SD › Amsterdam › Restaurants
Updated: May 26, 2022
By Santorini Dave
See Also
Restaurant Breda in Amsterdam’s Western Canal Ring
The 14 Best Restaurants in Amsterdam
Spectrum • Medieval Center • $$$$
At the sister restaurant to Zwolle’s 3-Michelin-starred De Librije, the tasting menu is pricey but worth every penny. The cutting-edge style of cooking and daring pairings of ingredients result in memorable creations – shrimp in a yuzu sauce with fois gras mousse, beetroot merengue with ice of smoked haddock liver – and there’s a superb wine list to boot. Located in the Waldorf Astoria. Dress Code. Reservations essential.
Map • +31 20 718 4643
Ciel Bleu • De Pijp • $$$$
Blow-your-paycheck fine dining, with fine views over the city from the 23rd floor of Hotel Okura and 2-Michelin-star creative European fare. Seasonally changing multi-course menu and excellent wine list. Reservations a must; dress code is smart casual. Located at the southern boundary of the De Pijp neighborhood.
Map • +31 20 450 6787
Breda • Western Canal Ring • $$$
Innovative, playful approach to modern Dutch cooking, pioneered by two hotshot young chefs. There’s no menu; lunch comprises 3, 4, or 5 mystery courses, and dinner is a selection of dishes of the day – Small, Wide or All We’ve Got. Numerous select wines by the glass. Reservations essential
Map • +31 20 622 5233
BAK • Houthavens • $$$
Popular foodie hotspot for several years running, well worth seeking out in its out-of-the-way location north of Jordaan, overlooking the Houthaven harbor. Changing daily menu comprised of seasonal Dutch produce, paired with natural wines. The lunch menu (weekends only) is a steal.
Map • +31 20 428 1111
Ron Gastrobar Oriental • Southern Canal Ring • $$
Stylish but informal gastrobar by Michelin-starred chef. Come here for Asian-inspired, Dutch-fusion, tapas-style dishes with that range from sweet and sour pork belly with green apple to boneless spare ribs and thousand chili fish. Excellent classics and original gin cocktails. Ideal for starting the night before hitting the bars around Leidseplein or Rembrandtplein.
Map • +31 20 223 5352
Restaurant Adam • Vondelpark • $$$
Modern Dutch fare in a refined setting, near the northwest corner of Vondelpark. The four multi-course surprise menus consist of beautifully presented, clever dishes, such as crispy pork belly with celeriac or grilled seabass with white asparagus. Top-notch service. Reservations recommended.
Map • +31 20 233 9852
Blue Pepper • Museum Quarter • $$$
The pick of Amsterdam’s many excellent Indonesian restaurants. Two multi-course menus on offer: a vegetarian or non-vegetarian rijsttafel (“rice table”). The spread of small dishes may include soft shell crab with pineapple, fish steamed in banana leaves and lamb satay. It’s a 5-minute walk from bustling Leidseplein. Reserve ahead – especially for their candlelit dinner cruises.
Map • +31 20 489 7039
Yamazato • De Pijp • $$$-$$$$
Splurge on an exquisite multi-course kaiseki tasting menu at the chef’s table at this Michelin-starred, minimalist Japanese institution. Bento boxes and good-value daily set menus available at lunchtime, as well as a la carte sushi and sashimi. Located inside Hotel Okura.
Map • +31 20 678 7450
Cannibale Royale • Medieval Center • $$
This meatery is one of the top contenders for Amsterdam’s best burgers, as well as chunky pastrami and pulled rib sandwiches at lunchtime, and expertly grilled steaks in the evenings. Lots of cocktails, global beers, and wines to choose from. Great location in the heart of the Medieval Center; three more branches around the city.
Map • +31 20 233 7160
Hemelse Modder • Nieuwmarkt en Lastage• $$$
Cozy, welcoming restaurant with canal views, minutes away from the Nieuwmarkt square. Dutch dishes with global touches, with an emphasis on local, seasonal produce sourced from nearby markets. Intimate vibe and a lovely outdoor terrace out back for alfresco dining.
Map • +31 20 624 3203
Greetje • Plantage/East Amsterdam • $$$
Old fashioned charm combined with a refined approach to Dutch cooking. Seasonal ingredients, terrific execution, and a frequently changing 7-course tasting menu. Don’t skip the inventive desserts.
Map • +31 20 729 7450
Le Perla Pizzeria • Jordaan • $$
Boisterous neighborhood gem, popular with families. Thin and crispy pizzas made with fresh ingredients, baked in a wood-fired oven. Toppings include hard to find ingredients such as Tuscan salami and brick-oven-roasted pig from Aricia. Also baguette sandwiches, pastas, and salads.
Map • +31 20 624 8828
De Plantage • Eastern Amsterdam/Plantage • $$
Former 19th-century greenhouse with soaring ceiling and wrought-iron struts. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner; beautifully presented dishes include a burrata salad with eggplant and blood orange and ravioli with pistachio and Turkish sheep’s cheese. Socialize at the large communal tables inside, or head into the garden. Located next to Artis Royal Zoo.
Map • +31 20 760 6800
Klein Breda • Southern Canal Ring • $$-$$$
This hip, experimental restaurant keeps its menu a secret. You order a certain number of courses, based around a single ingredient or single cuisine that changes every few months. You might get cucumber-clad herring, ceviche with pisco sour ice, or white asparagus with pistachio. Multi-course lunches are a great value.
Map • +31 20 362 0030
9 Best Amsterdam Cafes and Brunch Spots
Café Eijlders • Red Light District
A local institution since 1940, during WWII this beautiful, stained-glass brown café was a haven for artists who refused to do the Nazis’ bidding. It’s still very much a bohemian hangout, with occasional exhibitions, regular poetry readings, and impromptu music sessions.
Map • +31 20 624 2704
‘t Smalle • Jordaan
This former 18th-century jenever (Dutch gin) distillery, complete with porcelain beer pumps, is a great all-rounder. Grab a coffee and cake, a light lunch, or nab a sunny spot on the stone terrace overlooking the canal and nurse your craft beer.
Map • +31 20 623 9617
Bakers & Roasters • De Pijp
One of Amsterdam’s favorite brunch spots. Kiwi/Brazilian-owned Bakers & Roasters is renowned for its French toast with banana marmalade, crispy bacon, Navajo eggs with chipotle cream, and poached eggs with smoked salmon stack. Wash it down with a strong coffee or a Bloody Mary.
Map • +31 20 772 2627
Scandinavian Embassy • De Pijp
Intimate, blond-wood-paneled, minimalist cafe, serving exceptional coffee sourced from Scandinavian micro-roasters (including an interesting cold press coffee made with tonic water). The snack menu is short and sweet: expect salt-cured salmon on Danish rye and freshly baked pastries.
Map • +31 68 160 0140
Omelegg • Medieval Center
The central branch of the Netherlands’ first omelettery is all about the egg. Choose from two dozen omelets (try the Mariachi with jalapenos and sundried tomatoes or Viking Fisherman with smoked salmon, dill and lemon zest), or grab a lunchtime sandwich – all against a mural backdrop of traditional Dutch windmills.
Map • +31 20 233 2406
Coffee & Coconuts • De Pijp
Former 1920s art deco cinema turned café. Served in a triple-level, open-plan space with a John Lennon mural, brunch dishes include almond and coconut pancakes, scrambled eggs with feta and avocado toast with dukkah. Light lunch dishes such as prawn tacos and paper-baked cod are accompanied by jugs of homemade cooler.
Map • +31 20 354 1104
Café Slijterij Oosterling • Southern Canal Ring
Dating back to 1735, this low-ceilinged, atmospheric pub/café used to sell tea and spices from the Far East before being turned into a genever distillery. The gleaming copper casks still have pride of place and it’s a local favorite for a beer, genever, or coffee, with sunny outdoor seating out front.
Map • +31 20 623 4140
Screaming Beans • Western Canal Ring
Excellent espresso, from one of Amsterdam’s original specialty coffee shops. Expected carefully selected single origin coffees that span the globe, roasted on the premises. Plenty of coffee kits and craft chocolate to purchase, too.
Map • +31 20 626 0966
Espressofabriek Sloterdijk • Westerpark
Superb coffee served in a beautiful space with soaring ceilings, courtesy of one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Amsterdam. Beans are roasted in-house and sunny weather is perfect for enjoying the Westerpark ambiance.
Map • +31 20 486 2106
About Santorini Dave