The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.
Most restaurants in Amsterdam include the BTW tax, which currently stands at 17%, and a service charge of 10-15%, within their prices. Nevertheless, Amsterdammers generally round up small bills to the nearest euro and leave tips as change rather than include them on credit card payments.
The restaurants
below have been grouped into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over €100)
$$$ (€70 to €100)
$$ (€40 to €70)
$ (up to €40)
The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including BTW tax and service charge but not tip.
Gourmet
ChristopheChef Jean-Christophe Royer is fully deserving of his Michelin star for his clever blending of French style with US experience and East Asian influences to great effect. The result is exotic flavor combinations, such as cod and merguez sausage, with preserved Cevennes onions in a reduction of red wine and vinegar. His culinary creations are served with flair in a chic, contemporary canalside restaurant. Reservations are essential. No lunch.
Leliegracht 46
Tel: (020) 625 0807.
Website:
www.christophe.nlPrice: $$$$
Le Ciel BleuThe celebrated modern restaurant, located on the 23rd floor of the deluxe
Hotel Okura in the De Pijp district (see
Hotels), offers diners the ultimate in French cuisine and is well deserving of its Michelin star. Set in stylish surroundings, with blue skies portrayed on the ceiling and the night sky reflected on a carpet of stars,
Le Ciel Bleu's menu boasts many delights, such as lobster soufflé and sautéed scampi topped with melted goat's cheese. The spectacular bird's-eye view of the city skyline helps to make the meal an especially memorable one. There is also a small bar, where guests can take an aperitif or enjoy a glass of fine Scottish single malt whisky after the meal. Le Ciel Bleu also has two special salons, the 'Salon Panoramique' and the 'Salon Etoile', which are perfect for private or business dinners.
Ferdinand Bolstraat 333
Tel: (020) 678 7111.
Website:
www.okura.nlPrice: $$$$
De Silveren SpiegelFish is a specialty on the haute cuisine menu of this intimate, candlelit restaurant, housed in two beautifully restored 17th-century townhouses near the Centraal Station. Menu highlights include Zaandam mustard soup with bacon crackling, lukewarm smoked eel from Volendam with cucumber salad and white wine and horseradish sauce, a sensational calf's liver terrine with bacon and apple sauce or grilled filet of brill with seasonal vinaigrettes. An unusual dessert is old Dutch gin laced with nutmeg ice cream and marinated fruit. The wine list is first class, with a rare selection of Dutch wines on offer. No lunch.
Kattengatt 4-6
Tel: (020) 624 6589.
Website:
www.desilverenspiegel.comPrice: $$$
Excelsior
The
Excelsior is the signature restaurant of the
Hotel de l'Europe (see
Hotels) and as grand as the famous hotel that houses it. Located on the ground floor, the elegant dining room hovers just above canal level, so diners should be sure to reserve a window table. The decadent menu includes starters such as lobster and duck-ham terrine with mango and celeriac. The mains are equally impressive, with the likes of filet mignon and ox-tail with port sauce, Belon oysters and Sichuan pepper. The desserts are equally grand. The three-course lunch menu and the six-course tasting menu are both good value. In summer the terrace is the place to be with views out over Amsterdam's lifeblood canal, the Amstel; it is one of the finest terraces in the city.
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8
Tel: (020) 531 1777.
Website:
www.leurope.nlPrice: $$$$
La RiveEverything about
La Rive is superlative, thanks to Edwin Katz, one of the Netherlands' most acclaimed chefs. It is one of the country's finest restaurants, located in the city's most expensive hotel,
Amstel InterContinental Hotel, and boasting two Michelin stars. The decor is intimate yet sumptuous with warm tones, soft lighting and silver service. North Sea crab salad with green herbs or lemon biscuits and spicy gazpacho, followed by poached rabbit with gratinated leeks, onion and truffle ravioli and creamy rosemary sauce, with marinated pineapple soufflé, honey ice cream and nougat for dessert count among Katz's signature dishes. The formal dining room affords spectacular views over the River Amstel. Reservations are essential.
Amstel InterContinental Hotel, Professor Tulpplein 1
Tel: (020) 622 6060.
Website:
www.amsterdam.intercontinental.comPrice: $$$$
Business
De BelhamelStylish continental cuisine at affordable prices is the specialty of chef Victor Kerbosch at this sumptuous art nouveau-style restaurant, overlooking a picturesque, leafy canal in the bohemian Jordaan district. The signature dish (beef with poached shallots and Armagnac and anise mushroom sauce) is an absolute must, followed by crème brûlée with vanilla ice cream and a cinnamon galette or Dutch cookies served with vanilla-flavored mascarpone and red fruits. Booking is advisable, especially for the sought-after tables on the terrace. No lunch.
Brouwersgracht 60
Tel: (020) 622 1095.
www.belhamel.nlPrice: $$$
DorriusEstablished in 1890,
Dorrius is a popular, central restaurant located in the
Crowne Plaza hotel, close to Dam Square. The traditional menu in this long-established, old-style restaurant offers a sophisticated take on hearty, rustic Dutch specialties, such as thick split-pea soup, herring dishes or chicory casserole with meatballs, as well as quality oysters from Zeeland. Monthly specials are brought in depending on the season. Booking is recommended; the restaurant is especially popular for business lunches.
Crowne Plaza, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 5
Tel: (020) 420 2224.
Website:
www.dorrius.nlPrice: $$$
Het TuynhuysHet Tuynhuys (The Garden House) offers discreet service, an eclectic menu of gourmet European cuisine and an exemplary wine list. Typical dishes include salmon with asparagus, followed by sea bream fillet with nut polenta, pesto and cherry tomatoes. Guests can either dine in the formal restaurant, located in a converted coach house, or outside in the elegant garden during fine weather. The restaurant is located a short walk from the city's famous floating flower market.
Reguliersdwarsstraat 28
Tel: (020) 627 6603.
Website:
www.diningcity.com/ams/tuynhuys/enPrice: $$
Kantjil en de TijgerA successful combination of modern decor, relaxed but efficient service and spicy, imaginative cuisine makes
Kantjil en de Tijger (The Deer and the Tiger) one of the capital's most popular Indonesian restaurants. The sensational rijsttafel is a favored specialty (literally meaning 'rice table', this is a traditional Indonesian feast of up to 20 rice, vegetable, meat and fish dishes), although only for those with big appetites. The sharing of dishes can be a helpful tool in breaking the ice during that all important business lunch.
Spuistraat 291-3
Tel: (020) 620 0994.
Website:
www.kantjil.nlPrice: $$
Vis aan de ScheldeThis popular restaurant, conveniently located near the RAI International Exhibition and Congress Center in the De Pijp district, is arguably the best fish restaurant in Amsterdam, with chef Michiel Deenik at the helm. Its classy, modern black-and-white interior, with shiny floor tiles and crisp white linens, is artfully counterbalanced by an impressive menu of dishes from around the world, ranging from sushi to bouillabaisse. Diners can expect superb seafood creations such as sautéed pike-perch fillet on creamed cauliflower with truffle-polenta biscuit and Sauternes wine essence or pan-fried ray wing fillet on cannelloni with grilled courgettes, baked cherry tomatoes and warm basil mayonnaise.
Scheldeplein 4
Tel: (020) 675 1583.
Website:
www.visaandeschelde.nlPrice: $$$
Trendy
Blue Pepper
Some visitors are put off trying Indonesian cuisine in Amsterdam due to the proliferation of cheap and cheerful Indonesian restaurants serving the same dishes as each other in uninspired venues. This is a shame as, outside Indonesia itself, Amsterdam is one of the best places in the world to try the cuisine of its former colony. Help is at hand for discerning diners, though, as a new breed of funky bright Indonesian restaurant has been emerging in recent years with
Blue Pepper one of the best. Indonesian dishes are spiced up with a few experiments and easy-on-the-eye presentation, while the menu also crosses borders to explore elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
Nassaukade 366
Tel: (020) 676 4647.
Price: $$
Envy
This new creation by the legendary people behind über restaurant and bar
Supper Club (see above) is a firm favorite of the Amsterdam style brigade. The immaculate staff look like they have just walked straight off the catwalk and the decor is suitably stylish and smoothly minimalist. The most popular option is a five-course tasting menu that combines fresh local ingredients and culinary influences from all over the world. Service can be a bit hit and miss, but no one posing the evening away here seems to care too much.
Prinsengracht 381
Tel: (020) 626 0802.
Web:
www.envy.nlPrice: $$
The Gold Room
The one time grungy club on this site reopened its doors as the swish
Odeon Hotel in 2005 and immediately became one of the city's trendiest bar/restaurant/club complexes. The
Gold Room restaurant is still a firm favorite of the local beautiful people. Eating options are split between the less-formal brasserie and main restaurant, but quality is high throughout. The main menu offers the chance to enjoy a cocktail geared to each course. The decor throughout is stunning and at midnight the main dining space converts seamlessly into a funky nightclub.
Amstel 460
Tel: (020) 521 8555.
Website:
www.odeonamsterdam.nlPrice: $$
Rain
This bar/restaurant/club complex is a breath of fresh air on touristy Rembrandtplein. The bouncers and dark facade are a bit off-putting, but it is worth the effort of getting inside to enjoy a funky, visually impressive space. The menu covers three different types of cuisine (Asian, Continental and Mediterranean) and carries each off impressively well.
Rembrandtplein 44
Tel: (020) 626 7078.
Website:
www.rain-amsterdam.comPrice: $$
Supper ClubIf you have never been before, a meal at
Supper Club is always unforgettable and not just for the food. In this innovative restaurant the predominantly white interior is transformed into various theatrical backdrops that change weekly, according to the cuisine - one night it is a beach, the next a Greek temple, with a sophisticated, five-course gastronomic menu to match the decor. Underneath the restaurant is the
Supper Club Lounge, a small and ultra-cool bar. Diners might enjoy dishes such as Portuguese oysters, grilled spiced chicken or seared tuna.
Jonge Roelensteeg 21
Tel: (020) 638 0513.
Website:
www.supperclub.nlPrice: $$$
Budget
Café de JarenCafé de Jaren still remains one of the most stylish and welcoming grand cafés in the city center. This smart, spacious and modern café, situated near to the
Hotel de l'Europe, is best known for its trendy clientele and sunny waterfront terraces overlooking the River Amstel. Even during winter, the huge glass windows offer sweeping views of the waterway, although diners should not expect to get a seat outside anywhere around lunchtime or at all during the height of the summer season (reservations are not accepted). Food ranges from simple soups, snacks and sandwiches (including no less than three smoked salmon options) to well-priced, full menus on the first floor, including a selection of vegetarian dishes and Dutch staples, such as
hutspot (meat stew) or
haring (herring). For dessert, the chocolate pear mousse is difficult to resist. Not quite as hip as it used to be, Café de Jaren is still a good place to fill up in comfortable, central surrounds. The salad bar is good value for those on a budget.
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22
Tel: (020) 625 5771.
Website:
www.cafe-de-jaren.nlPrice: $$
Café van PuffelenAt the back of this intimate, sawdust-strewn brown bar, there is a cosy restaurant that serves generous portions of tasty, modern Dutch food to a young and lively crowd. The mustard soup with mussels, followed by salmon marinated in beetroot with a saffron dressing, with delicious cherry
clafoutis for dessert, is highly recommended. The handmade chocolates served with coffee should not be overlooked. During the summer, a barge moored outside doubles as a terrace.
Prinsengracht 375-7
Tel: (020) 624 6270.
Website:
www.restaurantvanpuffelen.comPrice: $$
De Keuken van 1870Once a soup kitchen, this basic, old-fashioned establishment now serves huge platefuls of cheap, no-frills Dutch fare to workers and tourists alike, all seated at communal tables. Visitors should expect traditional staples, such as
stamppot (a meaty stew) and
paling (smoked eel).
Spuistraat 4
Tel: (020) 624 8965.
Price: $
Pancake BakerySituated in a lovely old gabled canal house, the
Pancake Bakery is a friendly restaurant that claims to produce 'the best pancakes in town', cooked on an old Dutch griddle. With over 70 different sweet and savoury toppings, the choice can be bewildering. Offerings range from the simple syrup or sugar pancake variety to gourmet creations such as pancake with cheese, sunflower seed, onion and mushroom. Dessert is just as adventurous, including the Dutch favorite of a hot cherry, vanilla ice cream, cherry liqueur and whipped cream pancake. The restaurant is cheery and inviting, with tasselled lights and large paintings decorating the walls. Sugar, a pot of treacle and maple syrup are on hand at every table to complete the comfort food overdose.
Prinsengracht 191
Tel: (020) 625 1333.
Website:
www.pancake.nlPrice: $
Wagamama
The highly successful
Wagamama formula works well in Amsterdam. Those in the know will be pleased to hear that all of the Wagamama staples are here - the communal seating, the rushed off their feet staff, the chopsticks and, of course, the great big bowls of noodles. Prices are reasonable for large and healthy portions of ramen noodle dishes and spicy curries. A major downside is that communal seating is not to everyone's liking and, in particular, not popular with couples or small groups looking to have a cosy chat or intimate meal. Lone diners could also find themselves engulfed in a rowdy group.
Max Eeuweplein 10
Tel: (020) 528 7778.
Website:
www.wagamama.comPrice: $
Personal Recommendations
D'Vijff VlieghenD'Vijff Vlieghen (The Five Flies) is a cosy, candlelit restaurant that is popular with both tourists and locals. Set in a series of period rooms and spread over five ancient, rambling, 17th-century canal houses, the dark wooden panelling, crisp white linens and antique furnishings of the interiors (including four original Rembrandt etchings) create a formal yet intimate setting for the impressive and fanatically organic 'new Dutch cuisine' menu. Typical dishes include spring onion soup laced with berry-flavored Dutch gin or red perch with sauerkraut, with tangy plum compote for dessert. Portions are on the small side for the hefty price tag, but the setting more than makes up for it. No lunch.
294-302 Spuistraat
Tel: (020) 530 4060.
Website:
www.d-vijffvlieghen.comPrice: $$
Krua Thai ClassicThis is one of the city's best and most-stylish Asian restaurants, with subdued lighting, sleek chairs and candles on the tables. Diners are ushered into
Krua Thai Classic by smooth Thai staff in suave rather than overblown traditional dress. The upper level is the place to be for one to survey the action below. It is advisable for diners to decide on what to order before the appetizer arrives, as the delicate prawn toast can lead one into ordering too much food. Highlights include juicy chicken satay with a rich peanut sauce to start and mains such as Penang beef (thin strips of succulent beef in a perfectly spiced sauce). Sticky rice with coconut milk and mango is a good way for diners to cool down after some of the more authentically hot dishes, as is the Thai Singha beer. The theater menu, available 1700-1900, offers especially good value, as does the expansive banquet for two.
Staalstraat 22
Tel: (020) 622 9533.
Website:
www.kruathai.nlPrice: $$
Toscanini
Toscanini, situated in the Jordaan district, offers authentic Italian cuisine prepared in an open-plan kitchen, a bustling yet relaxed atmosphere, first-class service and excellent value for money. In 2007 the restaurant became completely non-smoking. The menu includes sensational handmade pasta and risotto, as well as simple meat and fish dishes. The standard Italian staples, such as melon and proscuitto followed by lasagne, are to be found here. It really is little wonder that this is one of Amsterdam's most popular Italian restaurants. Reservations are essential. No lunch. Look out for the sunny terrace in summer.
Lindengracht 75
Tel: (020) 623 2813.
Website:
www.toscanini.nuPrice: $$
Tujuh MaretBook ahead for one of the city's finest Indonesian restaurants. Welcoming staff and candlelit surrounds beckon in this intimate space. The three-star spice guide is helpful for those not used to this often fiery cuisine. The Rijsttafel is excellent value, enabling diners to try an eclectic array of tasty dishes. Their chicken and beef satays are the stuff of legend.
Utrechtsestratt 73
Tel: (020) 427 9865.
Website:
www.tujuh-maret.nlPrice: $$
Yamazato
The
Hotel Okura's signature restaurant well deserves its Michelin star. Under the expert guidance of executive chef Akira Oshima (a congenial and knowledgeable host),
Yamazato brings the best of Japan to Amsterdam, both on the plate and with the ambience and seamless service provided by kimono-clad staff. The decor is traditional Japanese, with low tables and stylish, lightweight furnishings. Only the freshest of ingredients are used in Yamazato's menu items and this is reflected in the mouth-watering sushi and sashimi on offer. As much of the seafood as possible is locally sourced, while specialties such as scallops are flown in from France and Ireland. Mains include lobster tempura, eel steak with
kabayaki (broiled fish) sauce and salt grilled sea bass, or for meat lovers, excellent beef fillets that are placed on tabletop charcoal stoves and left to cook to the diner's preference.
Ferdinand Bolstraat 333
Tel: (020) 678 8351.
Website:
www.okura.nlPrice: $$$$
Nightlife:Amsterdam is one of Europe’s top party cities. At night, it is like a human zoo, with all sorts of weird and wonderful activities on offer. The city can be the venue for a romantic stroll, with the lights of the bridges and old houses reflected in the canals, or a night spent bar hopping from buzzing bar to buzzing bar, before partying until dawn in one of Europe’s top clubs. It could even be a nefarious evening, dipping into the dirty underbelly of a city with few inhibitions. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of bars dotted around Amsterdam and it can be just as pleasant to idle away a few hours in a neighborhood bar as it is to spend the night in one of the trendier venues in the center of the city. If, however, you are interested in listening to live bands and dancing the night away, then you should head for the Rembrantsplein-Leidseplein area. If you want seedy, then head for Walletjes and indulge. Over the last few years, the trend in Amsterdam is the renovation of city center townhouses to produce club/bar/restaurant hybrids.
Amsterdam’s clubs usually open at 2200 and, by law, must close promptly at 0400 during the week and 0500 at the weekend. The best nights to go out tend to be Thursday and Saturday. The mainstream clubs prefer a smart-casual dress, with no trainers or jeans. Anything goes at the funkier, more cutting edge venues. Only those over 18 years can purchase alcohol in bars and clubs and drinks cost in the region of €5-6.
Amsterdam tolerates the sale and use of soft drugs, which centers around smoking cafes or coffee shops. These are easy to recognize, as their names normally include words like ’free’, ’high’, ’happy’ and ’space’, and, of course, you can smell them too. These places usually have a drugs ’menu’, with all sorts of nefarious offerings available.
Bars: De Waag, Nieumarkt, is a trendy bar in the red-light district, which also stages cultural performances and exhibitions. Whisky lovers should head for
De Stil, Spuistraat 326, which boasts hundreds of single malt whiskies as well as old whisky barrels that serve as tables. The owners are friendly and will coach whisky virgins through the first stages of discovering whisky unaided by cola or water as a mixer. Meanwhile, beer aficionados should make a beeline for
De Wildman, Nieuwezijds Kolk 3, which has an array of over 200 bottled beers from all over Europe.
Satellite Sports Café, Leidseplein 11, is tacky and touristy but a great venue for those missing their football and rugby.
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal is one of the most hip areas in the city for bar and clubs.
Seymour Lounge, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 200, is a funky place with a bizarre fish tank full of bricks behind the bar, where live DJs entertain Amsterdam’s party set before they move onto the clubs. Just across the road, at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 169, is the chic
NL Lounge, with its dance sounds, discerning crowd and nightmare bouncers - dress to impress. Current favorite watering holes of the local ‘in crowd’ include
18Twintig, 18-20 Ferdinand Bolstraat (website:
www.18twintig.nl), with its art deco chic decor and smooth cocktails, and the
Zebra Lounge, Korte Leidsedwardstraat 14, with its sofas and champagne.
The gay and lesbian scene thrives in Amsterdam, with Reguliersdwarsstraat one of the more cutting-edge nightlife areas, with
De Trut, Bilderdijkstraat 165, and
Soho, Reguliersdwarsstraat 36, two of the most popular venues.
Clubs: Old dame the
Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234 (website:
www.melkweg.nl), seems like it has been around forever but it is still going strong and is a fun place for a party. It might not always get the big contemporary names anymore but it is a good bet at weekends for an unpretentious and fun night out.
Escape, Rembrandtplein 11, is a massive venue that can hold up to 2,000 revelers. A recent addition has been
Escape Delux, Amstel 80, which offers the same diet of dance music in a more intimate venue (website:
www.escape.nl for both).
Panama, Oostelijke Handelskade 4 (website:
www.panama.nl), caters to an older crowd in the up-and-coming Zeeburg warehouse district. Other options include
Odeon (see
Restaurants), Singel 460, and
Rain, Rembrantplein 44 (website:
www.rain-amsterdam.com), the latter a huge nightlife complex right at the heart of Rembrandtplein that is a hybrid bar/restaurant/nightclub, all the rage in Amsterdam at the moment. It is worth battling past the scary-looking bouncers.
Live Music: Jazz has always been popular in Amsterdam. Many of the jazz greats have lived in the city, including Chet Baker, who died here. Head for
Bimhuis, Piet Heinkade 3 (website:
www.bimhuis.nl), the city’s top jazz venue. The
Dutch Jazz Orchestra plays on Wednesday and musicians from all over Europe perform on the other days of the week.
Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234 (website:
www.melkweg.nl), often has rock gigs and sets by alternative acts. The
Arena Stadium, Arena Boulevard 1 (website:
www.amsterdamarena.nl), stages many of the bigger international rock and pop acts.
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