Food Scene
Good for brunch, lunch, dinner and, in the evenings, cocktails in the adjoining Henry's Bar. Attracts a young crowd and can get very busy at weekends. Free WiFi.
549 locals recommend
bar Bukowski
10 OosterparkGood for brunch, lunch, dinner and, in the evenings, cocktails in the adjoining Henry's Bar. Attracts a young crowd and can get very busy at weekends. Free WiFi.
Specialist coffees, cakes, sandwiches and free WiFi. Laid-back atmosphere.
164 locals recommend
Coffee Bru
14 BeukenpleinSpecialist coffees, cakes, sandwiches and free WiFi. Laid-back atmosphere.
Friendly, reasonably priced Thai restaurant. Eat in or take away.
82 locals recommend
Thaicoon Amsterdam
10 BeukenpleinFriendly, reasonably priced Thai restaurant. Eat in or take away.
Laid-back bar and restaurant known for its local beers and roast chicken.
523 locals recommend
de Biertuin
29 LinnaeusstraatLaid-back bar and restaurant known for its local beers and roast chicken.
'Brown cafe' that attracts a young crowd to its large portions of reasonably priced food, beer and sunny terrace. Free WiFi.
115 locals recommend
Café Kuijper
79 Linnaeusstraat'Brown cafe' that attracts a young crowd to its large portions of reasonably priced food, beer and sunny terrace. Free WiFi.
Restaurant, cafe and bar on the banks of the River Amstel, with one of the nicest terraces in Amsterdam.
399 locals recommend
Café Restaurant De Ysbreeker
23 WeesperzijdeRestaurant, cafe and bar on the banks of the River Amstel, with one of the nicest terraces in Amsterdam.
Excellent restaurant in a former school building - with lovely details kept intact. Great wines and classic Belgian/French dishes including rotisserie chicken and tarte Tatin. Reasonable prices, reservations essential.
216 locals recommend
Rijsel
52 MarcusstraatExcellent restaurant in a former school building - with lovely details kept intact. Great wines and classic Belgian/French dishes including rotisserie chicken and tarte Tatin. Reasonable prices, reservations essential.
Great little specialist coffee shop off the main drag. Try the 'koffie verkeerd' - the Dutch version of a caffe latte - and carrot cake.
96 locals recommend
Rum Baba Bakery and Roastery
15 PretoriusstraatGreat little specialist coffee shop off the main drag. Try the 'koffie verkeerd' - the Dutch version of a caffe latte - and carrot cake.
Tapas bar with large terrace. The quality of the food and service is not always consistent but it's a fun spot to spend an evening and it's off the beaten track.
62 locals recommend
Michel-Inn
12 Steve BikopleinTapas bar with large terrace. The quality of the food and service is not always consistent but it's a fun spot to spend an evening and it's off the beaten track.
Stunning restaurant in a converted greenhouse set in the Frankendael Park. Many of the ingredients are grown on site.
267 locals recommend
De Kast
3 Kamerlingh OnneslaanStunning restaurant in a converted greenhouse set in the Frankendael Park. Many of the ingredients are grown on site.
Don't let the basic interior put you off. This is one of the best and cheapest Surinamese restaurants in Amsterdam. The cuisine is a complex mix of Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and indigenous flavours.
38 locals recommend
Lalla Rookh
290 WijttenbachstraatDon't let the basic interior put you off. This is one of the best and cheapest Surinamese restaurants in Amsterdam. The cuisine is a complex mix of Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and indigenous flavours.
Small plates that are prepared at different temperatures, from 20 to 200 degrees C. You can also choose where to sit based on your mood, from silky round sofas to high stools at the bar. Also open for lunch and drinks, including signature cocktails.
82 locals recommend
BAUT Oost
125 WibautstraatSmall plates that are prepared at different temperatures, from 20 to 200 degrees C. You can also choose where to sit based on your mood, from silky round sofas to high stools at the bar. Also open for lunch and drinks, including signature cocktails.
On the groundfloor of The Student Hotel, this large restaurant, cafe and bar is affordable and surprisingly good quality. Many of the dishes are to share and are suitable for different dietary requirements (vegetarian, low carb etc.).
21 locals recommend
The Commons Restaurant Amsterdam City
131 WibautstraatOn the groundfloor of The Student Hotel, this large restaurant, cafe and bar is affordable and surprisingly good quality. Many of the dishes are to share and are suitable for different dietary requirements (vegetarian, low carb etc.).
The third branch of this Australian brunch, lunch and dinner favourite. Great coffee and cakes too.
35 locals recommend
Drovers Dog
206 WibautstraatThe third branch of this Australian brunch, lunch and dinner favourite. Great coffee and cakes too.
This is one for a special occasion. Located on one of the only parts of a naval training base accessible to the public, and reached by a footbridge, De Scheepskameel is in a beautifully converted building with stunning views over the water towards Central Station. The majority of the ingredients used are local and the wine list only carries German wines, many of which are otherwise unavailable Amsterdam. Reservations are essential, sometimes several weeks in advance. If you can't get a table, try Rijsel - listed below - which is from the same owners.
74 locals recommend
Scheepskameel
5 KattenburgerstraatThis is one for a special occasion. Located on one of the only parts of a naval training base accessible to the public, and reached by a footbridge, De Scheepskameel is in a beautifully converted building with stunning views over the water towards Central Station. The majority of the ingredients used are local and the wine list only carries German wines, many of which are otherwise unavailable Amsterdam. Reservations are essential, sometimes several weeks in advance. If you can't get a table, try Rijsel - listed below - which is from the same owners.
A former farm from 1702, this rambling, wood-beamed building has been carefully restored and is now a bar, restaurant and beer garden. The walk from my apartment to the restaurant along the Ringdijk canal is lovely too. Open for lunch and dinner, the emphasis is on local ingredients and mainly Dutch/Mediterranean dishes. Reasonable prices and a good atmosphere; reservations for dinner essential.
118 locals recommend
Vergulden Eenhoorn
58 RingdijkA former farm from 1702, this rambling, wood-beamed building has been carefully restored and is now a bar, restaurant and beer garden. The walk from my apartment to the restaurant along the Ringdijk canal is lovely too. Open for lunch and dinner, the emphasis is on local ingredients and mainly Dutch/Mediterranean dishes. Reasonable prices and a good atmosphere; reservations for dinner essential.
The best brunch place in Amsterdam. Food is served all day and there's a great backstory too. Dignita is part of the Not For Sale social enterprise model that provides certified training programmes and support to vulnerable people, helping them to reintegrate into the workplace and society.
There is a second branch in Amsterdam West, but this location has a fantastic secret garden set back from the canal.
85 locals recommend
Dignita Hoftuin
18a Nieuwe HerengrachtThe best brunch place in Amsterdam. Food is served all day and there's a great backstory too. Dignita is part of the Not For Sale social enterprise model that provides certified training programmes and support to vulnerable people, helping them to reintegrate into the workplace and society.
There is a second branch in Amsterdam West, but this location has a fantastic secret garden set back from the canal.
Authentic and affordable Indonesian food in a cosy Dutch 'brown pub' setting. Near Artis Zoo and the Maritime Museum.
56 locals recommend
Café Kadijk
KadijkspleinAuthentic and affordable Indonesian food in a cosy Dutch 'brown pub' setting. Near Artis Zoo and the Maritime Museum.
Everything Else
Good place to stock up on quality picnic supplies such as bread, Dutch cheese, olives, meats and wines.
46 locals recommend
Erik's Delicatessen
16 BeukenpleinGood place to stock up on quality picnic supplies such as bread, Dutch cheese, olives, meats and wines.
Drinks & Nightlife
Trendy Indonesian-styled interior and a menu inspired by the cultures and ingredients of Javastraat. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails.
251 locals recommend
Walter's - The Walter Woodbury Bar
42 JavastraatTrendy Indonesian-styled interior and a menu inspired by the cultures and ingredients of Javastraat. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails.
Caribbean snacks and seventy different kinds of rum, mostly in the form of cocktails. Recommended is Pablo’s Old Fashioned, a mix of several rums, chocolate bitters, parmesan syrup and a pinch of cacao. Closed on Mondays.
46 locals recommend
Rum Barrel
143 JavastraatCaribbean snacks and seventy different kinds of rum, mostly in the form of cocktails. Recommended is Pablo’s Old Fashioned, a mix of several rums, chocolate bitters, parmesan syrup and a pinch of cacao. Closed on Mondays.
Part of a new retail development, Blend has a large bar area and a terrace overlooking the Ringvaart canal. The prices aren't cheap but the quality is generally high. There's the added quirk that all the food, with the exception of the cheese and meat boards, is served in preserving jars. You can also walk quite some way along the canal in both directions.
13 locals recommend
Blend Coffee & Wine
40 Oranje-VrijstaatpleinPart of a new retail development, Blend has a large bar area and a terrace overlooking the Ringvaart canal. The prices aren't cheap but the quality is generally high. There's the added quirk that all the food, with the exception of the cheese and meat boards, is served in preserving jars. You can also walk quite some way along the canal in both directions.
Shopping
Daily (Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00) market selling cheap fruit, veg, cheese and bread, as well as several non-food items. Check out the restaurants behind the market stalls too, such as Boi Boi Thai restaurant and takeaway and Visbar Beet.
673 locals recommend
Dappermarkt
383 Eerste Van SwindenstraatDaily (Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00) market selling cheap fruit, veg, cheese and bread, as well as several non-food items. Check out the restaurants behind the market stalls too, such as Boi Boi Thai restaurant and takeaway and Visbar Beet.
Iconic Dutch chain that sells everything from makeup and stationary to cheap wine and smoked sausages. Open seven days a week.
157 locals recommend
Hema
313 KinkerstraatIconic Dutch chain that sells everything from makeup and stationary to cheap wine and smoked sausages. Open seven days a week.
Parks & Nature
Just three streets from the apartment, Oosterpark is good for jogging, sunbathing and picnicking. It occasionally hosts festivals and events. Can get crowded in the summer.
839 locals recommend
Oosterpark
OosterparkJust three streets from the apartment, Oosterpark is good for jogging, sunbathing and picnicking. It occasionally hosts festivals and events. Can get crowded in the summer.
A little further from the apartment (10-15 mins walk), but much less well known than Oosterpark, is the small Frankendael Park. At one corner of it is De Kas restaurant. The Pure food market is also held here on the last Sunday of each month. See http://www.puremarkt.nl/locaties_puremarkt.html.
154 locals recommend
Park Frankendael
A little further from the apartment (10-15 mins walk), but much less well known than Oosterpark, is the small Frankendael Park. At one corner of it is De Kas restaurant. The Pure food market is also held here on the last Sunday of each month. See http://www.puremarkt.nl/locaties_puremarkt.html.
Arts & Culture
Arthouse cinema and international cafe. Also has concerts and club nights.
383 locals recommend
Studio/K
62 TimorpleinArthouse cinema and international cafe. Also has concerts and club nights.