There are more burger joints in Amsterdam than one has the time to explore…and this new grill at the end of the Ceinturrbaan is worth a visit. The specialty is…the burger (Go for the mister, not for the lady) and it is delicious, there are nice entrees of pulled pork, fries are well cooked and there is a nice selection of craft beers. The service is really nice and friendly. Probably the best burger in Amsterdam!
Ceintuurbaan 256 – Amsterdam
Another oyster-bar-meets -restaurant in the beating heart of De Pijp, the food is really good (oysters are delicious, the lobster burger is also finger-licking good), the wine is good, the value-for-money is definitely not as good, and the service is simply atrocious (I will spare the details of the distracted, inattentive, sloppy waiter). Net in net, great we visited, but we will not be back.
Gerard Douplein 8 – Amsterdam
If you feel adventurous and you head up North, if you crave fresh fish in a great and spacious environment, if you want to have a nice view in summer, Stork is your place. Fresh fish and seafood are the main attraction of this simple and honest place, with a small wine menu and a huge fish choice, with cold and warm fruits de mer, oysters, catch of the day, mussels and anything which can swim and be eaten.
Gedempthamerkanal 201 – Amsterdam Noord
Another restaurant within the W Hotel complex, The Duchess is hosted in an old bank building and keeps the interior of the caveau for a precious dinner. The promise is ‘eclectic classics with a fresh twist’ and to be fair, it is indeed eclectic classics, with a good hommage to tradition.I personally love the small donuts filled with foie gras as entree, the duck breast and the Beef Wellington as main (yummy). The ambience is very well curated, with candle-lit tables, yet the overall feeling is not pretentious, and the service is friendly and good without being excessively formal or stiff.
Spuistraat 172 – Amsterdam
Already crowned with one (or maybe two?!?) Michelin stars, this is THE place. An intimate set up with white table cloth, a super refined menu with very attentive service. The menu is fixed so flag your idiosyncrasies in advance, but go full steam for it and combine it with the wine pairing. Not for everyday but definitely very very special.
Frans Halsstraat 26 – Amsterdam
The name of this place is Rijsel Rotisserie and is hidden somewhere in the area of the Amstel station. The name is how you’d call in Flemish the city of Lille in France, and it is indeed the case: a joyous combination of French cuisine with – I’d say – a strong Flemish inflection. If you do not know it, you would not find it, as the entrance, in an old building which resembles a school, or a hospital, is inconspicuous. It is like a well-kept secret. Then you enter a large dining hall which has something parochial about it, a familiar feeling which is reinforced by the hearty fare – you have chicken, venison, beef tartare…you name it. the wine list is also super good. The atmosphere is convivial, mostly a Dutch clientele. Really worth it.
Marcusstraat 52b – Amsterdam
Another, delicious brainchild of our very favourite chef . The promise of Oriental cuisine with an international twist is well kept. We start with Dimsum and we continue with some delicious Thai-inspired beef. The set-up and ambiance could be better (it feels quite bleak), but the service is good, the clientele mostly Dutch and slightly noisy but overall it is ok.
Kerkstraat 23 – Amsterdam
http://www.rongastrobaroriental.nl
Not to be confused with the eponymous online fashion retailer, this restaurant belongs to the new concept of the W hotel in Amsterdam, an architectural prodigy with a stunning terrace and a unique view on Amsterdam. The specialty of the place is meat, as the name suggests. You enter the restaurant while cuts of meat are watching you from a refrigerated cell which has glass doors. We wait for our table a lot, and then when offered the menu, we choose Mrs Porter (the female, lighter version) and Rib-Eye. The meat is good but over-priced vs what is on offer and the service is awful. We dine and then we head towards the lounge-bar, very pretentious to be Amsterdam.
Spuistraat 175 – Amsterdam
In a beautiful location facing the Ij, this Michelin-starred restaurant offers a great 5-(or more) course menu for a great price and it is perfect if you have great company and are ready to keep a good and consistent pace through your ever-surprising meal.
Going for the menu is worth it – again if you have time and capacity – and an authentic culinary experience which is rare in Amsterdam!
Ijdok 185 – Amsterdam
On the otherwise not extremely charming and very business-oriented Europaplein, find this great meat restaurant: situated in a luminous post-industrial set-up, expect to find delicious steak here. Whatever the cut you choose, the choice is very good, the garniture is kept simple and the cooking level perfect. There is also a decent set of cocktails.
Europaplein 2 – Amsterdam
yumsterdam 