Dutch cuisine same as Irish is relatively heavy and in our opinion not very sophisticated. Our taste is closer to southern European countries but it doesn’t mean Amsterdam is culinary unattractive. Quite the opposite! Traditional Dutch cuisine didn’t really work our appetite at first but in the end we’ve tried a lot of different treats. Down below we put together 10 things which in our opinion you should not skip when in Amsterdam with few interesting places in addition.
Smoked eel roll (broodje gerookte paling) – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
we love eel and as soon we learned you can get ell in Amsterdam we knew have to get one. Often it’s quite hard to find treats like this but we got it on first day from streets stall where were planning to try Haring. Same as other rolls it’s only bun and fish, but what a fish! Fatty, flavourful and melting in your mouth! Price 4.30 euro
Haring – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Dutch herring is one of the 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam! Haring melts in your mouth and have delicate aroma (doesn’t have strong fishy odour). Herring is served with finely chopped onion and pickled cucumbers. You can also get version in a bun (broodje haring). You can grab one at any fish stall for 3-4 euro.
Kibbeling – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Battered fried pieces of Cod (original should always be with Cod) served with mayo or tartare sauce. Batter is soft and elastic like pancake batter. You can get portion of fries and there you go – Dutch Fish&Chips. You can try broodje kibbeling, fish in a bun. Priced at 3.5-4.5 euro
Bitterballen – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Breaded deep fried balls contains of minced meat bread and broth. Really hard to describe but ingredients are soaked in broth which really boost the flavour and makes inside soft and moist. Biterballen is one of the most popular snacks served with beer and mustard. One of the best beer snack we’ve ever tried. Price for portion 6-8 euro.
Stropwaffle – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
2 thin and crunchy waffles touched with cinnamon caramel served hot. Usually as a accompaniment of tea or coffee, you put a waffle on top of a cup which will heat it up. Stopwaffle is really sweet and the ones we tried were huge. Portion without any extra toppings 3.5 euro.
Fries – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Although the most famous fries comes from Belgium (here’s Brussels food guide!), Dutch ones keep up with it nicely. Sold on the street in gigantic portions with side of mayo. We’re not big fries consumers but in Amsterdam we didn’t refuse any. Prices starts from 3 euro for small portion which usually is more than enough.
Croquette sandwich (bolletje or broodje kroket) – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Dutch puts literally everything in soft hotdog like bun. Usually there is nothing else than main ingredients at this case croquette with meat. Amazingly these rolls are really tasty. There is many different kinds of crispy croquettes all priced 3-3.5 euro.
Cheese – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Dutch one isn’t as highly ranked as French and not as sophisticated as Italian but still it’s worth attention. The most popular of course is Gouda which is far from super market sliced Gouda like type of cheese. Old Amsterdam is another classic one made from cow’s milk, aged for a long time and strong in taste. Multitude of different flavours can give you a headache. Not every infusion experiment is well made for example lavender cheese taste a little bit like… soap. In Amsterdam everyone can taste some cheese in shops and every restaurant have a cheeseboard on offer.
Jenever (Genever) – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
This distilled spirit with juniper flavour is a granddad of modern gin. Flavour slightly different form gin but goes really well with tonic as well. Prices are approachable, for one shot you pay around 2.9 euro and 0.7L bottle on the airport can be purchased for as little as 13 euro.
Dutch beer – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
Heineken, Grolsch and Amstel are probably the most recognisable of Dutch beers. Wide selection of different beverages is available everywhere and the flavours are varied. Many beers are served in 200-250ml glass and prices starts from 2.5 euro.
Food from vending machine – 10 things you have to try in Amsterdam
It’s hard to describe as a separate dish because the choice is wide. Food from vending machine is a peculiar phenomenon in Amsterdam. You can find everything from quick bites thru croquettes rolls all the way to hamburgers. Vending machines are placed in different locations around the city.
Recommended addresses:
Polaberry – The most instagrammable place in Amsterdam is a little shop selling Dutch Strawberries covered in Belgian chocolate. Polaberry was founded by Russian Influencer and this isn’t her only store. Strawberries as well as store are super photogenic and often there is a queue to get inside. Price of 9 euro for 4 strawberries is a bit steep but we have to admit they’re delicious.
Address:
Prinsengracht 232 H (not far from church Westerkerk)
1016 HE Amsterdam
Sum Sum – Shop with traditional halva with 2 locations in Amsterdam and few others around the world as franchise. There is many different flavours but all super delicious! Halva is one of Dawid’s favourite desserts and Sum Sum has one of the best. We recommend pistachio, white chocolate and walnuts. Prices will make you dizzy but it worth every penny. 300 grams cost around 17 euros.
Address of the shop we visited:
Heiligeweg 7,
1012 XN Amsterdam
Website
De Kop van Oost – Beautifully located restaurant serving gastro-bar food style with modern twist. You can find this restaurant by De Gooyer windmill. Menu is simple and short with finger food, salads and sandwiches. We had amazing Flammkuchen there, dish comes from Alsace cuisine. Flammkuchen is type of flatbread with toppings classic version contains of cheese, bacon and onion.
Address:
Zeeburgerpad 1,
1018 AH Amsterdam
Brouwerij ‘t IJ – mini brewery Brouwerij ‘t IJ is another reason to go and see De Gooyer windmill. There is wide selection of interesting beers brewed on site and you can order degustation tray. On top of beer there is bar menu with different types of sausages available. For degustation tray with 5 little beers you pay 10.50 euro
Address:
Funenkade 7,
1018 AL Amsterdam
Jonk Volendammer Heringhandel – Little street stall selling herring. You can get Kibbling or smoked eel. All fresh and tasty, we highly recommend! Prices 3-5 euro
Address:
Spui 7a,
1012 WX Amsterdam
