What to Eat in Amsterdam: Local Dishes, Where Locals Eat & Drink, and the Best Food Tours

The short version: in Amsterdam, eat raw herring from a street stall, bitterballen with a beer in a brown café, a warm stroopwafel at the Albert Cuyp Market and a slice of appeltaart at Winkel 43, then sit down to a rijsttafel, the Indonesian rice table that has become a Dutch institution, at Blauw or Sampurna. Drink jenever the old way, the first sip taken bent over a brim-full glass, at Wynand Fockink or De Drie Fleschjes, and a beer under the windmill at Brouwerij ‘t IJ. For a good-value dinner, book one of the Bib Gourmands such as Rijsel in Oost. On a short visit, a food tour or a cheese and beer tasting is the shortcut to the right stalls and bars. Below: where to eat and drink it, by neighbourhood.

What to eat in Amsterdam, and where to eat it

Dish	What it is	Where to eat it in Amsterdam
Haring	Raw, lightly salted herring with chopped onion and pickles, eaten whole by the tail or in a soft roll (broodje haring)	Haring & Zo; Frens Haringhandel; Zeevang at the Haarlemmerplein market
Bitterballen	Crisp, deep-fried balls of thick beef ragout, served with mustard alongside a beer or jenever	Café ‘t Smalle; Proeflokaal A. van Wees; Gent aan de Schinkel
Kroket	The longer cousin of the bitterbal, best eaten as a broodje kroket: a croquette on a soft white roll with mustard	Eetsalon Van Dobben; Patisserie Holtkamp
Stroopwafel	Two thin waffle wafers glued together with warm caramel syrup, best straight off the iron	Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels at the Albert Cuyp Market
Appeltaart	Tall, deep Dutch apple pie with cinnamon and a lattice top, served with whipped cream (slagroom)	Winkel 43; Café ‘t Papeneiland; Café ‘t Sluisje in Noord
Poffertjes	Small, puffy buckwheat pancakes cooked in a dimpled pan, served with butter and powdered sugar	Moeders, as a dessert after stamppot
Kibbeling	Bite-size pieces of battered, fried white fish with garlic or remoulade sauce, sold hot at market fish stalls	The fish stalls at Dappermarkt and Ten Katemarkt
Dutch cheese	Aged Gouda-style cheeses, from young and creamy to old (oude) and crunchy with salt crystals	Reypenaer Tasting Room; De Kaaskamer; Noordermarkt on Saturdays
Rijsttafel	The Indonesian “rice table”: a parade of small dishes such as satay, rendang and sambals around rice, a Dutch colonial legacy and now a local favourite	Restaurant Blauw; Sampurna; Café Jakarta
Stamppot and erwtensoep	Winter comfort food: potatoes mashed with vegetables and served with sausage and gravy, and thick split pea soup	Moeders; ‘t Heemelrijck

Where to eat in Amsterdam

The rule for eating well in Amsterdam: snack on the street and in the bars by day, then book a proper sit-down dinner, because the Dutch eat early and the good places fill up. Herring stalls, market stands and brown cafés are walk-in. Bib Gourmands, the Michelin award for good cooking at moderate prices, and the rijsttafel restaurants are worth booking, especially Friday and Saturday.

Centrum and the canal ring

Behind Dam Square, Viskraam Haring & Zo at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 200 cuts every fish by hand: order a broodje haring with onions and pickles. By the Flower Market on Koningsplein, Frens Haringhandel has been serving chilled herring for decades. For a warm snack, Eetsalon Van Dobben off Rembrandtplein is an old-school snack bar, around since the 1940s, for a broodje kroket or a half-om (beef and liver) roll, and on the Vijzelgracht Patisserie Holtkamp makes gourmet bitterballen and shrimp croquettes.

For a drink, start with jenever (see below) at Wynand Fockink in a lane off Dam Square, or at De Drie Fleschjes behind the Nieuwe Kerk. Café Hoppe on the Spui is the classic brown café: sawdust on the floor, jenever barrels behind the bar and a crowd spilling onto the street; go before 18:00 if you want space. Beer lovers should go to In de Wildeman, in a former jenever distillery from 1690, with about 18 beers on tap and more than 200 bottles, or to Proeflokaal Arendsnest on the Herengracht, which pours only Dutch beer from more than 50 breweries.

In the Nine Streets, Proeflokaal A. van Wees at Herengracht 319 is a distillery tasting room that also cooks: bitterballen, croquettes, cheese fondue, Zeeland mussels and beef stew, with more than 17 jenevers and 60 liqueurs. For cheese, De Kaaskamer on the Runstraat stocks more than 200 Dutch and foreign cheeses, and the Reypenaer Tasting Room at Singel 182 runs guided tastings of aged cheeses with wine and port.

For rijsttafel in the centre, Sampurna on the Flower Market serves rice tables from about 27.50 euros (order the goat satay and the spekkoek, a layered spice cake), and Restaurant Max on the Herenstraat has traditional, fusion and milder versions from about 39 euros and is usually packed, so book. For a special Dutch dinner, RIJKS (Michelin listing) at the Rijksmuseum holds one Michelin star for creative cooking built on Dutch produce.

The Jordaan

The canal-side Jordaan, west of the centre, is the most charming area to drink in. The two appeltaart addresses are a few minutes apart. Winkel 43 on the Noordermarkt serves hundreds of slices a day under a mound of whipped cream; the queue wraps round the square on Monday and Saturday market days, so go on another day for a terrace table. If the line is too long, walk to Café ‘t Papeneiland, a brown café in a gabled building from 1642 on the corner of the Prinsengracht, with big slices of pie at fair prices.

Café ‘t Smalle at Egelantiersgracht 12 began as Pieter Hoppe’s liqueur distillery around 1780; today it is a tiny wood-panelled café with a terrace on the water, and its bitterballen are among the city’s best known. Café Chris on the Bloemstraat opened as a beer house in 1624 and is the oldest café in the Jordaan: order a kopstootje at the bar. For a sit-down Dutch dinner, Moeders on the Rozengracht cooks stamppot with meat and gravy and braised beef stew, with poffertjes or homemade pie for dessert.

De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp Market

De Pijp, south of the canal ring, is where Amsterdam goes out to eat, and the Albert Cuyp Market is its spine: a long street market open Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday. Graze along it. Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels was the first stroopwafel stall in the city, opened in 1978 and still run by the family; ask for one fresh off the iron rather than from the pile. Along the rest of the market, look for the poffertjes and herring stalls.

For dinner, Fa. Pekelhaaring (Michelin listing) on the Van Woustraat is a Bib Gourmand neighbourhood canteen with Italian cooking and Dutch touches, such as tagliatelle with venison stew; it is open from noon, closed on Monday. A few doors up the same street, ‘t Heemelrijck serves Dutch soups and stews: split pea soup with pork, stamppot with sausage, and jenever. Kafé Kontrast on the Ceintuurbaan mixes Indonesian and Scandinavian cooking; look for the beef satay with Padang-style sauce. Finish at Bar Mokum on the Ferdinand Bolstraat, a cocktail bar for Amsterdam-made spirits, with jenever neat or in cocktails.

Oost

East of the centre, Oost is residential and relaxed, with the city’s most photogenic brewery. Brouwerij ‘t IJ has its tasting room in a former bathhouse under the windmill on the Funenkade, open every day: order one of the house beers on tap, such as the IJwit, with ox sausage (ossenworst) or a plate of cheese, and sit on the terrace in summer. On the Marineterrein, Scheepskameel (Michelin listing) is a Bib Gourmand in a converted warehouse with an open kitchen, vegetable-led cooking and an all-German wine list; dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

Rijsel (Michelin listing) on the Marcusstraat is a Bib Gourmand for French and Belgian classics with a Flemish accent, such as croquettes and roast spring chicken with gravy; dinner Monday to Friday only, booked directly. In the Indische Buurt, Wilde Zwijnen on the Javaplein serves a seasonal three- or four-course menu. On the waterfront, Café Jakarta has a rijsttafel for about 40 euros. For something special, Restaurant De Kas (Michelin listing), in a greenhouse in Frankendael park, holds one Michelin star for organic cooking.

Noord, across the IJ by ferry

Ferries leave from behind Centraal Station for Noord, the former shipyard district across the IJ. In the old dyke village of Nieuwendam, Café ‘t Sluisje is a brown café more than 100 years old with a sunny terrace over the harbour, good for appeltaart in the late afternoon. Near the Gedempt Hamerkanaal, Hotel de Goudfazant serves hearty, no-nonsense food in a huge industrial warehouse. Beer drinkers should stop at the Oedipus Brewery Taproom on the Schaafstraat.

Oud-West: Foodhallen and around

Foodhallen in De Hallen, a converted tram depot in Oud-West, is the easy answer when a group cannot agree: about 20 street-food stands under one roof, open every day from 12:00 to 23:00. Try Toko Bumbu for Indonesian street food or Mer du Nord for fish. Right outside, the Ten Katemarkt street market has fish stalls for kibbeling. Down the street, Gitane (Michelin listing) is a Bib Gourmand for Mediterranean plates, open from 10:00 every day.

A short tram ride south, near the Vondelpark, Restaurant Blauw on the Amstelveenseweg is the rijsttafel most locals recommend: meat, fish and vegetarian rice tables at about 52.50 euros a person, with goat satay and daging rendang (slow-cooked beef). Book it. Just south of the Vondelpark, Gent aan de Schinkel serves classic or vegan bitterballen with a long list of Belgian beers.

Quick picks

• Herring today: Haring & Zo behind Dam Square or Frens Haringhandel on Koningsplein.
• Bitterballen and a beer: Café ‘t Smalle, Proeflokaal A. van Wees or Brouwerij ‘t IJ.
• Jenever: Wynand Fockink or De Drie Fleschjes.
• Cheap and fast: a broodje kroket at Van Dobben, a stroopwafel at Rudi’s, kibbeling at a market stall, or Foodhallen.
• Rijsttafel: Blauw, Sampurna or Café Jakarta.
• Good-value dinner: the Bib Gourmands Rijsel, Scheepskameel, Fa. Pekelhaaring or Gitane.
• Special night: RIJKS or De Kas, one Michelin star each.

Names link to Google Maps for directions. We checked these places in October 2026. Opening days change, especially out of season, so check before you go.

The markets

The Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp is the big one, Monday to Saturday: stroopwafels, poffertjes, herring and cheese stalls. In the Jordaan, the Noordermarkt holds its main market on Saturdays, with a smaller one on Monday mornings. At the Haarlemmerplein farmers’ market, look for the herring stall Zeevang and its black pepper herring. For kibbeling, go to the fish stalls at the Dappermarkt in Oost or the Ten Katemarkt in Oud-West.

What to drink in Amsterdam

Amsterdam drinks beer and jenever (Dutch genever), the juniper spirit that came before gin. Jonge (young) jenever is light and clean; oude (old) is maltier and smoother. Order a kopstootje, literally a “little headbutt”: a tulip glass of jenever filled to the brim with a small beer on the side. Tradition says you bend over and take the first sip without lifting the glass.

Jenever tasting rooms (proeflokalen)

Wynand Fockink at Pijlsteeg 31 has poured liqueurs and jenever since 1679 in a tiny tasting room in the lane: try the three- or five-year-old malt jenevers aged in oak. De Drie Fleschjes at Gravenstraat 18, founded in 1650 at the foot of the Nieuwe Kerk, calls itself the oldest tasting room in the city: jenever and liqueurs from the casks behind the bar, with ossenworst, meatballs in gravy and Beemster cheese with mustard. Café Slijterij Oosterling on the Utrechtsestraat has been run by the same family since 1877 and is the place to drink a kopstootje at the bar. In Oost, the distillery ‘t Nieuwe Diep works from an old pumping station in Flevopark: order homemade jenever at the hatch and sit by the lake.

Brown cafés

A bruin café (brown café) is an old Dutch pub, named for the nicotine-dark wood of its walls: no music to speak of, small tables, beer, jenever and bar snacks. The essential ones are Café Hoppe on the Spui, Café ‘t Papeneiland and Café ‘t Smalle in the Jordaan, Café Chris on the Bloemstraat and Café ‘t Sluisje in Noord. Order a small beer, bitterballen and a jenever.

Dutch beer

For small Dutch breweries, drink at the source at Brouwerij ‘t IJ or the Oedipus taproom, or try beers from across the country at Proeflokaal Arendsnest and In de Wildeman.

Food experiences to book in Amsterdam

On a short visit, the challenge in Amsterdam is telling the real herring stall, brown café and cheese shop from the tourist versions. A guided food walk through the Jordaan or De Pijp covers herring, cheese, bitterballen, stroopwafels and appeltaart in about three hours, with tastings at every stop. A cheese and beer or jenever tasting explains what you are drinking, and a canal cruise with dinner, cheese or wine combines the city’s best view with its food. These are the best-rated options on GetYourGuide.

Experience	Length	Rating (reviews)	Best for	Book
Food Lovers Tour: Take a Bite of Amsterdam	3.5 hours	5.0 (1,239)	A first day	Check availability
Canal Cruise with Cheese and Wine	1 hour	4.6 (31,970)	On the canals	Check availability
Pizza Dinner Cruise with Drinks	1.5 hours	4.5 (3,116)	Dinner afloat	Check availability
Henri Willig Cheese Tasting	40 minutes	4.7 (1,229)	Cheese	Check availability
Heineken Experience with 2 Drinks	Self-guided visit	4.6 (40,199)	Beer	Check availability

Our pick: the Food Lovers Tour: Take a Bite of Amsterdam, rated 5.0 (1,239) on GetYourGuide.

Ratings as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Check the listing for live prices and availability.

Food day trips from Amsterdam

For cheese lovers, the traditional cheese markets are an easy half-day trip. The largest is Alkmaar, an easy train ride away, held on Friday mornings from late March to late September; it is a show more than a place to shop, so buy your cheese at the shops nearby or back in Amsterdam. Edam holds its market on Wednesday mornings in July and August, and Gouda also has a summer cheese market; check its dates before you go. Compare guided options on our Amsterdam cheese and beer tastings and Netherlands food and drink tours pages.

Frequently asked questions

What is the one thing to eat in Amsterdam?

Raw herring with onions from a stall such as Haring & Zo or Frens Haringhandel, then a warm stroopwafel at Rudi’s on the Albert Cuyp Market. If you only have one sit-down meal, make it a rijsttafel at Blauw or Sampurna.

Where can I drink jenever in Amsterdam?

In the old tasting rooms: Wynand Fockink off Dam Square, De Drie Fleschjes behind the Nieuwe Kerk, Proeflokaal A. van Wees on the Herengracht or Café Slijterij Oosterling on the Utrechtsestraat. Order a kopstootje and take the first sip without lifting the glass.

When is herring season?

Herring is sold all year, but it is best from May to July. The new season’s catch, Hollandse Nieuwe, usually arrives in mid-June, when Café Hoppe and the stalls celebrate it.

Do I need to book restaurants in Amsterdam?

For dinner, yes, especially Friday and Saturday. Book the rijsttafel restaurants (Blauw, Sampurna, Restaurant Max) and the Bib Gourmands such as Rijsel, which takes bookings directly. Herring stalls, markets, Foodhallen and brown cafés are walk-in.

Is an Amsterdam food tour worth it?

Yes, on a short stay: one walk covers herring, cheese, bitterballen, stroopwafels and a brown café, and the guide steers you away from the tourist traps. Compare the options above or on our Amsterdam food tours page.

Plan your Amsterdam food trip

Amsterdam food tours · Amsterdam canal cruises with dinner, cheese and wine · Amsterdam cheese and beer tastings · Netherlands food and drink tours · Dinner shows and cruises · What to eat in Brussels · What to eat in London