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Amsterdam, The Netherlands Restaurants
You may not have come to Holland for its cuisine, but cosmopolitan Amsterdam offers an enormous variety of dining venues in all price ranges. And with the steady stream of sophisticated and well traveled visitors the city enjoys, you can be sure that excellent food waits around every corner. As a general rule, most hotels include Dutch breakfast in their rates. It's usually a wonderful day-starter of yogurt, cheeses, meats, crackers and bread, cereals and fruit. For lunch, mid-sightseeing, or any time throughout the day, you'll find every conceivable ethnic food as well as fast-food cafeterias.
Our favorite nightly dining experience -- for ambiance if not cuisine -- was to stop in an old Dutch "Brown Bar." These are the smoke-stained beer halls or marijuana-stained hippie taverns (depending on whom you speak to) that the locals go to for lots of atmosphere and hearty meat n'potatoes meals. There are so many colorful 18th- and 19th-century brown bars in Amsterdam, that it's best to let a local steer you to the favorite one in the neighborhood. Kids of any age are welcome and are likely to be intrigued by colorful atmosphere. Here are some other choices:
D’Vijff Vlieghen
Spuistraat 294-302, 1012 VX Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 530 40 60
Five classic canalhouses are adjoined to make a classy, classic fine dining restaurant in the NH City Centre Hotel. It is considered one of Amsterdam's most famous restaurants and serves "New Dutch Cuisine".
Haesje Claes
Spuistraat 273-275, 1012 VR Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 624 99 98
This is a moderately priced, yet historically intriguing, place to dine in the older city center. Typical Dutch fare is served, and your family can expect smoked fish or cured meats in dark bread sandwiches at lunch, and French style roasted meats and vegetables at dinner. The street is interesting too, because it is actually a filled-in canal, where streetcars run on landfill.
De Jaren Café
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22, 1012 CP Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 625 57 71
One of the few canal-front cafes, this is a popular yet pleasant spot to pause for tea and cakes, a draft beer, or a soup/sandwich/salad style meal. It’s located next to the NH Hotel Doelen behind the ornate drawbridge whose sculpted on-duty Bridge Guard statue is said to have inspired the Watchman in Rembrandt’s famous portrait, “Nightwatch.”
The American Hotel
Leidsekade 97, 1017 PN Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 556 30 00
Right off the Leidseplein is this turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau landmark that has been remarkably restored. What a place to stop for an expensive lunch or snack! The Café Americain dishes up an unforgettable eyeful of grandeur with continental cuisine.
Pompadour
Huidenstraat 12, 1016 ES Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 623 95 54
This cute chocolaterie was our favorite lunch stop, and serves small ham and cheese tostis. Or you can break all the rules and have the Tea or Coffee Surprise that overwhelms you with cookies, pastries and ornate chocolates. It was truly a meal in itself! Gorgeous gift bonbons, such as marzipan frogs and miniature muffins, are also for sale (and export).
Speciaal
Nieuwe Leliestraat 140-142, 1015 SX Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 624 97 06
The Dutch, former colonial rulers of Indonesia and her archipelago, have a passion for their own version of Indonesian food called Rijjstafel, similar to the British affection for the Indian-inspired tiffin. Rijjstafel translates as "rice table" making this ceremonial meal fun to share with friends and family. Typically, it's comprised of dozens of small tastings from each of Indonesia's islands and regional cuisines, served with a big bowl of rice. A long line of batik-clad waiters parade by with up to 30 small portions of spicy, mild, coconut-scented, barbecued and other seasoned vegetables, fish, poultry and meats.
Sama Sebo
P.C. Hoofstraat 27, 1071 BL Amsterdam
+31 (0) 20 662 81 46
This is another, low budget option for a Rijjstafel meal that's convenient to the Museumplein neighborhood. At Sama Sebo, only a few waiters appear with dishes, the china is not very ornate, and portions are modest. However, the small restaurant's decor has flair, the food is pretty good, and the kids will enjoy seeing the hubbub of food presentation. Don't worry -- fussy young eaters will find white rice and chicken on skewers to soothe their palates.
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