In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The places named by the most independent sources are De Kas (16 sources), a restaurant in a 1926 greenhouse, Choux (9), vegetable-led cooking beside Centraal Station, and Café ‘t Papeneiland (8), a brown café (an old pub with dark wood) known for its apple pie. For the Dutch classics, go to Winkel 43 and Papeneiland for apple pie, Vleminckx for fries, Van Dobben for a croquette sandwich and Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs for pancakes, which you book by phone. For Indonesian food, order a rijsttafel, a spread of small dishes with rice, at Restaurant Blauw or Tujuh Maret. Book De Kas, Choux and the starred restaurants ahead; Foodhallen and the brown cafés take walk-ins. Around Dam Square and Centraal Station, pick from the places below rather than the nearest terrace. If you would rather have someone choose for you, a guided food tour includes the tastings: Amsterdam food tours and classes compared sets them side by side.
📊 The evidence behind this guide. Nothing here is ranked on one visit. This pass reads 42 sources, 25 in English and 17 in Dutch, naming 196 places: the Michelin Guide Netherlands and Gault&Millau Nederland (2026 guide), editorial mastheads (Time Out, Eater, Condé Nast Traveller, The Infatuation, The Times, Lonely Planet, Foodies, Vogue Nederland, Cosmopolitan Nederland, Harper’s Bazaar Nederland, NRC, 24Kitchen and others), Amsterdam food blogs, a forum thread and 3 YouTube channels. 113 places are named by two or more independent sources, and 64 appear in the Michelin Guide or Gault&Millau. Within each group the places run from most to fewest sources, and the count beside each place, with its split by language, is in the line under its heading. Time Out’s restaurant and cheap-eats lists count as one source. Evidence rebuilt 1 October 2026 · How the guides are made
⚠️ Check the closed days before you go. Ciel Bleu is closed on Sunday and Monday, Choux serves Tuesday to Saturday, Flore opens Wednesday to Saturday and Restaurant Europa Thursday to Saturday. BAK is closed on Monday and Tuesday, Daalder on Tuesday and Wednesday, De Kas and Zoldering on Sunday and Café Modern on Tuesday. Among the cheap meals, Rudi’s Stroopwafels is closed on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and Roopram Roti, Ricardo’s Eethuis and Café ‘t Sluisje on Monday. Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs is closed on Wednesdays from 30 September to 11 November 2026.
Booking and queueing
- Book well ahead: De Kas (a month or two, Eater), Choux (months, Foodies) and Ciel Bleu, which Foodies says to book well in advance.
- Book, on the place’s own site: Moeders (the site takes no phone bookings), Rijsel (online only), Troef, Restaurant Blauw, Wilde Zwijnen, Helling 7 and every restaurant under A special dinner. Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs is the reverse: telephone only, no more than a week ahead, six guests at most at weekends.
- Walk in: Vleminckx, Frens Haringhandel, Rudi’s Stroopwafels, De Hapjeshoek and the brown cafés. Foodhallen takes no reservations at all. Warung Spang Makandra takes reservations but welcomes walk-ins. Vleminckx says the queue is shortest outside the lunch and dinner peaks, and Amsterdam Foodie says De Hapjeshoek queues at lunchtime.
Hours and addresses below are from each place’s own site, read on 1 October 2026, and the prices are the ones the operator prints.
Dutch classics
Order these by name. Bitterballen are deep-fried balls of meat stew, eaten with mustard alongside a drink; a kroket is the same filling in an oblong, and a broodje kroket is one on a bread roll. Stamppot is mashed potato with kale or sauerkraut, served with a sausage or a meatball. Haring is salted herring, eaten with chopped onion and pickle. A pannenkoek is a plate-sized pancake eaten as a main course. Appeltaart is a deep, crumbly apple pie, served with whipped cream.
Apple pie and brown cafés
A brown café (bruin café) is an old neighbourhood pub with dark wood, where bitterballen and apple pie are on the menu.
Café ‘t Papeneiland
Jordaan · Prinsengracht 2 · Cited by 8 sources (4 English, 4 Dutch) · website
A brown café on the corner of the Prinsengracht, open since 1642 according to its own site; Amsterdam Now says the building dates from 1622, with Delft blue tiles and an open fire. Order the apple pie. Mokum Magazine ranked it first of the 12 pies it bought in November 2025 (€5.25, mark 10), and The Infatuation says the slices come piled tall with whipped cream.
Winkel 43
Jordaan · Noordermarkt 43 · Cited by 6 sources (4 English, 2 Dutch) · reserve
A corner café on the Noordermarkt, named for its house number. Order the apple pie with whipped cream: Mokum Magazine paid €6 for a slice in November 2025 and gave it 9+, and Lonely Planet says it makes the best in town. The menu also lists bitterballen by seven or fourteen and an ossenworst roll, a cured beef sausage. Open every day from early morning (07:00 to 09:00) until 01:00, or 02:00 on Friday and Saturday. On Saturdays the Noordermarkt holds an organic farmers’ market.
Café ‘t Smalle
Jordaan · Egelantiersgracht 12H · Cited by 5 sources (4 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A brown café on a canal, in a distillery building from the 1800s according to Eater, with a small menu of bitterballen, meatballs and snert (pea soup). Order the bitterballen, which Food Travelist and Eater both name. Amsterdam Wonderland says the food is nothing special and the tiny canal-side terrace is the reason to go. Open Monday to Thursday 14:00 to 24:00, Friday 14:00 to 01:00, Saturday 13:00 to 01:00, Sunday 13:00 to 23:00.
Café Hoppe
Spui · Spui 18–20 · Cited by 4 sources (2 English, 2 Dutch) · website
A brown café on the Spui that Amsterdam Now dates to 1670, in two rooms: Sta-Hoppe, for standing and regulars, and Zit-Hoppe, for staying longer. Lilly Likes Amsterdam names it her favourite and its bitterballen; Rebel Atlas calls it a grand jenever (Dutch gin) institution. Open Sunday to Thursday 09:00 to 01:00 and Friday and Saturday 09:00 to 02:00. Its site has a reservation button.
Café ‘t Sluisje
Noord · Nieuwendammerdijk 297 · Cited by 4 sources (3 Dutch, 1 English) · website
A brown café in a former fishing village in Amsterdam-Noord, in a building from 1565 that 85 neighbours bought together in 2017, according to Amsterdam Now. The Times names it for beers and bites, and Mokum Magazine’s apple-pie test priced its slice at €5. Closed on Monday; open Tuesday to Thursday 11:00 to 24:00, Friday and Saturday 11:00 to 01:00 and Sunday 11:00 to 23:00. It reserves only for groups of ten or more, so everyone else walks in.
Croquettes, fries, herring and stroopwafel
Vleminckx de Sausmeester
Centrum · Voetboogstraat 33 · Cited by 6 sources (4 English, 2 Dutch) · website
A fries counter in a side street between the Spui and the Heiligeweg, frying since 1957 according to its own site. Order a patatje oorlog, “war fries” with mayonnaise, warm satay sauce and raw onion, from more than 20 sauces. Mokum Magazine’s chips test (15 September 2026) put it fifth of 17 and found its sauce the creamiest. Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday 11:00 to 19:00, Thursday 11:00 to 20:00; it takes cards and cash. The queue is shortest outside the lunch and dinner peaks.
Patisserie Holtkamp
Vijzelgracht · Vijzelgracht 15 · Cited by 5 sources (3 English, 2 Dutch) · website
A pastry shop open since 1969, according to 24Kitchen. Order the kalfskroket, a veal croquette: Luc and June tried it against Van Dobben’s and preferred Holtkamp’s, for a creamier, darker filling in a crisp panko crust. A Hedgehog in the Kitchen names its bitterballen, sold by the box of ten, and Mokum Magazine ranked its apple pie second of 12 (€4.95), with apricot jam and almond paste. Open Monday to Friday 08:30 to 18:00 and Saturday 08:30 to 17:00.
Eetsalon Van Dobben
Centrum · Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat 5–9 · Cited by 4 sources (4 English) · website
A lunch counter open since 1945, where nearly everything goes on a soft white roll. Order the broodje kroket, a veal croquette on a bread roll with mustard, and a glass of milk with it, as Time Out advises. Eater also names the broodje tartaar, topped with raw beef, a boiled egg and mayonnaise. Open Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 20:00, Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 21:00, Sunday 10:00 to 20:00. Every source naming it is English.
Frens Haringhandel
Singel · Koningsplein · Cited by 3 sources (3 English) · website
A herring stall on the Koningsplein by the Singel; A Hedgehog in the Kitchen prints the address as Singel 470. Order the herring sandwich, with marinated herring, chopped onion and pickle in a bun. In June and July the new season’s herring is on sale, says A Wanderlust for Life. Open every day, 11:00 to 17:00. It takes cash, Maestro, Mastercard and Visa.
Lanskroon
Singel · Singel 385 · Cited by 1 source (1 Dutch) · website
A bakery on the Singel for a stroopwafel, the syrup-filled waffle. The Dutch chef Miljuschka, on the 24Kitchen show Dish is Europe, says Amsterdam is full of tourist stroopwafels at absurd prices and sends readers to Lanskroon instead, where she also recommends the crisp honey waffle. Open Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 17:00, Friday and Saturday 09:00 to 17:30, Sunday 10:00 to 17:30. It is named by one Dutch source; the Albert Cuyp market has the other stroopwafel stall the sources name, Rudi’s, under Markets and street food.
Pancakes
Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs
Centrum · Grimburgwal 2 · Cited by 4 sources (4 English) · phone to book
Four tables up a steep stair in a building from 1539, where Eater says the owners often fry your pancake themselves. Order the classic King with strawberries (The Infatuation) or ham and cheese (Amsterdam Foodie); the pancakes are plate-sized and thick. Open Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 17:00, and closed on Wednesdays from 30 September to 11 November 2026. It takes reservations by phone only, on 020 626 5603, no more than a week ahead, and six guests at most at weekends. Every source naming it is English.
The Pancake Bakery
Prinsengracht · Prinsengracht 191 · Cited by 2 sources (2 English) · website
A pancake restaurant in a historic building on the Prinsengracht (Becksplore); Girl with the Passport found it a bit touristy. Open every day from 09:00 to 20:30, and to 21:00 on Friday and Saturday. Groups of six or more should book at least three days ahead on its site.
Stamppot and home cooking
Moeders
Jordaan · Rozengracht 251 · Cited by 5 sources (5 English) · book a table
A restaurant dedicated to mothers, with their photographs on the walls (The Infatuation, A Hedgehog in the Kitchen). Order the stamppot: The Infatuation describes a mound of mashed potato with sauerkraut or kale, ringed by sausage, bacon and a meatball. BudgetTraveller says it is not the cheapest meal but the best value for the portions. Open every day for dinner, from 17:00, with the kitchen open until 22:00. Bookings go through its website only; it takes none by phone. Every source naming it is English.
The Pantry
Leidseplein · Leidsekruisstraat 21 · Cited by 2 sources (2 English) · reserve
Traditional Dutch food at affordable prices, according to A Hedgehog in the Kitchen. Its own menu has erwtensoep, pea soup with rye bread and bacon, and a stamppot of hutspot (mashed potato, carrot and onion), kale and sauerkraut with a smoked sausage or a meatball. Two Rick Steves forum posters found it full, at lunch on a Thursday in April and on a weeknight, and both had reserved. Open every day, 10:30 to 22:30.
Hap Hmm, a home-cooking restaurant that Lonely Planet, a Rick Steves forum thread and a Locavore Eats video recommend, closed on 1 June 2026 after 61 years, according to its own site.
Indonesian and rijsttafel
Indonesia was a Dutch colony until 1949, and its cooking is part of everyday Dutch eating. A rijsttafel, or rice table, is a spread of small dishes served with rice. Eater says it began as a colonial banquet, not a meal eaten in Indonesia. Order it for two or more: Tujuh Maret and Dèsa set a minimum of two.
Restaurant Blauw
Oud-Zuid · Amstelveenseweg 158–160 · Cited by 5 sources (5 English) · book a table
An Indonesian restaurant at the bottom of the Vondelpark. Amsterdam Foodie likes its split-level room and says the trek keeps it from filling with tourists; its rijsttafel comes as boat-shaped dishes from mild to very spicy, with spekkoek, a layered cake, to finish. Time Out puts rijsttafels at €42 to €48 a head and names the daging rendang (beef braised in coconut) and the sate kambing (goat satay). Open Sunday to Thursday 17:00 to 22:00 and Friday and Saturday 17:00 to 22:30. Every source naming it is English.
Tujuh Maret
Utrechtsestraat · Utrechtsestraat 73 · Cited by 2 sources (2 English) · website
A family-run restaurant that Amsterdam Foodie calls not much to look at but properly spicy. The Minahasa rijsttafel is 18 dishes at €39.50 a head for two or more; the vegetarian one is 12 dishes at €35.50, and Eater finds it the better of the two. Open every day from 14:00 to 22:00.
Dèsa
De Pijp · Ceintuurbaan 103-H · Cited by 2 sources (2 English) · website
A rijsttafel at €28.90 a head, for two or more, on its own site. Amsterdam Foodie liked the ayam rica-rica, spicy chicken, and the chicken in coconut milk and turmeric, and found the service quick. Open every day from 17:00 to 21:30.
Café Kadijk
Kadijksplein · Kadijksplein 5 · Cited by 2 sources (1 English, 1 Dutch) · website
An Indonesian eetcafé, a casual café that serves meals, with a west-facing terrace. Order the Indisch Bordje, a plate of several dishes: Amsterdam Foodie lists beef rendang, a chilli-laced pulled chicken and beef in sweet soy sauce, with gado-gado and pickled cucumber. Open every day from 17:00 to 01:00.
Surinamese
Suriname was a Dutch colony until 1975 (Amsterdam Foodie), and The Infatuation says its food blends Chinese, African, Indian and Indonesian influences. Order roti, a flatbread eaten with curry; moksi alesi, a mixed rice dish with chicken or fish; or a broodje, a sandwich such as the broodje pom (chicken with the root pomtajer) or the bakkeljauw (salt cod).
De Hapjeshoek
Waterlooplein · Waterlooplein 6, in the metro station · Cited by 4 sources (3 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A diner-style eating house inside the Waterlooplein metro station. Amsterdam Foodie says a flaky roti stuffed with curried chicken, potatoes, long beans and sambal can feed two at lunch, and that you queue even to take away; BudgetTraveller’s pick is the kipfilet kerrie, a chicken-fillet curry. Open Monday to Friday 09:30 to 21:00 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 21:00.
Ricardo’s Eethuis
Oost · Javastraat 47H · Cited by 3 sources (3 Dutch) · website
A Surinamese eating house with a short, daily-changing menu of four or five dishes (FavorFlav). This Girl Can Cook’s favourite is the moksi alesi with coconut and salmon. Foodies says that when a dish runs out it is gone, so go early. Closed on Monday. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Tjin’s
De Pijp · Van Woustraat 17 · Cited by 3 sources (2 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A sandwich shop that began in 1977 at the back of a record shop (Eater), selling Surinamese rolls. Order the broodje bakkeljauw or the broodje pom, as Miljuschka does on 24Kitchen, or a bara (a fried bread) filled with tempeh or curried chicken. Eater suggests it for a quick meal after the tourist snacks along the Albert Cuypstraat.
Warung Spang Makandra
De Pijp · Gerard Doustraat 33 · Cited by 2 sources (1 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A Surinamese-Javanese warung (small eating house) in De Pijp, serving since 1978 according to its own site. Order the roti, which arrives as chicken, lamb, egg, green beans and potatoes with the flatbread alongside (Amsterdam Foodie), or the rendang and gado-gado. Amsterdam Foodie says almost everything costs under €15. Open every day from 11:00 to 22:00 (13:00 on Sunday). You can reserve online, up to 17:00 on the day, or walk in.
Roopram Roti
Oude Pijp · Van Woustraat 37A · Cited by 2 sources (1 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A roti shop near the Albert Cuyp market. Time Out calls it one of the cheapest and best Surinamese meals: roti with chicken, potatoes and long beans in curry, with a hot sauce it warns is “volcanically” spicy. FavorFlav says the best roti comes from here. Closed on Monday; open Tuesday to Saturday 13:00 to 21:00 and Sunday 15:00 to 21:00.
New Draver
Oost · Tweede Oosterparkstraat 2–4 · Cited by 2 sources (1 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A Surinamese restaurant serving since 1984, where Time Out says regulars greet each other and the handwritten board lists the day’s specials. Order the roast chicken bami (noodles), the Time Out must-order. This Girl Can Cook says to expect chicken feet if you order them. Closed on Tuesday; open the other days from 14:00 to 23:00.
Markets and street food
The Albert Cuyp market in De Pijp is open Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 17:00, according to its own site. The sources name its traders, not the market as a whole.
Rudi’s Stroopwafels
De Pijp · Albert Cuyp market, near no. 182 · Cited by 3 sources (3 English) · website
A stroopwafel truck in the middle of the Albert Cuyp market, where the waffle is baked in front of you and split, and the syrup spread between the halves (A Wanderlust for Life). The Infatuation finds Rudi’s wafel softer, with a slight crunch. Order the regular size; A Wanderlust for Life says skip the chocolate. Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00 and closed on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, according to its own site.
Foodhallen
West · Hannie Dankbaarpassage 16, De Hallen · Cited by 2 sources (1 English, 1 Dutch) · website
A food hall in the former tram sheds of De Hallen, which Lonely Planet dates to 1902. Its own site counts 19 stands round a shared dining area; De Ballenbar’s creative bitterballen are the stand Food Travelist names. It takes no reservations, so you take a table and order from the stands. Open every day from 12:00 to 23:00, except 25 December, and it takes cash and cards.
A special dinner
Michelin stars and Gault&Millau listings are from each guide’s own Amsterdam page, read on 1 October 2026. Michelin gives stars, a Bib Gourmand (good food at a fair price) or a listing. Book each on its own site.
With a Michelin star
De Kas
Oost · Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3 · Cited by 16 sources (11 English, 5 Dutch) · Michelin Guide: one star · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A restaurant in a 1926 greenhouse in Frankendael Park, with its own garden and nursery; Time Out says the glass conservatory is eight metres high. The kitchen cooks what it grows, and The Times says vegetables picked in the morning are on the plate the same afternoon. Time Out lists €53 for three courses at lunch and €92.50 for six courses at dinner (15 May 2026). Guests arrive at 12:00 to 13:45 for lunch and 18:00 to 21:00 for dinner, Monday to Saturday; it is closed on Sunday. Eater says it books out a month or two ahead. It is named by more sources than any other place in this guide.
Choux
Centrum · De Ruijterkade 128 · Cited by 9 sources (6 Dutch, 3 English) · Michelin Guide: one star · Gault&Millau-listed · website
Vegetable-led cooking in a bright red building beside Centraal Station, with a greenhouse on the roof (Harper’s Bazaar Nederland). The menu is mostly vegetarian, with an occasional fish or game dish (Foodies). Its own site sells a five-course tasting menu at €82.50 and, for early diners, a three-course Theatre Menu at €52.50 with the table needed back by 20:00. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00. It takes cards only, no cash. Foodies says to book months ahead.
Zoldering
Utrechtsestraat · Utrechtsestraat 141 · Cited by 7 sources (4 Dutch, 3 English) · Michelin Guide: one star · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A lively neighbourhood bistro with a star, says Foodies; NRC called it a French-Dutch wine restaurant and ranked it ninth of 20 in March 2024. A Rick Steves forum poster remembers the asparagus and a fish fillet with lemon sauce. Open Monday to Friday 17:30 to 24:00 and Saturday 16:00 to 24:00, with the kitchen open until 22:00 on Saturday; closed on Sunday.
De Juwelier
Utrechtsestraat · Utrechtsestraat 51 · Cited by 6 sources (5 Dutch, 1 English) · Michelin Guide: one star · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A French bistro that NRC called smart and ranked twelfth of 20 in March 2024; Anna Luisa Ballauf recommends it for special occasions and describes a relaxed atmosphere. Open Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 14:15 and 17:30 to 22:00, and on Sunday all day from 12:00 to 22:00.
RIJKS
Museumkwartier · Museumstraat 2, in the Rijksmuseum · Cited by 4 sources (3 Dutch, 1 English) · Michelin Guide: one star · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
The restaurant in the Philips wing of the Rijksmuseum, with a star since 2016 according to Foodies. Its own site calls the cooking the cuisine of the Low Countries, from authentic Dutch products; The Times praises the plating. Book on its site, which keeps a waiting list for cancellations.
Flore
Centrum · Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2–14 · Cited by 3 sources (2 Dutch, 1 English) · Michelin Guide: two stars · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A restaurant overlooking the Amstel, in the Hotel de l’Europe building. Time Out says there are omnivore and herbivore menus, 11 tables and a 10-seat kitchen table, and lists the six-course dinner at €250 and the wine pairing at €120 (15 May 2026). Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, 18:30 to 22:00, and for lunch on Friday and Saturday, 12:00 to 16:00.
Ciel Bleu
Hotel Okura · Ferdinand Bolstraat 333 · Cited by 3 sources (3 Dutch) · Michelin Guide: two stars · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
The top-floor restaurant of Hotel Okura, with a view over the city (Foodies) and the top of Gault&Millau’s Amsterdam list. Foodies says to reserve well ahead. Guests arrive between 18:30 and 20:00, Tuesday to Saturday; it is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Without a star
BAK
Houthavens · Van Diemenstraat 408 · Cited by 6 sources (4 English, 2 Dutch) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A restaurant on the third floor of the Het Veem warehouse in the Houthavens. Time Out says it helped start Amsterdam’s “nouveau ruig”, the stripped-back style of the early 2010s, and cooks with fermentation and acidity; it lists the tasting menu at €75 and about 500 low-intervention wines (15 May 2026). Its own site serves a fixed tasting menu for dinner Wednesday to Sunday and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Daalder
Jordaan · Lindengracht 90 · Cited by 6 sources (4 Dutch, 2 English) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
Chef Dennis Huwaë’s restaurant, back in its original Jordaan home from May 2026, according to Time Out. Foodies says to choose between a vegetarian menu and a menu of classics, and The Times calls the cooking modern Dutch innovation. Open for dinner from Thursday to Monday, 17:30 to 24:00.
Café Restaurant Amsterdam
Westerpark · Watertorenplein 6 · Cited by 6 sources (5 English, 1 Dutch) · book a table
A brasserie in the engine room of an 1853 pumping station. Time Out lists seafood platters, oeufs mayonnaise, coq au vin and steak frites, and says to order white asparagus with ham in spring. The Times says it opened in 1996 and serves Dutch staples. The kitchen is open every day, 10:30 to 15:00 and 17:00 to 22:00. Book online; groups of seven or more have to phone.
Wilde Zwijnen
Oost · Javaplein 23 · Cited by 4 sources (4 English) · website
Contemporary Dutch cooking in a room of recycled timber; Time Out calls it a dependable mid-range option. A three-course menu is €50, four €60 and five €65 (vegetarian €48, €58 and €62), and Time Out suggests the wild boar stew with a glass of wine for €25. Dinner is served every day and lunch on Sunday. Every source naming it is English.
Kaagman & Kortekaas
Centrum · Sint Nicolaasstraat 43 · Cited by 4 sources (4 Dutch) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A French restaurant in the middle of town. Harper’s Bazaar Nederland calls its surf and turf refined, and Barts Boekje a long-time favourite, a little more accessible than Gebr. Hartering. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 18:00 to 22:00. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Gebr. Hartering
Centrum · Peperstraat 10hs · Cited by 4 sources (4 Dutch) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A restaurant on the Peperstraat. Barts Boekje describes a rugged French kitchen that has done what it does for years, and Harper’s Bazaar Nederland says its name often comes up for celebrations. Open every day for dinner, with lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00. Book through the widget on its site. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Tannay
Realeneiland · Zandhoek 14 · Cited by 4 sources (4 Dutch) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A French restaurant in the old De Gouden Reael premises, a corner house among the oldest restaurant buildings in the city (Vogue Nederland). Open for dinner Wednesday to Friday and for lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. It takes cards only. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Troef
Oost · Schollenbrugstraat 8 · Cited by 4 sources (3 Dutch, 1 English) · listed in the Michelin Guide · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A French bistro. Time Out names a whole lobster with bisque and artichokes, and a rotating pie; it lists starters at €19 to €22 and mains at €24 to €29, and a wine room of more than 2,000 bottles. Cosmopolitan Nederland says it feels like a stylish living room. Open every day for dinner, 17:30 to 23:00. Time Out says reservations go quickly.
Restaurant Europa
Noord · Gedempt Hamerkanaal 81 · Cited by 4 sources (3 Dutch, 1 English) · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A restaurant with room for 18 at a 25-metre turquoise counter, where you watch the kitchen (Time Out). It serves a tasting menu at €93, which Time Out lists in May 2026, and says it has three years left on its permit. Its own site opens it Thursday to Saturday from 19:00 to 24:00.
Café Modern
Noord · Meidoornweg 2 · Cited by 4 sources (4 Dutch) · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A restaurant in a former bank building, open since 2012 according to its own site. The surprise dinner menu is five, six or seven courses at €67.50, €75 or €80, and lunch on Saturday and Sunday is three, four or five courses at €48.50, €58 or €67.50. NRC ranked it eleventh of 20 in March 2024. Closed on Tuesday. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Helling 7
Noord · TT. Melissaweg 57 · Cited by 4 sources (2 English, 2 Dutch) · website
A restaurant built over a slipway at the Damen ship-repair yard from reclaimed steel and timber, which Lonely Planet says is at its best at sunset, and which cooks on an open fire. Open for dinner every day, 17:00 to 01:00, and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 to 15:00.
Rijsel
Marcusstraat 52B · Cited by 4 sources (4 Dutch) · Michelin Bib Gourmand · Gault&Millau-listed · website
A French restaurant that takes its name from the Flemish word for Lille, in a classic interior with a 1960s feel and an industrial edge, according to its own site. Foodies says not to skip the poussin, a young chicken, and Harper’s Bazaar Nederland names the huzarensalade, a cold Dutch salad, and the roast chicken. Open Monday to Friday, 18:00 to 22:00, and closed from 25 July to 9 August, on 24 and 25 December, 31 December and 1 January, and on 27 April. Reservations are online only, and it takes Maestro, cash, Visa or Mastercard. Every source naming it is Dutch.
Hotel de Goudfazant
Noord · Aambeeldstraat 30 · Cited by 3 sources (2 English, 1 Dutch) · book a table
Not a hotel but a restaurant in a former garage in Noord; The Times says it is across the river by the free ferry from Centraal. Time Out says that in summer the garage doors open onto the waterfront, and to order the roast chicken if it is on. Online booking is open for tables of up to 15.
Vuurtoreneiland
Markermeer · Boat from Oostelijke Handelskade 34 · Cited by 3 sources (2 English, 1 Dutch) · Gault&Millau-listed · book a table
A set dinner on a former fort island in the Markermeer, reached by boat. Its own site has a glass greenhouse restaurant in spring and summer and a winter restaurant in the colder months, with a six-course menu at €100, a boat trip at €35 and matching wines at €65. The boat leaves from the Veemkade opposite the Lloyd Hotel at 17:30 from Tuesday to Saturday and returns about 22:45, and a Sunday sailing leaves at 15:30. It is closed on Monday.
Where to avoid, and what to eat instead near the sights
- Dam Square and Centraal Station. The Infatuation (19 May 2026) says nothing near Centraal is worth recommending beyond Choux, and describes the area as middling churros and Argentinian steakhouses. dontdothisin.com (26 July 2026) warns off fast-food and pancake houses with no printed prices round Dam Square and Centraal. Amsterdam Wonderland (2019) says dozens of “Argentinian” steakhouses cluster round Dam Square. In the centre, the sources name Vleminckx and Café Hoppe off the Spui, Van Dobben, Frens Haringhandel on the Singel and Kaagman & Kortekaas.
- The Albert Cuypstraat. Eater suggests Tjin’s, on Van Woustraat, for a quick meal after walking past the tourist snacks along the Albert Cuypstraat. On the market itself the sources name Rudi’s.
- Stroopwafel stalls. Miljuschka on 24Kitchen says tourist stroopwafels are sold at absurd prices; Lanskroon and Rudi’s are the places the sources name. To bake your own, the stroopwafel workshops are in Amsterdam food tours and classes compared.
- Leidseplein. On Leidsekruisstraat, by the square, the Dutch restaurant the sources name is The Pantry.
Plan the rest
For a first trip, what to book before you go to Amsterdam lists the sights that sell out, with the Anne Frank House release and the museum slots. Day trips from Amsterdam compares the train rides to Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Giethoorn with a tour. Amsterdam food tours and classes compared covers the guided walks, workshops and food cruises, and where to stay in Amsterdam compares the areas to book a room in. 3 days in Amsterdam and Amsterdam in one day plan the days round the sights, and best time to visit Amsterdam gives the weather by month. Off a cruise ship, the Passenger Terminal has no restaurant: cruise terminal to the city centre covers the way into the centre.
Common questions
Do I need to book restaurants in Amsterdam?
For the starred and fine-dining rooms, yes. Eater says De Kas is fully booked a month or two ahead, although cancellations often free up tables the next day, and Foodies says to book Choux months ahead. Moeders takes bookings only on its website, Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs only by phone and no more than a week ahead, and Rijsel only online. Vleminckx, Foodhallen and the brown cafés take walk-ins; Café 't Sluisje reserves only for groups of ten or more.
What is a rijsttafel and where should I eat one?
A rijsttafel, or rice table, is a spread of small dishes served with rice: satay, rendang (a slow-cooked beef curry), vegetables in peanut sauce and eggs in chilli sauce. Eater says it began as a colonial banquet rather than an everyday Indonesian meal. Restaurant Blauw (5 sources) charges €42 to €48 a head, according to Time Out in May 2026. Tujuh Maret and Dèsa set a minimum of two people, at €39.50 and €28.90 a head on their own sites.
Which Amsterdam restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday?
On their own sites, Ciel Bleu is closed on Sunday and Monday, Choux serves Tuesday to Saturday, Flore opens Wednesday to Saturday and Restaurant Europa Thursday to Saturday. BAK serves dinner Wednesday to Sunday, so it is closed on Monday and Tuesday. De Kas and Zoldering are closed on Sunday, Café Modern on Tuesday, and Daalder on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Where can I eat herring, bitterballen and apple pie?
For herring, Frens Haringhandel sells it on the Koningsplein every day from 11:00 to 17:00. For bitterballen, Café 't Smalle and Café Hoppe, both brown cafés (old pubs with dark wood), are named by the sources; Patisserie Holtkamp sells them by the box of ten. For apple pie, Café 't Papeneiland came first in Mokum Magazine's November 2025 test of twelve slices, and Winkel 43 and Holtkamp came third and second.
How do I avoid tourist-trap restaurants in Amsterdam?
The Infatuation (May 2026) advises against eating near Centraal Station beyond Choux, and says the area offers middling churros and Argentinian steakhouses. dontdothisin.com (July 2026) warns off fast-food and pancake houses with no printed prices on Dam Square and round Centraal. Amsterdam Wonderland (2019) says dozens of 'Argentinian' steakhouses cluster round Dam Square. The cafés, counters and restaurants below are the places the sources name instead.