Written by Together with THE Amsterdam Foodie LearnDutchOnline.nl came up with yet another Top 5. This time we’re highlighting the top 5 BEST restaurants in Amsterdam. Are you in the capital of Holland – and hungry too? Not for long, if you eat at one of these hotspots!
The Amsterdam Foodie – AKA Vicky Hampton – first came to Amsterdam as an Erasmus exchange student back in 2001. As soon as she stepped off the train, she knew she had fallen in love. The effect was instant. Intoxicating.
Today, over 20 years since she first moved here, when she cycles over a bridge at night and the
lights play on the ripples of the canal, her breath still catches in my chest. She is every bit as in
love with Amsterdam as she ever was.
Vicky started writing about food in Amsterdam in 2006 on her MySpace (the predecessor of Facebook), which quickly migrated to an AOL blog and then to her own URL in 2007. She’s
been writing new reviews and articles every month since then, and has been to several
hundreds of restaurants in Amsterdam during the time she has lived here. Many have closed
down or changed hands several times, but many others have stood the test of time.
According to the Amsterdam Foodie the food scene in Amsterdam has never been better – and the city is finally holding its own as a serious foodie destination. Which is great news for you!
The Top 5 As Told By the Amsterdam Foodie – An Overview
- Dutch – Floreyn
- Indonesian – Tujuh Maret
- Asian – A-fusion
- Brunch – Little Collins
- Afternoon tea – Gartine
1. Floreyn
‘There’s very little Dutch food in Amsterdam that’s both sophisticated and true to its
traditions. But Floreyn walks that line perfectly‘, Vicky writes.
If you like bitterballen, but also think of yourself as sophisticated – Floreyn is the place to be. This place is a real Dutch fine dining restaurant! We didn’t even know that was a thing. Can you imagine?
The menu at Floreyn sports more than 30 Dutch wines, while the chef cooks with ‘dagverse'(= ‘same day fresh’) regional- and seasonal produce from Dutch soil and sea. Visit this unique restaurant at the Albert Cuypstraat 31, near famous market de Albert Cuyp.
According to the Amsterdam Foodie herself: ‘It may not be cheap, but the quality of Floreyn’s food and wines, as well as its great location, is more than worth the price tag’. Definitely worth checking out!
2. Tujuh Maret
‘A hidden gem, Tujuh Maret is a family-run restaurant that’s not much to look at but
absolutely delivers‘, Vicky writes in her Amsterdam restaurant guide.
The ‘rijsttafel’ (= rice table, literally) at Tujuh Maret is cheaper than many in Vicky’s guide, but just as extensive.
She also writes that some of the dishes are ‘actually properly spicy’. Tujuh Maret is an authentic Indonesian restaurant, which happens to celebrate its 25th year now. On their website, they describe themselves as ‘an Indonesian specialty restaurant’. You can find this gem at the Utrechtsestraat 73, near Waterlooplein.
The last thing Vicky notes about Tujuh Maret: ‘It’s hard to pick out favourite dishes
because I enjoyed them all – even the tempeh, which usually I can’t stand’.
At LearnDutchOnline.nl we also happen to be big fans of Indonesian cuisine – so we’re going to take the Amsterdam Foodie up on her word and check out this restaurant very soon!
3. A-fusion
‘As a restaurant critic, I rarely tend to go back to places more than once or twice. I make an
exception for A-fusion, which I’ve been regularly frequenting since 2008′, are Vicky’s words on this Asian fusion restaurant in Amsterdam’s Chinatown.
This wonderful melting pot of cultures is serving local, regional and even international customers. For over a decade. You can find A-fusion at the Zeedijk 130, in the absolute center of Amsterdam, very close to the Oude Kerk.
At this Asian restaurant in Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Foodie likes to leave her dining choices in the hands of
the kitchen and order the Bib Gourmand menu: ‘Whatever they bring is a delight, but I’d
recommend adding some steamed oysters and truffle-beef sushi – because you’re worth it’.
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4. Little Collins
‘I first discovered Little Collins’ excellent line in international brunch dishes, from kedgeree to
shakshuka. But I later discovered they do dinner as well. The chef is Australian, and of
course Australian cuisine is a melting pot of influences from Europe, Asia, America… you
name it’ , Vicky notes on the the first restaurant to bring Antipodean brunch culture to Amsterdam.
This brunch and coffee walk-in is located at Eerste Sweelinckstraat 19F, in famous Damsko neighbourhood de Pijp.
‘A few other copycats have sprung up since – but none are as good as the original!’, Vicky adds on Little Collins.
5. Gartine
‘Despite the fact that Gartine is sandwiched between the Kalverstraat and the Rokin in the
centre of town, it has its own moestuin (allotment) in which they grow much of the produce
you’ll eat at the restaurant. The location is delicate and classy, but in
an old-fashioned way – as if your grandma had taken a degree in interior design’, Vicky reviews about this last food spot in the top 5 best restaurants in Amsterdam.
Gartine is an organic restaurant in the heart of Amsterdam. If you’re looking for a nice place to have breakfast, lunch or a high tea with your besties – go to Gartine. This unique restaurant in the center of Amsterdam can be found at the Taksteeg 7, which is easily reached by car or public transport.
If you like this LDO Top 5, then you’ll love the Amsterdam Foodie’s Restaurant Guide.
This artice is in part an adaptation of Vicky’s guide, containing the ‘personal recommendations from a local foodie’. Vicky wrote this Amsterdam restaurant guide – just like she has been writing her blog over the past
decade and a half – out of love for a city that has given her the most wonderful home. And
fed her some of the best food of her life!
In Vicky’s own words: ‘Yes, there are overpriced tourist traps ready to lure in the unsuspecting visitor if you don’t know where to look. But that’s why you have this food guide: so you know where to look.’
Vicky also wrote for the Guardian, New York Times and the Michelin Guide amongst other publications. You can buy her guide to Amsterdams restaurants here.