Music plays a major role at Cornerstore, a collab between a handful of vets from popular spots like Café Binnenvisser and De Klaproos. At the minimalist space in Amsterdam Noord (north Amsterdam), a cabinet behind the bar is full of vinyl, which lends superb music to meals of natural wines and pan Asian-inspired dishes bursting with fresh, fermented, umami-packed flavors. Vegetables are the lead singers in most items, while fish and meat form a background chorus. Order small plates to share, or enjoy the attractively priced 10-course chef’s menu. Don’t forget to put on your dancing shoes; midway through supper the music turns up, before the tables are cleared away altogether for guests to dance toward evening’s end.

Seasonality, creativity, and simplicity are at the core of Bak, one of the best places to experience modern Dutch cuisine while enjoying fantastic views of the river IJ. Chef Benny Blisto carefully puts together vegetable-focused tasting menus with sustainable fish and game. The wine list is fun and varied, with a good selection of natural wines and reasonable prices.

Café Restaurant Amsterdam is a convivial brasserie housed in a 19th-century water pump station. The restaurant has remained beloved among locals since opening in 1996. It offers a vast menu, with sandwiches and cakes at lunchtime and seafood (be sure to take a glance into the fruits de mer menu), meat, and pasta at dinner. There’s even a great, well-priced wine list. It’s the kind of family-friendly place that everybody will enjoy.

The Amsterdam craft beer scene is one of the most dynamic in Europe. At the Oedipus Brewery in northern Amsterdam, you can enjoy playfully named IPAs, saisons, unfiltered lagers, and more, all decked out in psychedelic labels. From Thursday through Sunday, local food truck the Beef Chief pops up in the taproom to offer some of the city’s best burgers. And if you’re in Amsterdam East, be sure to check out their second location, Oedipus Badhuis.

Loved by locals and tourists for over three decades, Caffè Toscanini is renowned for its consistently high-quality, seasonal Italian cuisine. Listen carefully to the maitre d’, who will reveal daily specials that you won’t want to miss. If a full meal isn’t in order, head next door to Toscanini Deli for espresso and delicious focaccia sandwiches. They also carry a large selection of Italian products to enjoy at home, such as handmade pastas and fresh sauces.

For years De Klepel has been a go-to for French bistro food and a great, well-priced wine list. The restaurant offers set menus with three or four courses, but the bar also works if you’d rather just pop by for a glass of wine and a snack. The sommeliers are more than happy to help you pick a wine by the glass and, if the urge strikes, find something from the restaurant’s charcuterie and cheese selection to pair with your drink.

Choux is part of a wave of casual restaurants redefining dining in Amsterdam and a true ambassador for modern Dutch cuisine and vegetarian cuisine in the city. Chef Merijn van Berlo’s menu is based on seasonal produce, including vegetables, herbs, and flowers from the urban garden behind the restaurant. While fish and meat appear at Choux, the vegan and vegetarian menus highlight some of the most creative vegetable-forward cooking in Europe, and the excellent wine list includes many interesting finds. No wonder they won an award for vegetable-forward cooking from Gault Millau in 2022.

Proeflokaal Arendsnest is the place to get a taste of the ever-growing Dutch craft beer scene. It’s hard to beat the bar’s selection of 52 Dutch craft beers on tap, plus over 100 beers by the bottle. Don’t be overwhelmed; the enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff will happily guide you through the offerings. If all that drinking piques your appetite, ask for the bar snack menu, which includes excellent Dutch charcuterie and cheese. Also check out the list of ciders, liqueurs, whiskeys, and over 40 jenevers, all of which are made in the Netherlands.

Viên on Tweede Hugo de Grootstraat is run by a Dutch couple with Vietnamese roots who serve all kinds of banh mi, from classic pork to beef, chicken, fried fish, or tofu. The thịt heo nướng is a real treat: The fluffy white bread is covered in spicy marinated and grilled pork, mayonnaise, pickled carrot and daikon, red chile pepper, and coriander. Pair anything with a cup of Vietnamese iced coffee or mango bubble tea.

No trip to Amsterdam is complete without fries, and Wil Graanstra’s legendary patatkraam (fries stall) is one of the city’s finest. The family-run operation has been on the square beside the Westerkerk since 1956. Graanstra fries fresh-cut potatoes to order, to be enjoyed simply with mayonnaise or ketchup. Go early. He usually sells out by mid-afternoon.

Contrary to popular belief, Dutch herring is not raw but rather salt-cured — although the complex curing process does give it a raw finish on the tongue. Haring & Zo is one of the few stalls left in Amsterdam these days where you can taste traditional, first-of-the-season herring, called Hollandse nieuwe, usually available starting in early June. Order one au naturel, or opt for the classic accompaniments of raw chopped onion and pickles.

Fromagerie Abraham Kef supplies many restaurants in Amsterdam with cheese. At the flagship shop, established on Marnixstraat in 1953, you can taste Kef’s excellent raw-milk cheeses and some magnificent aged Dutch cheeses (don’t leave without trying some Remeker). In 2014, the shop opened a second location on the Czaar Peterstraat, followed by a tasting room on the Van der Pekplein in Amsterdam Noord, but it’s worth visiting the original to see where it all started.

This French bakery in the western part of the city bakes divine sourdough bread, irresistible pain au chocolat, and exquisite cannelés. There’s a lot of attention to craft, especially fermentation, and the staff bakes nonstop throughout the day so there’s always something fresh. The bakery features mouthwatering specials on weekends, from chocolate cruffins to savory croissants with cheese and homemade tapenade. Check out the soft serve ice cream in a croissant cone, and look for the bakery’s stand at the Hermitage Markt (in the courtyard of the Hermitage museum on the Amstel, on the other side of the city).

Fou Fow Ramen was founded in 2011 by Chinese-Dutch filmmaker Fow Pyng Hu as a ramen shop on the second floor of the famous Toko Dun Yong market on the Zeedijk. That location has closed, but three full-fledged restaurants followed: Fou Fow Ramen locations on Elandsgracht and Van Woustraat, as well as Fou Fow Udon on Prinsengracht. Try the sophisticated shio ramen with salty chicken broth and sababushi (dried and smoked mackerel), or the tonkotsu ramen, the ultimate hug in a bowl, which delivers deep, fatty flavors.

The burgers at Rotisserie are arguably the best in town, probably because everything is made from scratch. For proof, look no further than the royale with cheese, a double smash burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and burger sauce on a pillowy soft bun.  Especially voracious eaters should try the Fucking Everything, a variety of fried chicken, pulled pork sliders, buffalo hot wings, and chicken tenders. And don’t leave without a side of turbo cheese fries, topped with cheddar, scallions, crunchy chile flakes, and peanuts. There is also a second location in the eastern part of the city.

The Amsterdam pizza scene is growing fast, and nNea leads the way in the modern Neapolitan style. No wonder the restaurant was the first Dutch place on the 50 Top Pizza Europe (the list of best European pizzerias outside of Italy). The restaurant adamantly opposes the notion of pizza as fast food, committing to a time-consuming process (that could last up to five days) of fermenting, resting, and proofing their dough. Chef Vincenzo Onnembo bakes the light, chewy dough in a bright yellow Pasquale Fazzone pizza oven and tops the pies with primo seasonal ingredients. The restaurant only serves dinner, and reservations are essential.

The Singh brothers have been serving amazing Surinamese food at De Hapjeshoek (the Snack Corner) inside metro station Waterlooplein for over 27 years. While you can enjoy flavorful dishes like pom, roti, and bara at the cafe, it’s nice to grab takeaway and head for a bench outside looking out towards the Amstel river. Try the moksi meti, a steal at just 7.50 euros for a full meal of fried rice, noodles, or white rice topped with roasted chicken in kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), long beans, and other veggies.

This Amsterdam brewery has a unique canal-side location, right next to an old windmill, making the outdoor terrace a popular hangout on sunny days. A handful of the brewery’s own beers are available on tap, including the classics Zatte and Natte, usually alongside a special seasonal brew. A small selection of bar snacks is on offer, like traditional Dutch ossenworst, a smoked beef sausage supplied by Amsterdam butcher De Wit.

This all-day brunch restaurant, located in a secluded courtyard, is the perfect place to break away from the hustle and bustle of the city, especially to sit on the outdoor terrace in the summer. Order the benedict-like Benny Boy with poached eggs, bacon, and hollandaise on their signature crispy potato hash, or go for the chickpea fritters with whipped ricotta, preserved lemon relish, poached egg, fresh avocado, and homemade lemon thyme za’atar. Pair anything with the excellent spicy bloody mary. Dignita also has two other locations near Vondelpark and Westerpark, two of the city’s best parks.

Spectrum (formerly Librije’s Zusje) is an outstanding two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Chef Sidney Schutte produces exceptional food with imaginative, often highly unusual flavor combinations, like Dutch lobster with duck tongue and duck liver, licorice, green apple, and pistou. The attention to detail both on the plate and in the dining room is exquisite. A meal here is absolutely worth the splurge.

This charming Syrian deli on Amsterdam East’s busy Javastraat street, serves the best homemade mezes. Let the friendly staff members fill up containers with baba ghanoush, hummus, or moutabal (smoked aubergine, tahini, garlic, and yogurt dip), or treat yourself to a takeaway lunch of Syrian bread with lamb shawarma or halloumi. Tigris also serves Amsterdam’s finest falafel, paired with crisp cucumber, tomato, mint leaves, iceberg lettuce, and pickled kohlrabi on superb flat bread.

There are also a dizzying array of excellent choices on the menu at Taste of Culture, from elegant dim sum to pungent mapo tofu, but everyone comes for one thing: the finest Peking duck in town, with tender meat and incredibly crispy skin. One of Amsterdam’s best Chinese places, the restaurant offers duck by the half or whole, served with rice and various sauces, or sliced and served with paper-thin pancakes.

In central Amsterdam, you’ll find Bouchon du Centre, a Lyonnaise bistro that’s traditional right down to the classic red-and-white tablecloths. Hanneke Schouten has owned and run the restaurant for 23 years, serving bouchon staples such as boudin noir aux pommes (blood sausage with apples), quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings), and oeufs en meurette (poached eggs in red wine sauce). Take note of the charcuterie selection, which comes directly from Lyon. Reservations are recommended, and do keep an eye on the opening hours; the place is currently only open for lunch from Wednesday to Saturday.

Michelin-starred Rijks brings a fresh approach to museum dining in the Rijksmuseum of Dutch art and history. On the menu, designed by chef Joris Bijdendijk and his team, you will find inventive small plates, often with creative uses of Dutch heritage ingredients. Order a la carte or treat yourself to a five- or six-course menu with wine or non-alcoholic pairings. Don’t miss the signature poultry dish, which includes various culinary preparations of Chaams hoen, a type of Dutch fowl kept by the artisan poulterer Geert van der Kaa. Rijks also regularly hosts chef collaboration dinners with household names from the international dining scene.

Clos has the charm of a small Mediterranean wine bar but with a tad more space. The delectable menu (with an incredible price-to-quality ratio) includes unexpected combinations and wine from all around the world. The flexible spot is great with a group of friends for a casual drink and some homemade cheese croquettes, a celebration with oysters and Champagne at the bar, or a multiple-course fine dining feast with wine pairings.

This tiny Turkish kebab shop is a favorite of chefs and locals, prized for its fully loaded veal, chicken, and mixed doner sandwiches served in house-baked pita. The shop also offers kapsalon (literally “hairdresser”), a delicious Dutch creation of fries piled high with layers of kebab and cheese, then finished under the grill and topped with lettuce, garlic, and spicy sambal sauce. Only ambitious eaters should attempt to consume it all.

Opened in 2001, this acclaimed restaurant is known for its farm-to-table cuisine and its unique location in a vintage greenhouse that dates back to 1926. Items feature produce from the restaurant’s own vegetable gardens and greenhouse, but they also include plenty of meat and fish. A five-course dinner costs 63 euros, a bit pricier than most meals in town, while a three-course lunch menu will run you 41.50. The meals can also be made fully vegetarian or vegan.

Since 2012 Rijsel has been recognized as one of the pioneers of the Amsterdam bistronomy movement. Iwan Driessen helms the kitchen, putting out a menu of French and Flemish classics such as rotisserie chicken, Breton fish soup, huzarensalade (olivier salad), and rich côte de boeuf. Rijsel’s wine list is an absolute joy, with a wonderful selection of Burgundy and Bordeaux wines. Order individual items from the menu or the three-course meal for the complete experience.