Amsterdam

Dining out in Amsterdam is always an event, whether you’re in the mood for a juicy burger, the freshest sushi or creative small plates. Brunch is also done exceedingly well and you can’t beat the city’s famous croquettes, sweet waffles and Dutch apple pie.

On my last trip to Amsterdam, I ventured a bit further out of the historic centre and explored the food scene across the river in Noord and the lively Albert Cuypstraat in cool neighbourhood, De Pijp.

Here are a few top eateries to add to your Amsterdam list…

The Butcher Social Club

Ask where to find a great burger in Amsterdam and everyone will point you to The Butcher. It’s a real institution with five gourmet burger bars across the city including The Butcher Social Club, complete with ping pong and pinball machines, inside the hip Sir Adam Hotel.

The Butcher is famed for its juicy, saucy, flame-grilled burgers with prime Aberdeen Angus beef, Dutch Edam cheese for that local touch, signature burger sauce and plenty of toppings.  If you’re not in the mood for a beef burger, go for prime New Zealand lamb, grilled marinated chicken, beer battered blue cod, or a fried chickpea veggie burger.  The sides are pretty standard, with sweet potato fries, onion rings and mozzarella sticks, but make sure you order the smoky babaganoush sauce for dipping – it’s a game-changer.

CHUN

Bubble tea happens to be one of my secret vices, so I had to check out CHUN in the busy 9 Streets district.  This petite tea shop has a contemporary, minimalist feel with a well-edited menu and a focus on high quality natural ingredients. You can try hot or cold drinks made with fresh tea and home-made syrups, including a classic brown sugar milk tea, taro coconut milk tea, matcha latte or hojicha.

As it was a sunny day, we ordered two refreshing fruit-based teas – Mango jasmine iced tea with added boba pearls and Orange peach iced tea. They were so luscious and uplifting that we stopped by the next day for another!

Staring at Jacob

One of my favourite Amsterdam finds has to be Staring at Jacob, a New York brunch bar on the corner of a leafy Oud-West street where you could imagine Carrie Bradshaw living. It’s the place to come when you’re in the mood for big breakfast platters and cocktails – think fried chicken and bloody marys and buttermilk pancakes with mimosa pitchers.

We grabbed a seat outdoors by the canal and watched the world go by while waiting for our food to arrive. I went for the absolutely delicious Jacob’s Benny – two poached eggs on sourdough toast with smoked butter, smoked bacon, hollandaise sauce and hash browns.

We also had to try Staring at Jacob’s signature dish, Rasco – fried chicken, buttermilk waffle, soft scrambled eggs, mixed leaves and maple syrup. The fried chicken was tender, crunchy and herby and it went perfectly with the fluffy waffle and buttery scrambled eggs, all finished nicely with good quality maple syrup. Be sure to bring your appetite!

Dignita

Another great brunch spot is Dignita Hoftuin, a delightful all-glass restaurant and terrace in a beautiful garden behind the Hermitage Museum. With three outposts across the city, Dignita is not only about eating well but doing good for the community, as it works closely Not For Sale, a social enterprise offering training and support to vulnerable people get back into work.

The menu is full of comforting brunch classics like pancake stacks, truffled mushrooms on toast and coconut granola, but there’s a lightness that keeps everything quite healthy. The Benny Boy didn’t disappoint with two perfectly poached Freiland eggs, a generous dollop of tangy apple cider hollandaise, micro greens and fresh smashed avocado on a light and crispy potato hash.

Another must-order dish is the flavourful Slow-roasted lamb leg sandwich with plenty of tender, aromatic Italan-style lamb on home-made sourdough bread with a herby rosemary spread, pickled red onions and baby watercress.

De Japanner

De Japanner, a petite izakaya on Albert Cuypstraat, is the place for Japanese bites and cocktails in De Pijp.  Having worked at the renowned Taiko at the Conservatorium Hotel and some of the city’s best bars, owners Tosao van Coevorden and Guido De Bruijn have created a place that’s relaxed, unpretentious and full of soul.

Every plate we tried was exquisite. Beef tataki was ever so tender with a tangy, aromatic ginger and sesame ponzu and punchy garlic chips, while Chicken katsu was hot and crispy with a mature flavour and home-made tonkatsu sauce.

We also loved the fluffy Pork chashu bao with silky pork belly and chunky kimchi and the fantastic Ebi fry uramaki – perhaps the best sushi I’ve ever had!

Cabrón

Further along the street is Cabrón, a Mexican taqueria and cocktail bar with outdoor seating. It offers a tempting selection of traditional tacos and quesadillas, as well as larger south American-inspired plates like ceviche and brochetas.

The tacos are particularly good and our favourites were Carnitas with juicy roasted pork, fresh cheese and sweet potato and the spicy Birria – tender beef stew and aji onions.

It’s also worth filling up on a substantial, piquant Adobo chicken quesadilla and crowd-pleasing Cheese nachos, piled high with jalapenos and pickled pink onions, all washed down with a zesty Margarita or Pisco Sour.

Cafe-Restaurant Stork

In the warmer months, there’s nothing better than eating on the terrace at Cafe-Restaurant Stork, a fabulous fish and seafood restaurant in a renovated industrial warehouse on the northern banks of the River IJ.

It’s also perfectly placed to discover the newly-developed Amsterdam-Noord neighbourhood (a few minutes from Central Station on the ferry), where old shipyards have been transformed into cafes, breweries, taquerias, art galleries and urban beaches.

The menu is varied and accessible, so you can simply graze on a poke bowl or fish soup for lunch or go large with an indulgent seafood tower, whole Canadian lobster or the catch of the day. We had a light lunch and loved the crunchy Crab cakes, moreish Shrimp croquettes and the Avocado melt with sliced sirloin, parmesan and rocket and golden Friethoes fries.

Bar Fisk

Bar Fisk, a charming little fish bar in De Pijp, evokes the flavours of a Tel Aviv food market with a well-edited menu of delicately spiced sharing plates. Everything we ate was beautifully-presented with vibrant colours, harmonious pairings and the freshest produce.

We absolutely loved the Scallops with beetroot, walnut and chervil and the Grilled seabass in a fennel bouillabaisse. It’s also worth ordering some freshly-baked sesame bread with houmous and pickles and some inventive vegetable dishes.

Trattoria Graziella

You might not expect to find an Italian trattoria inside a luxury five star hotel, but the addition of Trattoria Graziella at the iconic Hotel De L’Europe somehow feels just right. We were staying at the hotel and after finishing the day unwinding in the fabulous spa, it was an absolute treat to simply roll downstairs to feast on antipasti and spaghetti.

Trattoria Graziella is a beautiful restaurant – modern yet rustic and warm – with a central counter and cosy window booths overlooking Nieuwe Doelenstraat. We started with generously-sized plates of top quality Prosciutto di Parma and creamy mozzarella di bufala and Beef carpaccio with artichokes, parmesan, rocket and balsamic vinegar.

Spaghetti Carbonara was ever so indulgent and scrumptious and I was wowed by the deliciously slow-cooked Spaghetti ai 5 pomodori, made lovingly from a time-honoured recipe with five types of tomato, basil and parmesan.

The staff were so lovely and welcoming and sent us on our merry way with a complimentary shot of limoncello. It feels like the kind of warm, convivial restaurant to celebrate an occasion with friends and family – it’s just so lovely.

Where are your favourite places to eat out in the Dutch capital? For more Amsterdam ideas, read my guide on places to eat out from previous trips.

All photos by Chérie City