaurant offering delivery via pikoteo.nl
The Good Companion – fish restaurant delivering DIY fish meal boxes as well as a Happy Oyster Hour box including 12 oysters and a bottle of white wine via thegoodcompanion.nl/nl/box
Bar Bistro Belleami – Eetcafe offering takeaway and delivery between 5 pm and 10 pm via mail@belleami.nl, 020 612 4662 as well as Facebook and Instagram DM
Beyrouth – Lebanese restaurant offering their mezze, grilled meats and more for takeaway or delivery via restaurantbeyrouth.online
Bar Alt – Fine dining meets beer with a limited menu now available for takeaway via bar-alt.com
Branie – Asian restaurant offering limited menu for takeaway and delivery, as well as gift vouchers, via branieamsterdam.com
Box Sociaal – Brunch restaurant offering takeaway, delivery and gift vouchers via boxsociaal.com
Oost – Pizza and pasta restaurant offering takeaway and delivery daily between 5 pm and 9 pm via oostpizzapasta.nl
Bij Kees – Dutch comfort food restaurant offering delivery via bijkees.nl/sjees-kees
Pizza Pizza – No prizes for guessing… pizza restaurant offering takeaway and delivery Thur-Sat between 5 pm and 10 pm via text, Thuisbezorgd and UberEats; view the menu on pizzapizza.pizza
Belhamel – Classic French/Italian restaurant offering takeaway and delivery daily between 5 pm and 8 pm; menu and contact info via business.facebook.com/RestaurantDeBelhamel
4850 – Usually a Scandi-chic all day concept, 4850 is currently offering its legendary cinnamon buns and coffee from its front windows at Camperstraat 48-50
Selma’s – Nordic café and bakery offering freshly baked goods and coffee to take away from 10 am till 3 pm at Jan van Galenstraat 70
Beter & Leuk – Veggie café offering delivery and takeaway via beterenleuk.nl
Public Space – Offering bakery goods and some simple lunch dishes for delivery via publicspace.amsterdam
Badeta – Coffee roaster serving specialty coffees from outside the café at Tweede van der Helststraat 18
Borrelplank Amsterdam – For all those virtual after-work drinks we’re now having, order a board laden with snacks via borrelplankcompartir.com/delivery
Rond ‘t Fornuis – I’ve never tried this but it looks good: rondhetfornuis.nl
Local Deli – Healthy food shop serving fresh, affordable, home-cooked meals and salads to takeaway – see localdeli.nl for details
Lazagne – Offering two lasagne dishes and two desserts for takeaway and delivery via 06 12804639; more info via business.facebook.com/lazagne
Brengdang – Rendang and rice delivered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday via @brengdang – profits go to help struggling local businesses
Amsterdam grocery delivery services
Support Your Locals – Lots of restaurant suppliers have also been badly hit by this crisis and now have lots of fresh produce they can’t sell. Support Your Locals has clubbed together to create grocery packages available in Amsterdam for €45 via supportlocals.nl/Boodschappenpakket-Support-Locals
Saved Soup – If you’re a supplier, chef or other horeca professional with leftover produce, you can donate it to Chef René Piqué, who will turn it into soup. Contact him via 06-523 010 84 or @reneetje_piquetje on Instagram
While you’re here… When this is all over, Amsterdam restaurants are going to need our help and so am I. As a self-employed writer, I’ve hardly billed anything so far in March and that trend looks set to continue. To help both me and the restaurant business, please consider buying a copy of my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide e-book: it’s just €4.95, and it contains all my recommendations for where to eat in Amsterdam. Come the summer, let’s hope we’ll need it again!
We’re ten weeks into this so-called “intelligent lockdown” here in the Netherlands now, which has given me plenty of opportunities to explore my local takeaway options. Everywhere from fine-dining restaurants to holes-in-the-wall have jumped on the takeaway and delivery bandwagon. And with good reason: we’re all desperately hoping it’ll allow them to stay afloat until restaurants are allowed to open up again. And while the Dutch government has promised some easing of Horeca restrictions from 1 June, realistically the takeaway trend will need to continue. Ensuring customers keep 1.5 metres distance from each other, and that there are never more than 30 people in a location at any one time, means that most restaurants will be operating way below capacity. With high rents in Amsterdam, they’re going to have to top up their revenues somehow – with the continuation of takeaway and delivery being the obvious candidate.
So, with this new normal in mind, here’s a roundup of the five takeaways I’ve appreciated the most so far. Before someone asks me why I’ve not written similar posts about West, Noord or anywhere else, remember that food doesn’t travel well. So if a restaurant isn’t able to deliver to my area (Wibautstraat) and keep things hot and tasty, it’s very unlikely that picking up food myself from West and biking it all the way home without Deliveroo’s special insulated bags is going to do that meal justice.
My Top Five Takeaways
Bam Boa
My first experience with Bam Boa was sometime last summer, when I walked in with a friend, sat down at a table, and was ignored for 20 minutes. We left. I didn’t plan to repeat that mistake, until a friend told me he’d picked up the sharing menu from Bam Boa a few weeks ago and loved it. Knowing that I wasn’t going to have to deal with any shoddy service this time, I gamely ordered the same thing online and picked it up half an hour later. And I’m extremely glad I gave Bam Boa that second chance. For €55 for two people, you’ll get a reusable bag stuffed with half a dozen savoury pan-Pacific dishes – both cold and warm – plus bread, cassava chips & dips, dessert, a candle and even a QR code for a playlist. I particularly liked the piquancy of the ceviche, the moreish dressing on the spinach salad, and the melt-in-your-mouth succulence of the Korean BBQ beef. We were so full by the end of rounds one and two that we kept our desserts for the next day. Excellent value for money and delicious to boot.
Pan-Pacific fusion food from Bam Boa
Order via Deliveroo for delivery or directly via Bam Boa for pickup
Kip It Real
From the people who brought us Box Sociaal (and all round masters of wordplay – Eggs Benny and the Jets, anyone?) comes Kip It Real – a good old-fashioned chicken bar. The menu wouldn’t look out of place across the more hipster cities of America, but in Amsterdam it’s one of the first of its kind. Think a range of chicken wings and chicken sandwiches, as well as various larger plates and sides. We tried the “Burner” – aka Nashville hot chicken (a favourite of mine from time spent in Tennessee) – which was a spicy, crispy-fried chicken thigh on a heavily calorific bun (I’m assuming it had been dunked in butter) with pickles and mayo. Diet food this is not. But it definitely hit the spot, especially with the addition of some homemade “real hot” sauce. The wings were equally good – coated in a buttermilk jacket and deep-fried to crispy perfection, served with a range of different sauces. My favourites were the aforementioned real hot, homemade ranch, and something sweet and spicy that might have been peach-habanero. You’re looking to pay around €12 for the sandwiches, €8 for six wings, and €16 for the plates. Kip It Real has got My Next Hangover written all over it…
Chicken every which way from Kip It Real
Disclaimer: I was offered free chicken by Kip It Real… and I took it! Business has been rough for freelance food writers too, ok? But seriously, I loved this chicken.
Order via UberEats for delivery, or phone for pickup – see website for details
Nomads
I’ve been to Nomads “in real life” a couple of times before – namely for their Jordanian edition and their Portuguese edition. But I’d not made it over to the restaurant in Oostpoort during their culinary journey to Vietnam, so I was excited to have an opportunity to try it at home. Nomads serve two of their tree courses plated and ready to go, and the third with instructions about how to heat it up and plate it at home. We started with a spicy bavette salad with pickled vegetables, followed by a fishy main with chilli jam, Jerusalem artichoke and asparagus, rounded off with a citrusy dessert. While I can’t remember the specifics very well (it was a few weeks ago), it doesn’t much matter as Nomads are showcasing their “best of” during the lockdown – when I visited their website again while writing this article, the menu was Mexican. Dinner costs €30 per person, and feels like a proper evening out.
I celebrated my 40th birthday earlier in May with my fanciest takeaway yet: dinner from Graham’s Kitchen. For €49 per person, we were treated to a seasonal feast: excellent sourdough bread with whipped butter; classic white asparagus with ham, eggs and Hollandaise sauce; a fresh and minty pea soup; spring lamb with ratatouille and gnocchi served in lamb jus; and a strawberry panna cotta for dessert. If you live within a 3 km radius of the restaurant, they’ll deliver to your door, but otherwise you can pick up the meal package yourself. I opted to get mine a little earlier in the day and heat it up at home.
Birthday dinner from Graham’s Kitchen
Order by emailing info@grahamskitchen.amsterdam or calling 020 364 2560; menu on website
Hummus Bistro d&a
When I’m craving comfort food, there’s nothing better than a pile of warm pitas and assorted yumminess to dip them in. And with the selection from Hummus Bistro d&a, I wasn’t disappointed. I tried the hummus with chicken (a surprising combination that oddly worked), the siniya (a minced lamb and tahini dish), half a dozen crispy falafel balls, and a portion of spicy zhug on the side for good measure. It came to €40 and absolutely hit the spot.
Hummus and more from Hummus Bistro d&a
Order via Deliveroo for delivery (I can’t figure out how to do pickup!)
Now that we’re having to make reservations everywhere we go, the idea of starting the evening with aperitivo in a bar and then moving onto a restaurant for dinner – or starting in a restaurant and then heading to a bar for a glass of wine – is getting a little more complicated. So instead, why not simplify things and do your eating and drinking all in one spot? Increasingly, Amsterdam’s culinary masterminds are blending the ideas of restaurants and bars together – designing concepts that meet the needs of both. You can order a good-quality glass of wine or a cocktail, plus a range of delicious dishes – many of which are designed to be shared. Here are a few of my favourites.
Best for al fresco dining: Alba
With the unfortunate timing of opening right before lockdown, Alba on the Wibautstraat is now making up for lost time. The restaurant’s extensive, leafy terrace is perfect for corona-savvy summer evenings, and it’s even covered with vast umbrellas in case it rains (which it did – a lot – when I was there). There’s a varied menu of natural, organic wines by the glass, which the servers will let you taste before you decide if you ask nicely. But for those who fancy themselves as sommeliers, there’s an expansive list of wines by the bottle to select from. On the food front, Alba is hard to categorise. We tried a perfectly devilled egg, which felt classically French, but later had a Japanese-style slow-cooked egg with a sort of curried mousse – impossible to describe but trust me, it was good. Continuing the fusion theme, we ate ultra-fresh peas with tofu and crispy chilli oil, side by side with ricotta gnocchi and courgette. And finished up with hanger steak with spiced sweet potato puree and chipotle dressing. Even the bread and butter were delicious. Including a bottle of very good rosé and a tip, we spent €94 – which felt like pretty good value. Given that Alba is practically opposite my house, I’ll definitely be back for more.
Ricotta gnocchi with courgette at Alba
Best for date night: Winehouse SOMM
Tucked down a residential street in De Baarsjes, you’re not going to stumble across Winehouse SOMM by accident – it’s the kind of place you’ve got to know about. Great for a date night, SOMM is candlelit, relaxed and almost every table has a good view of the kitchen – which is important because, while it might describe itself as a wine bar, the food is what you’re really here for. I’d (wrongly) assumed that we’d be having our wine with snacks, but in fact you’re looking at a three- to six-course menu that’s very reasonably priced. Most courses seem to be heavy on meat or fish, so this probably isn’t suitable for vegetarians unless you plan just to come for the wine. Think oysters, salmon, duck, entrecote – that kind of thing. The wines are fantastic, but in the end play second fiddle to the outstanding food despite the fact that SOMM calls itself a wine bar.
Asian-style oysters at Winehouse SOMM
Best for pintxos: Sagardi
A new post-lockdown addition to Amsterdam’s dining scene is Basque restaurant and pintxos bar, Sagardi. I can’t speak to the restaurant side of things (although I’ve heard good reports from trusted sources, including a Basque friend of mine), but I did stop by for a couple of glasses of wine and some pintxos. For those unfamiliar with the concept, pintxos are bite-sized snacks that often (but not always) come on top of the piece of bread. They’re held down with a stick that’s later used to count how many pintxos you’ve had and charge you accordingly (at Sagardi, each food-on-a-stick is worth €2.75). I particularly enjoyed their Lardina: prawn wrapped in cheese and bacon, breaded and deep-fried. Diet food this is not. All the sausage-based pintxos were pretty good too – from the ubiquitous chorizo to the regional txistorra – pairing perfectly with a glass of full-bodied Basque red wine. My only warning would be that when the restaurant is busy (and it seems to be pretty much all the time), those of us at the bar tended to get a little neglected on the wine and pintxos front. When the service came, it was very friendly – there just wasn’t much of it.
Wine and pintxos at Basque restaurant Sagardi
Best for aperitivo: Primi
Flying the flag for aperitivo o’clock is Primi, where the friendly Italian guys offer free snacks with your drinks between 5.30 and 7.30 pm every day. While sipping our Aperol Spritz, we tucked into a board laden with olives, nuts, marinated artichokes, creamy little basil tarts and (my favourites) tiny pizza pockets stuffed with oozing mozzarella and a smidge of tomato sauce. Not stopping there, we ordered various antipasti to share: arancini (fried balls of risotto) were tasty. We also tried the excellent burrata, which was served with a sort of cold pea soup, and a dish of aubergine parmigiana – simply triumphant. Primi also serves pasta dishes, gnocchi, main courses and desserts – but after all the aperitivo snacks you’ll probably be far too full to eat them all! Primi now has two locations: near Westerpark and on Amstelveenseweg.
Aperitivo o’clock at Primi
Best for Cava and tapas: Five Brothers Fat
Five Brothers Fat calls itself a Champagneria. But don’t let that scare you – they sell plenty of Cava too, which is much more wallet-friendly. On the food front, Five Brothers Fat offers a tapas menu that’s designed to share: we tried the jamon Serrano, Manchego cheese, chorizo croquettes and pan con tomate – all of which were as you’d expect: simple but spot-hitting. Notably good were the patatas bravas (we went back for seconds, addicted to the creamy, spicy sauce) and a cauliflower dish that had Lebanese overtones. With desserts (try their version of Death by Chocolate) and plenty of booze, we came away having spent only €40 each including a tip – so the prices are friendly. And so is the atmosphere for that matter.
Jamon and Manchego at Five Brothers Fat
Best for wine tasting: Rayleigh & Ramsay
Rayleigh & Ramsay have a unique concept in Amsterdam as far as I know: instead of table service, they have at least half a dozen (probably more) wine-dispensing machines throughout the bar. Each machine contains ten bottles of temperature-controlled, vacuum-sealed, perfectly preserved wine. As a customer, you simply pre-load a card with credit and wander around to take your pick of the dozens of wines available. And not only do they come by the glass – they come by the half glass and by the taster sample too. In short, R&R is a great way to try lots of different, and interesting, wines – especially if you’re with a few people who each fancy something different. On the food front, Rayleigh & Ramsay does various shareable, snackable plates – think charcuterie, pâté, cheeses, and so on. If you’re looking for something more substantial, main courses are also on offer, and there’s a good-value fixed menu. I had a dish of confit pheasant, pork belly with a warm-spiced crust, mash with apple and sauerkraut that was perfect wintry comfort food. Rayleigh & Ramsay now have three locations: on Overtoom, Van Woustraat and Spaarndammerstraat.
If I were to pick one region’s cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would likely be the Middle East. Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Israel, Lebanon – all these countries were once part of the Ottoman Empire and all have similar climates, which probably explains the similarities in their cuisine. It’s varied, full of herbs and spices, and with a great balance of sharing dishes (meze, mezze, mazzeh, mazze, spell it how you will) and grilled meats and fish. Plus, due to immigration from these parts of the world to the Netherlands, it’s a cuisine that’s well represented here. There are literally hundreds of Middle Eastern restaurants in Amsterdam, but these are 10 of my favourites.
Parts of this post are taken from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide. Want to find out more about Middle Eastern restaurants plus all the other cuisine Amsterdam has to offer? Download the guide here:
Makom
Opening in De Pijp only a few weeks ago, this newcomer is serving some of the best Israeli food I’ve come across. Nothing fussy or complicated – just very good quality, well executed. Both Makom’s interior and their terrace have a relaxed neighbourhood vibe, and the bar is well stocked. But it’s the kitchen that really excels. From the cold dishes on the menu, I particularly enjoyed the beetroot with tahini, and the silky sweet roasted peppers with feta and oregano. But really everything was good. From the hot dishes, you must try Makom’s kebabs: fragrant minced lamb, cooked pink in the middle, with homemade zhoug and labneh, served on flatbread. Finish your meal with a negroni or a mint tea (depending on which type of digestif you prefer!) and you’ll have yourself the perfect evening.
Selection of dishes at Israeli restaurant Makom
Fenicie
Don’t be put off by Fenicie’s Leidseplein location – its Lebanese mazza is definitely catering to a local crowd. Fenicie is a slick-looking establishment with a lounge atmosphere, great for a night out. Food-wise, the mazza sharing platter is plenty for two people and comes in at €32.50 per person, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Think: silky hummus, smoky aubergine with pomegranate seeds, crunchy fatoush salad and creamy labneh. I particularly enjoyed their spicy muhammara (red pepper and walnut paste) contrasting with the cooling chicken salad. Wash it all down with a bottle of Lebanese Syrah for the perfect accompaniment. Editor’s note: the staff were also exceedingly tolerant of our little dog!
Lebanese restaurant Fenicie
Disclaimer: I was invited to both Makom and Fenicie – which means they knew who I was and they didn’t let me pay the bill. But I’ll be going back to both of them as a regular paying customer!
Bar Mitts
Mitts is a cosy little place on the Javastraat, with natural fabrics covering cushioned benches and greenery adorning the walls. The mezze-style menu is designed to be shared, and the fact that no single dish costs more than €10 makes it highly affordable, too. Dishes are split into a longer list of veggie options and a shorter list of meat ones, of which we tried what felt like a representative sample. Roasted beetroot with burrata and pistachio nuts was creamy and wintry, while grilled broccolini with tahini and za’atar tasted fresh and healthy. Meanwhile in the meat department, two small kofte-style lamb kebabs were possibly my favourite dish: served with a spicy tomato and herb salsa and more tahini. Pulled chicken with hummus, pecan nuts, pomegranate seeds and herbs was also delicious, especially when piled onto pillowy pitas. If you can resist the cocktail list, Mitts is a good option for those on a budget.
Bar Mitts. Foreground: broccolini; background: lamb kebabs
BARDAK
Speaking of cocktails, BARDAK is a fantastic little bar/restaurant in de Pijp to drink them! As well as the tasty yet unpronounceable Oaxaca Delight (a tequila, lime and pineapple concoction that was, indeed, delightful), we tried several dishes off the “street food” menu. Aubergine was pleasantly smoky, with crunchy nuts and seeds, creamy yoghurt, and fragrant dill – a good combination of tastes and textures. The arais were flavour pockets of minced-beef pita, served with three contrasting dipping sauces – tahini, green chilli and herb sauce, and amba (a sort of pickled mango condiment). Fried cauliflower with lemon and tahini was about as moreish as it sounds (definitely one for the Ottolenghi generation), while chicken thighs with freekeh came with more tahini and had a similarly lemony flavour profile. It was all lovely in its own right, but a little more contrast between the dishes would’ve been welcome.
Oaxaca Delight and arais at BARDAK
Bar Fisk
Bar Fisk is a combination of Middle Eastern flavours, ultra-fresh fish, and killer cocktails. The food is designed to be shared but is larger than tapas-sized portions. Highlights for me were the corvina tartar, which was essentially a cross between ceviche, tabbouleh and smoky aubergine: literally three of my favourite things on one plate. Mackerel (cured rather than cooked) was served with roasted cauliflower, chilli and tahini sauce: again, there were so many of my best-loved ingredients here that I couldn’t fail to love the dish. Squid came with earthy beetroot salad and crunchy roasted pecan nuts. Golden fried sardines arrived swimming in a peppery dressing atop a marine blue plate. And pan-fried bream fillets were served simply with some roasted garlic, toasted almonds and yoghurt. For me, it’s the combination of Middle Eastern flavours and fresh Mediterranean ingredients that really sets Bar Fisk apart.
Silver sardines swimming in marine blue at Bar Fisk
De Aardige Pers
Warning: do not eat for at least four hours (more if you can manage it – I can’t) before stepping foot inside De Aardige Pers. There’s no way you’re getting out of there anything other than food-baby full. With the fasting out of the way, start by ordering the trio of starters – the chef’s selection – all top notch. Then move onto the grilled meats: simple but perfectly cooked kofte kebabs, chicken thighs, lamb loin and so on – all served with fragrant saffron rice and grilled tomatoes. De Aardige Pers isn’t fancy looking, but the food is more than decent and the prices extremely reasonable (we paid €30 each for everything I described above plus plenty of wine).
Mixed grill at De Aardige Pers
Ali Ocakbaşı
With a gorgeously decorated interior and excellent service, Ali Ocakbaşı is a classy establishment for a night out. Their selection of starters is brought around in a giant basket from which to make your choice. My favourite was the çiğ köfte: finely minced raw beef with bulgur wheat and chilli, hand moulded into sort of knobbly cylinders. Eat them wrapped in lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lemon. Delicious. But the rest is great, too!
Dozens of dishes in the mezze selection at Ali Ocakbasi
Orontes (West)
With two locations in Amsterdam, Orontes on the Albert Cuypstraat and Orontes West on the Hugo de Grootplein pay homage to the Antakya region of Turkey. They import hard-to-find products from the area and cook them up into excellent dishes, including succulent lamb skewers, aromatic aubergine, and mixed grills cooked over charcoal. Nesip Can’s wine selection is wonderful, too.
Hummus Bistro d&a
Now with two locations, Hummus Bistro d&a serves officially the best hummus in Amsterdam – in variations involving falafel, chicken, siniya (minced lamb) and many more. In addition to the hummus, I also loved their shakshuka, stuffed aubergine, and a plethora of little side dishes that were either spicy or pickled or both. The service was friendly, the prices reasonable, and the wine flowing.
Hummus Bistro d&a in Amsterdam Oost
Beyrouth
Its name a riff on the Lebanese capital, Beyrouth has been a favourite Amsterdam restaurant for as long as I can remember (owner Kamal Estephan opened it in 1990 when I was just 10). The range of mezza here is huge – you can pick from separate dishes or order a selection of as many as 10 or 15 – so I usually fill up on those alone. Their tabbouleh was perfect: green and grassy with oodles of fresh herbs.
Also worth a mention…
For excellent, affordable manouche (stuffed and rolled flatbreads), try the Lebanese Sajeria in the Jordaan and on Utrechtsestraat. For Turkish mezze and grilled meats, try Maydanoz, and for its Kurdish equivalent, try Zagros – both in de Pijp. For Syrian food, try Sham in the Red Light District and now with a second location in West. And for high-quality group dining (the venue is huge!) check out NENI on Stadionplein. You can also search for Middle Eastern restaurants by location and price via my restaurant finder.
Everyone talks about the “new normal” these days, and yet in the past year that normal seems to have shifted several times over. Remember in March 2020 when we were genuinely scared to leave the house? When even a trip to the supermarket felt like a risky undertaking? And yet here we are a year later, with covid cases every bit as high as the first wave (if not higher), and pretty much anything that takes place outside now feels… well, acceptable. Life (if not as we know it) has moved on – and we’ve all adapted to our new realities, whether we like them or not.
With the long winter finally coming to an end, Amsterdam’s restaurants and bars have spotted an opportunity in people’s willingness to meet up with a friend outside. And I can’t blame them. In neighbourhoods across the city, horeca owners have joined forces to create dozens of “food walks”: ways for local Amsterdammers to rediscover their neighbourhoods while propping up the hospitality industry. Some are managed by local tour companies, which sell tickets that include a certain number of food and drinks stops. Others simply provide a route, and it’s up to you to decide what and how much you want to purchase along the way. It’s a simple idea, but one that’s already proving to be immensely popular – as people are desperate to get out of their houses and do something again.
I’ve rounded up five of the Amsterdam food walks I’ve come across – although I’ve only done the first one so far, with the fourth lined up for this weekend. So please don’t read these as endorsements, but rather as information. It was getting hard to keep track of them all on Instagram and Facebook, so I decided to list all the details in one place. Lekker lopen, foodies!
Rondje Oost
So this one I can endorse, having walked it a couple of weeks ago. Rondje Oost covers most of Amsterdam Oost (unsurprisingly) and stops at seven locations – primarily for beer but food is available at several of them. My favourites were the lamb pastrami tosti from Thuskomme and the salmon crostini from Poesiat & Kater, although we enjoyed all of them – even in the rain! The route also takes in various cultural stops, which you can read about on the sheet that you’ll receive at the beginning. You can start the route at any of the stops: KNUS, Brewboys, Studio/K, Bar Joost, Thuskomme, Poesiat & Kater and Nomads. Don’t forget to collect stamps along the way for 25% off your meal once places open up again!
Cost: you buy your drinks/food at each stop, but we spent about €37.50 pp overall
Dates: Thursday through Sunday until further notice
Beers and bites at Poesiat & Kater on Rondje Oost food walk
Tasty Walk
Not just in Amsterdam but all over the Netherlands, Tasty Walk works via a coupon system that’s valid for a month or that you can book on a specific date. From their website, it looks like there are dozens of different walks in Amsterdam, most of which take in six stops over routes of varying lengths. There are no clues as to the type of stops or food/drinks included, so you’ll have to take your chances!
Cost: around €36 pp
Dates: from now until 11 April currently, but all walks say that new dates will follow
Another initiative that’s offering lots of different options is Le Food Walk, organised (I’ve heard) by Your Little Black Book. In April, they’re peddling five walks: in Oost, Centrum, Zuid, De Pijp and the so-called LAWA (Lange Wandeling) that runs through all of them. They all have between five and seven stops, with different permutations of food and drinks.
Cost: €39.50 pp (€45 for the LAWA) plus a €1 ticketing fee
Dates: throughout April
Info and tickets: lefoodwalk.nl although there’s very little on the website, it links to Instagram and the newsletter that are more informative
Natural Wine Walk
Wine Stories is organising a Natural Wine Walk through Amsterdam West, with five stops serving five different wines plus a couple of bites to keep you from falling over. I’m doing this one on Saturday, so ik ben benieuwd, as they say!
Cost: €42 pp
Dates: 2 and 3 April (but keep an eye on @winestories.ams in case they add more dates)
I can’t quite figure out what WOGO stands for, but they’re in the business of cocktails – so that’s a good start! Their cocktail walk involves walking from bar to bar, marked on a map that you download on the day of the walk (the site doesn’t state which neighbourhood). You then receive discounts from participating bars along the way.
Cost: €4.95 pp plus (discounted) cocktails
Dates: 3, 4 and 5 April (but keep an eye on WOGO’s website in case they add more dates)
A couple of drinks into a food walk, it’s easy to forget we’re still in the midst of a pandemic. So do bear in mind that it’s still your responsibility to stick to the rules: avoid crowds, keep your distance, and don’t sign up with a massive group of your mates. Keep a mini-bottle of hand sanitiser in your bag for use along the way, and bring your own bottle opener so you’re not sharing germs with everyone else who’s used the bar’s one. Toilet breaks can be a challenge, so keep a look out for any public bathrooms and don’t forget your facemask for when you go inside. Finally: wear layers – we all know Amsterdam weather can change faster than you’re going to drink that first beer the day the terraces reopen…
Every time I travel to the US (which, admittedly, has not been much lately) I find myself gorging on Mexican food. And that’s probably because, in the 15 years that I’ve lived in Amsterdam, Mexico has been sorely underrepresented in the city’s food scene. Long-term readers of this blog will know that I first started my search for tacos in Amsterdam back in 2013. My quest led me to plenty of disappointments as well as a few gems. But many of the best taquerias were either pop-ups to begin with or have since closed down. It’s taken me eight years just to come up with a list of five halfway decent places to eat Mexican food (and one of those technically doesn’t even serve tacos). In fact, I was almost ready to publish this post last summer, but then the second wave of the pandemic hit and restaurants closed down again. And we all know that takeaway tacos just turn into a soggy mess.
So before anything else goes wrong, here it is: the definitive list.
The search for tacos in Amsterdam is finally over…. (For now!)
5 of the Best Places to Eat Tacos in Amsterdam
Coba
Hipster, industrial Amsterdam Noord has become the unofficial capital of Mexican food in the city, housing not one but two great taquerias. At Coba, you’ll find a fiercely strong margarita as well as a range of off-the-beaten-path tacos, tostadas and more. The veal tongue tacos were my favourite, while Mr Foodie’s favourites were the black pudding on blue corn tortillas. But the carnitas tacos were fantastic too, with melt-in-the-mouth tender pork belly. While all the dishes were perfectly seasoned and sauced, we also received three salsas in little jars on the table, all of which were also excellent and deliciously different – plus, Coba’s chefs were blissfully unafraid of chilli heat! For some reason, no one would bring us any cutlery, which made it rather difficult to eat the tostadas and tetelas (corn masa stuffed pockets), both of which fell apart almost as soon as I touched them. But messy hands were a small price to pay for what was undoubtedly some of the city’s best Mexican food.
Veal tongue tacos at Coba
Bacalar
At Bacalar, the sunny, expansive terrace is a draw – especially during pandemic times. Despite our visit falling on a hungover Sunday lunchtime, it seemed rude not to try a couple of cocktails, so we started with the fruity pink rhubarb Paloma and the smoky Bucha Maracuja. The menu looked suspiciously similar to Coba’s, and there’s apparently some history there that I won’t go into, but luckily for us the food was just as good. Bacalar’s tostada with crawfish, avocado, pickled cucumber and leche de tigre was fresh and zingy with a big citrus hit. But the tacos de moronga with black pudding, pickled red onion and mango habanero salsa got my final vote: spicy and meaty in equal measure. A firm favourite.
Black pudding tacos at Bacalar
Cabrón
Located along the Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp, Cabrón is better for sultry nights inside than al fresco dining. And what better way to start any such night than with a margarita? Cabrón’s used top-quality tequila, came shaken (not frozen or anything silly like that) and sported a salt rim that only went halfway around the glass. Just the way I like it. As for the tacos, they were pretty good as well. I tried three varieties: the carnitas (because who can resist pork on anything?) with sweet potato purée and queso fresco, which came in a delicious blue-corn tortilla; the softshell crab with sweet mango salsa and shredded cabbage; and a vegan number with battered cauliflower instead of fish. All of them were Lekker with a capital L.
Local Dealer has a helpfully large and sunny terrace on the Dapperplein, which makes it a great spot for the summer. The interior is funky, as are the drinks, and the tacos are pretty top notch too. My favourites were the Cordero de Oaxaca: freshly pressed, blue corn tortillas filled with pulled barbacoa lamb and pickled vegetables – yield meets bite, sweet meets sour, undercut with a satisfying umami base. I also loved the special: chicken hearts with rich molé sauce. Everything had a healthy hit of chilli, which I adored (as always).
Taco time at Local Dealer Food Inc.
Parakeet
Close to the Foodhallen, Parakeet is Amsterdam’s answer to the eternal question: “Where can I go to eat nachos and drink margaritas?” I’m pleased to announce that Parakeet’s margarita (or rather, Lucy’s Margarita, as it’s called on the menu) is fresh, citrusy, strong and salty – plus slightly spicy from the ancho liqueur and chilli-salt rim. Meanwhile, the Tex-Mex food menu offers nachos in all ways, shapes and forms: with dips, in salad or as “nacho dinners” in four versions. I tried the Vondel nacho dinner (a half is enough for one person) with pulled pork, feta, jalapeno, pomegranate, sliced radishes, salsa, avocado puree, sour cream, coriander and Parakeet’s signature queso. The chips were excellent and the toppings plentiful, which made the plate great value. Plus, Parakeet’s bar staff play fabulously cheesy music – perfect for a night out. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that I’ve not, in fact, mentioned tacos… but with nachos this good, who needs tacos anyway?
Much like my recent piece about tacos in Amsterdam, this article wouldn’t have been possible to write even just a couple of years ago. But fried chicken is having a moment in Amsterdam right now, and who am I to count calories when there’s serious research to be done? Whether you like your fried chicken hot or sweet, with biscuits or booze, there’s a kip joint in Amsterdam that’s got your name on it. ‘Cause these places are all finger lickin’.
Southern fried chicken: Biscuit Baby
I had to start with Biscuit Baby, because theirs was hands-down the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted in Amsterdam. The chicken itself is moist and succulent, with a lightly fried coating and a fabulously hot spice mix applied to it if that’s your thing (it’s completely optional but highly recommended). It also comes with hot honey, which is just the bomb. Because Biscuit Baby is in the business of southern fried chicken, most menu items come with biscuits – which are self-explanatory if you’re American and are like savoury scones if you’re everyone else. Impressively, the biscuits are pillowy soft but don’t fall apart the minute you bite into them. The waffle fries with ranch dressing are also the real deal – these guys can do no wrong.
Biscuit Baby: the best southern fried chicken in Amsterdam
The only downside is that Biscuit Baby is currently a pop-up on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes – and that’s it. At the time of writing, they’re at Café Scrapyard and are only offering takeaway. The lack of eat-in tables makes this a challenge if you don’t live in West, as it was tricky to eat all that food on a bench by the canal. (I mean, I was happy to take one for the team, but just sayin’…) Keep an eye on Biscuit Baby’s social media, however, as locations can change quickly and I don’t always manage to keep this stuff up-to-date.
Nashville hot chicken: Kip It Real
In 2020, the people who brought us Box Sociaal came out with Kip It Real – a good old-fashioned chicken bar. Think a range of chicken wings and chicken sandwiches, as well as various larger plates and sides. We tried the “Burner” – aka Nashville hot chicken (a favourite of mine from time spent in Tennessee) – which was a spicy, crispy-fried chicken thigh on a heavily calorific bun (I’m assuming it had been dunked in butter) with pickles and mayo. Diet food this is not. But it definitely hit the spot, especially with the addition of some homemade “real hot” sauce. The wings were equally good – coated in a buttermilk jacket and deep-fried to crispy perfection, served with a range of different sauces. My favourites were the aforementioned real hot, homemade ranch, and something sweet and spicy that might have been peach-habanero. Kip It Real has got My Next Hangover written all over it…
Fried chicken every which way from Kip It Real
Surinamese fried chicken: Naskip
For somewhere with actual seating, head to Dapperstraat and pay a visit to Naskip. We tried their fillet strips, wings and a few larger, bone-in pieces, and all were moist and full of flavour with a perfectly crispy coating. The star of the show, however, has to be Naskip’s Surinamese hot sauce – which is fiercely spicy yet fruity from (I assume) the Madame Jeanette chilli peppers. But why wasn’t there more of it? We ordered over €30 in chicken (it was the Euro 2020 football finals) and only received one tiny pot of the spicy gold.
The side dishes – regular fries, sweet potato fries and corn on the cob – were all pretty decent, but again could have come with some sauces. Chips and mayo, anyone?
Korean fried chicken: Gangnam Chicken
Possibly the crispiest of the bunch was Gangnam Chicken – now with two locations, in West and Oost respectively. I’d wanted to eat inside (which is only possible at the branch in West) but at the last moment it was pouring with rain so we ended up getting takeaway from the Oost location. The crispiness apparently comes from the fact that Gangnam Chicken’s wings are double-coated-and-fried. And the small format (drumettes, wings or boneless) means that there’s plenty of surface area for the coating to cover. They offer three sauces, all of which were a bit sweet for my taste, but the Korean pepper sauce was at least moderately spicy. I also loved their kimchi!
Korean fried chicken from Gangnam Chicken
Fried chicken and cocktails: Rotisserie
Just down the road from Gangnam Chicken on Beukenplein, you’ll find Rotisserie East (there’s also a Rotisserie West on De Clercqstraat). It has a handy sheltered terrace, but the inside is cosy as well – so you’ve got fried chicken covered in both summer and winter. Said chicken has a wonderfully savoury, moreish, crispy coating. Mr Foodie says it’s a travesty that it was off-the-bone chicken thighs cut into slices, but from a practical perspective it worked perfectly. And the ranch dressing was a nice touch, too. Meanwhile, Rotisserie’s cocktails are fantastic and good value – it was at Rotisserie that I discovered the Boulevardier (a whisky-vermouth-Campari combo that I’m currently addicted to). But you can also go off menu with an espresso martini or a mezcal sour.
Fried chicken with vegetarian friends: Feed Amsterdam
Feed Amsterdam re-opened in its current incarnation in summer 2020. But before that, it was a branch of the highly popular Aussie mini-chain Drovers Dog. While they’ve added a radio studio and a focus on music and community, much of the rest remains the same: the décor is not much changed, and you’ll see several familiar faces among the staff members. And while the menu overall now features far more veg-led dishes, one meaty item that’s still going strong is the fried chicken. A generous portion of hot, crispy, delicious chicken that’s served with (what I think is) siracha mayonnaise. It’s a good sharing-sized plate for a couple of friends having a borrel. And if the rest of your friends are vegetarian, they’ll be happy too.
Feed Amsterdam’s fried chicken
Where else serves fried chicken in Amsterdam?
Let me know your favourites in the comments! One that’s on my to-eat list is Ladybird FC but they’re currently between locations… something to look forward to!
While the Dutch were mostly eating bread with hagelslag for breakfast until fairly recently, the last decade has seen a trend in international brunch culture. Spearheaded by the Australian and New Zealand immigrants, there are now a plethora of great places offering breakfast and brunch dishes from the world over. These are my top picks of the places serving the best brunch in Amsterdam.
This post is an extract from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide – want to eat more than just brunch? Download the full guidebook here!
Little Collins: De Pijp and West
I first discovered Little Collins’ excellent line in international brunch dishes, from kedgeree to waffles, at their original location in de Pijp. But I later discovered they do dinner as well – and they now have a location in West, too. The menu is very international, which I would usually avoid, but they do so many things well. The chef is Australian, and of course Australian cuisine is a melting pot of influences from Europe, Asia, America… you name it. I usually order a rhubarb bellini and/or a coffee while I’m waiting for brunch. You can’t go wrong with one of their Asian dishes, like smoked tofu or pork belly with kimchi, or one of their Middle Eastern brunch classics like cilbir or shakshuka. Little Collins was the first to bring Antipodean brunch culture to Amsterdam, and a few other copycats have sprung up since – but none are as good as the original!
Cilbir at Little Collins: the best brunch spot in Amsterdam
Dignita
As well as serving up an excellent brunch, Dignita is excellently set up for families with kids. I love Dignita’s chickpea and courgette fritters with fried halloumi, poached egg, avocado, dukkah and a mint-yoghurt dressing. The fritters are moist, the egg perfectly poached, the textures well balanced – all in all, a lovely dish. Their coffees and breakfast cocktails are good too, and even the service is quick. If you are child-free, escape to the stroller-inaccessible mezzanine level at the Vondelpark location. There’s also now a location near the Hermitage Museum.
Dignita’s courgette and chickpea fritters – my favourite!
Gartine
Despite the fact that Gartine is sandwiched between the Kalverstraat and the Rokin in the centre of town, it has its own moestuin (allotment) in which they grow much of the produce you’ll eat at the restaurant. I should more properly call it a “tearoom”, as it’s open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, but not dinner. The location is delicate and classy, but in an old-fashioned way – as if your grandma had taken a degree in interior design. The food is likewise: eggs benedict with salmon for breakfast, crayfish rillettes for lunch, and a plethora of tarts and cupcakes at tea time.
Box Sociaal
Run by Antipodeans, Box Sociaal is known for its brunch but (much like Little Collins, above) is worth visiting for dinner as well. They do a good line in the usual brunch suspects from eggs Benedict (pictured) to breakfast sandwiches, but they also had some more creative-looking menu items when I went, like the yum cha waffle or what looks like a pimped-up PBJ sandwich. Their coffee and juices are very good, and their service impeccable.
Eggs Benny & the Jets at Box Sociaal
Greenwoods: Keizersgracht and Singel
Greenwoods is the quintessential English tearoom, and with two very central locations they’re perfect for taking visitors. Their soda bread is to die for – moist and cakey, slathered with butter. You also can’t go wrong with either of their takes on eggs Benedict: the classic comes with ham on English muffins, but the “Emperor’s Eggs Royale” comes with salmon on hash browns with beetroot Hollandaise. Don’t let the strawberry-sauce visual effect put you off – the flavour is pure Hollandaise!
The Emperor’s Eggs Royale at Greenwoods
Theatercafe Mozaiek
One of the things I enjoyed most about my trip to Istanbul was the incredible Turkish breakfasts. So, if you’re looking to get your fix in Amsterdam, you’ll be happy to stumble upon Mozaiek. The Turkish brunch I had there included everything from filo-cheese cigars and chorizo skewers to fried halloumi and dozens of dips and toppings for bread. The individual portions weren’t huge, but there were enough of them that you certainly didn’t go hungry and the prices were very reasonable.
Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs
You can’t come to Amsterdam without experiencing the gluttony that is Dutch pancakes – especially if you have a hangover. These bad boys are the size of dinner plates and as thick as pizzas, with both sweet and savoury toppings. My favourite pancake house is Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs, which is (unsurprisingly) up an extraordinarily steep and narrow flights of stairs – even by Dutch standards. It’s a tiny place, and easy to miss, but worth it once you get inside. Teapots hang from the ceiling in every size and shape, and the pancakes are buttery and satisfying.
Sinfully good pancakes at Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs
Omelegg
It’s one of my biggest pet peeves, not being able to get a decent omelette in Amsterdam. I frequently seem to be served up thin, dry egg pancakes rolled up with cold stuff in the middle. Omelegg is one of the rare exceptions: whether you’re hungover or just hungry, a huge mound of eggs stuffed with everything from sausage to cheese to veggies is sure to set you right. Their original branch is in de Pijp, but they’ve since opened up a second location near Centraal Station too.
When I first moved to Amsterdam as a student in 2001, French restaurants were the height of fashion. Things have moved on since then, but there’s still some good French food to be found if you know where to look. Some of it is more old-school than others, but these are all top-quality restaurants.
This post is an extract from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide – want to eat more than just French food? Download the full guidebook here!
Café de Klepel
Café de Klepel is a cosy, unassuming little French restaurant right by the picturesque Jordaan neighbourhood. It serves classic French/Dutch dishes, great cheeses and organic wines, and the service is professional, too. Take your parents, take a date, take a colleague – it’s a great spot for any occasion.
Auberge Jean et Marie
Opening in de Pijp neighbourhood in 2016, Auberge Jean et Marie is testament to the trend that top-notch, high-end French food has made a comeback. The interior is as classic as the food: all white tablecloths, dark wood, classy tones of grey on the walls, and a touch of stained glass. Even the terrace outside looks like a French brasserie spilling out onto the pavement. Culinary highlights for me included the coarsely textured, gamey pâté stuffed with chestnuts and pistachios; and the smooth, coral-coloured bisque that was full of flavour from brown shrimps and deftly sliced fennel.
Rijsel
I would happily go back to Rijsel’s converted schoolhouse interior for some of the kitchen’s much-touted rotisserie chicken. Mine came with cubes of roasted root veg, dressed butter lettuce, and seasoned roast potatoes with mayo. Meanwhile, one of my table mates tried the onglet (hangar steak) and reported it to be tender and tasty as well. For the less carnivorous, there are actually fish and vegetarian options as well – but most people go there for the chicken. It’s all about top-notch comfort food.
The much-touted rotisserie chicken at Amsterdam restaurant Rijsel
Cantine de Caron
Occupying one of the huge brick buildings of the Westergasfabriek, Cantine de Caron has the feel of a bustling French grand café – complete with white tablecloths, proper silverware and flowing wine. The restaurant’s size makes it somewhat easier to score a table, too. The evening I visited was autumnal, so we started with some charcuterie and bread to share, followed by a comforting dish of slow-cooked beef cheek with stewed cannellini beans. Pure wintry warmth.
Belhamel
The Belhamel is one of those places that’s truly stood the test of time (it’s been run by its current owners since 1998) but I’d lived in Amsterdam for 13 years before I finally made it there for the first time. Now, having witnessed its art-deco charm, canal views, romantic ambiance, and of course its classic but excellent French-led food, that seems somewhat unforgivable. During my lunchtime visit, I tried Belhamel’s scallop and jumbo shrimps with puff pastry (think vol au vent, but less 80s) and beurre blanc. Pair it with a glass of oaky Chardonnay and you’re in classic French heaven. Be sure to try their signature white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry coulis, too.
The art deco exterior of the gorgeous Belhamel restaurant
Brasserie Ambassade
Up one of the leaf-lined stone stairways on the Herengracht is Brasserie Ambassade – the relatively recent (2015) addition to the Ambassade Hotel (1953). The interior pairs starched white tablecloths and ornate chandeliers on the ceilings with modern art on the walls. Here again you’ll find classic French cuisine – it’s not cheap but it’s done well. Think escargots gratinated in properly garlicky butter, rich foie gras with tart berry coulis and sweet brioche, flat-iron steak cooked to a perfect medium-rare, crispy confit de canard with gamey duck jus, and even the odd salad for the vegetarians… Prices for the á la carte menu are around the same as the Belhamel, or you can get the three-, four- or five-course lunch menu for a fixed amount. Champagne is advisable.
Wijnbar Boelen
I first found Wijnbar Boelen soon after I moved here, when de Pijp was the (only) place to go out at night. After a long absence, I recently rediscovered it as a lovely spot for a glass of wine and a plate of cheese or charcuterie after work on a Friday evening. They do good, classic main courses as well: steak, duck and the like. It’s not cheap, but it’s very good quality French food and wine, and the service is extremely attentive.
I only worked in London for two years, right after I graduated, but it was an education in Indian food. I was living in Brixton, just down the road from an amazing little curry house called Khan’s*, which was every bit as good as the restaurants on the famed Brick Lane and probably a lot cheaper. So when I moved to the Netherlands in 2006, Indian food was possibly the only thing I missed about the UK. Luckily, 15 years later, a few good Indian restaurants are starting to spring up in Amsterdam serving everything from South Indian dosas to North Indian classics like butter chicken.
*To this day, I’ve never found a chicken green masala as good as the one from Khan’s (my favourite dish on the menu), except possibly at Ravi’s in Dubai. In fact, I never see the chicken green masala on menus in Amsterdam at all. Do you know of a restaurant that serves it? PLEASE TELL ME!
10 of the Best Indian Restaurants in Amsterdam
Before getting into the full list, let me just clarify a couple of things. Firstly, I’ve never been to India; I am definitely no expert on Indian cuisine and my experiences are informed entirely by being British, which comes with its own problematic colonial implications. And secondly, this list is by no means exhaustive: I’ve taken recommendations from plenty of Indian expats along the way, but there are undoubtedly places I’ve missed. I’ll continue to update this article as and when I eat at new restaurants that I think should make the cut. If you have suggestions for me, do let me know!
Want to eat more than just Indian food in Amsterdam? Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide for more eating inspiration!
Best all-round Indian restaurant: The Indian Kitchen
There’s a bit of a catch to this first restaurant recommendation in that it’s actually in Amstelveen. But The Indian Kitchen served me by far the best Indian food I’d experienced in the Netherlands just before lockdown, and I’ve been desperate to go back ever since. To start, we tried the Hara Bhara Paneer Tikka: a skewer of paneer cheese and vegetables, grilled in the tandoori oven and served with a mint and coriander dipping sauce. It sounds simple, but you could taste the tandoori grill in the cheese, while the sauce tasted every bit as fresh and green as it looks. Our second starter was Bharwan Shimla Mirch: a whole red pepper, stuffed with a spicy, potato-based filling and baked. The sauce it came with was sweet from tomato, but creamy and ever so slightly crunchy from nuts.
For main courses, we chose the Murgh Makhni, which described itself as “proudly known as butter chicken worldwide”, and the Pindi Channa – a type of chickpea curry. But neither of those descriptions do the dishes justice at all. We’d been asked if we wanted the curries spicy, so naturally we said yes, and for once these genuinely were. Laced with small but potent green chillies, they blew our heads off but never to the detriment of the flavour. We cooled our mouths down with perfectly cooked rice and the lightest, crispiest garlic naan I’ve eaten this side of the channel.
I’ve also heard great things about Indian Street Food – right next door to the Indian Kitchen in Amstelveen, and (I believe) run by the same people. I have yet to eat there, but if you’ve been I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Also worth checking out…
Guru – tucked down the Rijnstraat, Guru is a little off the beaten path from many parts of Amsterdam, but worth it once you get there. The interior is welcoming and only a tad kitsch, and the service is friendly and attentive. Try the Papri Bites, which reminded me of a dish I tried at Dishoom in London: crispy potatoes, pomegranate seeds, herbs, yoghurt, you name it – cool yet spicy, fruity yet savoury. On the curry front, I can also vouch for the Fish Madras, which was beautifully textured and perfectly spiced.
Ashoka – while Ashoka may be very close to Dam square, don’t let it’s location and tourist clientele put you off. The Chicken Madras and Lamb Nawabi we ate there were delicious – and deliciously different.
Fish Madras and Bangain Bharta at Guru
Best Indian takeaway in Amsterdam: Dutch DabbaWala
I’m not saying that the chefs at Dutch DabbaWala only serve takeaway – I’m sure they’ve got a perfectly nice restaurant. It’s just that I’ve only (so far) ordered delivery from them. And it’s been fabulous every time. Possibly my favourite, their Chicken Charminar is brilliantly spiced, creamy with cashew and studded with nigella seeds. DabbaWala’s Lamb Madras, on the other hand, is somehow fruity and freshly fragrant with mint, while their Bangain Bharta is smooth and smoky, and their Kashmiri Lal Paneer features fried paneer with a rich, tomato-based sauce. Everything can be ordered spicy, medium or mild (well, possibly not everything, but most things). I have an extremely high tolerance for chilli, and can attest that the hottest version is nuclear – you have been warned!
You can tell a lot about a place from its rice, and this is excellent too: none of those weird fluorescent bits or grains sticking together. Just great flavour and texture – plus, portions are huge so I always turn the leftover rice into kedgeree or fried rice the next day.
Best vegetarian Indian restaurant: Saravana Bhavan
Although there’s only one in Amsterdam, Saravana Bhavan is in fact a global chain of vegetarian Indian restaurants. The décor is bright and spartan, which means the ambience isn’t great. But the dosas are what you’re here for, and I’ve been raving about them ever since I first visited Saravana Bhavan back in 2017. If you’ve never had a dosa before (or even if you have), this is the place to try one: enormous crepe-like discs are filled with everything from cheese to potatoes to lentils. One of those to yourself would probably fill you up till your next meal for just a few euros. But if you do have room left (I suggest sharing), order one of the thalis for a full gamut of veggie-tastic Indian flavours.
One of Saravana Bhavan’s special thalis (this was the North Indian, although I tried the South Indian too)
Note: Saravana Bhavan briefly closed down due to some fairly dubious labour issues. According to Google, it is now open as normal and I hope that it’s cleaned up its act. But I’ve not cycled past lately so I can’t 100% guarantee that it’s open and operational.
Best South Indian food in Amsterdam: The Madras Diaries
I don’t understand enough about regional Indian cuisine to go into much detail about the different specialities. But I do know enough to realise that the majority of “classic Indian” dishes that we eat in the West are basically from North India. There are exceptions, of course, but South Indian cuisine tends to be far less well represented here, which is why I wanted to give it a separate entry.
Close to Leidseplien but hidden up a flight of stairs, you’ll find The Madras Diaries. And although their menu does feature plenty of dishes the average European would recognise, it also includes others that were pretty new to me and very much worth a try. Right at the end of the menu, we found the Kothu Parotta dishes that I’d had recommended to me by an Instagram follower. We tried the chicken version, which was very hard to describe: flatbread is shredded and then mixed with small pieces of chicken, scrambled egg, lots of spices, and presumably some stock as the texture was wetter than this description would imply. It also came with a couple of sauces on the side to elevate the flavours even further. Extremely filling, but extremely good. Also interesting were the “Tiffin” dishes (light, tuckbox-style meals), of which we tried the Thattu Idly – essentially two rice cakes with various sauces in which to dip them. One was green and minty, another a classic dal, another creamy and coconut rich, and another bright and spicy. I loved the flavours of them all!
Kothu Parotta at The Madras Diaries
Also worth checking out…
Junior Kuppana – another global chain, and in ambiance a little like Saravana Bhavan (i.e. rather cold and not very gezellig) but serving some very interesting dishes. I particularly liked the Cauliflower Manchurian: I’m not sure where the name comes from, but it turned out to taste a bit like cauliflower wings (i.e. battered, fried and spicily-sauced) but then with Indian spices rather than American-style hot sauce. I’m not really doing it justice so you’ll have to try it for yourself. The Mutton Pepper Fry was also delicious: a dry curry with warm spices and falling-apart tender meat (which the menu said was goat but, given the name, was perhaps mutton?!).
Best Nepalese food in Amsterdam: Surya
Clearly Nepal is a completely different country, but being right on the northeast border of India I can see why some Indian restaurants serve Nepalese food too. My favourite of these (so far) is Surya on Ceintuurbaan, which is dark and atmospheric and probably good for a date night. Try the Momos – the Nepalese answer to steamed dumplings, in this case served with a spicy dip. But my favourite was, without a doubt, the Nepalese Gurkha curry – lighter than the other curries we tried, it was prepared using a different blend of herbs and spices that made a refreshing change from the classic North Indian cuisine.
Best Indian restaurant for a fancier night out: Mayur
Of course, like with most national cuisines, Indian food can be cheap and cheerful or more upscale. While I’ve not encountered a genuinely fine-dining Indian restaurant in Amsterdam yet, some are a little fancier than others. And Mayur falls more into the special occasion category. The décor, atmosphere and service are a cut above, making it a good spot to take your parents, your boss or a date. Mayur offers a nice range of cocktails, plus a shared dining menu that makes it a lot easier to order than picking from one of the hundreds of dishes. I’ve been to Mayur several times, tasting a different range of dishes on every visit, and always had a good time.
Range of curries at Mayur
Meanwhile, there are a few more Indian restaurants in Amsterdam that I’ve tried and enjoyed, but so long ago that I’m not sure I’m qualified to really recommend them anymore… They may still be good, but it’s been such a long time that the menu/chef/everything may well have changed:
The Dutch horeca industry has suffered from so many lockdowns and partial lockdowns over the past two years that trying to write my annual “Best of…” or “Top 10” roundup has been something of a challenge. Last year, I ended up skipping it completely because it just didn’t feel right. This year, therefore, I’m publishing a bumper edition of my 15 favourite restaurants in Amsterdam during 2020 and 2021. As usual, this list is simply one person’s opinion. These restaurants aren’t necessarily new – they’re just places that I discovered or particularly valued during the past two years. This blog is unsponsored and independent, so you can trust that these opinions are my own.
With that being said, if you’d like to support objective food writing, consider downloading my Amsterdam restaurant guide. Updated annually, it costs about the same as a flat white in Amsterdam these days, and helps keep this website online. Thanks for reading!
Top 15 Amsterdam Restaurants 2020 and 2021
1. Wils: wood-fired fine dining
Wils was the last restaurant I visited before second lockdown (in October 2020) and the first I visited once indoor dining was allowed again (in June 2021). The restaurant offers a fixed menu of six courses plus a wine arrangement, which means you’re probably going to sink about €300 on dinner for two, but it’s well worth it – not least because the style of cooking is something I’d never come across in Amsterdam before. The chefs cook over wood fire, but also over smoking hay, burning embers and whatever else they can set alight. Be sure to book a “kitchen table” (rather than a “classic table”) for the best views of the chefs at work. Perhaps my favourite dish from the first time I visited involved langoustines that were seared for mere seconds in burning beef tallow – heated in conical metal contraptions in the very pit of the fire. The flavour was epic, especially when paired with smoked cabbage, finely diced apple and orange blossom-infused brioche buns. From that dish alone, I knew we were in for a treat. Wils has got special occasion written all over it.
Chef Friso van Amerongen cooking langoustine in burning beef tallow
2. Box Sociaal: Aussie brunch and international dining
Run by Antipodeans, Box Sociaal is known for its brunch, but during the pandemic their Box on Tour takeaway packages kept me sane. And they kept the world-tour tradition alive since then with some creative pop-up events during the summer. But back to brunch: Box Sociaal does an egg-cellent line in the usual suspects from eggs Benedict to breakfast sandwiches, but they also have some more creative menu items like the Belshazar’s Feast and the Dutch Rarebit. Pictured here is the Eggs Benny & the Jets with added ham, in which all elements were well executed. Located in the underserved Plantage neighbourhood, Box Sociaal is a great way to start your weekend.
A lockdown favourite of two good friends of mine (they highly rated their takeaway meals), Kop van Oost in the flesh is just as good if not better. Perched on the water overlooking the Brouwerij ‘t IJ windmill, the terrace offers fantastic waterfront views and is a great spot to take visitors. As for the food, it’s above average for its price point: mackerel ceviche was firm and fleshy, with tart citrus balanced by sweet potato and crunchy quinoa. The burrata was an interesting take on a caprese salad, with a mild tomato and pepper salsa topped with a crispy tostada. And the dorade came with pleasantly smoky eel sauce, seaside-tasting marsh samphire and a toasty crunch of hazelnuts. A local gem in the heart of Oost.
My first experience with Bam Boa was in summer 2019, when I walked in with a friend, sat down at a table, and was ignored for 20 minutes. We left. I didn’t plan to repeat that mistake, until a friend told me he’d picked up the sharing menu from Bam Boa during first lockdown and loved it. Knowing that I wasn’t going to have to deal with any shoddy service this time, I gamely ordered the same thing online and picked it up half an hour later. And I’m extremely glad I gave Bam Boa that second chance. For under €60 for two people, you’ll get a reusable bag stuffed with half a dozen savoury pan-Pacific dishes – both cold and warm – plus bread, cassava chips & dips, dessert, a candle and even a QR code for a playlist. I particularly liked the piquancy of the ceviche, the moreish dressing on the spinach salad, and the melt-in-your-mouth succulence of the Korean BBQ beef. We were so full by the end of rounds one and two that we kept our desserts for the next day. Excellent value for money and delicious to boot.
Pan-Pacific fusion food from Bam Boa (pictured: takeaway)
With the unfortunate timing of opening right before first lockdown, Alba on the Wibautstraat has been making up for lost time ever since. The restaurant’s extensive, leafy terrace is perfect for corona-savvy outdoor dining, with umbrellas, heaters and blankets to make it as cosy as possible. There’s a varied menu of natural, organic wines by the glass, which the servers will let you taste before you decide if you ask nicely. But for those who fancy themselves as sommeliers, there’s an expansive list of wines by the bottle to select from. On the food front, Alba is hard to categorise. We tried a perfectly devilled egg, which felt classically French, but later had a Japanese-style slow-cooked egg with a sort of curried mousse. Continuing the fusion theme, we ate ultra-fresh peas with tofu and crispy chilli oil, side by side with ricotta gnocchi and courgette. And finished up with hanger steak with spiced sweet potato puree and chipotle dressing. A perfect fusion of thoughtful dishes and natural wines.
Combining tradition with creativity on the Herenstraat, Momenti is not your average Amsterdam Italian restaurant. The evening I visited (in early 2020) Momenti was offering four fixed menus, each with a different theme – traditional, creative, vegetarian and truffle – and seasonally changing dishes. We kicked off with a board laden with regional charcuterie “Cinta Senese” and cheeses, all of which were excellent but I especially enjoyed the truffle-laced pecorino. The trompe l’oeil “Tonno Tonnato” was a take on the traditional vitello tonnato: in this case, pork that resembled tuna, with a sauce of mayonnaise, capers and anchovies. Ravioli with truffle was rich and decadent, while another version of ravioli stuffed with wild boar and topped with chocolate sauce and candied orange peel was not one for the purists but certainly worth tasting. The tricks of the eye continued at dessert, with tiramisu-inspired flavours that had been fashioned to look like a mushroom. Momenti’s service was warm and professional, and the atmosphere felt special without being stuffy.
Opening in May 2021 in the Zuidas, PizzaLab is on a mission to take an incredibly accessible product and do it well, but leave room for experimentation (hence the “lab” in the name). The menu is therefore split between classics with a twist and more daring seasonal creations. High on the innovation scale is PizzaLab’s “Adventure of a Cetara Anchovy” pizza, which has neither a white nor a red sauce base but a green one: made with friarielli (sometimes known as Neapolitan broccoli) to create an entirely new visual and flavour experience. Equally popular (and delicious) is the XXXNduja, made with spicy ‘nduja from Spilinga, salami from Ventricina, burrata from an award-winning cheesemaker in Putignano, organic San Marzano tomatoes, and sweeter yellow tomatoes from Piennolo – taking hyper-local Italian ingredients but using them to create something a little leftfield. Not one for the purists, but definitely worth a visit for the rest of us!
It’s hard to categorise Night Kitchen, as they dabble in the general Mediterranean area as well as the Middle East. Yes, you’ll find plenty of za’atar, labneh and sumac, but you’ll also find Italian-style gnudi, French-style mussels and Portuguese-style octopus. Luckily for us, they do all these things (and more) extremely well. On an autumnal evening, Night Kitchen is a cosy spot to prop up the bar with a perfectly mixed cocktail, and then wander through to the restaurant with its dark split-tone walls, copper pots and hanging plants. Your best bet is to order the shareable “dinner with friends” and relax while dish after dish appears on your table. My favourites were possibly the celeriac with feta, za’atar and pistachio, as well as the octopus with spinach, potatoes, smoked paprika and yoghurt. But fish lovers will also highly rate the grilled sardines and the seabass sashimi. The excellent natural wines are easy to pair with the dishes, too.
During lockdown, D&A Hummus Bistro was one of my go-to takeaways, and it was a winner every time. When I’m craving comfort food, there’s nothing better than a pile of warm pitas and assorted yumminess to dip them in. We’ve tried the hummus with chicken (a surprising combination that oddly worked), the siniya (a minced lamb and tahini dish), the roasted aubergine, crispy falafel balls and more that I can’t remember. When not in lockdown, D&A Hummus Bistro has three locations that you can visit to satiate your hunger for hummus.
Hummus and more from D&A Hummus Bistro (pictured: takweaway)
Staying on the Middle Eastern theme, BARDAK is a fantastic little bar/restaurant in de Pijp for cocktails and Israeli street food (if it’s possible to eat street food while seated in a restaurant). As well as the tasty yet unpronounceable Oaxaca Delight (a tequila, lime and pineapple concoction that was, indeed, delightful), we tried several dishes: Aubergine was pleasantly smoky, with crunchy nuts and seeds, creamy yoghurt and fragrant dill – a good combination of tastes and textures. The arais were flavour pockets of minced-beef pita, served with three contrasting dipping sauces – tahini, green chilli and herb sauce, and amba (a sort of pickled mango condiment). Fried cauliflower with lemon and tahini was about as moreish as it sounds (definitely one for the Ottolenghi generation), while chicken thighs with freekeh came with more tahini and had a similarly lemony flavour profile. A cracking night out for when nights out are allowed again.
Oleg Pelmeni Bar is Amsterdam’s only Russian restaurant (I think), and as such I was curious to try it. The menu features cold shareable things, other cold dishes, warm dishes, and of course pelmeni – Russia’s answer to the global dumpling phenomenon. I’d suggest you try at least one dish from each of the four parts of the menu. My favourites included pea tempura with horseradish cream – which was like a restaurant version of wasabi peas – and mackerel tacos, whose shell was made from fermented celery root and which came with a spicy, creamy sauce that had a proper kick to it. As for the pelmeni themselves, we tried two versions: the first came stuffed with beef and a creamy, nutty, mustardy sauce; the second was stuffed with fermented aubergine and came with a tinglingly tart sauce of berries and cream, drizzled with a herb oil. The wine list is all about natural wines and if you’re a newbie (as we were), I suggest you start on the “Evolution” side of the menu, as opposed to the “Revolution” side. We loved the Italian red that we picked – majestically named “Nero Capitano” – with its satisfying balance of fruity vs. farmyard-y. The food is reasonably priced for the quality, and the service is helpful and accommodating.
The stars of the show at Oleg Pelmeni Bar: pelmeni
Moving west now to the Americas… Biscuit Baby’s fried chicken is hands-down the best I’ve ever tasted in Amsterdam. The chicken itself is moist and succulent, with a lightly fried coating and an optional but fabulous hot spice mix applied to it. Plus, it comes with hot honey, which is the bomb. Because Biscuit Baby is in the business of southern fried chicken, most menu items come with biscuits – which are self-explanatory if you’re American and are like savoury scones if you’re everyone else. Impressively, the biscuits are pillowy soft but don’t fall apart the minute you bite into them. The only downside is that Biscuit Baby is currently a pop-up on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes – and that’s it. At the time of writing, they’re at Café Scrapyard and are only offering takeaway. The lack of eat-in tables makes this a challenge if you don’t live in West, as it was tricky to eat all that food on a bench by the canal. Keep an eye on Biscuit Baby’s social media, however, as locations can change quickly.
Biscuit Baby: the best southern fried chicken in Amsterdam
Hipster, industrial Amsterdam Noord has become the unofficial capital of Mexican food in the city. At Coba, you’ll find a fiercely strong margarita as well as a range of off-the-beaten-path tacos, tostadas and more. The veal tongue tacos were my favourite, while Mr Foodie’s favourites were the black pudding on blue corn tortillas. But the carnitas tacos were fantastic too, with melt-in-the-mouth tender pork belly. While all the dishes were perfectly seasoned and sauced, we also received three salsas in little jars on the table, all of which were excellent and deliciously different – plus, Coba’s chefs were blissfully unafraid of chilli heat! For some reason, no one would bring us any cutlery, which made it rather difficult to eat the tostadas and tetelas (corn masa stuffed pockets), both of which fell apart almost as soon as I touched them. But messy hands were a small price to pay for what was undoubtedly some of the city’s best Mexican food.
In February 2020, about a month before first lockdown, The Indian Kitchen served me by far the best Indian food I’d experienced in the Netherlands – and I’ve been desperate to go back to their restaurant in Amstelveen ever since. To start, we tried the Hara Bhara Paneer Tikka: a skewer of paneer cheese and vegetables, grilled in the tandoori oven and served with a mint and coriander dipping sauce. It sounds simple, but you could taste the tandoori grill in the cheese, while the sauce tasted every bit as fresh and green as it looks. For main courses, we chose the Murgh Makhni, which described itself as “proudly known as butter chicken worldwide”, and the Pindi Channa – a type of chickpea curry. But neither of those descriptions do the dishes justice at all. We’d been asked if we wanted the curries spicy, so naturally we said yes, and for once these genuinely were. Laced with small but potent green chillies, they blew our heads off but never to the detriment of the flavour. We cooled our mouths down with perfectly cooked rice and the lightest, crispiest garlic naan I’ve eaten this side of the channel. A veritable Indian feast.
I’m not saying that the chefs at Dutch DabbaWala only serve takeaway – I’m sure they’ve got a perfectly nice restaurant. It’s just that I’ve only (so far) ordered delivery from them. And it’s been fabulous every time. Possibly my favourite, their Chicken Charminar is brilliantly spiced, creamy with cashew and studded with nigella seeds. DabbaWala’s Lamb Madras, on the other hand, is somehow fruity and freshly fragrant with mint, while their Bangain Bharta is smooth and smoky, and their Kashmiri Lal Paneer features fried paneer with a rich, tomato-based sauce. Everything can be ordered spicy, medium or mild (well, possibly not everything, but most things). I have an extremely high tolerance for chilli, and can attest that the hottest version is nuclear – you have been warned!
My favourite moment of the day is somewhere around 6.30 pm, when work is finished, it’s not yet time for dinner, and the kitchen is filled with the familiar glug-glug-glug sound of a just-opened bottle of wine being poured. If I’m at home, it’ll perhaps be accompanied by some cheese and crackers or slices of chorizo; if I’m out, it might be bitterballen or jamón. Either way, this first-drink-of-the-day meets early-evening snacks moment has a name in our house: Hapje Hour – which, incidentally, will be the name of my wine bar if the Mr. Foodie and I ever open one.
The Italians call this aperitivo, and they do it spectacularly well. I’m not sure what the Spanish call it, but the same principle applies with tapas. The Dutch have their borrelhapjes, of course, but there’s room to branch out from the deep-fried snacks and blocks of cheese – as moreish with mustard as they may be. And Amsterdam – with its work-life balance that means most people leave work at a sensible time – is finally starting to get on board with this. More and more restaurants, bars and cafés are starting to offer shareable bites with drinks, and the quality and inventiveness of the food is going up in parallel. Here are just a few of my favourite wine bars in Amsterdam, that don’t disappoint on the food front…
Want to discover more than just wine bars in Amsterdam? Download my comprehensive Amsterdam restaurant guidebook here.
Best for date night: Winehouse SOMM
Tucked down a residential street in De Baarsjes, you’re not going to stumble across Winehouse SOMM by accident – it’s the kind of place you’ve got to know about. Great for a date night, SOMM is candlelit, relaxed and almost every table has a good view of the kitchen – which is important because, while it might describe itself as a wine bar, the food is what you’re really here for. I’d (wrongly) assumed that we’d be having our wine with snacks, but in fact you’re looking at a three- to six-course menu that’s very reasonably priced. Most courses seem to be heavy on meat or fish, so this probably isn’t suitable for vegetarians unless you plan just to come for the wine. Think oysters, salmon, duck, entrecote – that kind of thing. The wines are fantastic, but in the end play second fiddle to the outstanding food despite the fact that SOMM calls itself a wine bar.
Asian-style oysters at Winehouse SOMM
Best for al fresco dining: Alba
With the unfortunate timing of opening right before first lockdown, Alba on the Wibautstraat is now making up for lost time. The restaurant’s extensive, leafy terrace is perfect for corona-savvy summer evenings, and it’s even covered with vast umbrellas in case it rains (which it did – a lot – when I was there). There’s a varied menu of natural, organic wines by the glass, which the servers will let you taste before you decide if you ask nicely. But for those who fancy themselves as sommeliers, there’s an expansive list of wines by the bottle to select from. On the food front, Alba is hard to categorise. We tried a perfectly devilled egg, which felt classically French, but later had a Japanese-style slow-cooked egg with a sort of curried mousse – impossible to describe but trust me, it was good. Continuing the fusion theme, we ate ultra-fresh peas with tofu and crispy chilli oil, side by side with ricotta gnocchi and courgette. And finished up with hanger steak with spiced sweet potato puree and chipotle dressing. Even the bread and butter were delicious. Including a bottle of very good rosé and a tip, we spent €95 – which felt like pretty good value. Given that Alba is practically opposite my house, I’ll definitely be back for more.
Ricotta gnocchi with courgette at Alba
Best for pintxos: Sagardi
A post-lockdown addition to Amsterdam’s dining scene is Basque restaurant and pintxos bar, Sagardi. I can’t speak to the restaurant side of things (although I’ve heard good reports from trusted sources, including a Basque friend of mine), but I did stop by for a couple of glasses of wine and some pintxos. For those unfamiliar with the concept, pintxos are bite-sized snacks that often (but not always) come on top of the piece of bread. They’re held down with a stick that’s later used to count how many pintxos you’ve had and charge you accordingly. I particularly enjoyed their Lardina: prawn wrapped in cheese and bacon, breaded and deep-fried. Diet food this is not. All the sausage-based pintxos were pretty good too – from the ubiquitous chorizo to the regional txistorra – pairing perfectly with a glass of full-bodied Basque red wine. My only warning would be that when the restaurant is busy (and it seems to be pretty much all the time), those of us at the bar tended to get a little neglected on the wine and pintxos front. When the service came, it was very friendly – there just wasn’t much of it.
Wine and pintxos at Basque restaurant Sagardi
Best for aperitivo: Primi
Flying the flag for aperitivo o’clock is Primi, where the friendly Italian guys offer free snacks with your drinks in the early evening. While sipping our Aperol Spritz, we tucked into a board laden with olives, nuts, marinated artichokes, creamy little basil tarts and (my favourites) tiny pizza pockets stuffed with oozing mozzarella and a smidge of tomato sauce. Not stopping there, we ordered various antipasti to share: arancini (fried balls of risotto) were tasty. We also tried the excellent burrata, which was served with a sort of cold pea soup, and a dish of aubergine parmigiana – simply triumphant. Primi also serves pasta dishes, gnocchi, main courses and desserts – but after all the aperitivo snacks you’ll probably be far too full to eat them all!
Aperitivo o’clock at Primi
Best for Cava and tapas: Five Brothers Fat
Five Brothers Fat calls itself a Champagneria. But don’t let that scare you – they sell plenty of Cava too, which is much more wallet-friendly. On the food front, Five Brothers Fat offers a tapas menu that’s designed to be shared: we tried the jamón Serrano, Manchego cheese, chorizo croquettes and pan con tomate – all of which were as you’d expect: simple but spot-hitting. Notably good were the patatas bravas (we went back for seconds, addicted to the creamy, spicy sauce) and a cauliflower dish that had Lebanese overtones. With desserts (try their version of Death by Chocolate) and plenty of booze, we came away having spent only €40 each including a tip – so the prices are friendly. And so is the atmosphere for that matter.
Jamon and Manchego at Five Brothers Fat
Best for wine tasting: Rayleigh & Ramsay
Rayleigh & Ramsay have a unique concept in Amsterdam as far as I know: instead of table service, they have at least half a dozen (probably more) wine-dispensing machines throughout the bar. Each machine contains ten bottles of temperature-controlled, vacuum-sealed, perfectly preserved wine. As a customer, you simply pre-load a card with credit and wander around to take your pick of the dozens of wines available. And not only do they come by the glass – they come by the half glass and by the taster sample, too. In short, R&R is a great way to try lots of different, and interesting, wines – especially if you’re with a few people who each fancy something different. On the food front, Rayleigh & Ramsay does various shareable, snackable plates – think charcuterie, pâté, cheeses, and so on. If you’re looking for something more substantial, main courses are also on offer, and there’s a good-value fixed menu.
Best for an after-work borrel: Cafe Binnenvisser
Tucked into the busy Bilderdijkstraat, Cafe Binnenvisser is a good spot for a drink after work – especially if you’re a wine drinker (they have hundreds of bottles on offer), but with the cosiness of a beer café. The bar snacks are decent too: we tried the olives, which were good quality; cheese from Kef (you can’t go far wrong there); and carrot and potato fritters that were light, crispy and came with a fresh yoghurt-based dipping sauce. Cafe Binnenvisser offers a cosy atmosphere for a glass of wine with some nibbles after work.
Wines and bites at Cafe Binnenvisser
Best for bistro vibes: Alex + Pinard
I’m not sure who Alex is – nor Pinard, for that matter – but their wine-bar-meets-bistro concept is simple: good-quality, affordable wines by the glass and shareable dishes that are several cuts above the average borrel hapje. We tried the jamon croquettes, cauliflower with ricotta and bottarga (cured fish row), and crispy rabbit tempura with a flavoursome tarragon dip. And not only are the prices friendly – the service is, too.
Best terrace: Clos
On perhaps my favourite square in Oost, Beukenplein, you’ll find Clos – a wine bar with a covered, heated terrace and plenty to make you happy in the wine and food department. The wines by the glass are arranged to make it easy to select one you’re bound to like, and there are plenty of top-notch snacks to nibble while you tipple. Think good-quality charcuterie and cheeses, fresh bread with hummus, meatballs in tomato sauce and more.
Wine and charcuterie at Clos
Best for natural wines: GlouGlou
Officially the cutest wine bar in Amsterdam, GlouGlou is the very definition of gezellig. I can happily while away an evening here, starting with after-work drinks and progressing steadily into late-night “ohhh, just one last round then” territory. I’d like to tell you what to order, but I always seem to go off-menu with some ad-hoc recommendation or other from the nice barman. GlouGlou specialises in natural wines.
Best for personal recommendations: Wijnbar Paulus
No more than a couple of blocks from GlouGlou (which is handy if the former is full), Paulus is a rather more modern, hipster alternative. But no less helpful when it comes to making off-menu recommendations. They also offer a selection of cold cuts and cheeses to keep the tipsiness at optimum level.
Best for French fare: Wijnbar Boelen
I first found Wijnbar Boelen soon after I moved here, when de Pijp was the (only) place to go out at night. After a long absence, I recently rediscovered it as a lovely spot for a glass of wine and a plate of cheese or charcuterie after work on a Friday evening. They do good, classic main courses as well: steak, duck and the like. It’s not cheap, but it’s very good quality French food and wine, and the service is extremely attentive.
Aperitivo o’clock, borreltijd, tapas time or happy hour – whatever you call it, what’s your favourite wine bar in Amsterdam for an early-evening drink and a snack? Let me know in the comments!
As all Amsterdammers know but many visitors don’t, Indonesian food is widely eaten in the Netherlands due to the two countries’ colonial history (too complicated to go into here, but Google it). So when in the Dutch capital, checking out one of the Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam is a must. Don’t leave the city without trying a rijsttafel (literally: “rice table”): dozens of small, shareable dishes ranging from mild to spicy, in all colours of the rainbow, served with rice. Although something of a Dutch invention (locals in Indonesia aren’t eating rijsttafels), it’s a great way to try lots of dishes in one meal. Satay skewers – generally chicken and goat – are a staple, as are various curries (meat and fish), boiled eggs in spicy sauces, vegetables in peanut sauce (wonderfully named gado-gado) and fried bananas. But there’s much more besides, depending on the particular restaurant’s selection of rijsttafel. Of course, if you’d rather stick with just one dish all to yourself, these places offer plenty of Indonesian specialties as starters and main courses, too.
In this article, I’ve focused on the Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam, where you can turn up for a proper sit-down meal with wine (or whatever your poison may happen to be). And, believe me, you’ll need a decent-sized table just to fit all the dishes that will inevitably appear if you order a rijsttafel. But there are of course plenty of tokos offering takeaway Indonesian food in Amsterdam, or holes-in-the-wall where you can sit down to eat a quick meal without alcohol.
Want to eat more than just Indonesian rijsttafel? Download my comprehensive Amsterdam restaurant guidebook here!
Blauw
Blauw has been going strong for decades – and I’ve been a fan ever since I first visited in 2009. I like its split-level interior and bold décor that eschews the kitschiness that often goes along with Asian restaurants. I like the fact that it’s a bit of a trek – down at the bottom of the Vondelpark on the Amstelveenseweg – which means it isn’t full of tourists. I also like its rijsttafel, which comprises a huge selection of boat-shaped dishes ranging from mild to super-spicy. Blauw went through a rough patch for a couple of years when a few of its original chefs defected to Ron Gastrobar Indonesia (more on that below). But when I last visited, it was back to its former glories with a new team in place who seem to know what they’re doing. The rijsttafel comprised classics like beef rendang and various forms of satay (chicken, goat and shrimp) but also more interesting dishes like fish mousse with a spicy yet fresh green sauce. If you have room, don’t miss the starter of Aneka Laut Lilit – fragrant crab and shrimp cakes bound with cornmeal and served on a lemongrass skewer. For those with a sweet tooth, Blauw’s “grand dessert” doesn’t disappoint with favourites like spekkoek and mango ice cream, as well as more adventurous flavours like durian parfait and chocolate fudge laced with cayenne pepper.
Rijsttafel Rating: 4.5/5
Cost: €31-37.50 (or try the three-course chef’s menu for €39)
The boat-shaped dishes of the rijsttafel at restaurant Blauw
Tujuh Maret
More central (it’s on the Utrechtsestraat) is Tujuh Maret – a family-run restaurant that’s not much to look at but absolutely delivers. When we first looked at the menu, we weren’t sure they served alcohol (shock horror!) but when we asked they were happy to keep carafes of house wine flowing. The “Minahasa” rijsttafel costs €29.75, which is cheaper than many on this list, but is just as extensive. And (wait for the best bit) several of the dishes are actually properly spicy. Not uncomfortably so, but I’d have a few friends whose eyes might water a little. And that’s a good thing because it’s been regrettably hard to come by in the gathering of this list. It’s hard to pick out favourite dishes because I enjoyed them all – even the tempeh, which usually I can’t stand.
Chef Ron Blaauw already has a series of restaurants in Amsterdam showcasing everything from French cuisine to Oriental specialities. But it’s worth taking a trip to Oudekerk aan de Amstel (around a 40-minute cycle ride from the south of the city centre) to try the rijsttafel at Ron Gastrobar Indonesia. And here, Java-born Chef Agus is in charge. His satay is to die for – the chicken and goat meat perfectly moist yet charred on the outside, and the sauces spicy yet sweet. Both the eggs and the fried shrimps have the perfect level of chilli heat. And all the curries are succulent and distinctly different in flavour. The wine list and service are what you’d expect from a fine dining restaurant, but the prices are surprisingly modest. My only criticism is that I’d have liked it if a few more of the dishes were on the spicy end of the spectrum.
In contrast, old-timer Sampurna is right in the centre of Amsterdam, just off the bustling flower market on the Singel canal. Yes, it may be full of tourists, but the food is still good and reasonable value given the location. It’s been in business for over 25 years – so they must be doing something right!
The first time I went to Kartika, we were forced to order our food before we’d even sat down, and were hustled out the door less than an hour later. But because the food was actually pretty good, I ended up going back. The manager there called me out on what I’d written the first time (he actually remembered me, amazingly), which was awkward but at least we both got to say our piece. Suffice to say that the second time the service was much more leisurely, and the food was just as good. Beef rendang had excellent warm spices and a rich sauce; gado-gado was fresh and fragrant, not cloying with peanut butter as is often the case. Two chicken dishes were good and distinctly different from each other: a hotter version in a thin, chilli-based broth; and a milder version in a sweet, soy-based sauce with plenty of aromatic anise. And Kartika also serves one of the cheapest rijsttafels in Amsterdam, which is good to know for those on a budget. No reservations nor free water, however.
Similarly speedy was the rijsttafel at Dèsa in De Pijp, which is good value at only €19.90 for the regular rijsttafel. It includes some good chicken dishes: I particularly liked the spicy ayam rica-rica and the chicken in coconut milk and saffron. I was less impressed by the beef rendang, which could’ve been stewed for longer to make the meat more tender. But overall, Dèsa is a solid contender, especially at that price point. The service was also top notch: we had one small complaint that was immediately rectified and we were offered a free round of drinks. A rare occurrence in Amsterdam!
What distinguishes Mama Makan from almost everywhere else on this list is its atmosphere. Its fresh botanical interior, its extensive wine-list, its rijsttafel served in traditional “courses”: this is an Indonesian restaurant you want to take your parents to. The food arrives in five rounds, which gives the meal a nice leisurely pace that’s often lacking when eating a rijsttafel. When it comes to the dishes themselves, a couple were excellent: the chicken satay was one of the best I’ve tried, and the spicy shrimps and seabass with shallots were big hits. The dessert was also a tropical revelation of fruit flavours and creamy coconut. However, much of the rest of the food left a lot to be desired – in general, I got the impression the kitchen was playing it very safe for its cruise-ship clientele. This is Indonesian cuisine for people who don’t like spicy food. There’s nothing wrong with that (and it’s a question I’m often asked) but it’s not for the chilli addicts.
Editor’s note: I was invited to eat at Mama Makan by their PR agency, so I didn’t pay for my meal.
Excellent satay at Mama Makan
Blue Pepper
Blue Pepper is essentially serving a fine-dining-meets-rijsttafel version of Indonesian food. Which could be ideal if you have a client you need to impress, or it’s your dad’s birthday – but know that you’re looking at a €90+ price tag for the full monty including wine. That’s not to say that the atmosphere is stuffy or pretentious, but the service is a cut above your regular Amsterdam restaurant, the presentation of the food is a notch fancier, and you can order paired wines with everything. Plus, Blue Pepper has opted to serve their rijsttafel in courses (so you can savour each item individually), rather than plonking everything on the table at once.
Upscale rijsttafel at Blue Pepper
Our first course was a delicate scallop dish with orange, macadamia nuts and samphire. The second course comprised three mini-dishes in one: a pulled-goose fried spring roll with a sauce fragrant from cloves and cinnamon; a palate-cleansing fruit combo of pineapple, mango and cucumber with a sweet sauce; and a spicy guinea-fowl curry that was pleasantly hot on the tongue. With the satay course, we were back in more familiar territory: chicken satay came with the requisite peanut sauce, while lamb satay came with a soy-based sauce. Next came a traditional selection of four rijsttafel dishes: spicy prawns, beef rendang, gado-gado and pickled vegetables. This may be regular rijsttafel fare, but the quality is still impressive. For dessert, we were instructed to eat what looked like a tiny yellow flower. Five seconds later, I felt like my mouth had been woken up by a lightning bolt. It made the combination of orange-blossom sorbet, mango panna cotta and forest berries all the fruitier. I’ve seen restaurants try to posh-up rijsttafel before, and the flavour suffered as a consequence. But at Blue Pepper, you’ll still find the punchy flavours and chilli kicks you’d expect from the best Indonesian food but in an upscale atmosphere.
Editor’s note: I was invited to eat at Blue Pepper by the general manager, so I didn’t pay for my meal.
De Vrouw met de Baard
The website of De Vrouw met de Baard (The Bearded Lady) claims that the restaurant serves “soul food from Brooklyn to Bali”. But I’ve decided to include it in my roundup of Indonesian restaurants because many of the menu items certainly qualify. Plus, if you order enough of them to share, you’ve basically created a custom-selected rijsttafel. Tadah!
Cauliflower tempura and topinamboer at De Vrouw met de Baard
We tried five dishes between two of us, which was just about right for a couple of moderately hungry people, but on other days (when I hadn’t drunk quite so much Zatte before arriving) I might’ve ordered six. Veggie highlights were the cauliflower tempura with a creamy coconut and turmeric sauce, and the Jerusalem artichoke (known as topinamboer) that had been roasted and served with an Asian-fusion-style sauce. On the fish front, we tried smoked mackerel, steamed in a banana leaf with plenty of spicy tomato-based paste – an umami explosion. And for the meat eaters, a beef rendang that was mild and coconut-y.
The first time I went to Jun I didn’t order the rijsttafel, which in hindsight was perhaps a good thing. I went back a couple of years later to try it, and was disappointed to discover how few dishes are actually included compared with other Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam. Those that came were lacking in spice (I was told the Dutch clientele generally ask for the dishes to be milder) and a bit of variety – there was a predominance of chicken. However, I did enjoy Jun’s soto ayam – a chicken-laden broth that’s aromatic with lemongrass, ginger and turmeric. And the service was very friendly.
Sama Sebo is one of the oldest Indonesian restaurants in the Netherlands, having been serving customers from its kitsch brown-café location for over 35 years. So you’d think, after all that time, that they’d know when they’re doing. You’d be wrong. We’d no sooner got our wine than the dishes started arriving – suspiciously quickly. It felt like we were part of a production line of tourists being fed our requisite dozen or so plates before the next busload arrived. The dishes were variations on bland, cold, dry, and whatever the opposite of spicy is. I get that restaurants dumb down the spice levels for the western palate, but seriously – this was so dumbed down it was fake news. The pork satay was (reliably) about the best thing on the menu, but the other meat dishes lacked much of the flavour of warm spices that you’d expect from that part of the world. The gado-gado and green beans were limp, sorry shadows of their former selves, and the side dishes lacked anything to pep up the main event. The sambal with shrimp crackers was the only thing that didn’t disappoint.
I have a confession to make about Café AMOI: I’ve only actually tried three of the dishes there (I ate them as part of a food tour with Eating Europe), but I liked them so much that I wanted to include the restaurant here. Namely, AMOI served possibly the best gado-gado I’ve ever eaten in Amsterdam: the vegetables freshly cooked to al dente perfection and the peanut sauce sweetly savoury. I also tried the corn fritters, peppered with kaffir lime leaves and dipped in a spicy sauce, as well as the traditional Indonesian spekkoek (spiced layer cake). It was enough to make me want to go back and order a lot more next time.
A general observation: When I first started visiting Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam around a decade ago, the chilli could blow your head off. I’m not sure whether my taste buds have been assaulted with so much capsaicin by this point in my late 30s that it now takes a lot more to make me sweat, or whether the spice levels in the dishes have been taken down a few notches. Perhaps it’s a bit of both. But either way, if your chilli tolerance is low then don’t worry – there’s plenty on a rice table that you’ll be able to eat comfortably. And if you’re a chilli fiend, I can only sympathise. I miss the burn too…
I write this article with some trepidation, since no debate is ever more heated than that surrounding pizza. Opinions abound among Italian and non-Italians alike, and at the end of the day that’s all this is: an opinion. I’ve travelled to many corners of Italy, including the birthplace of pizza – Naples – but I’m definitely no expert on pizza in Amsterdam or anywhere else for that matter. So take this with a grain of sale marino and a sense of humour. Let’s face it, dough with toppings is a pretty delicious thing – no matter where you eat it!
Parts of this post are taken from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide. Want to find out more about Italian restaurants plus all the other cuisine Amsterdam has to offer? Download the guide here:
Best Neapolitan-style pizza in Amsterdam: nNea
Opening in 2019 to huge critical acclaim, nNea’s dough takes over 50 hours to produce, and the result is like a warm pillow… fantastic, if you’re in it for the dough. (If you’re the kind of person who leaves pizza bones on their plate, nNea is going to look like a waste of calories.) I ordered the amatriciana pizza because it included the magic word guanciale – possibly my favourite pork-based ingredient in the world. Think bacon but ten times sexier. The amatriciana also involved pecorino, basil, chilli oil and a decent layer of tomato sauce but without mozzarella. The result was the perfect balance of umami, spiciness and doughiness. I only had one glass of wine (a smooth red from Ischia) but the drinks and service were up to the same quality as the pizza.
Amatriciana pizza at nNea
Best Roman-style pizza in Amsterdam: La Perla
When it comes to thin-and-crispy Roman-style pizza, you can’t beat La Perla – which has been serving up some of the best in town since way back in 2009 (possibly earlier, but that was the first time I visited). They import most of their produce from Italy, and their buffalo mozzarella, ‘nduja and cinta senese fennel salami are to die for – hence why I’m a big fan of their “Calabrese di Spilinga” and “Finocchiona” pizzas. La Perla has a pizzeria on one side of the road (where they do mostly takeaway) and a restaurant on the other side (where you can order pizza plus various other dishes). Be sure to arrive early or reserve a table.
Most experimental pizza in Amsterdam: PizzaLab
Not all pizza has to have 100% traditional toppings, however. Opening in May 2021 in the Zuidas, PizzaLab is on a mission to perfect an incredibly accessible product but to leave room for experimentation (hence the “lab” in the name). The menu is split between classics with a twist and more daring seasonal creations. The night I visited, high on the innovation scale came the “Adventure of a Cetara Anchovy” pizza, which had neither a white nor a red sauce base but a green one: made with friarielli (sometimes known as Neapolitan broccoli) to create an entirely new visual and flavour experience. Equally delicious was the XXXNduja, made with spicy ‘nduja from Spilinga, salami from Ventricina, burrata from an award-winning cheesemaker in Putignano, organic San Marzano tomatoes, and sweeter yellow tomatoes from Piennolo – taking hyper-local Italian ingredients but using them to create something a little leftfield.
XXXNduja at PizzaLab
Best neighbourhood pizza chain: Pazzi (Oost)
I only discovered Pazzi very recently, having walked past their location on Steve Bikoplein in Oost several times while walking my dog around the neighbourhood. They have an east-facing terrace, which has been particularly handy during the recent heatwaves hitting Amsterdam as it’s almost entirely in the shade. There’s a brick oven inside (which means it’s also very cosy in winter) turning out classics like the cappriciosa (with prosciutto, artichokes and mushrooms), the tarfufo (with truffle sauce, fontina cheese and ham) and the salsiccia (with fennel sausage, rocket and parmesan). I’ve also never been disappointed by their daily changing pizza van de dag, mixed antipasti or sgroppino. At the time of writing, Pazzi has four locations: in the Jordaan, Oud-West, Oost and Noord respectively.
Capricciosa pizza at Pazzi Oost
Best takeaway pizza in Amsterdam
Ok, so this is a bit of a trick question… Since pizza travels incredibly badly, the best takeaway is the one closest to your house (unless of course that’s Domino’s). In my case, I’m taking about Pizza Heart Bar – just off the Amstel river – which fed my pizza habit during lockdown once every fortnight or so. We almost always ordered the diavola (which is meaty and spicy) and the parmigiana (with aubergine and mozzarella) but all the pizzas were generally quick and reliable. However, if Pizza Heart is nowhere near where you live, they will inevitably be cold and flabby! Time is of the essence when it comes to pizza – which is your favourite local pizzeria?
Until about a decade ago, fine dining in Amsterdam was a little thin on the ground. There were a few stuffy, formal, French restaurants with Michelin stars, but not a lot else. Fortunately, that’s now all changed and there are lots of creative, high-end restaurants displaying their international influences in new and innovative ways. I’ve selected 10 of my favourites, but there are plenty more that didn’t make this list – not because they’re lacking in quality but because I’ve not visited them recently enough to write confidently about them. Whatever you think about the Michelin Guide, it’s still a pretty reliable yardstick when it comes to fine dining – including in Amsterdam – so if you’re planning for a special occasion, I’d recommend taking a look at Michelin’s shortlist as well.
Parts of this post are taken from my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide. Want to find out more about fine dining restaurants plus all the other cuisine Amsterdam has to offer? Download the guide here:
Wils
The first time I ate at WILS, it had not yet received a Michelin star; but I was unsurprised that by the second time, it had. In a spacious location on Stadionplein, WILS’s concept involves cooking over a combination of wood fire, smoking hay, burning embers and whatever else they can set alight (including beef fat!). Be sure to book a “kitchen table” (rather than a “classic table”) for the best views of the chefs in action. This is seriously accomplished cooking with big yet refined flavours. For the best experience, get the chef’s tasting menu with all the wine pairings – pricey but worth it.
Wils Chef Friso van Amerongen cooking langoustine in burning beef tallow
Breda
I discovered Breda on my fifth anniversary of meeting my other half, which just so happened to be the day we announced our engagement. So my circumstances were not exactly unbiased, but I can honestly say my meal that night was one of the best I’d tasted in months – if not years. From the runner beans that took me straight back to childhood in my parents’ garden, to the horseradish and wild-garlic dressing that pepped up otherwise-ordinary greens, to the smoky grilled flavour of rib-eye and corn – everything I tasted was spectacular. It’s been just as good when I’ve been back to Breda since.
Sinne
Speaking of anniversaries, Mr Foodie and I went to Sinne for our fifth wedding anniversary recently. It’s one of those restaurants that’s been around forever (and has had a Michelin star for a while too) but for some reason I’d never been. I’m glad I rectified that because it was a stellar experience all round. We opted for five courses with paired wines, of which the first two were my favourites: BBQ leak with marinated seaweed and ponzu caviar was zingy, smoky and citrusy. Meanwhile, sepia and chorizo came roasted with courgette, black olives, yoghurt and sauce of smoky grilled peppers – a nod to the Middle East. You can’t visit Sinne without trying their signature egg/celeriac/truffle dish – it’s highly accomplished, albeit the black truffle was a little potent for my anti-mushroom palate. When I posted about Sinne on Instagram, one follower described it as “understated romance”. I couldn’t agree more.
BBQ leak with seaweed and ponzu caviar at Michelin-starred Sinne
Graham’s Kitchen
Equally understated and under the radar, Graham’s Kitchen is a culinary enclave down an often overlooked street sandwiched between Van Woustraat and the Amstel river. Like many of Amsterdam’s best chefs, Graham Mee doesn’t offer much choice: you’re invited to order between three and six courses, with the option to take the wine pairings with whichever courses you like. I’ve been to Graham’s on several occasions now – including a recent visit with my parents, who were visiting for the first time since covid. And his flavour combinations never disappoint: on my first visit, he served a creative take on the English breakfast (Chef Graham is from Liverpool) featuring black pudding, egg and bacon. On my latest visit, we were treated to Asian-inspired versions of tuna tartare, skate wing and Iberico pork. A party on the palate and a great evening out.
English breakfasts and country gardens: amuses bouches at Graham’s Kitchen
Daalder
Daalder blew me away with its modern European cuisine way back in 2013. Since then, it’s seen a lot of changes but in the intervening years, chef Dennis Huwaë has racked up a Michelin star along the way – so I can’t be the only one who thinks this restaurant is exceptional. Standout dishes for me were the amuse-bouche of tomato sorbet and parmesan foam, plus the duck breast with a delightful potje of potato, beetroot and horseradish that perked up the palate no end. Daalder may not be all bitterballen and Gouda – but its ingredients are no less local for their international influences.
Floreyn
There’s very little Dutch food in Amsterdam that’s both sophisticated and true to its traditions. But Floreyn walks that line perfectly. Think bitterballen, but then filled with Messeklever cheese and served with smoked beetroot, radish, apple and fennel. Or mustard soup that’s been deconstructed into a clear broth with cheese foam and three types of mustard. Even dessert used local, seasonal vegetables: carrot and parsnip ice cream with a sweet hutspot and citrusy crème brulée. It may not be cheap, but the quality of Floreyn’s food and wines, as well as its great location, is more than worth the price tag.
Dutch fine dining at Floreyn
MOS
Featuring huge windows giving out onto the River IJ and with its unique location on the starkly angular glass-and-steel IJdok, MOS is very distinctive to look at. The food, much like the interior, is both modern and slightly opulent; international but with distinct nods to the chef’s Dutch heritage. On the international end of the spectrum, our amuse-bouche was North African baba ganoush with a crispy tapioca cookie and warmly spiced mayo. Our starter of langoustine with pork belly and pineapple had a sweet, slightly charred, Southern US barbecue flavour to it. Meanwhile, gurnard came with a creamy mousse made of mature Dutch cheese, potato and just-charred cauliflower. Every dish was well thought out, balanced and not overly heavy. Plus, the waiting staff were knowledgeable about their menu and their (paired) wines, but relaxed in their interactions with customers. A memorable experience.
Mont Blanc
Inside, restaurant Mont Blanc is like a Swiss chalet (albeit a very fancy one): everything smells of pine wood, there’s a roaring log fire, leather sofa, sheepskins on the lounge chairs by the entrance… It’s the perfect spot to decompress after a hard day’s skiing (I mean, working) with a glass of bubbles and some amuse-bouches before making your way to your table. We plumped for the five-course fixed menu, the first of which involved the humble leek – elevated to new heights with trout roe and smoked hay. Next up came a take on oeuf en meurette: a rich bowl of slow-cooked egg yolk with an onion purée and a decadent reduction of Persan – a Savoie red wine that paired perfectly with the Pinot Noir we drank with it. But perhaps my favourite course was the fish: a medley of crisp-skinned perch, tiny sweet crayfish, creamy bisque and Swiss chard. The cheese trolley was also a huge hit. Dinner at Mont Blanc comes at fine dining prices, but every detail is taken care of – from the crockery to the wine pairings.
Oeuf en meurette at Alpine restaurant Mont Blanc
Blue Pepper
Blue Pepper is essentially serving a fine-dining-meets-rijsttafel version of Indonesian food. That’s not to say that the atmosphere is stuffy or pretentious, but the service is a cut above your regular Amsterdam restaurant, the presentation of the food is a notch fancier, and you can order paired wines with everything. Plus, Blue Pepper has opted to serve their rijsttafel in courses (so you can savour each item individually), rather than plonking everything on the table at once. I’ve seen restaurants try to posh-up rijsttafel before, and the flavour suffered as a consequence. But at Blue Pepper, you’ll still find the punchy flavours and chilli kicks you’d expect from the best Indonesian food but in an upscale atmosphere.
Ron Gastrobar
Great for sharing and trying new things, Ron Gastrobar is all about fine dining meeting fun – special but informal. The menu offers a couple of dozen shareable dishes, which can be brought to your table in whatever order you like, meaning that dinner doesn’t descend into a free-for-all tapas affair (unless of course you want it to). Ron Blaauw is one of Holland’s great chefs, with his meat being a particular highlight.
Portugal is one of those places that keeps calling me back… I’d visited Lisbon and the Algarve several years ago, and then I finally made it to Porto last autumn. Regular followers of this site will know the love affair I conducted with Madeira over six weeks at the start of 2022, and I’m already plotting my return next year. But in the meantime, I’ve been craving Portuguese food and trying to track down every Portuguese restaurant in Amsterdam. It turns out there are not that many – and there are even fewer that are any good. (I feel this is a gap in the market.) So this roundup, unlike most others that I write, comes with some conditions attached. I’m not saying that all of these restaurants are perfect, and I’ve been very honest about their limitations. But when only duck rice and white port will do, they’re here to hit the spot!
Lizboa by De Kok & De Maitre
I’m not sure how long Lizboa will live in its current guise because it’s a pop-up, but right now it’s on one of those big boats that’s behind the Lloyd Hotel. Which makes it a lovely spot for an al fresco aperitif and a sunset on the upstairs deck. Afterwards, you come down into the main body of the boat for a four-course Portuguese-inspired fixed tasting menu. I thought I’d made notes at the time (it was a couple of months ago that I ate there) but it seems I hadn’t, so forgive me if these descriptions are a little thin on the ground… What I do remember, however, is that I loved it!
Lizboa by De Kok & De Maitre
To start, we ate a dish of green and white haricot beans with a sweet-savoury dressing and caramelised peanuts (I think). Next came smoked beef tartare with samphire and puffed rice, which was absolutely delicious and probably my favourite dish of the night (albeit I’m not sure how Portuguese it was). The main course tasted rather more of my trip to Porto: a tomato-based rice dish with grilled swordfish and a piquant olive salsa. And finally, dessert was a take on a crème brûlée, about which I’m rather hazy! We did the wine pairings as well, which were excellent, and the service overall was top notch. I very much hope Lizboa sticks around (or finds another location) because I loved the concept.
ARCA Amsterdam
An equally pleasant experience was ARCA, located in the rather swanky art’otel where 5&33 used to be. The décor and service hasn’t changed considerably, but the menu has. It offers a combination of Portuguese classics on one side and dishes with an Asian-fusion twist on the other. You can plump for a menu that showcases one or the other, or you can choose your own mixture of both (which is what we did). The wine list also leans heavily Portuguese, which is nice to see.
Duck rice at ARCA
On the traditional side of the menu, bacalhau a bras is an authentic Portuguese salt cod dish with potatoes and egg that’s prepared at the table, seasoned with diced olives and chopped parsley. It’s not much to look at, but the flavour is pure Portugal. Duck rice is deconstructed into a perfectly cooked magret (duck breast) with a hearty rice dish laced with vegetables and more duck. While bife a Portuguesa comprises slices of medium-rare sirloin steak topped with a fried egg and served with a mustard-white wine sauce. On the modern-fusion side of the menu, we tried the tuna tataki with an escabeche of julienned carrots, peppers and tomatoes with coriander oil and a mild chilli oil. The jury was out on which side of the menu we liked the best!
Franggo
Franggo means chicken in Portuguese, so it’s no surprise that this joint – with two locations in Amsterdam – is all about piri-piri chicken. The chicken itself was very good: moist meat, just-charred skin, good flavour and the right amount of spice. But the sides were not up to the same standards. The baked jacket potato was the opposite of what it should be: flabby skin and unfluffy inside, while the tomatoes in the tomato salad were unripe despite it being the height of summer. We went to Franggo’s location in de Pijp, where we sat inside (there was no outdoor seating) and it was boiling hot and the bathroom was dirty. So all in all, if you do fancy piri-piri chicken, I’d suggest getting a half or a whole chicken to take away and turning it into a picnic with your own sides at nearby Sarphatipark.
Piri-piri chicken at Franggo
Portugália Tasca
I had high hopes for Portugália Tasca, with its wide pavement terrace and menu of petiscos (small dishes to share). And indeed, if you’re craving a white port tonic cocktail and some bacalhau croquettes to snack on, it’ll certainly scratch that itch. But the other dishes we tried were a little hit and miss. I enjoyed the fava bean puree with chorizo, but the rissóis de camarão reminded me of Findus crispy pancakes in the 90s. The piri-piri chicken was well prepared and came with a properly spicy sauce on the side, but the duck rice was dry and a little lacking in flavour. And everything we ate seemed quite small for the price. But stop by for a port-tonic and a snack and you’ll be happy!
Pork with clams (foreground) and duck rice (background) at Portugalia Tasca
Other places for Portuguese food in Amsterdam
It’s been well over a decade since I ate at what was presumably Amsterdam’s first Portuguese restaurant: De Portugees. I didn’t think much of it at the time, so I’ve not been back since, but if you’re on the Zeedijk it could well have improved in the intervening years.
Meanwhile, if you’re fiending for Portuguese custard tarts – pastéis de nata – you can order them online from Mister Nata and get a box to share with friends or colleagues. Alternatively, if Madeira’s answer to a rum cocktail – the legendary (and lethal) poncha – tickles your fancy, get in touch with Paulo at Poncha Amsterdam for a citrus drink with a kick.
I have a love-hate relationship with sandwiches. On the one hand, there’s something incredibly satisfying about a wodge of complementary ingredients between two pieces of freshly baked bread. On the other, the risk of disappointment in the Netherlands is dangerously high. My misery at the sad situation that is the average kaas broodje (supermarket sliced bread with a thin slice of Gouda and nothing else) was once so keen that I was inspired to write an entire cookbook about alternative lunches for the working week. And yes, it features sandwiches and (their handy cousin) wraps. But sometimes you’re out and about, or you just don’t feel like making something, and a bread-bound lunchtime solution is required. For those moments, I bring you my highly curated roundup of the best sandwiches and wraps in Amsterdam…
Hot pastrami at Sardi
Sandwiches from butcher’s shops are distinctly a thing in Amsterdam, and have been for decades. However, a lot of them just aren’t that good: cold filet Americain, anyone? Luckily, some have upped their game, among which Sardi – a block or so away from Oosterpark and with a few tables for those wanting to eat inside. I live in the neighbourhood so have tried several of their sarnies, but the best I’ve eaten so far is their Warme Pastrami: grilled pastrami meets cheddar cheese, pickled red cabbage, red onion and gherkins in a long white or brown pistolet. Think Dutch Reuben.
For years, it was impossible to find real-deal New York-style bagels in Amsterdam (although old-time Amsterdammers like me will still have a soft spot for Tony’s New York City Bagels). But then along came Flo’s Appetizing, now with three locations in the city. Their chewy, tasty bagels come topped with smoked salmon and a schmear of scallion-chive cream cheese, but there’s also a carrot version for vegans.
Photo courtesy of Flo’s Appetizing because I ate my bagel too fast!
Stuffed toast at Chun Café
You’ll want to arrive early to beat the queues at this Negen Straatjes favourite. Alongside bubble tea and other specialty drinks, Chun’s does a line in gourmet stuffed toast that’s not to be found anywhere else. I tried the egg with garlic shrimp, which came in its signature toasted brioche pocket – warm, garlicky and perfectly seasoned. Mr Foodie ordered a breakfast classic of egg, bacon and cheese, which was similarly good – but we’ll have to go back to try the rib-eye bulgogi as it sounds awesome.
Banh mi are surely the very pinnacle of sandwich perfection: manageable bread in the form of a not-too-crispy baguette, some kind of protein, pickled veg, a touch of chilli spice, fragrant coriander and perhaps a lick of mayo. That’s exactly what you’ll get at West-side Vietnamese banh mi shop Viên, where there’s only two tables but plenty of scope for takeaway. I tried the marinated grilled pork version, with Viên’s signature mix of pickled daikon, carrot and cucumber. A hearty, zingy, meaty mouthful. And the Vietnamese lemon soda was pretty good, too.
The Netherlands’ history with Suriname may be problematic, but it thankfully saved us all from a lifetime of bland food. Surinamese sandwiches stuffed with all sorts of spicy fillings make an excellent alternative to the ubiquitous broodje kaas. Popular favourites include broodje pom – a spiced chicken and pomtajer filling – and broodje bakkeljauw, a Surinamese preparation of salt cod. Try both at hole-in-the-wall De Tokoman (now with four locations in Amsterdam) for affordable, satisfying sandwiches at lunchtime.
Continuing the Surinamese theme, the roti rolls at De Hapjeshoek – a diner-style eethuis that’s literally inside Waterlooplein metro station – are hearty to say the least. One flaky warm flatbread stuffed with a curried mix of chicken, potatoes, long beans and sambal will probably feed two people for lunch quite easily. But when they’re that good (and that good value) why not order the whole roll for yourself?
Prefer to make your own lunch in the office or at home? Get your hands on a copy of my Working Lunch cookbook – the simple way to spice up your lunch break!
Sabich wrap at Sir Hummus
I first visited Sir Hummus several years ago when they were at their old location and (perhaps unsurprisingly) only really serving hummus. Now, they’re on the Ruysdaelkade and make a mean sabich: a Jewish-Iraqi sandwich stuffed with creamy hummus (of course), crispy aubergine, slow-cooked egg, salad and spicy zhoug sauce. It’s definitely more wrap than sandwich (it’s housed in a rolled-up flatbread rather than two slices of bread) but it hits every sandwich-craving spot there is.
Sucuk and mozzarella flatbread at Tigris & Eufraat
On the Javastraat, Tigris & Eufraat is a supermarket on one side, and a cooking station for takeaway on the other. Which means that there’s no place to sit, so heading here for lunch probably only makes sense if you live or work in the area. That said, I hope you do live or work in Oost because the “Middle Eastern sandwiches” (which are in fact more like wraps) are some of the best on offer in Amsterdam. My favourite was the sucuk version, stuffed with spiced minced meat, melted mozzarella and perfect pickles. The halloumi sandwich was also fresh and tasty, while the falafel and manouche (which I’ve sadly not tried yet) looked delicious, and the prices were extremely affordable.
Halloumi wraps and sucuk sandwiches from Tigris & Eufraat
What’s your favourite sandwich or wrap in Amsterdam? And the jury’s out on Turkish pizza: should it be part of this list or is it more pizza than wrap?
Is it really true? The first December since 2019 that we’re not in lockdown? In that case, it’s time to celebrate some of my absolute favourite meals this year! Many of these Amsterdam restaurants were new to me in 2022 (whether they’ve been around for a while or opened recently). Others are old favourites that I rediscovered after months or even years away. All are terrific. Eet smakelijk!
Top 10 Amsterdam Restaurants 2022
Editor’s note: If you’d like to support independent, objective food writing (which is what I strive for), please consider downloading my Amsterdam restaurant guide. Updated annually, it costs about the same as a flat white in Amsterdam these days, and helps keep this website online. Thanks for reading!
Best Asian restaurant in Amsterdam: A-Fusion
As a restaurant critic, I rarely tend to go back to places more than once or twice. I make an exception for A-Fusion, which I’ve been regularly frequenting since 2008 and which became the first restaurant I’d visit after every lockdown we had during the pandemic. An always bustling Asian fusion restaurant in Amsterdam’s Chinatown, I leave my dining choices in the hands of the kitchen and order the Bib Gourmand menu. Whatever they bring is a delight, but I’d recommend adding some steamed oysters and truffle-beef sushi – because you’re worth it.
Fancy sushi at A-Fusion
Best fine dining experience: Mont Blanc
Inside, restaurant Mont Blanc is like a Swiss chalet (albeit a very fancy one): everything smells of pine wood, there’s a roaring log fire, leather sofa, sheepskins on the lounge chairs by the entrance… It’s the perfect spot to decompress after a hard day’s skiing (or rather, working) with a glass of bubbles and some amuse-bouches before making your way to the table. We plumped for the five-course fixed menu, the first of which involved the humble leek – elevated to new heights with trout roe and smoked hay. Next up came a take on oeuf en meurette: a rich bowl of slow-cooked egg yolk with an onion purée and a decadent reduction of Persan – a Savoie red wine that paired perfectly with the pinot noir we drank with it. But perhaps my favourite course was the fish: a medley of crisp-skinned perch, tiny sweet crayfish, creamy bisque and Swiss chard. The cheese trolley was also a huge hit. Dinner at Mont Blanc comes at fine-dining prices, but every detail is taken care of – from the crockery to the wine pairings. A perfect night out.
Alpine fine dining at Mont Blanc
Best for a romantic dinner: Sinne
Mr Foodie and I went to Sinne for our fifth wedding anniversary last summer. It’s one of those restaurants that’s been around forever (and has had a Michelin star for a while too) but for some reason I’d never been. I’m glad I rectified that because it was a stellar experience all round. We opted for five courses with paired wines, of which the first two were my favourites: BBQ leek with marinated seaweed and ponzu caviar was zingy, smoky and citrusy. Meanwhile, sepia and chorizo came roasted with courgette, black olives, yoghurt and a smoky grilled-pepper sauce – a nod to the Middle East. You can’t visit Sinne without trying their signature egg/celeriac/truffle dish – it’s highly accomplished, albeit the black truffle was a little potent for my anti-mushroom palate. When I posted about Sinne on Instagram, one follower described it as “understated romance”. I couldn’t agree more.
BBQ leek with seaweed and ponzu caviar at Michelin-starred Sinne
I first went to Betty’s five years ago, during Vegetarian January, when I lived in the Spaarndammerbuurt. Despite biking for what felt like forever in the freezing cold, I absolutely loved it. Global flavours, elegantly rendered, using no meat, fish or eggs. Now, I’m lucky enough to live five minutes away from the Rijnstraat, and last autumn I headed back for another fantastic meal. Wherever you’re coming from, you’ll be greeted by the friendly couple who run the place – the woman is the chef, her other half is front of house. There’s no menu – you simply let them know if there’s anything you don’t eat and wait to be surprised. On both occasions, the food I ate was a shareable feast made up of many different styles of cuisine, but all vegetarian and mostly vegan too. Think Middle Eastern mezze, spicy Indian dal, warm Italian salads, and the most indulgent (non-vegan) desserts. It’s the kind of place where you want to order a bottle of wine, get comfy, and stick around all evening.
Desserts to die for at Betty’s
Best wine bar in Amsterdam (with good food too!): Clos
On perhaps my favourite square in Oost, Beukenplein, you’ll find Clos – a wine bar with a covered, heated terrace and plenty to make you happy in the wine and food department. The wines by the glass are arranged to make it easy to select one you’re bound to like, and there are plenty of top-notch snacks and larger dishes to nibble while you tipple. I particularly enjoyed the charcuterie board, mackerel rillettes, homemade pâté and lotus root tempura. But there’s also a three- or four-course chef’s menu if you’d rather not have to make decisions.
Located in the Park Plaza Hotel next to Vondelpark, TOZI is tucked away in one of those huge bay windows that characterises the architecture in Amsterdam’s grand Oud-Zuid neighbourhood. The evening I visited, it was a rare 32-degree summer’s day, so I was grateful to sit in the calm interior and enjoy the aircon and a cold glass of Prosecco. TOZI’s concept centres around cicchetti – the Venetian answer to tapas – which means lots of small, shareable dishes. I’d recommend ordering the “Best of TOZI” menu so you get the chance to try as many dishes as possible. We ate everything from soft-shell crab to San Daniele ham (the prosciutto was excellent), and from cod croquettes with aioli to ricotta ravioli with freshly shaved truffle. Not to mention the tiramisu and Italian cheeses (not on the same plate!) for dessert. TOZI offers a wine pairing arrangement as well, which means three glasses of wine – one with each “round” of cicchetti. Again, highly recommended.
Buffalo ricotta and truffle ravioli at TOZI Amsterdam
Best Italian restaurant for pizza: Pazzi Oost
I only discovered Pazzi last summer, having walked past their location on Steve Bikoplein in Oost several times while walking my dog around the neighbourhood. They have an east-facing terrace, which was particularly handy during the now-common heatwaves hitting Amsterdam, as it’s almost entirely in the shade. There’s a brick oven inside (which means it’s also very cosy in winter) turning out classics like the cappriciosa (with prosciutto, artichokes and mushrooms), the tarfufo (with truffle sauce, fontina cheese and ham) and the salsiccia (with fennel sausage, rocket and parmesan). I’ve also never been disappointed by their daily changing pizza van de dag, mixed antipasti or sgroppino. At the time of writing, Pazzi has four locations: in the Jordaan, Oud-West, Oost and Noord respectively.
NAZKA’s big, bold flavours start in Peru but take many global twists and turns along the way. And in 2022, they welcomed a new head chef – Koosh Kothari – who has arguably taken NAZKA’s menu up another notch. The evening I visited, we were treated to the six-course chef’s menu, which started with two takes on ceviche followed by an innovative dish of stuffed courgette flowers with tahini and huacatay oil. Next came perhaps my favourite fusion of flavours: an octopus tentacle cooked “carbonara style” with guanciale, pecorino cheese and macho sauce. If the outstanding food isn’t enough to convince you, the authentic pisco sours and excellent drinks pairings should be. Not limiting themselves to wine, NAZKA pairs its dishes with everything from ponzu sake to cider to port. Distinctly different – in the best possible way.
Pisco sours and Peruvian oysters at NAZKA
Best Israeli restaurant in Amsterdam: Bar Bachrach
Located in the spot once occupied by Eetbar Wilde Zwijnen, Bar Bachrach opened in autumn 2021 to critical acclaim. I waited a few months before I visited, but was not disappointed when I did. This is some next-level Israeli food, featuring flavours I’ve not tasted before in Amsterdam. Especially impressive were the beef tartare that was singing with preserved lemons, silky-smoky aubergine from a kamado-style BBQ in the kitchen, and a stunning dish of raw langoustine, pickled cabbage, crispy bulgur and sweet-sour pomelo. These were all small, shareable dishes, but there are larger dishes like whole grilled fish and sticky ribs as well. To taste the full gamut of Bar Bachrach’s impressive kitchen skills, order the chef’s menu for a little bit of everything. I loved the Alsatian pinot blanc and the Valencian tempranillo that we ordered, too. Food this good is matched by the price tag (we paid over €80 each) but it’s well worth every cent. Simply stunning.
Foreground: beef tartare at Israeli restaurant Bar Bachrach
Located in the rather swanky art’otel, ARCA offers a combination of Portuguese classics on one side of the menu and dishes with an Asian-fusion twist on the other. You can plump for a menu that showcases one or the other, or you can choose your own mixture of both (which is what we did). The wine list also leans heavily Portuguese, which is nice to see. On the traditional side of the menu, bacalhau a bras is an authentic Portuguese salt cod dish with potatoes and egg that’s prepared at the table, seasoned with diced olives and chopped parsley. It’s not much to look at, but the flavour is pure Portugal. Duck rice is deconstructed into a perfectly cooked magret (duck breast) with a hearty rice dish laced with vegetables and more duck. While bife a Portuguesa comprises slices of medium-rare sirloin steak topped with a fried egg and served with a mustard-white wine sauce. On the modern-fusion side of the menu, we tried the tuna tataki with an escabeche of julienned carrots, peppers and tomatoes with coriander oil and a mild chilli oil. The jury was out on which side of the menu we liked the best!
