Top 10 Places to Eat & Drink in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of those places where you can stumble across wonderful cafes and places to eat around every corner, and whilst wandering the streets of Amsterdam this summer I came across an array of wonderful places to eat. And I had to share them with you!

Beerfabriek – This is one of new favourite places in Amsterdam and it’s 3 euros for a beer! A brewery and restaurant in one; at Bierfabriek, they brew their own beer and serve rustic dishes. The star of our menu? Their free range, slow roasted, chicken. The most important thing for them is that their customers feel at home and we really did feel relaxed, despite it being super busy on a Saturday night in November. You can drink their draft beer, eat their chicken with your hands and throw the peanut shells on the floor. 

Food Hallen – Only a 20 minute cycle ride from the centre of Amsterdam is Food Hallen, an indoor food market, perfect if you are hungry but don’t know what you fancy! There are lots of stands selling all sorts, including burritos, burgers, sushi, Thai and traditional Dutch food such as Bitterballen. There a great buzz inside with people dining socially, and drinking lots of beer and gin!

Lucca Restaurant – We dined here on our way back to the apartment one evening after a long day wandering around Amsterdam. Located in a more local neighbourhood, Lucca Restaurant is a quaint family business set in an intimate setting. The lasagna is amazing, as is the linguine and shrimp, and the ravioli Mozzarella di bufala. The staff were super friendly, and they served amazing traditional Italian food.

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Brouwerij ‘t IJ – Brouwerij ‘t IJ is a small brewery in Amsterdam, located in a former bath house named Funen, next to the De Gooyer windmill. The brewery was opened by Kaspar Peterson, a former musician, in 1985 and was one of several small breweries that opened in cities around the Netherlands in response to consumers’ dissatisfaction with beer brewed by the larger companies. It brews eight standard beers and three seasonal beers, besides limited edition beers. It is the place me and Theo go every time to grab a beer, and a slab of cheese and sausage.

Pluk – I was drawn to Pluk immediately when I saw the words ‘raw’ and ‘healthy’ due to my recent weight loss programme, of which I am not 6 weeks into. I didn’t want my trips this summer to mean I took 10 steps back with my weight loss, therefore I opted for the healthiest food whilst I was away too. Pluk serves anything full of goodness with nutritious benefits, this includes sandwiches bursting with protein and leaves, or the odd acai bowl with banana and granola. And they also serve a large selection of healthier cakes, such as their divine raw carrot cake, and homemade banana bread. You can read my review here.

Door 74 – Door 74 is the first speakeasy style cocktail bar in The Netherlands. They have the requisite hidden door, antique barware, tin ceiling and sophisticated atmosphere, plus delicious and perfectly balanced creations from Timo Janse and his team. It has no sign on the door or anything that would hint that a bar is based there. Entrance is only possible by making a reservation on the day that you intend to visit. Once behind that door, you enter a chic looking bar that wouldn’t be out of place in Hong Kong, Melbourne or Singapore. 

The Pancake Bakery – Beloved by visitors, international students and locals alike, this cosy pancake house inside a 17th century warehouse on Prinsengracht is something of an Amsterdam institution – which explains the queues frequently seen snaking out of the door and along the canal. Visitors can tuck into a choice of more than 100 (huge) sweet and savoury pancakes, and help themselves from generous pots of syrup on the tables.

G’s Really Nice Place – G’s is an unapologetic brunch place with two locations in Amsterdam; G’s Jordaan and G’s East Amsterdam – as well as a popular brunch boat sailing every weekend. The menu features mainstays, as well as originals like the chicken waffle burger and eggs pedro (think jalapeno hollandaise).

Bagels & Beans – Bread and coffee chain Bagels & Beans was founded in 1996 by Ronald Bakker and his wife Ninande Thio. It is now a 100 percent franchise chain with 72 branches and the concept is on the verge of a foreign adventure. The secret of Bagels & Beans according to Bakker: cordiality and healthy food. At Bagels & Beans, different rules apply. You feel it as soon as you walk through the door. The atmosphere, the people and the tranquillity, whilst small, is still an amazing little cafe where you can grab a bagel or two and a coffee. Their products are often organic, always fresh and prepared with care. 

You can read my guide to trying all the Dutch food whilst in Amsterdam here too.