Heading to Amsterdam? Start with checking off everything that Amsterdam is known for.
This post shares a list of food that I painstakingly researched about before heading to Amsterdam, and which I highly recommend when you’re in Amsterdam!
They are definitely food we were not going to leave Amsterdam without trying. Most of them are traditional and are really exclusive to the Netherlands.
On the second time I was in Amsterdam on a stopover to Dresden (May 2018), I knew I had to hit some of these foods, even if I only had a day to spare!
At A Glance
Amsterdam Must Try Food
1. Appelgeback (apple tart)
€4.90
Had the famous one at Cafe Winkel 43 on Noordermarkt. Lived up to its reputation indeed!
2. Pannenkoekenhuis (pancakes)
€10
Thicker than crepe but thinner than the usual pancakes. You’ve GOT to eat at this place called Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs. They claim to be the smallest restaurant in Europe and waiting time is approx 1 hour without reservation. Better still, reserve beforehand. The shop has only 4 tables.
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- Interesting ceiling of the shop!
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- Dutch savoury pancake
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- Steep stairs leading to the shop
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- Menu
3. Poffertjes
€2.50
Little pancakes, thick and fluffy. Made from buckwheat and flour, and served traditionally on butter and powdered sugar.
4. Stroopwafels
€1
Waffle made from two thin layers of baked batter with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle.
5. Vlaamse friet (fries)
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- Endless choice of fries
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- Entrance to the inconspicuous fries shop
€2.75
What makes Dutch fries so different is that they fry the fries twice, to preserve the real potato taste inside, while making the outer layer crisp and crunchy. One tip to source for the real deal: look for a shop that sells solely fries! You’ll see many shops along the main streets selling fries together with hot dog buns etc. Now, I’d want to make my calories worth its while.
There is a wide-array of uniquely Dutch toppings and sauces. Below is a handy translation for the popular sauces:
- Friet met satésaus: fries with peanut sauce
- Friet speciaal: fries with mayonnaise, (curry) ketchup and onions
- Patatje Joppie: fries with the “top-secret” Joppiesaus (actually just a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup and spices)
- Patatje oorlog: this one varies slightly by region but is most often served as fries with peanut sauce, mayonnaise and raw chopped onions. Oorlog the Dutch word for war, is a reference to the sloppy mess this dish entails
- Kapsalon: fries with kebab or shawarma and sometimes cheese
6. Cheese!
7. Heringhandel Jonk (herring)
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- Eating herring with an iconic Amsterdam view
€3
Raw fish seasoned with salt. Eaten with pickles and raw onion. I was apprehensive about trying this initially but I’m glad I did.
On my second visit to Amsterdam again this year (May 2018), I walked around and asked around to find a herring stall, and when I did, I had to wait til they were open. I couldn’t miss visiting Amsterdam without having a taste of this. Anyone knows anywhere else in the world that serves herring this way?
If you’re a fan of raw fish i.e. sashimi, you wouldn’t have problem swallowing this. I enjoyed it, honestly!
8. Waffle
€1
It may be a Belgium invention, but hey, you see pastry stalls selling these waffles everywhere! It’s hard not to succumb to it.
Found this interesting vending machine dispensing hot burgers that nowhere in Asia sells!
We succumbed to Asian food considering this shop was selling one of the cheapest Asian food, at €5 for a plate of Asian fried egg noodles. Our fried spring roll costs €2.50. Besides, it was our last night. 🙁
Lastly… I bought these back home from their local supermarket Albert Heijn. Depending on where you stay, you can usually find this supermarket easily in major streets.
Those stroopwafels were really popular among us. And my, am I glad to have bought Ritter Sport. They cost almost 2x in the Carrefour in Rouen! I thought I was a little crazy to buy back groceries. Grocery-shopping really is getting into me. Heh heh.
Read other posts about Amsterdam:
- An Overview of Amsterdam for Every First Timer
- What’s Famous in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Exploring Amsterdam’s Arts and Culture
- Zaanse Schans, Netherlands – Day Trip from Amsterdam
- Exploring Europe’s Capital Cities on a Budget
