How to choose an Asian supermarket in Amsterdam
Amsterdam's Asian supermarkets split loosely by region β Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Indian or Pakistani ingredients don't all sit on the same shelves, so it helps to know your cuisine before you go. Locals call these shops a toko, a term borrowed from Indonesian and still used across the Netherlands for any shop selling Asian groceries, whatever country's products it actually specializes in.
Location often matters more than size: the listings above range from Amsterdam Noord and Amstelveen to Diemen and De Pijp, so a store that's actually on your route beats a bigger one across town for routine shopping. For a wider comparison of where mainstream Dutch supermarkets stock Asian staples versus a dedicated toko, Amsterdam Supermarkets: A Guide for Newcomers covers that ground.
Not every listing is a general pan-Asian mart β some focus on a single country's cuisine, which is worth checking before a special-occasion shop. Pairing groceries with eating out helps too: Where to Eat Vietnamese Food in Amsterdam is a useful cross-reference if you're cooking a dish you've only ever ordered in a restaurant.
Questions people ask
What does "toko" mean?
Toko is the Dutch word for a shop selling Indonesian or other Asian groceries, borrowed from Indonesian and Malay through the Netherlands' historical ties to Indonesia. In Amsterdam it's used loosely for any Asian supermarket, whether it specializes in Indonesian, Chinese, or another cuisine.
How is an Asian supermarket different from a regular Dutch supermarket?
Mainstream Dutch supermarkets carry a limited Asian ingredients aisle, while a dedicated toko stocks a much wider range of sauces, rice, noodles, fresh vegetables, and imported brands not found in a regular chain. The Amsterdam Supermarkets directory lists the city's mainstream chains if you want to compare.
Are Amsterdam's Asian supermarkets only Chinese and Indonesian, or do they cover other cuisines too?
The category covers more than Chinese and Indonesian groceries: several listings specialize in Filipino, Korean, or Indian and Pakistani products, alongside general pan-Asian marts. Check what each listing says it specializes in if you're after a specific country's ingredients rather than a broad selection.
Do Asian supermarkets in Amsterdam sell prepared food as well as groceries?
A handful of Amsterdam's tokos combine grocery shelves with a small eat-in or takeaway counter selling snacks, sandwiches, or hot dishes rather than just packaged goods. It's not the norm across the category, so check a listing's own description if you're after a quick meal rather than a shopping trip.
Do Amsterdam's Asian supermarkets stock fresh produce, or only packaged goods?
Fresh sections vary by store, from a few crates of Asian vegetables and herbs by the door to a full fresh and frozen department, so it's worth checking a listing's own details or asking in-store before a special trip for something perishable. Packaged goods, sauces, and dry pantry staples are the more consistent stock across the category.