Best restaurants Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Lonely Planet (2024)

Vleminckx

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Frying up frites (fries) since 1887, Amsterdam's best friterie has been based at this hole-in-the-wall takeaway shack near the Spui since 1957. The…

D'Vijff Vlieghen

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Spread across five 17th-century canal houses, the 'Five Flies' is a jewel. Old-wood dining rooms overflow with character, featuring Delft Blue tiles and…

Van Dobben

Southern Canal Ring

Open since the 1940s, Van Dobben has a cool diner feel, with white tiles and a siren-red ceiling. Traditional meaty Dutch fare is its forte: low-priced,…

Braai BBQ Bar

Amsterdam

Once a haringhuis (herring stand), this tiny place is now a street-food-style barbecue bar, with a great canal-side setting. Braai's speciality is…

Adam

Amsterdam

This seriously gourmet, chic and intimate restaurant serves exquisitely presented food. The surprise menu changes on a monthly basis; choose from one of…

De Silveren Spiegel

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Hung with replicas of Old Masters, the 'Silver Mirror' is an exceedingly elegant space inside a 1614-built, step-gabled red-brick townhouse. Exquisite…

REM Eiland

Jordaan & the West

Towering 22m above the IJ, this fire-engine-red sea rig was built in the 1960s as a pirate radio and TV broadcaster and now houses a top-notch restaurant…

Daalder

Jordaan & the West

An unassuming black facade conceals a spectacular interior with terrazzo floors, a marble bar and designer lighting. Daalder serves unforgettable…

Ciel Bleu

De Pijp

Mind-blowing two-Michelin-star creations at this pinnacle of gastronomy change with the seasons; spring, for instance, might see scallops and oysters with…

Graham's Kitchen

De Pijp

A veteran of Michelin-starred kitchens, chef Graham Mee now crafts intricate dishes at his own premises. Multicourse menus (no à la carte) might include a…

Frank's Smokehouse

Amsterdam

Frank is a prime supplier to Amsterdam's restaurants, and you can try his renowned smoked fish and meats at this smart deli-restaurant. Delicious takeaway…

Avocado Show

De Pijp

A world first, this cafe uses avocado in every dish, often in ingeniously functional ways (burgers with avocado halves instead of buns, salad 'bowls' made…

Ron Gastrobar Downtown

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Beneath a striking curved glass-and-metal ceiling, superstar chef Ron Blaauw showcases cutting-edge Indonesian cuisine: saté kambing (grilled goat skewers…

Proeflokaal Kef

Amsterdam Noord

Specialising in Dutch and French cheese since 1953, Fromagerie Kef has a few shops around town, and here, at their canal-side tasting room/cafe, you can…

Mossel En Gin

Jordaan & the West

Mosselen (mussels) and gin are the twin specialities of this spectacular double-height mezzanine space within Westergasfabriek, opening onto two sun…

Hotel de Goudfazant

Amsterdam Noord

With a name taken from lyrics of the Jacques Brel song 'Les Bourgeois', this extraordinary gourmet hipster restaurant spreads through a cavernous former…

Foodhallen

Amsterdam

This glorious international food hall in soaring ex-tram sheds has food stands surrounding an airy open-plan eating area. Some are offshoots of popular…

Marius

Jordaan & the West

Foodies swoon over pocket-sized Marius, tucked amid artists studios in the Western Islands. Chef Kees Elfring shops at local markets, then creates his…

Wolf Atelier

Jordaan & the West

Atop a 1920 railway swing bridge, a glass box with pivoting windows is the showcase for experimental chef Michael Wolf's wild flavour combinations:…

De Pijp

Sumptuous brunch dishes served up at the Brazilian–Kiwi-owned Bakers & Roasters include banana-nutbread French toast with homemade banana marmalade and…

Rijks

Amsterdam

In a beautiful space with huge windows and high ceilings in part of the Rijksmuseum, Rijks was awarded a Michelin star in 2016. Chef Joris Bijdendijk uses…

De Belhamel

Western Canal Ring

In warm weather the canal-side tables here at the head of the Herengracht are enchanting, and the richly wallpapered art nouveau interior set over two…

Gartine

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Gartine is magical, from its covert location in an alley off busy Kalverstraat to its mismatched antique tableware and its sublime breakfast pastries …

De Kas

Amsterdam

In a row of stately greenhouses dating to 1926, De Kas has an organic attitude to match its chic glass setting. It grows most of its own herbs and produce…

Gebr Hartering

Amsterdam

Lined in pale rustic wood, this gem was founded by two food-loving brothers, who offer either à la carte or a multi-course menu that changes daily…

Guts

Southern Canal Ring

Guts' four-course menu is constantly changing and customisable with add-on à la carte options, like razor clams and charcuterie. The focus is on…

Buffet van Odette

Southern Canal Ring

Chow down at Odette's, a white-tiled cafe with an enchanting canal-side location, where delicious dishes are made with great ingredients and a dash of…

Vegan Junk Food Bar

Southern Canal Ring

This flashy restaurant, vaunting pink graffiti walls and neon lights, serves healthy 'junk' food. Plant-based burgers are the best-known fare, but you can…

Ron Gastrobar

Amsterdam

Ron Blaauw ran his two-Michelin-star restaurant in these pared-down, spacious designer premises before turning it into a more affordable 'gastrobar' …

Dikke Graaf

Amsterdam

This local favourite features industrial-styled copper lamps and scrubbed-wood tables, and opens to an olive-tree-ringed terrace. It's a truly fabulous…

Louie Louie

Amsterdam

With its rough wooden floorboards, big windows, fur-backed bar, model stags, squashy leather sofas and covered terrace, this relaxed brasserie-style place…

Vegan Junk Food Bar

Amsterdam

Not your average plant-based eatery, the Vegan Junk Food Bar serves up cruelty-free fast-food favourites in a casual setting with bright graffiti-strewn…

Sugo

De Pijp

Spectacular pizza slices at this two-storey restaurant are cooked daily, displayed beneath glass and warmed in ovens. Its 20 different topping…

Restaurant Blauw

Amsterdam

The New York Times voted Blauw the 'best Indonesian restaurant in the Netherlands' and legions agree. The rijsttafel (Indonesian banquet) is a feast with…

Massimo

De Pijp

Gelato is made daily on-site from family recipes using local, organic milk, butter and yoghurt, along with imported Italian ingredients such as lemons…

Le Salonard

De Pijp

Piled high with pastries (both savoury – such as quiches and gourmet sandwiches and sausage rolls – and sweet, including custard tarts and moelleux…

Moer

Amsterdam

Attached to the Tire Station hotel, Moer has a plate-glass wall onto the street, artful moss and green credentials – the ceiling is insulated by plants…

Bridges

Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Celebrated Amsterdam chef Ron Blaauw is one of the gastronomic heavyweights behind this Michelin-starred restaurant in a historical setting on Amsterdam's…

Dignita Hoftuin

Southern Canal Ring

Set in the garden behind the Hermitage, this cafe serves a brunchy menu of Ottolenghi-style salads, sandwiches and light snacks. Its walls are glass, and…

Geflipt

De Pijp

Competition is fierce for the best burgers in this food-driven neighbourhood, but Geflipt is a serious contender. In a stripped-back, industrial-chic…