Restaurants

We try to visit all of these restaurants on a regular basis. (Pity us!) The more stars you see, the more likely it is that you run into us. Give us your feedback if we miss great places. We will go and try them out, too! One word of advice: in the Leidseplein area there are quite a number of rip-offs. So be careful if you choose to go out for food there. Known exceptions: Japan Inn, Moshi Moshi, Wagamama.

Top end

  • De Compagnon - French - Gulde Hand steeg 11 (an alley off Warmoesstraat), tel. 4211556. Best restaurant we can recommend - informal and cozy, great service and excellent dishes. View of the water of Damrak. Reservations are a must.
  • Sichuan food - Chinese - Reguliersdwarsstraat 35, tel. 6269327 - Chinese restaurant with Michelin star level! Ever seen before? Try their duck in 5 ways.
  • Breitner - French - Amstel 212, tel. 6277879. Stylish and excellent, still quite a relaxed atmosphere. It is not too big, and if you are lucky and get a table at the window you have a great view over the Amstel river. They serve unique combinations and surprising dishes. But never over the top. They have a theater menu for early diners who want to go to the opera (which is just on the other side of the Amstel river).
  • Varend Restaurant - Sailing Restaurant - Tel. 4194141. Departs every Sunday 7 pm. From Pont 13 in the Houthavens close to the Rochdale 1 boat. Price 75 euros incl. dinner and drinks. This is quite unique: cruise the canals and the IJ harbor while having a culinary diner served by restaurant Pont 13. Reservation a must online or by phone.
  • Vermeer - French - Prins Hendrikkade 59-72 opposite the central station. Tel. 5564885. Excellent and expensive, one Michelin star restaurant. Worth its price.
  • La Rive - French - Professor Tulpplein 1, tel. 5203264. One Michelin star restaurant in the Amstel Hotel. Dine with the stars in the stars!

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Mid range

  • Ponte Arcari - Italian - Herengracht 534, tel. 6250853. Best classic Italian restaurant around. Tiny little place with a traditional menu and friendly, professional service. We once spotted the mayor of Amsterdam eating out on the terrace, and we planned to test whether he has good taste. Well: he does. This place is highly recommended. Do not miss it.
  • Mitsukuni - Japanese - Reguliersdwardsstraat 43, tel. 6830388. This Japanese restaurant opened in the summer of 2007 and it immediately was a favorite. It is a new addition to a couple of restaurants by the same owner. We used to go to Japan Inn near Leidseplein, but now can stay closer to home with this new place. Food is even better than at Japan Inn, and prices very moderate.
  • Gala - Spanish - Entremeses y mas. Reguliersdwarsstraat 38. tel. 6236303. Recently opened Spanish tapas restaurant Got a rating of 9.5 (out of 10) by Johannes van Dam, the famous journalist on Amsterdam restaurants. On the most recent visit, however, we had the impression it got a lot more expensive than before. That's why we took away one of our stars, and only one remains.... 'cause it still was very tasty!
  • Sahid Jaya - Indonesian - Reguliersdwarsstraat 26, tel. 6263727. Very well prepared Indonesian food. Try there rijsttafel. Also possible to dine outside in there nice garden (Dutch weather allowing it...)
  • Dorrius - Dutch - Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 5, tel. 4202224. Close to the Central Station, west side. Best classical Dutch food restaurant in Amsterdam. Since 1890.
  • Restaurant Knus - Basque - Knus means something like "cosy". Well: it is. Very tasty appetizers: Montaditos, Basque Tapas are their specialty. You can make a complete meal out of them. Their tasty and unusual dishes (Steak with chocolate sauce) and very attentive and friendly staff make this one an excellent choice for a special evening.
  • Sluizer - French - Utrechtsestraat 41-45, tel. 6226376 - French food in a Dutch way - a classic.
  • Brasserie Harkema - French - Nes 67, tel. 4282222 - Hugely popular with everyone that wants to belong (to whatever). Nice menu, quite simple, but cooked with fantasy and care. Reservation taken from 3 pm onwards.
  • Wilhelmina Dok - French - Noordwal 1, tel 6323701 - basic French restaurant: go there for the view and for a completely different atmosphere. It is on the other side of the IJ (the natural port behind central station) Take the ferry to Vliegenbos, that is the ferry departing just right from the big one, then walk to your right along the waterfront for 5 minutes. It is in the picture at the top of the page. The ferries are free of charge.
  • De Theeboom - French - Singel 210 tel. 6238420 - French owned, so revive your dining experiences of France here.
  • Lucius Visrestaurant - Fish - Spuistraat 247, tel. 6241831. Fish restaurants some of our guests raved about.
  • Rosario - Fusion - Peperstraat 10 tel. 6270280 – Portuguese owned, alternative scene, fusion Portuguese kitchen, tasteful dishes.
  • Arc - Fusion - Reguliersdwarsstraat 44 tel. 6897070 - trendy and tasteful, gay profile.
  • Getto - Mediterranean - Warmoesstraat 518, tel. 4215151- nice alternative, camp ambiance, gay clientele, tasteful dishes.
  • Morita-ya - Japanese - Zeedijk 18, tel. 6380756. A very alternative setting. Do not be scared - their Japanese food is excellent and quite unlike what you would normally see on the menu outside of Japan.
  • IJkantine - Dutch - MT Ondinaweg 15-17, tel. 6337162 - nice food and drinks. Located on the former NDSM wharf on the other site of the IJ. Take the small ferry boat from the back of the Central Station to NDSM and walk 1 minute. MTV staff does eat here too!

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Inexpensive

  • Engelbewaarder - Dutch - Kloveniersburgwal 59, phone 6253772, a number of houses down from the Korenbloemen apartment. Best choice in the neighborhood - local 'eetcafe' with jazz sessions on late Sunday afternoons in winter. Highly recommended for a tasty bite. With a terrace on the canal in summer. Lately many people seem to have discovered the excellent value for money. You may need to make reservations nowadays if you want to make sure you can get in.
  • Bird - Thai - Zeedijk 72, tel. 6201442 - great Thai food eat on nr 72 and take out from the opposite snack bar at nr. 77 also called Bird. You also can try to squeeze into the snack bar and join a table, good to meet strangers!
  • Nyonya - Malaysia - Kloveniersburgwal 38, tel. 4222447. Opposite the Korenbloemen apartment. Best Malay food around at bargain prices. Also take out. If the menu shows two peppers meaning that the food is spicy, then you better believe them: it is spicy.
  • Gerrit van Beeren - Dutch - Koningsstraat 54, tel. 6222329 - A classic and local Dutch eetcafe. In summer dinner is served in the courtyard.
  • Eat Mode - Asian Fusion - Zeedijk 105 - Fusion cooking they claim, ideal for a quick and inexpensive bite to eat. Order at the counter and pick up your dishes when your number appears
  • Nam Kee - Chinese - Zeedijk 111 - one of the many good Chinese restaurants in the area.
  • Kam Kee - Chinese - Zeedijk 103 - great Chinese food.
  • Golden Chopsticks - Chinese - Oude Doelenstraat 1 - great Peking duck and other Chinese food, open until late at night, try here when you find other restaurants in the area closed.
  • Vijaya - Indian - Gelderse kade 23 tel. 4205225. Best Indian restaurant in the Nieuwmarkt area.

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Breakfast & lunch

  • Tisfris - open for breakfast - St Anthoniebreestraat 142 - a 2 minute walk from your apartment - best local coffee shop, for breakfast and lunch. Opens for breakfast daily at 9 am.
  • Public Library - Oosterdokskade 143. The recently opened Amsterdam Public library offers a marvelous top floor terrace with a magnificent view of Amsterdam and a cool catering by La Place.
  • Van Dobben - Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat 5 - for a very traditional Dutch style sandwich, nice atmosphere, great when you are in a hurry. Take out is referred to as 'Export'
  • Rembrandt Corner - open for breakfast - Jodenbreestraat 2 next to the Rembrandt house is the place for early birds to have breakfast. Open all days from 8 am for breakfast and later for lunch, offers wide variety of breakfast and lunch choices.
  • Meuwese - open for breakfast - Rokin 119/121, tel. 624 12 43. Opening for breakfast at 8 am Monday - Friday and 9 am on the weekend. Five minute walk from the apartments.
  • De Bakkerswinkel - Warmoesstraat 69, tel. 4898000 - "de Bakkerswinkel" means Bakery, and that is what they do: bake, and heavenly: breads, scones, quiches, cakes, you name it. Treat yourself for lunch or high tea, if you can afford it, as it is pricey for 'just' lunch.
  • Puccini - Staalstraat 21 - Fabulous cakes and soups, quite expensive.
  • Downtown - Reguliersdwarsstraat 31 - Gay classic, hetero-friendly.
  • Villa Zeezicht - Singel 161, behind the Magna Plaza shopping mall. Great coffee and apple pie. Alternative cozy scene.
  • Oriental City - Oudezijdsvoorburgwal 177, corner Damstraat, tel. 6268352 – Chinese Restaurant known for dim sum during lunch hours. It must be good as it is always crowded with Chinese guests!
  • t Singeltje - Singel 492. tel 06 10945925. The place for old-fashioned Dutch pancakes conveniently located on the flower market.
  • Star Ferry - Restaurant in het Muziekgebouw aan het IJ. Enjoy your lunch or coffee with a great view on the port of Amsterdam.

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Take out

  • Sterk Staaltje - Dutch and French - Staalstraat 12 - Dutch and French style food to take out until 6 pm.
  • Snackbar Bird - Thai - Zeedijk 77 great Thai food (eat opposite at nr 72, or squeeze in here!)
  • Raan Phadthai - Thai - Kloveniersburgwal 18 - great Thai food to take out, not to be missed, a bargain, also to eat in.
  • The Vondelpark Picknick! - Order a nice picnic basket from restaurant Vertigo in the Vondelpark and relax in the park on a nice summer’s day! Order your basket by phone: 6168727.
  • Vlaams Friteshuis - Voetboogstraat 31, almost on the corner with Heiligeweg - eat the best French fries in Holland (actually they come from Belgium). French fries are eaten as a snack by the Dutch, served with a wide choice of sauces.
  • Liberty Pizza - Tel. 6270132. American style pizza, delivered to your apartment. Allow about 20-30 minutes for delivery.
  • New King - Chinese - Zeedijk 115 - Chinese food, eat in or take out.
  • Kam Yin - Creole and Javanese - Warmoesstraat 6, close to the Central Station. Great Creole and Javanese food, Suriname style. It is a bargain, also take out.
  • Sushi Me - Oude Leliestraat 7, 6277043. Quite good Sushi brought to your doorstep. Order online or by phone.

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