Amsterdam Hotels

Restaurants in Amsterdam are very varied and usually not overpriced. Although Dutch cuisine tends to be dominated by dairy products and raw fish, there are some hearty stews (stamppots) to enjoy as well as tiny pancakes called 'poffertjes', cooked while you wait at street markets and fairs.

The history of the country's colonial past is reflected in the diversity of cuisines, mainly from Surinaam and Indonesia, and the large Japanese population are well catered for in the south of the city. (The result of the important trading link between the Japanese and The Dutch since the 18th Century).

Many restaurants don't serve food after nine in the evening unlike in more southern European countries, but those that do seem to advertise this clearly on their windows. So, be prepared to eat early and fill up with some interesting dishes that are often hard to find elsewhere in the world.

Prices mentioned below are per person.

De Blauwe Hollander: A small but very central restaurant serving only Dutch dishes. The tasty meatballs are highly recommended, as is the stamppot, a meat stew with potatoes eaten by farmers during cold Dutch winters. Vegetarian meals are few and far between (the menu seems to include only some rather predictable salads). The Dutch adore their pea soup with ham, (ewrtensoep) so don't attempt this unless you are prepared for a meaty surprise. There is some uncertainty about what the 'griesmeelpudding' might consist of, so ask the waitress for further details. Bad acoustics, so don't come here if you want a quiet conversation.

Leidsekruisstraat 28020 623 3014
Kitchen open 17.00 - 22.00
Price range: From €12Trams: 1,2,5,6,7,10 pass nearby. Get off at Leidseplein

Plancius: A relative newcomer to the city, offering inventive, reasonably priced gourmet food to a mixed clientele. Quite a few Dutch media professionals dine here as so many TV companies are based in the vicinity. This former motorcycle garage has been decorated in strong purples and reds with dark green leather seating, but the comfortable furnishings and high ceilings don't make this modern restaurant feel formal or imposing. Plancius has an excellent wine list, friendly waiters and somehow manages to maintain a perfect balance between offering a special night out whilst remaining relaxed and unpretentious. There are about eight tables set outside in warmer weather and the view of the Artis zoo entrance is a pleasant distraction in this well-to-do, neighbourhood.
Typical evening main course:
Wolf fish fillet with frothy-coconut-almond sauce €16.75
Chou-croute with sauerkraut strudel, pheasant and Zeeland bacon € 18.75
Desserts: Mousse of frangelico, praline with hazelnuts, ginger snaps and butterscotch sauce €5.80
Syrup waffle parfait €5.80
Plancius
Plantage Kerklaan 61a
Opposite Artis ZooTel 020 3309469
Trams 6, 9, 14, 20 to Artis
Opening times:
Lunch from 10.00 - 16.30
Dinner from 18.00 - 22.00Snacks and tea are also available late afternoon.
www.diningcity.nl/plancius/

Bark Brasserie: One of the few restaurants open until midnight. (One way to tell if you've found Bark Brasserie is when you see the bold sign 'tot middernacht' declaring their late opening on the window). An excellent choice for fresh fish, their speciality. They offer mainly traditional dishes, which are not that highly spiced. They also have a good selection of oysters which are brought chilled to your table. The wines are reliably good and although this building is located in the upper-class enclave of Oud West, it doesn't feel pretentious or over-bearing. They have a few seats outside and pre-concert menus are available for anyone going to a performance at the Concertegebouw nearby.
Middle price range, from €35
Opening times 12.00-15.00 and 17.30-00.30
No lunchtime opening at the weekend.Tel 020 6750210
www.bark.nl
Van Baerlestraat 120, near to ConcertegebouwTrams 3, 5, 12, 20 to Concertegebouw

Greek Restaurant, De Griekse Taverna: Near to the Zuiderbad public swimming pool, so good for an evening meal after a late afternoon dip. Also close to the Rijksmuseum and other sites around Museumplein.
Their menu includes:
Lamb fillet with honey, thyme and red wine sauce. €16
Grilled calamares filled with peppers and feta cheese. €13 Greek farmer's salad €5
Live music some evenings.
Hobbemakade 64,
Trams 16, 25
Phone: 020 671 7923

Todine @ Hotel Arena: Excellent restaurant with a modern European influence. The dining area is part of this three star hotel, recently converted from a former orphanage. Every Friday and Saturday night different DJs are invited to select dance music in the bar from 22.30. Anything from 70's and 80's bands to something more recent…

Mid-price range
Typical menu:
Jumbo prawns in tempura €8.50
Artichoke mustard vinaigrette €6.50
Water cherry soup with nuts and crème fraiche €5.50
Codfish provencale herbs with bouquet garni €17.50
Salmon trout fillet with spinach and saffron sauce €16.00
Vegetarian options available

Trams 3, 6, 10 and bus 22
Metro Weesperplein
Hotel Arena's Gravesandestraat 51
Phone: 020 8502460

The Golden Temple: A calm, organic vegetarian restaurant on one of the nicest 'restaurant streets' in Amsterdam. Run by turbaned Sikhs, there is a surprisingly varied choice of dishes on the menu. Try the house Thali, a selection of Indian meals in small portions served on a large tray with chapattis and yoghurt. Surprisingly, there are also Middle-Eastern dishes as well as a Mexican combined meal. Vegans are well catered for, even down to the homemade ice creams and caffeine-free, soya milk hot drinks (they taste nicer than they look). No alcohol is sold on the premises and the entire building is a smoke-free (and chicken egg-free) zone. Recommended as a healthy option after too many excessive nights out.

Very reasonable prices: From €8 to €12 for main courses.
Utrechtestraat 126 Tel 020 626 8560
Kitchen open 17.00 - 21.30 Seven days a week
Tram 4 to Prinsengracht

Sapporo: A courteous, welcoming restaurant near De RAI, Amsterdam's massive conference centre and congress hall in Rivierenbuurt. These are the kind of subtle flavours that are virtually impossible to reproduce at home, (unless you are Japanese), and Sapporo is one of the best Teppanyaki restaurants in the city. Try the stir-fried eel, (the Dutch and the Japanese both seem to be partial to this oily fish). Alongside the clean taste of sake, a Japanese rice wine served warm in porcelain beakers, this is a treat.
The food is reasonably priced and is usually served very quickly for an Amsterdam based restaurant.

Sapporo Teppanyaki & Sushibar
Scheldestraat 99
020-471 0039
Opening times:
Tuesday to Friday: 12.00-14.00, and 17.00-23.00, Saturday and Sunday: 17.00-23.00, Mondays closed

Trams 4 to De RAI, 12 or 25 to Churchillaan

La Place: A great place to take children and members of the family, as there is a wide choice of different dishes and everyone can see the food being cooked in front of their eyes. (No more surprises or disappointments when your order eventually arrives at your table). There are fresh fruit shakes, delicious muffins as well as 'mix your own' salads and smoked salmon filled rolls. Plenty of choice for vegetarians, including at least one hot soup. The only disadvantage is that you have to carry your loaded tray round a sometimes crowded self-service area, but the food is freshly prepared, so balancing your selection for a few minutes is worth the effort. There is a small open-air balcony on the upper floor and a non-smoking section under a glass roof. There is also a ground floor bakery, Le Marché, selling focaccia bread, apple cakes, pizza slices and cold drinks to take away. (All made on the premises, so children can have a look at dough being mixed behind the counter). A Dutch delicacy, 'gevulde coekjes' (almond filled cakes) are sold in packs of four to take away.
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible as there are lifts to all floors.Prices are in the cheaper range, from €3.80 for filled rolls.

Inside V&D (Vroom and Dreeseman department store. Entrance on Rokin as well as Kalverstraat)
Kalverstraat 203/Rokin 160
Tel: 020-6220171
Opening times:
Every day from 10.00 -20.00 including weekends
Except Thursdays from 10.00 - 22.00
Trams 4, 9, 14, 16, 20, 24, 25 to Muntplein V&D also have branches in Amstelveen and other Dutch towns.

De Portugees: A lively restaurant serving excellent Portuguese cuisine. They have gregarious waiters who make you feel at home, and the food is mainly fish and meat based. Typical dishes include clam stew with pimento and garlic and sausages flambéed in brandy.
They also have a tapas bar over the road.

Zeedijk 39a
020 427 2005
Credit cards accepted
Cost: Reasonable, from €20
Close to Centraal StationOpen 17.00-24.00 daily
Groups up to 40 can be accommodated for parties

Café-Restaurant Amsterdam: Situated in a former water pumping station built in 1897, this huge space is now an impressive café and restaurant open from mid-morning until late. Known as Holland's most beautiful industrial monument, it still houses a majestic diesel engine next to the bar. Look out for the fish decoration over the water fountain in this remarkable building; one of the many things lovingly cared for by former workers. Above you hang impressive floodlights from the former Ajax and Olympic stadiums, adding to the unique atmosphere. It may be difficult to park here, however, as the restaurant is sited in an 'eco' car-free zone, but clear instructions as to how to get there can be found on their website. (This also includes some intriguing old black and white photographs and some fascinating facts about the historic building). The 'international' dishes are well-prepared and reasonably priced.

Typical menu:
Starters
(From a selection of 24)Gazpacho, chilled soup €3.95
Fish soup €4.45
Main courses(From a selection of 21)
Rib Eye Bearnaise €15.75
Grilled Cuttle Fish €12.75
Crépes with spinach, gruyére and mushrooms €12.75
Desserts
(From a selection of 17)
Chocolate ice cream with advocaat (Dutch egg liquer)
Apple Pie with cream and ice cream €4.25

Tram 10 to the terminus at Van der Hallstraat
Bus 18 from Centraal station, stop Van der Hoopstraat
Opening times:Sunday to Thursday 11.30-22.30Friday and Saturday 11.30-23.30
Watertorenplein 6 (Next to the 1960's futuristic looking water tower)
tel 020 6822666 or 6822667
www.cradam.nl

De Waaghals:"Waaghals' apparently means 'dare-devil', but this probably refers to the adventurous combinations of different ingredients served in this attractive vegetarian restaurant. Located in a leafy part of De Pijp, the atmosphere is informal, but the menu is unusual and creative. Organic ingredients are used as much as possible, and a wide choice of different fruit and vegetable juices make a refreshing start to their meals. Each month a dish focuses on a different country and their menu selection changes twice a month, so, unusually for a vegetarian restaurant, there is always something new to look forward to. They have a large selection of beers (including locally brewed ones) and organic wines. The Brouwerij het Ij beer, (Trippel or Dubbel) is remarkable, and is produced in a windmill nearby: Look out for the Ostrich on the bottle label. The interior of the restaurant is very comfortable and has a non-smoking area, and on nice summer evenings you can dine outside in a small but pleasant garden. De Waaghals is very popular with a growing number of non-vegetarians, so it is advisable to book in advance.
Open daily (except Mondays) from 17.00. to 21.30
Typical menu
Creamy beetroot quicherice and ginger saucemixed salad €9,50
Chinese noodle soupwith tofu and mushroomssplit pea cookiesmixed salad €11,00
Frans Halsstraat 29
Tel 020 679 9609
Ino"waaghals.nl
Trams 16, 24, 25, to Albert Cuypmarkt

Maximiliaan: This micro-brewery (one of two in the city) is a congenial bar on the edge of Nieuwmarkt. Built on the site of the former medieval Bethaniën Monastery, Maximiliaan offers tasting sessions and guided tours as well as specialist beers. There are still hand-hammered copper kettles in the brewery, which create a unique atmosphere for all beer lovers. Here, various kinds of natural, unpasteurised and unfiltered beer are brewed according to traditional methods. Apart from the welcoming bar, where copper pipes lead the beer from the home brewery to the taps, Maximiliaan houses a restaurant and a Tasting Bar. In the à la carte restaurant you can order meals, many of which have beer as an essential ingredient. Beer connoisseurs can try their latest concoctions which are brewed on site, which apparently makes the beer taste quiet different. (The flavour of beer being affected by transportation). You can even attend a lunch concert in the Bethaniën monastery and enjoy a delicious meal afterwards.

Amsterdams Brouwhuis Maximiliaan
Kloveniersburgwal 6-8 Tel:020 626 6280
e-mail: info@maximiliaan.nl
Nearest metro: Nieuwmarkt or ten minutes walk from Centraal Station

Kantijl & Tijger: Rather expensive Indonesian restaurant in the city centre - but worth it, for the excellent food. The interior has a colonial feel, with art deco glass in the entrance and window panes. The dishes are inventive and varied, and locals know this so Kantijl en de Tijger is always full and booking ahead is advisable. (This also makes it a noisy place to eat). There's a 20-dish rijsttafel for two, with tofu omelette, bean sprout salad, fried tempeh, chicken in soy sauce but there are also fish and vegetarian selections available. If you can't manage twenty dishes between you, there are single dish meals, such as green beans with prawns. After your meal try the coffee, because it's apparently wonderful.

Spuistraat 291-293
Tel: 020 620 09 94
Open: Daily 17.00 to 23.00

Trams 1,2,5 to Spui or 4, 9, 16, 20, 24, 25 down Rokin to Spui.

Indian Restaurant, The Guru of India: A lively, popular restaurant near Leideseplein. This Indian restaurant is a relaxed, informal place to eat with meals from different parts of India, specialising in neither northern or southern cuisines. Don't be surprised if you are offered a hot towel to refresh yourself before the meal. There are good vegetarian options and many dishes are presented in copper pans at your table, adding to the party-like atmosphere. Inexpensive.

Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 56
Tel: 020 6246966
Trams 7, 10, 20

Spanish Restaurant, Centra: In the middle of this busy central area of narrow streets and cruising tourists, (maybe wondering if they are in the red Light District yet), you can find one of Amsterdam's nicest Spanish restaurants. Food is served on formica tables or at the tapas bar and there are usually lots of Spanish diners here, so it must be good. Their huge seafood paella (ordered for two) was enough to feed at least four, so order this rice dish only if you are really hungry. It might be difficult to find Centra without a map, so check your route before you set out.
Lange Niezel 29
Trams 4, 9, 14, 16, 20, 24, 25 to Dam Square.
tel: 020-6223050
Open 13.00-22.30 Closed New Year's Day

The Pancake Bakery: A very popular restaurant a few minutes walk from the Anne Frank House on one of the prettiest central canals. The range of pancakes is wider than anywhere else in the city, so you don't have to be stuck between the two 'traditional' choices: cheese or ham. There are imaginative vegetarian fillings, such as pine nuts with goats cheese and a Norwegian version with smoked salmon and crème fraiche. (You can always tell a Dutch person, however perfect their English, because they turn their nose up at this variation, insisting that it is impossible to combine fish with pancakes). The pancakes are cooked in an open kitchen, which makes it entertaining for children, but there may be a long wait, as the place stays busy throughout the day. (Their selection of children's toys at the back doesn't look that clean, however, so bring your own). Their cream and liqueur soaked sweet pancakes are a meal in themselves, so don't overdo it on the first course.

Prices from €10
Prinsengracht 191
020 625 1333
Kitchen open 12.00-22.00

Trams 13, 14, 17, 20 to Westermarkt

Bird Thaise Cafe: One of the best Thai eateries in the city. Rather than making your way through Chinatown to the main Bird restaurant, go to the café/annex opposite. Two cooks prepare very hot, spicy coconut milk noodles with red curry sauce in only a few minutes. This is fast food at its best: fresh, full of different textures and stunning flavours. The room is a bit cramped, but the turnover is fast, so this isn't a place to linger. (Twenty seats in total). A good place to watch what is going on the busy Zeedijk. No reservations.
Cheap and delicious

Zeedijk 77
Tel 620 1442
Open 15.00-22.00
From €12 for two courses. They also do take-away while you wait.
Metro: Nieuwmarkt

La Sala, Comidas Caseras: A very lively and friendly restaurant near Artis, selling mainly Spanish/Portuguese tapas. They have a wide selection of fish, vegetarian and meat dishes, including their tender marinated octopus and grilled peppers with goats cheese. It doesn't really feel like being in the centre of Amsterdam, eating here. The service is incredibly fast and the food is surprisingly good for a tapas restaurant. A great place to come if you don't want to stay all night, or even if you do…
The menu changes daily, with house specialities written up on their blackboard. Their tables outside on the terrace get busy in the summer.

Plantagekerklaan 41
Trams 6, 9,14,20 to Artis
Open: Daily from 16.00 for tapas and from 18.00 for main meals to 22.00
Closed Mondays

Manzano: On the edge of the Jordaan, this busy tapas and Spanish restaurant always seem full of people enjoying being with their friends. Not a place to wander in if you are on your own…unless you just want to view the impressive wooden beams in this huge 17thC building. Great food, (but sometimes they get the orders mixed up…and are then nicely apologetic). Their salads are plentiful; instead of skimpy wilted lettuce they present diners with massive platters of crusty bread, chunks of goats cheese, curly endive and black olives.
Not too far away from the Anne Frank House and Prinsengracht on an interesting main road with ethnic shops, (such as an Iranian food store and Moroccan glassware shop).

Rozengracht 106
Trams 13,14 to Rozengracht or buses 141, 171, 172, 222, 282
Open 18-24 daily
Closed Mondays
Tel 020 624 5752

Eat Mode: A brand new restaurant on Zeedijk, Amsterdam's very own Chinatown.From the restaurant you can glimpse the stunning Buddhist Temple, run by gentle, saffron robed nuns. Inside the restaurant you'll find a modern, well-designed room with long bleached wood benches, quite unlike most pink ceramic tiled places in this street. With its eclectic menu and cheap, well-prepared food, this is a welcome addition to the area.
Typical menu
Tom Yam Goong Goong prawn soup, White rice with Japanese and a choice of drinks.
Japanese Udon with sliced sirloin steak and seaweed is only €6, whilst Vietnamese style rice noodle soup with steak and menthol leaves is €6.50
Inexpensive.

Zeedijk 105-7
Tel 020 3300806
Metro: Nieuwmarkt
Ten minute walk from Centraal Station
Open Monday to Friday 12.00-23.00

Latei: An unusual daytime café, which has the added attraction of having lots of things for sale, in fact everything you can see around you can be bought: the tables and chairs, oddities from the fifties, the artwork and particularly the homemade food. There is a retro feel to the place, and it is a pleasant place to have breakfast, a mid-morning drink or a simple, home-made lunch.

Inexpensive:
Plain croissant €1.40
Soup €4.30
Coffee €.40
Monday to Friday 8.00-17.00
Saturday 9.00-18.00
Sunday 11.00-18.00
Zeedijk 143 (near Nieuwmarkt)
Metro: Nieuwmarkt

Albina: One of the best Chinese-Surinamese cafes in the cosmopolitan area of De Pijp. The Albert Cuyp Market is just round the corner, so this is a good place to stop for a cheap midday meal after some shopping nearby. Try the 'loempia', (spring rolls) followed by stir fried squid with seasonal vegetables. This is the friendliest, most delicious roti shop in Amsterdam and offers excellent quality for the prices. (Roti are thick pancake breads, served with curry sauce, a boiled egg and green beans and potatoes, and meat versions are also available).
Three courses cost about €8; A bargain, and this is one of the few places where you might find strangers might actually talk to one another across the formica tables.

Albert Cuypstraat 69
020 675 5135
Open 10.30-22.00 Tuesday to Saturday and from midday Sunday
Trams 16, 24, 25 to Albert Cuypmarkt


Take away places:

Maoz Falafel: Opening times 11:00 to 24:00
A bright and friendly place for healthy and filling takeaway food. The chefs prepare mainly vegetarian chick-pea savouries while you wait, served with pickles in homemade white or wholewheat pita breads. There are a few falafel bars in the city centre but this one is the best, with nine different salads (including pickled aubergine, cucumber and tomato). Add your own sauces, from their selection. Try tahini, coriander chilli or garlic mayonnaise. They serve coffee and non-alcoholic drinks and delicious freshly squeezed carrot juice.

Branches at Muntplein, Albert Cuypmarkt and Regulierbreestraat.
Very cheap: €5
Leidsestraat 85
Tel. 020 427 97 20
Tram 4, 9 to Muntplein or 1, 2, 5 to Keizersgracht

FEBO: A unique Dutch experience…buying hot snacks from plastic heated containers, so you don't even have to speak to another human being to fill that hunger gap. If you like rather predictable, but hot greasy food late at night and don't want to go into a restaurant, this is the ideal place to stop by and pick up something without having to wait around.Nothing costs more than €3 , (the Chicken Saté) and most of the beef or pork croquettes are just €1. Vegetarians can try the cheese soufflé, but don't expect to get something that has been slowly rising in an oven.

Branches all over the city, from Ferdinand Bolstraat to Leidestraat.
Damrak 6
Telephone 020 638 85318
Lookout for the yellow hoarding with the big red sign saying FEBOOpen 10.30 to 01.00 every day except for Saturday and Sunday, when they are open until 02.00
Prices: Very Cheap, mainly €1

Feduzzi Italian delicatessen: Definitely the best take-away sandwiches in Amsterdam. Their home-baked ciabatta breads are filled with fresh pesto, buffalo mozzarella and rocket, marinated mushrooms or salami. They have a wide variety of fillings, with mouthwatering Italian cheeses and dried meats. Although this delicatessen is a bit of a walk from the centre, it is worth the trip, especially if you are wanting to stock up for a picnic in the delightful Beatrix Park nearby.
Feduzzi's also stock Italian wines, special flour for making home-made pasta and jars of succulent delicacies such as roasted artichokes in oil.

Scheldestraat 33
020 6646365
Tram 25 from Centraal Station or 12 from Museumplein
Bus 245, 311 to Churchillaan
Open: 10.30-19.00 Tuesday-Friday Saturday 10.00-17.00 Monday 12.00-18.00 Closed Sundays
www.feduzzi.nl

Renzo's: A slightly crowded restaurant near Museumplein, serving vegetarian and meat dishes from a wide selection on the counter. They do excellent take-away food, from very tasty sandwiches made to order, to oven baked pasta meals or fish salads. You can choose from the 13 home-made fresh pasta sauces on display, including gorgonzola or clams. They also have risotto, couscous and quiches in plentiful supply. For sandwiches, try their sunflower seed, maize breads or pain de campagnes with goats or cows cheeses from around the world. Sip freshly squeezed fruit juices or some chilled wine and, if you can manage it, indulge in a tiramisu dessert or some chocolate mousse. A good place to linger over Sunday lunch. You even might find a place to sit on their benches outside.
Fast home (or work) deliveries to order by fax: 020 673 1673

Open Monday to Friday 10.00-22.00 Saturday and Sunday 11.00-19.00
Van Baerlestraat 670 20 673 1673
www.renzos.nl
Trams 3, 5, 12, 20 to Concertegebouw

Gary's Muffins: Gary's muffins are springing up all over Amsterdam. The first one opened several years ago as a brainchild of two Americans, one from the East coast and one from the West, who thought the time was right to introduce to Amsterdam the two things most adored by the coffee-loving Americans - bagels and muffins. The Dutch have taken to their cinnamon buns too, whilst tourists appreciate having somewhere to recover from an excess of sightseeing. Each cafe seems to provide a warm, comforting, homely feel, like going into your grandmother's kitchen and finding something just out of the oven. Their wide choice of muffins makes even the most diet-hardened utterly tempted, from their healthy, low-fat banana ones to rich white chocolate or their scrumptious brownie of the week
You can ask the muffin servers to fill you onion or poppy seed bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon, tuna salad, mozzarella, basil and tomato, or various other delicious spreads. Found in various locations all over the city, they all tend to be remarkably mellow (which means that the service can be laid back, to say the least). It will be worth the wait, however, as their extra large cups of coffee and herb teas are the best. Iced coffee is also available in the summer.Prices from €3, inexpensive

Marnixstraat 121 tel 020 638 0186 tel 4201452and Kinkerstraat
Jodenbreestraat 15
Prinsengracht 454
tel 4201452 and Kinkerstraat

Open Monday to Friday 8.30-18.00
Saturday 9.00-18.00
Sunday 10.00-18.00
(Times may differ from branch to branch).

For the Jodenbreestraat branch, take trams 9, 14, 20 or the Metro to Waterlooplein