Amsterdam Food
You will never be short of places to eat and drink in Amsterdam as there are over 1,000 cafes and restaurants to suit all budgets.
Mealtimes are generally early although the Dutch tend to have round the clock eating habits and visitors are advised to make reservations between 6pm and 8pm as restaurants stop serving food at around 10pm.
Start your day with a wholesome Dutch breakfast, which traditionally consists of fresh bread with butter, jam, ham, cheese or chocolate sprinkles, named hagelslag. The Dutch are also fans of ontbiitkoek or breakfast cake, which contains cloves and ground ginger.
Midmorning, enjoy a trip to the coffee shops of Amsterdam. However, make sure to distinguish between the kind selling hot drinks and those selling marijuana. The Dutch have taken to calling those in which you can buy a hot beverage 'tea rooms' to avoid confusion.
Nevertheless, if it is drugs that you are after, coffee shops in Amsterdam are able to sell 5g and possession of around 30g is considered acceptable. Although smoking cannabis is legal in the Netherlands, advertising it is not. To see a list of marijuana available ask for a menu, which is kept behind the till in most cafes. Space cakes also feature highly on menus but be warned as their strength varies.
Snacks can be picked up throughout the day around the city but they are not necessarily the most healthy option. Visitors can sample delicious pastries, gebak, or pofferties, which are mini pancakes with butter and sugar. For a savoury treat, thick potato chips covered in mayonnaise that are sold in cones on the street are a Dutch speciality not to be missed.
For a more substantial evening meal, Amsterdam offers a range of culinary delights and cuisine from around the world. The majority of traditional Dutch food is high in protein and extremely hearty including a lot of steak, chicken, fish, stews and soups. Be warned that vegetables are traditionally served separately from meat in Holland so if you want them as an accompaniment it is best to ask. There are a also a number of excellent Chinese, Thai and Spanish restaurants.
Bars and pubs are always brimming with customers on every night of the week in Amsterdam. The Dutch are famed for their love of beer and Amsterdam offers a wide variety, from the traditional Amstel, Grolsh and Heineken to more bizarre varieties. Beer is not usually sold in pint glasses - unless you visit the many Irish pubs in the city - but in small glasses called a colaatje pils and kabouter pils (dwarf beer and little lamp). Beers are usually poured with a modest head on, which is supposed to be around two fingers thick. Other popular drinks include Jenever, a weaker and oilier form of gin made from molasses, and Dutch liquors such as advocaat.
Whatever your taste in food and drink and whatever budget you are on, Amsterdam has everything. From cosy cafes to slick restaurants in the heart of the city, dining in this Dutch city is a pleasure.
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Eating and Drinking
