Amsterdam isn’t a city where you have to search high and low for good food. It finds you first. The smell of fresh stroopwafels drifts over canal bridges, and golden kibbeling piles up at market stalls. Your first few bites here will end up shaping how you see everything else. Whether you’re moving for work, studying abroad, or just hanging around for a long weekend, knowing what to eat in Amsterdam before you land saves you from wasting meals on bland tourist food.
This Amsterdam food guide is for newcomers who want to eat like they’ve been here a while. Dutch cuisine is way simpler—and honestly more satisfying—than most people expect. The city’s multicultural roots mean Indonesian, Surinamese, and Turkish flavors are just as much a part of local life as the old Dutch classics.
Maybe the Amsterdam travel guide you glanced at said, “try the cheese.” Fair enough, but there’s so much more waiting for you. Here’s a practical, neighborhood-aware breakdown of where to go, what to order, and how to confidently eat your way through Amsterdam.
What To Try First In Amsterdam
Start with bitterballen. These crispy, deep-fried balls come packed with thick beef ragout and arrive scorching hot, always with sharp mustard on the side. Nearly every brown café in town serves them, and they’re even better with a cold Dutch beer. Take your time—inside, they stay molten for ages.
Next up: get a fresh stroopwafel from a street vendor. The made-to-order ones taste nothing like the packaged versions in stores. Warm caramel syrup sandwiched between two thin, crispy waffles—honestly, it’s one of the best things you’ll eat here. Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels at Albert Cuyp Market never disappoints.
Curious? Try haring, or raw herring. The classic way is to hold the fish by the tail and tilt your head back, but ordering a broodje haring (herring sandwich) with onions and pickles is just as legit. The taste is mild, briny, and surprisingly delicate. Herring sandwiches from stands near the canals are some of the most iconic Amsterdam street foods.
Poffertjes are tiny, fluffy Dutch pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and butter. You’ll find them at outdoor markets. If you’re hungry for more, pannenkoeken are big Dutch pancakes with both sweet and savory toppings.
Stamppot is pure comfort food—a hearty mash of potatoes and veggies with rookworst (smoked sausage). When winter rolls in, erwtensoep (or snert) is a thick split pea soup that fills you up.
Don’t skip Dutch cheese. Gouda and Edam are famous, but aged varieties from a specialty shop will surprise you with their complexity. Finish with a slice of appeltaart (Dutch apple pie), which is denser and more buttery than the American kind.
For breakfast, try hagelslag on buttered bread. The Dutch eat these chocolate sprinkles with zero irony. Kibbeling—chunks of battered, fried white fish with remoulade sauce—and oliebollen, those fried dough balls you’ll see around New Year’s, are also musts. Broodjes, the simple Dutch sandwiches, are everywhere and make a quick, cheap lunch.
Where Newcomers Should Eat By Setting
Knowing what to eat is one thing, but knowing where to find it is everything. Amsterdam’s food scene lives in outdoor markets, old cafés, snack bars, and all kinds of restaurants. Each one shows off a different side of the city.
Start with Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp. It’s the city’s biggest and most famous daily street market. You can literally eat your way from one end to the other—stroopwafels, herring, Dutch cheese, kibbeling, all within a few steps.
On Saturdays, Noordermarkt in Jordaan hosts an organic farmers market alongside antiques. Dappermarkt in East Amsterdam and Ten Katemarkt in Oud-West are less crowded, with great multicultural food.
If you want to stay indoors, Foodhallen is a converted tram depot packed with dozens of vendors. You’ll find everything from bitterballen to Vietnamese banh mi.
For a true Dutch experience, stop at FEBO. These vending-wall snack bars let you drop coins in a slot and pull out a hot kroket or kaassoufflé from behind a little glass door. It sounds odd, but FEBO is a real Amsterdam institution.
Brown cafés are the cozy, wood-paneled pubs that give old Amsterdam its soul. Café ‘t Smalle along the Egelantiersgracht canal is especially charming. De Vier Pilaren in De Pijp is laid-back and local.
For sit-down meals, The Pancake Bakery in a former warehouse serves creative pannenkoeken. Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs is a tiny, quirky spot above a shop with just four tables.
For fries, Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx near the Spui has been serving crispy cones since 1957. Fabel Friet does a more modern take.
Patisserie Holtkamp on Vijzelgracht is where locals swear you’ll find the best kroketten in town. Breakfast in Amsterdam is usually bread-based and casual; most cafés open by 8 or 9 AM with strong coffee and broodjes.
The Multicultural Side Of The City’s Food Scene
Amsterdam’s colonial history and waves of immigration have made it one of Europe’s most diverse food cities. Indonesian and Surinamese cuisines aren’t just trendy—they’re part of daily life.
You should try rijsttafel, or “rice table,” at least once. This Indonesian feast brings out a dozen or more small dishes with rice—satay, rendang, gado-gado, and spicy veggies. Restaurant Blauw in Oud-Zuid serves a polished version, while Tempo Doeloe on Utrechtsestraat goes bold and spicy.
If you want a faster taste, grab nasi goreng (fried rice) or satay at casual spots around town. According to an Amsterdam culinary guide, rijsttafel is still one of the city’s most distinctive traditions.
Surinamese food is the other must-try. Roti—a soft flatbread with curried chicken, potatoes, and long beans—is the most popular Surinamese dish. Warung Spang Makandra and Roopram Roti are two local favorites, both outside the tourist center.
Pom, a casserole made with taro root and chicken, is Surinamese comfort food that most visitors miss but locals love. Tjin’s Toko near Albert Cuyp Market serves excellent Surinamese takeaway.
Don’t leave without trying kapsalon. This Rotterdam-born mess of fries, shawarma, melted cheese, and salad is now everywhere at late-night snack bars. It’s messy, filling, and kind of addictive.
Drinks, Snacks, And Easy Food Stops Between Sights
You’ll spend a lot of time walking in Amsterdam, and the city makes it easy to eat and drink well between museum visits and canal strolls. A few smart stops mean you never have to settle for a sad, overpriced sandwich in a tourist zone.
Start with jenever, the Dutch juniper spirit that predates gin. Proeflokaal Wynand Fockink, a tasting room hidden behind Dam Square since 1679, is the best spot to try it. They fill the glasses to the brim, and tradition says you lean down and sip without lifting the glass.
De Drie Fleschjes across from Nieuwe Kerk is another old-school tasting house. For a more modern cocktail vibe, House of Bols offers guided tastings.
Dutch beer—think Heineken, Amstel, and plenty of local craft brews—is everywhere in cafés and brown bars.
For quick snacks, grab a kroket from any FEBO or a kaassoufflé (deep-fried cheese pastry). It’s just a couple of euros and keeps you moving. Patatje oorlog, fries with peanut satay sauce, mayo, and raw onions, is the local upgrade and shows up at most snack bars.
Near the Anne Frank House, Winkel 43 is famous for what many call Amsterdam’s best appeltaart. The line is almost always worth it.
If you’re at the Van Gogh Museum, a fresh stroopwafel from a nearby market vendor is the perfect post-museum treat.
For herring near the center, Stubbe’s Haring next to Centraal Station has been serving broodje haring since 1956. Frens Haringhandel on the Koningsplein bridge is another solid stop.
These quick bites fit naturally between sights and give you a taste of the city without needing a reservation or a big budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the must-try local foods and drinks in Amsterdam?
Put bitterballen, fresh stroopwafels, raw herring, poffertjes, stamppot, Dutch apple pie, and aged Gouda cheese on your list. For drinks, try jenever at a traditional tasting house and a local Dutch beer in a brown café. Indonesian rijsttafel and Surinamese roti are equally important to Amsterdam’s food scene.
Where are the best areas to eat near Amsterdam Central Station?
Right next to Centraal Station, you’ll find Stubbe’s Haring for a quick herring sandwich. The Jordaan neighborhood, just west, packs in great brown cafés and restaurants. Walking south toward Dam and the Nine Streets district opens up even more casual and sit-down options, as noted in a local restaurant guide.
What are the best street food options to try in Amsterdam?
Head to Albert Cuyp Market for fresh stroopwafels, kibbeling, and herring sandwiches. FEBO automats serve kroketten and kaassoufflés for quick, cheap bites. Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx has some of the city’s best fries, and Foodhallen brings dozens of vendors under one roof.
Which restaurants in Amsterdam are worth booking ahead for first-time visitors?
Restaurant Blauw and Tempo Doeloe are both popular for rijsttafel and fill up fast, especially on weekends. The Pancake Bakery also draws steady crowds. As a rule, book dinner at any well-reviewed spot since many Amsterdam kitchens close by 10 PM and seating is often tight.
What are the tipping customs in Amsterdam restaurants and cafes?
Tipping in Amsterdam feels pretty relaxed compared to the United States.
You’ll find that service charges already show up in the menu prices.
If you get great service, adding an extra 5 to 10 percent is a nice gesture, but no one really expects it.
At cafés or more casual places, people usually just round up the bill to the next euro—or maybe toss in an extra euro or two.
What do people in the Netherlands typically eat for breakfast?
Dutch breakfasts? They’re pretty straightforward and usually center around bread. People often grab broodjes and pile on cheese, ham, or hagelslag—yep, that’s chocolate sprinkles.
Strong coffee almost always joins the meal. Some cafés serve uitsmijter, which means fried eggs on bread with ham and cheese.
It’s quick, filling, and honestly, nothing like those big American brunches.
