Food · Amsterdam · Netherlands
What to eat in Amsterdam
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Amsterdam, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer), CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Stroopwafel, Raw herring and Bitterballen. Early-evening drinks (borrel) in a wood-panelled brown café, with a beer and a plate of bitterballen or cheese cubes, is the Amsterdam way to end a day. Dinner is early by southern European standards; many kitchens are busiest between 6pm and 8pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Stroopwafel
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Service is included in prices.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Snack · Vegetarian
1.Stroopwafel
Two thin waffle discs sandwiched with caramel-like syrup, originally from Gouda. Freshly made ones are warm and chewy; packaged ones are best balanced on top of a hot coffee to soften.
Where: Market stalls at the Albert Cuyp and Lindengracht markets make them to order.
Street food
2.Raw herring (Hollandse Nieuwe)
Lightly brined raw herring eaten with chopped onion and pickles, either held by the tail or in a soft bun (broodje haring). The new season's herring, arriving around June, is the most prized.
Where: Herring carts and fish stalls across the city.
Snack
3.Bitterballen
Crisp, deep-fried balls of thick beef ragout served with mustard, the classic snack with a beer.
Where: Brown cafés and pubs everywhere.
Street food
4.Kroket
The log-shaped big brother of bitterballen, often eaten on a bread roll with mustard. Many people buy them from the heated wall vending machines of FEBO snack bars.
Where: Snack bars and bakeries; FEBO's automats are a late-night institution.
Street food · Vegetarian
5.Fries with mayonnaise (Patat)
Thick-cut fries in a paper cone with mayonnaise, or 'patatje oorlog' ('war fries') with mayonnaise, peanut satay sauce and raw onion.
Where: Specialist fries shops in the centre, especially around Spui and Leidseplein.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.Poffertjes
Small, fluffy buckwheat pancakes cooked in a dimpled cast-iron pan and served with butter and powdered sugar.
Where: Market stalls and pancake houses, and at fairs and winter markets.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Dutch apple pie (Appeltaart)
A deep, lattice-topped pie packed with cinnamon-spiced apple, served with whipped cream ('met slagroom').
Where: Cafés in the Jordaan, including a famous one on the Noordermarkt.
Dish · Vegetarian
8.Dutch cheese
Gouda and Edam at every stage of ageing, from young and mild to crumbly, crystalline old (oude) cheese, often flavoured with cumin or herbs.
Where: Specialist cheese shops in the Nine Streets and the Jordaan; ask for tasting cubes.
Dish
9.Rijsttafel
The 'rice table' from the colonial era in Indonesia: a dozen or more small dishes such as satay, beef rendang, sambal and pickles served with rice.
Where: Indonesian restaurants in the centre, De Pijp and around Leidseplein.
Dish
10.Stamppot
Mashed potatoes mixed with kale (boerenkool), sauerkraut or endive, served with smoked sausage (rookworst) and gravy — a winter staple.
Where: Traditional Dutch restaurants and brown cafés in the colder months.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Jenever
Dutch juniper spirit, the ancestor of gin, served in a tulip-shaped glass filled to the brim; tradition says you bend down and take the first sip without lifting it.
Where: Tasting rooms (proeflokalen) in the old centre, some dating back to the 17th century.
Dessert · Vegetarian
12.Oliebollen
Deep-fried dough balls, often studded with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar, eaten around New Year.
Where: Street stalls from about November until New Year's Eve.
Food experiences
Brown café borrel
Early-evening drinks (borrel) in a wood-panelled brown café, with a beer and a plate of bitterballen or cheese cubes, is the Amsterdam way to end a day.
Indonesian rijsttafel
Sharing a rijsttafel of many small dishes is a legacy of Dutch colonial history; book an Indonesian restaurant and arrive hungry.
Foodhallen
The food hall in De Hallen, a converted tram depot in Oud-West, gathers street-food stalls under one roof, handy for groups who want different things.
Jenever tasting
Proeflokalen near Dam Square pour old and young jenevers and Dutch liqueurs in tiny glasses, as they have for centuries.
Quick bites and street food
- Stroopwafel — Market stalls at the Albert Cuyp and Lindengracht markets make them to order.
- Raw herring — Herring carts and fish stalls across the city.
- Bitterballen — Brown cafés and pubs everywhere.
- Kroket — Snack bars and bakeries; FEBO's automats are a late-night institution.
- Fries with mayonnaise — Specialist fries shops in the centre, especially around Spui and Leidseplein.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Stroopwafel, Fries with mayonnaise, Poffertjes, Dutch apple pie, Dutch cheese, Jenever and Oliebollen. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Dinner is early by southern European standards; many kitchens are busiest between 6pm and 8pm.
- Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and some places no longer take cash.
- Book dinner ahead on Fridays and Saturdays, especially in the Jordaan and De Pijp.
- Tap water is excellent; ask for 'kraanwater', though restaurants are not obliged to serve it free.
- Lunch is often light — a sandwich (broodje) or soup — with the main meal in the evening.
Tipping
Service is included in prices. Rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good table service is appreciated but not expected, and nobody tips for drinks at the bar.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello |
| Goedemorgen | Good morning |
| Dank je wel | Thank you |
| Alsjeblieft | Please / here you are |
| Proost | Cheers |
| Lekker | Tasty / nice |
| Pardon | Excuse me |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Amsterdam famous for?
Stroopwafel, Raw herring, Bitterballen and Kroket. Two thin waffle discs sandwiched with caramel-like syrup, originally from Gouda.
+Is Amsterdam good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Stroopwafel, Fries with mayonnaise and Poffertjes.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Amsterdam?
Service is included in prices. Rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good table service is appreciated but not expected, and nobody tips for drinks at the bar.