Amsterdam is probably my favourite city in Europe, I’ve been 5 times in the last 2 years! It’s only a 45 minute flight from London costing as little as £40 return, and it has some of the best foodie spots. Plus its so small that you’re practically able to walk everywhere, making it great for exploring. The canal views are not bad too!
Where to have breakfast:
De Bakkerswinkel
This place does the BEST french toast. It’s made from brioche and served alongside maple syrup. It’s super cute and cosy inside, but is very popular so be prepared to queue on weekends. Its also great value for money, they throw in a juice and hot drink with any breakfast plate you order!
Location: It’s a chain, but the most central one is just off Dam Square at Warmoesstraat 69, 1012 HX Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: www.debakkerswinkel.com
Price: €10 – €15
Where to have lunch:
Pancakes Amsterdam!
Here you’ll find some of the best pancakes on the planet. Pancakes Amsterdam serve Dutch style pancakes, American style and mini poffertjes. My favourite are the Dutch savoury pancakes, I always get the mushroom, spinach and dutch cheese pancake (because Dutch cheese > English cheese, obv)
Location: There are 3 branches throughout Amsterdam, but the largest venue where you are most likely to be seated quickly is at Prinsengracht 277, 1016 GW, Amsterdam
Website: www.pancakes.amsterdam
Price: Approximately €10
Where to snack on Chips & Mayo:
Manneken Pis
This is actually just a chip stand, but chips with mayo seems to be a Dutch favourite, there are so many chip stands in the city but this one has been voted the best. Don’t be put off by their name & logo!! What I love about it is that whilst queueing you can see the hot chips being prepared in the background and placed onto one giant chip mountain! Make sure you get the classic chips with mayo, its a slightly sweeter mayo than usual, but its SO good. If you’re not a mayo fan, they have over 20 other different sauces to chose from. Plus, they’re open late on weekends so are perfect as a midnight snack.
Location: Near Dam Square, Damrak 41, 1012 LK Amsterdam
Website: www.mannekenpis.nl
Price: Starting from €2.50
Where to have Apple Pie:
Winkel 43
Winkel’s is probably the most exciting spot on this list. They serve THE BEST apple pie. Ever. I literally have never tasted nothing like it. They are famous for this delicious dessert, which is freshly made every day and served alongside some whipped cream. It’s super tiny inside, but they have some lovely tables set up outside which overlook a canal. It’s a must-visit.
Location: Noordermarkt 43, 1015 NA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: www.winkel43.nl
Price: €4 per slice
Where to have Indonesian food:
Max Amsterdam
The historical Dutch-Indonesian connection means that there are so many Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam. Seriously, they’re everywhere! My favourite was Max, Amsterdam. You chose between a 2 or 3 course menu which features a fusion of Indonesian and Western items. A must-try dish is the Indonesian Seabass in banana leaf. It’s amazing! It’s a tiny restaurant and is very popular so be sure to book ahead.
Location: Herenstraat 14I, 1015 CA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: www.maxrestaurant.nl
Price: €31 for 2 courses/€39 for 3 courses
Fine Dining:
Guts & Glory
Guts & Glory is a prime dining hotspot in Amsterdam, opened by chefs Guillame de Beer and Freek van Noortwijk, who have also recently opened up a second venture, Breda. The menu offers a single-ingredient concept whereby the chefs focus on a different type of ingredient for a few months and create a tasting menu with up to 7 courses around it. When I visited, the theme was ‘vegetables’, and they really went all out. For dessert we had aubergine ice cream alongside a chocolate and pecan mousse, which sounds a bit strange but was honestly incredible. The flavours worked so well together, and vegetable ice cream is my new favourite dish! Normally I’m not a fan of fine dining tasting menus because they tend to often be a case of style over substance, but here is an example of one that really works in a completely non-pretentious environment. Reservations are necessary.
Location: Utrechtsestraat 6, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
Website: www.gutsglory.nl
Price: €49.50 for 5 courses
Where to have a fail-safe dinner:
Casa di David
I call this place a ‘fail-safe’ eatery because it’s not too expensive, is very central, has a great atmosphere, and as it is Italian, caters well to vegetarians and fussy eaters (who doesn’t like pizza?!). The interior is rustic, warm and cosy and if you request a table on the top floor next to the window you will have great canal view. The ingredients are super fresh, almost tasting as good as in Italy itself. Their pizzas are particularly delicious, as was the fresh pasta.
Location: Singel 426, 1017 AV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: www.casadidavid.com
Price: Approximately €30 for 2 courses
What to do:
Have a picnic in Vondelpark
Vondelpark is a great place to have a picnic, pick up some delicious picnic food from Pluk or Sla and head over (when the weather is good of course!)
Art
My top art galleries are the Rijkmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum. They are both next door to each other so you could even visit both! The Rijkmuseum features Dutch Art from the Middle Ages to the present day, and features some key paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other Dutch Masters. The Van Gogh museum is massive, and is dedicated to the works of Van Gogh and his contemporaries in the Netherlands. Here, you can view his famous ‘Sunflowers’!
Anne Frank’s House
Anne Frank’s House sits on the pretty Prinsengracht canal and inside you can visit the Annexe where she lived whilst in hiding. It’s super moving and extremely popular, the queues are up to 6 hours long! So if you visit, definitely book in advance.
‘Cheese Hopping’
Dutch cheese is easily some of the tastiest I’ve ever tried! There are so many cheese shops dotted around the city, and most of them have free samples. I’ve had truffle, pesto and even chilli flavoured cheese! If you want to find the largest choice of free cheese samples, visit the Cheese Museum…its delicious!
Flower Market (Bloemenmarkt)
This is more than just a flower market, it’s the world’s only floating flower market! Besides smelling amazing, it’s a great place for a colourful afternoon stroll, and you can even pick up some bulbs to take back home!
Miss Foodie 