Food & Drink
Dutch cuisine is reputed to be pragmatic and unexciting — and for some traditional dishes, that's true. But Amsterdam has developed into one of the most diverse food cities in Europe in recent decades, driven by colonial history, a multicultural population, and a young gastro scene.
Traditional Dutch Dishes
- Stamppot: Mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables (kale = boerenkool, endive = andijvie, sauerkraut = zuurkool), served with Rookworst (smoked sausage). The ultimate winter comfort food.
- Bitterballen: Fried, breaded meat croquettes — the ultimate beer snack in any Brown Café. Creamy-hot inside, crispy outside. Served with mustard. Caution: The filling is volcanically hot!
- Kroket: The elongated version of Bitterballen — from the vending machine (FEBO!) or in the café.
- Haring (Dutch Herring): Raw, mildly salted matjes herring, traditionally held by the tail and let into the mouth from above. Or more practically: as a sandwich (broodje haring) with onions and pickles. At the herring stand on Albert Cuyp or at Stubbe's Haring at Dam.
- Stroopwafel: Two thin waffle layers with caramel syrup — heavenly when warm from the market stall. The best stall: at Albert Cuyp Market.
- Poffertjes: Mini pancakes with powdered sugar and butter. Best at Albert Cuyp or at fairs.
- Pannenkoeken: Dutch pancakes are larger and thinner than German ones — sweet (with syrup, powdered sugar) or savory (with cheese, bacon). The Pancake Bakery in Jordaan is an institution.
Indonesian Cuisine — Amsterdam's Culinary Treasure
The Rijsttafel (rice table) is Amsterdam's most famous culinary experience: a procession of 15–25 different Indonesian dishes — satay, rendang, gado gado, nasi goreng, sambal, tempeh — served with rice. A legacy of the Dutch colonial era in Indonesia and a tradition celebrated nowhere else in Europe. Restaurants: Blauw (Amstelveenseweg, upscale Rijsttafel, 30–45€), Kantjil & de Tijger (Spuistraat, affordable and good), Sampurna (Singel, traditional). Order a Rijsttafel for two and share!
Surinamese Cuisine
Suriname was a Dutch colony until 1975, and the Surinamese community in Amsterdam has brought their cuisine: Roti (flatbread with curry chicken or lamb), Pom (casserole made from taro root), Bami and Nasi — available everywhere in Amsterdam, especially in De Pijp and Oost. Affordable (6–10€) and incredibly delicious.