What food is Amsterdam known for? Survey says Dutch pancakes and french fries.
But if you look beyond the “best-sellers” menu and start sniffing your way through Amsterdam’s food scene, you’ll find everything from classic homemade Holland cuisine to international fare.
Indonesian food in Amsterdam? Restaurant Blauw’s tahu peteh.
Meat-free Mexican food? Madre’s sopes y elote.
Looking for a vegan junk-food bar in Amsterdam? There’s literally a restaurant called Vegan Junk Food Bar that has loaded freak fries, kalamariz ringz, and gluten-free goodies.
If you’ve got an appetite, Amsterdam’s got a plate for your palate.
The best food in Amsterdam for every appetite
Make a reservation at a restaurant, snag a ticket to a food tour, or make your way through the market: it doesn’t matter where, what, or why you’re eating your way around Amsterdam, just make sure you come hungry.
What foods to try in Amsterdam
Haring Hollandse Nieuwe. Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari
Haring Hollandse Nieuwe
What is it: Raw herring, preserved in a brine-like vinegar, and served with pickles and onions.
Where to try it: This popular Amsterdam street food is up for grabs at Stubbe’s Haring, though you should also be able to find it at food stalls that sell kibbeling, a deep-fried fish snack.
Bitterballen
What is it: A deep-fried Dutch meatball, essentially a rounded croquette, served with gravy and beer.
Where to try it: Winkel 43, beside the Amsterdam food market called Noordermarkt, which you’re going to visit anyway for the famous Dutch apple pie.
Bitterballen. Image credit: Getty Images, Milos Ruzicka
Erwtensoep
What is it: Dutch split pea soup, also called snert, with carrots, pork, leeks, and other tasty produce swimming in it.
Where to try it: The Pantry will set you up with a cup, complete with rye bread and smoked bacon, while you choose between boerenkoolstamppot and zuurkoolstamppot for dinner.
Rijsttafel
What is it: A large Dutch meal made up of small Indonesian plates like sate, pisang goreng, and sambal goreng telor.
Where to try it: Indonesia was a former colony of the Netherlands and post-WWII immigration helped create a tasty Indonesian food scene; sit down with new friends at Restaurant Blauw.
Rijtsttafel. Image Credit: Getty Images, Amanda Purba
Broodjes
What is it: A traditional Dutch sandwich made with anything from straight Dutch cheese to salt-cured herring.
Where to try it: Think of it like getting a Reuben at a New York deli; you can get broodje kaas, broodje haring, or whatever you like throughout Amsterdam, including at Broodje Bert.
What Amsterdam food halls and markets to visit
- Albert Cuyp Market: AC is over a century old and is the biggest in Europe. You might need a long vacation to get through all 260 stalls in the Latin Quarter, a neighborhood with diverse nationalities serving everything from Lebanese wraps to Dutch classics.
- Foodhallen: 20 food stalls run the spectrum of Amsterdam street food, including bitterballen, dim sum, tapas, kebab, and Mumbai munchies.
- World of Food: An Amsterdam food market brought to life by local chefs hawking the best Amsterdam street food, don’t let the McDonald’s fool you into bailing on this food court. Surinamese, Ghanaian and Dominican food stalls surround the golden arches.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Richard L'Anson. Image Location: Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam
What Amsterdam street food tour is the best?
- Free Food Tour Amsterdam: The name says it all. This tip-based Amsterdam food tour gives you an intro to Dutch cuisine including samples of herring, bitterballen, stroopwafel, and Gouda cheese.
- Hungry Birds Street Food Tour: A highly rated tour that spans nearly five hours, their original Amsterdam food tour explores the De Pijp neighborhood with a big focus on Dutch, Surinamese, and Indonesian food.
- Amsterdam Food Tours: The Grand Dutch Food Tour is the ultimate experience for foodies. Eat Dutch apple pie in a brown café. Taste cheeses that get delivered to Michelin restaurants and learn a mouthful about Amsterdam’s culinary history.
You know what they put on french fries in Holland instead of ketchup? Mayonnaise.
You know what they use to get around Holland besides a bicycle? The train.
Go Dutch!
Download the Trainline app and see how easy it is to get from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Amsterdam city center, The Hague, Rotterdam, and more. Also check out our guides to Amsterdam on a budget, the best hotels in Amsterdam city center, and the best day trips from Amsterdam.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Berezko