From budget bites to fine dining, old favourites to new twists and a strong sustainable ethos, Amsterdam is awash with fantastic dining options. To help narrow your choices, follow our guide to the canal-laced Dutch capital's best places to eat.
Best cheap eats
Albert Cuypmarkt
Brimming with fruit, veggies, seafood and famous cheeses like Gouda and Edam, Amsterdam's largest and liveliest street market is also a one-stop shop for iconic Dutch snacks like diced raw haring (herring), stroopwafels (cookie-like discs sandwiched together with caramel syrup) and poffertjes (fluffy miniature pancakes).
Vleminckx
Legendary frites (fries) have been sizzled up at Vleminckx's tiny Medieval Centre premises since 1887. Deliberate over more than two dozen different sauces – from mayonnaise to spicy ketchup, sambal or satay – to slather on a coneful.
Foodhallen
Bao buns, dim sum, fried chicken, falafel and the popular Dutch bar snack – bitterballen (meat-filled croquettes) are among the choices at Foodhallen, an airy communal dining space surrounded by 21 innovative food and drink stands. It's located within the larger De Hallen complex, made up of former tram sheds built in 1902 and later repurposed as a cultural centre.
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Best high-end dining
De Kas
In 17th-century country estate Park Frankendael, this extraordinary, light-filled glass greenhouse provides produce for multicourse lunch and dinner menus dictated by the harvest and served inside, and out in the herb garden in summer.
D'Vijff Vlieghen
The enchanting D'Vijff Vlieghen (Five Flies) ramble over five Golden Age canal houses. Romantic nooks and crannies retain features such as carved timber panelling, Delft blue-and-white tiles and extraordinary antiques and art (including Rembrandt originals), complementing the refined, Dutch-sourced cuisine such as farmhouse chicken, crème of white beans, cassoulet gravy, pearl barley and nut crumble.
Rijks
Michelin-starred Rijks has a magnificent setting in the Philips Wing of the Netherlands' national treasure chest, the Rijksmuseum, filled with priceless artworks. Island kitchens let diners watch as chefs prepare intricate dishes such as monkfish tail with fermented bell-pepper sauce.
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Top vegan and vegetarian
Dutch Weed Burger Joint
Amsterdam was way ahead of the curve for plant-based cuisine and remains a trailblazer. Seaweed cultivated in the country's south is incorporated in the Dutch Weed Burger Joint’s burgers, hotdogs, bagels, flatbread wraps and deep-fried ”sea nuggets”. Everything is vegan.
Bonboon
Bonboon takes vegan dining to new heights with its artistically presented three- to five-course menus featuring dishes like salsify with cauliflower, beluga lentils and sour cream made from sunflower seeds.
Mr & Mrs Watson
The highlight of this cosy bistro with flickering vegan candles is its range of homemade plant-based “cheeses”. Platters can be ordered throughout the day; a standout dinner choice is the cashew fondue.
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Best contemporary Dutch cuisine
Greetje
Time-honoured Dutch recipes are given a 21st-century reboot at Greetje. Its tasting menu, from the “big beginning” of multiple starters to an à la carte main (eg roast and confit pheasant with truffled sauerkraut and Alkmaar barley) and “grand finale” spread of desserts is a gastronomic feast.
Gebr Hartering
The Hartering brothers' charming canal-side restaurant feels like dining in a friend's home. The daily changing à la carte and set menus here are driven by market-fresh produce but always include a fish and meat of the day, as well as small-scale, seasonal wines.
Daalder
A one-time pub in Amsterdam's convivial former worker's neighbourhood, the Jordaan, is now a hub for contemporary Dutch cuisine while retaining its down-to-earth atmosphere. Your choices at Daalder are limited to the number of courses. After that, you're in the chefs' hands as they create culinary and wine-pairing alchemy.
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Best Indonesian
Restaurant Blauw
The Netherlands' historical links to Indonesia means the islands' cuisine features prominently on Amsterdam's dining landscape. Contemporary Blauw is a brilliant place to try a signature a rijsttafel (“rice table” aka Indonesian banquet), made up of tiny dishes served with white rice (meat, seafood and vegetarian versions available).
Ron Gastrobar Indonesia Downtown
Michelin-starred chef Ron Blaauw, who segued from fine-dining to informal dining without scrimping on quality, offers fiery-hot Indonesian street food such as Balinese tacos and barbecue satays at his rooftop Red Light District restaurant. Cocktails at its jungle-themed bar/weekend club also deliver a kick.
Dèsa
In the village of De Pijp, Dèsa is well worth seeking out for wonderfully authentic Indonesian rijsttafels and à la carte specialities in a welcoming neighbourhood setting.
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Best breakfast & brunch
CT Coffee & Coconuts
De Pijp is at the heart of the city's brunch scene and this soaring cafe in an art-deco former cinema is its temple. Come for all-day breakfast dishes like coconut-poached tofu, miso-roasted tomato and pomegranate vinaigrette on sourdough. There’s no end of lunch, dinner and drink options, too.
Bakers & Roasters
With De Pijp and Plantage branches, Bakers & Roasters melds its owners' Kiwi and Brazilian backgrounds. Egg dishes (served all day) are a speciality: go for the huevos rancheros with jalapeños and black beans, along with a Bloody Mary.
Monks Coffee Roasters
On hip Bilderdijkstraat in the Oud-West, Monks' coffee is as exceptional as its brunch dishes spanning house-toasted granola to a towering breakfast burger with a potato rosti, served until 3pm.
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