Eating herring is a Dutch tradition. The best and freshest variety is at the haringkar (herring stand) on Utrechtsestraat and on the Herengracht canal. Other options include Haringstal Ab Kromhout on Raadhuisstraat, or Kras Haring on Wittenburgergracht.
Utrechtsestraat
Amsterdam, 1017 VH
+31-20-670-50570
Herengracht 560
+31-20-423-0098
You'll find a deeply satisfying meal at the design-savvy Conservatorium. There's Japanese wagyu, sushi, and dim sum. If sake calls to you, don't miss the journey from a collection of rare and unusual breeds. End the meal with a matcha digestif, please.
Van Baerlestraat 27
Amsterdam, 1071 NL
+31-20-570-0000
A casual place to grab a quick meal or shop the well-stocked pantries: organic jams, Belvoir fruit farms drinks, macarons. With six locations around town, it's a great spot to refuel on your cross-city bicycle jaunts.
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 52
Amsterdam, 1017 DG
+31-20-226-3240
One of the oldest and best Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table) in town. A Dutch menu from the old colonial days, various Indonesian dishes are brought to the table all at once: chicken satay, meats in sauces, vegetables prepared many ways, baked banana, rice, grilled nuts, fried onions, etc. It's a beautiful mix of spices. Reservations might be tricky to score; you can also try your luck at the equally loved Blauw or Blue Pepper.
P. C. Hooftstraat 27
Amsterdam, 1071 BL
+31-20-662-8146
A restaurant that feels elegant and sophisticated — and blissfully lacking in pretense. From chef Ron Blauuw (already bestowed with two Michelin stars), there's plenty of shareables including a spread of tapas-style dishes like salmon sashimi with green herbs and wild rice, soft shell crab and udon noodles, or barbecue spare ribs with homemade sambal. Obviously, in stellar weather conditions, you're going to want to fan out on the patio.
Kerkstraat 23
Amsterdam, 1017 GA
+31-20-223-5352
Fresh seafood and G+Ts are two things the Dutch do very well. No surprises, then, that this mussels-and-gin joint in the industrial Westerpark neighborhood is a constant crowd-pleaser. Share generous skillets of mollusks and creative cocktails (go for the Tanqueray with watermelon and jalapeño).
Gosschalklaan 12
Amsterdam, 1014 DC
+31-20-486-5869
The garden terrace in the former 18th-century coach house is an apt setting for the seasonal fare from chef Geert Burema. Come for an educational dinner with the Slow Food Chefs Alliance four-course menu, or take a lazy afternoon for lunch and tea time pastries.
Middenweg 72
Amsterdam, 1097 BS
+31-20-423-3930
For a cheery lunch just off the Herengracht Canal, choose from the jazzy cafe-all-day style menu: grilled octopus, Nordic cod, a simple lemon-meets-olives-meets-garlic roasted chicken. There's also a friendly, good-looking waitstaff (pointing out the obvious). Post-meal, wander a few blocks to the Nines Streets and hit all the chic, high-rent shops.
Herengracht 255
Amsterdam, 1016 BJ
+31-20-888-5500
For some of the best food in Amsterdam, pop by this one-time old apothecary (where old bell jars still rest) — which is now part of the Pulitzer Hotel. The chef, Cassidy Hallman (alum of Bouley and Momofuku) tackles bistro-style fare: diver scallops in their shell, braised meatballs in marinara sauce, and an unfussy devil of a hamburger topped with Reypenaer and bacon — completing your Pulp Fiction "royal with cheese" experience.
Reestraat 8
Amsterdam, 1016DN
+31-20-523-5282
For a posh Amsterdam experience, slip into the ritzy Waldorf Astoria and head downstairs to the Goldfinch Brasserie looking out onto a private garden. The menu is serious, a place to ponder life over a three-course menu, and is best commenced with a glass of bubbles. They have a "one-hour business lunch" (two courses), which doesn't mean you need to be working to sit down. Close your eyes and yes, you could be in the rarefied air of the Donna Tartt book.
Herengracht 542-556
Amsterdam, 1017 CG
+31-20-718-4643
A newish indoor food hall smack in an old tram depot with about two dozen stalls. Viet View has the tofu bahn mi down, there's veggie sushi from Meneer Temaki, and a popular local treat, the truffle bitterballen's at De BallenBar. Thirsty folks should hit the micro-beer bar or sip a proper gin and tonic (Amsterdam has a strong game) at the G+T Bar.
Bellamyplein 51
Amsterdam, 1053 AT
+31-6-292-65037
The Michelin's Bib Gourmand restaurant has been feeding locals on the Prinsengracht for more than a decade now. Dark chairs and tables fill the industrial space and contrast the colorful, inventive sharing plates coming out of the open kitchen. Stop by sister wine bar Vyne down the block for a digestif.
Prinsengracht 381
Amsterdam, 1016 HL
+31-20-344-6407
The airy bistro takes up the ground floor of a century-old distillery on the waterfront. Choose from three-, four- or seven-course menus where chef Merijn van Berlo and sommelier Figo van Onna show off avant-garde dishes paired with natural wines. It could get very stuffy, but the buzzy atmosphere and friendly staff keep it casual.
De Ruijterkade 128
Amsterdam, 1011 AC
+31-2-0210-3090