AMSTERDAM….Surrounded by canals and crossed with charming narrow streets, with cafes, boutiques and restaurants. Amsterdam is every traveller’s delight. There is an excellent food scene in Amsterdam and traditional Dutch food can be quite delicious. There are some must-try foods in Amsterdam from sweet to savoury. I went to Amsterdam with my family which means along with one 9 yr old and one 3 years old. There are plenty of places in Amsterdam where you can easily take the kids along for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
1.THE PANCAKE BAKERY- The first thing that comes to your mind is the Dutch pancakes. We went there for breakfast, it is next to Anne Frank House and as expected we waited there for about fifteen minutes. Looking through the menu, they offer a good selection of both sweet and savoury pancakes. On the order of kids menu they got a toy along, my son ordered pirates pancake. We also ordered a plate of Poffertjes with butter and sugar, it was really good. Dutch mini pancakes were so fluffy and buttery. This seems like a small space from the exterior but there is a lot of space inside. Do try when in Amsterdam.
2. Haring-Another famous Dutch food, and in my opinion one of the absolute must-try foods in Amsterdam, is herring (haring in Dutch).In Amsterdam haring is street food, sold at herring booths throughout the city. Dutch herring is sold raw– though in reality it’s been fully frozen and then semi-cured in salt, aged for a few days in, and the bones have also been removed. Served with onions, it’s definitely a wholesome bite.
3. Manneken Pis Fries -They are the most famous fries in the Netherlands and they do full justice of being famous. It is really amusing when you see people waiting in queue for the fries until you try them. They are fresh, crisp and can choose from among 12–18 sauces, my favourite was truffle mayonnaise. Do stop at Damrak for the fries.
4. LUCCA PIZZERIA- Pizzeria LUCCA DUE on Haarlemerstraat was my personal favourite pizza place. Also if you are looking for Italian food this is a good place to go. Freshly cooked food with a great selection of drinks with good sitting arrangement makes up for a good evening. It is in the quieter part of the centrum. It is simple, without pretension but with comfort and quality. Make a reservation if you are more than two people going, highly recommend.
5.ANEKA RASA RESTAURANT [INDONESIAN]- Aneka rasa offers authentic Indonesian cuisine in a typical way. It’s an old restaurant in the heart of Amsterdam. We chose the meat menu, which included chicken, beef and plenty of veggie dishes too. We had about 14 sampler size small plates, including dessert, more than enough for two people. Went there with no idea what to expect and the food was amazing!
6.MADS CAFE-Cafe Mads was very close to our apartment in Zeeheldenbuurt.If you want to hit the terrace then its the place to be. It will instantly make you forget the city life which is just 2 blocks away. It has a true cafe menu which is simple but good.
7. MARIUS AND WORST- Restaurant Marius is one of Amsterdam’s finest restaurants. After dining here I am sure this will always an important part of the story of travel to Amsterdam. Next door is Worst also owned by the same person serves wines and sausages, nothing more. We dined here on the last night of our stay in Holland and this gem was located just 2 minutes from our apartment. Definitely need a reservation here, but in our case, we had no booking but it was raining that day and he was nice enough to take us in for an amazing meal.
8. BROUWERIJ ’TIJ- Everything about this brewery is authentic.The building, the brewing process, even the first beer ever brewed is still on the menu. Take a tour or just enjoy a drink on the large terrace.
9. FEBO-Hungry for a snack in Amsterdam??,then Febo is the place for you, variety of snacks to satisfy your craving, from tasty fries with sauce, to deep-fried cheese, a minced-meat hotdog and a croquette (in Dutch: kroket) on a roll that you can pull them out of a wall. Feed your coins to the slot and the fresh hot snack is there to be pulled out of glass compartment and enjoy. My son loved to eat here.
10.BURGER BAR-It is definitely one of the most popular burger joints in Amsterdam. I like the concept, choose your meat (Angus, Irish, Waygu) and the size of patty — then it gets formed in front of you and cooked fresh with fresh dies and garlic sauce/samurai sauce/blue cheese sauce or many other options alongside and of course the beer. Excellent burgers cooked perfectly. Not to be missed.
11.DE BAKKERS-WINKEL WEST– Once home to a regulator of gas plant,now a delicious bakery with pastries, quiches and bread. Try their high tea and you will relish every bite of it.
12.TONY’S CHOCOLONELY STORE-This chocolate bar brand is different.At this store, you can lose yourself in the colourful world of chocolate and even buy some flavours that are publicly not available. Its a good treat to kids and also take back as gifts.
13.’T ZONNET JE COFFEE, TEA AND SPICES-This store is a tiny hidden gem brimming with history and of course coffee. Inside you will find more types of coffee than you had ever known and the shop owner will be more than happy to tell you. Delicious, interesting and great for coffee-related gifts.
STROOPWAFELS are a speciality in Holland and no wonder these syrupy , round, freshly baked stroopwafels are available everywhere.There are many varieties added to it and is served with many different ingredients of a dessert but my favourite was the old school stroopwafels… and bought a lot when coming back. It’s an absolute hit with the kids ..they love it.
One can only know the true Amsterdam if you wander around the streets like you always there.DOEI
