Best Restaurants in Amsterdam to Suit Every Craving

Amsterdam is known for its canals, narrow townhouses and world-class museums. Its food scene is just as varied, bringing together traditional Dutch cooking, Indonesian flavours, Surinamese cafés and modern European restaurants.

This guide covers the best restaurants in Amsterdam for different budgets and occasions. You will find affordable lunches, thoughtful plant-based menus, romantic dining rooms and Michelin-starred experiences among the best places to eat in Amsterdam.

Moving between neighbourhoods is easier without heavy bags. Qeepl provides convenient luggage storage around the city, allowing you to leave your bags or suitcases in a secure location and explore hands-free. Prices start from €6.69 per bag per day.

What Should You Know About Food in Amsterdam?

Traditional Dutch food is simple, filling and closely tied to the colder months. Stamppot combines mashed potatoes with vegetables such as kale, carrots or sauerkraut and is often served with smoked sausage. Bitterballen, small croquettes filled with beef ragout, are a popular bar snack.

Raw herring with onions and pickles is another local classic. At markets, you will also find kibbeling, pieces of battered white fish served with a creamy sauce. Dutch cheese is equally important, with Gouda and Edam sold in many different ages and styles.

Amsterdam’s food culture also reflects the city’s international history. Indonesian rijsttafel remains a local favourite, while Surinamese restaurants serve roti, noodles and generously filled sandwiches. Turkish bakeries and Moroccan cafés are common across the city.

The best food in Amsterdam is not limited to formal restaurants. Some of the most memorable meals come from small bakeries, market stalls and family-run neighbourhood cafés. Reservations are still recommended for popular dinner spots, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Best Affordable Restaurants in Amsterdam

Amsterdam can be expensive, but there are still plenty of places serving generous, well-made food at reasonable prices.

1. Moeders

Moeders is filled with photographs of customers’ mothers, mismatched plates and old kitchenware. The setting suits its menu of traditional Dutch home cooking, including stamppot, stews and slow-cooked meat.

Budget around €25–€35 per person before drinks. The restaurant is on Rozengracht, between the Jordaan and Oud-West, and is within walking distance of the Anne Frank House. It opens for dinner and often fills up, so booking ahead is sensible.

2. The Lebanese Sajeria

The Lebanese Sajeria specialises in manousheh, a thin Lebanese flatbread baked on a domed saj and rolled around fresh fillings. Options include za’atar, labneh, halloumi, chicken, beef and roasted vegetables.

Most wraps cost around €8–€12, making this one of the easiest options for a quick lunch in central Amsterdam. Its branches use counter service and have limited seating, but the food is designed to be eaten on the go. The Wijde Heisteeg location is close to the Nine Streets and Spui.

3. Upstairs Pancakes

Upstairs Pancakes occupies the upper floor of a canal house dating from 1539. The steep staircase leads to a tiny dining room with only four tables and more than 100 teapots hanging from the ceiling.

Sweet and savoury pancakes cost approximately €9–€18. Choices range from apple and cinnamon to bacon, cheese and pulled beef. The restaurant is close to Spui and the Begijnhof, but its limited space means reservations are essential.

4. d&a Hummus Bistro

At d&a Hummus Bistro, warm hummus is served as a complete meal with homemade pita, pickles and small salads. Toppings include roasted vegetables, falafel, cauliflower, chicken and seasoned lamb or beef.

Hummus bowls cost around €13–€20, while shakshuka is about €17. The Jordaan branch is on Westerstraat, close to the Noordermarkt, while another location serves the southern part of the city.

5. Vlaamsch Broodhuys

Vlaamsch Broodhuys is known for naturally fermented sourdough bread. Its Amsterdam baker’s cafés also serve breakfast, generously filled sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries.

A light meal generally costs around €8–€18. There are several branches across Amsterdam, including locations near Vondelpark, the Jordaan and the Museum Quarter. It is a practical choice when you want a proper lunch without a long restaurant stop.

Top Vegetarian Restaurants in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a well-established plant-based dining scene. These restaurants range from casual vegan comfort food to carefully structured tasting menus.

1. Meatless District

Meatless District serves fully plant-based food in a casual restaurant in Oud-West. The kitchen roasts, smokes and grills its ingredients rather than relying only on meat substitutes.

Small plates cost around €8–€14, and a full meal usually comes to €25–€40 per person. The menu may include oyster mushroom skewers, smoked aubergine, cauliflower and colourful sliders. De Hallen and Ten Katemarkt are nearby.

2. SOIL Vegan Cafe

SOIL Vegan Cafe combines plant-based comfort food with flavours from Asia and the Americas. Popular dishes include noodles, kimchi fried rice, burgers and seasonal vegetable bowls.

Most main dishes cost approximately €15–€20. Portions are generous, and the atmosphere is relaxed enough for both lunch and an informal dinner. The Oud-West location is close to Kinkerstraat and De Hallen.

3. Hearth

Hearth is a plant-based restaurant and audio bar in Amsterdam-East. Its menu mixes Mediterranean and Asian influences, while music and listening sessions are an important part of the experience.

Most dishes cost around €12–€23, with a full dinner usually reaching €30–€50 per person. Hearth works well for diners who want creative vegan food in a lively setting without the formality of a tasting-menu restaurant.

4. De Waaghals

De Waaghals has served vegetarian food in De Pijp since 1981. The restaurant now offers a seasonal surprise menu that is almost entirely plant-based, apart from an optional cheese course.

Guests can choose a shorter menu or book an extended experience. The longer five- and six-course menus cost €66 and €76. De Waaghals is close to Sarphatipark and the Albert Cuyp Market, making it a good dinner stop after exploring De Pijp.

5. Bonboon

Bonboon offers a fully vegan tasting menu built around seasonal vegetables, grains, legumes and herbs. The dishes draw on flavours from Asia, Europe and the Middle East without trying to copy meat-based fine dining.

The current five-course menu costs around €70 per person, with optional wine or tea pairings. Its Jordaan location and quiet dining room make it suitable for a special dinner as well as for dedicated plant-based diners.

Romantic Restaurants in Amsterdam

Canal views, historic interiors and softly lit dining rooms give Amsterdam plenty of natural atmosphere. These five restaurants are particularly well suited to a date or special evening.

1. Restaurant BREDA

Restaurant BREDA serves a chef’s menu in a warm dining room beside the Singel canal. The kitchen works mainly with Dutch produce while drawing on modern European techniques.

Dinner menus generally cost around €70–€100 per person, depending on the number of courses. The service is polished but relaxed, and the canal belt provides an easy route for a walk after dinner.

2. De Belhamel

De Belhamel stands where Brouwersgracht meets Herengracht. Its Art Nouveau interior has dark wood, stained glass and curved decorative details, while several tables overlook the water.

The menu combines French and Italian cooking with Dutch and Flemish classics. Expect to spend around €45–€70 per person before drinks. The restaurant is close to the Jordaan but feels quieter than many dining rooms around the busiest central streets.

3. Restaurant De Kas

Restaurant De Kas is set inside a former municipal greenhouse in Park Frankendael. Vegetables grown in its own gardens shape the fixed menu, supported by seasonal fish or meat where appropriate.

Lunch menus cost €55–€76, while dinner costs €86–€95, depending on the number of courses. The glass building is bright during the day and softly lit after dark, making it a distinctive choice for a special occasion.

4. Restaurant Moon

Restaurant Moon occupies the nineteenth floor of the A’DAM Tower. The dining room slowly revolves, revealing changing views of the IJ waterfront, Central Station and Amsterdam’s historic centre.

The fixed dinner experience costs around €73 per person before drinks. Moon is easy to combine with the A’DAM Lookout or the Eye Filmmuseum, both reached by the free ferry from behind Central Station.

5. Blue Pepper

Blue Pepper takes a refined approach to Indonesian cuisine. Instead of placing every rijsttafel dish on the table at once, the restaurant serves its selection in several courses, allowing the flavours to unfold more slowly.

Main courses cost roughly €24–€30, while a full rijsttafel or extended menu costs more. The softly lit dining room and measured service make it a good choice for a long dinner rather than a quick meal.

Are There Michelin Star Restaurants in Amsterdam?

Yes. The official Michelin Guide currently lists 30 Michelin-starred restaurants in and around Amsterdam. The selection includes 24 one-star restaurants and six two-star restaurants. There are currently no three-star restaurants in the city.

Three of the most notable options are:

• Ciel Bleu — two Michelin stars. Ciel Bleu is located on the twenty-third floor of Hotel Okura Amsterdam and is led by Executive Chef Arjan Speelman, together with Chef de Cuisine Mike Klaassen. The cooking combines French technique with international ingredients and precise, modern presentation. Tasting menus generally start at around €225 per person and can rise considerably with premium ingredients and wine pairings.

• Vinkeles — two Michelin stars. Vinkeles is housed in an eighteenth-century former bakery inside The Dylan Amsterdam. Executive Chef Jurgen van der Zalm focuses on modern French cuisine, detailed sauces and carefully sourced seasonal produce. The signature tasting menu costs around €220 per person before drinks and supplements.

• Restaurant De Kas — one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star. Restaurant De Kas is led by chefs and co-owners Jos Timmer and Wim de Beer. Much of the menu is shaped by produce harvested from the restaurant’s own gardens, with vegetables taking the leading role. Lunch costs €55–€76, while dinner costs €86–€95, depending on the number of courses.