10 Unique Places To Eat In Amsterdam You Have To Try

Don’t know where to eat in Amsterdam? Want something different than going to Heineken for a beer or Albert Cuypmarkt for a stroopwafel. Well then this list of unique restaurants in Amsterdam is for you!

You may not have heard about any of these places to eat in Amsterdam before, by they’re definitely worth checking out. 

I stumbled upon most of these while I was in Amsterdam for three few days, and I think they’re some of the best restaurants in Amsterdam. P.S. I’ll also give you suggestions on what to eat in Amsterdam.

(Psst! This post contains affiliate links. I earn a bit of extra money if you buy anything through my link… at no additional cost for you! )

Need A Place To Stay In Amsterdam?

We stayed at the Cityhub pod hotel in Amsterdam. This experience won’t be for everyone, but we thoroughly enjoyed it for 2 nights – it was quite… unique! See room rates and availability.

If a pod hotel isn’t for you, here are some other recommendations I found:

Best Location: Live like a local at a canal house at Mokum Suites. Each room is designed with you in mind, and you can’t get a better location than this in Amsterdam. Dam Square is only a 15 minute walk away and the nearest tram line is 250 metres, taking you anywhere you need to go! See room rates and availability.

Luxury Hotel: Live in luxury in Amsterdam at Hotel V Nesplein – a boutique hotel where no two rooms are the same. See room rates and availability.

Affordable Boutique Hotel: For a more affordable hotel option, stay closer to Vondelpark in Amsterdam at the De Ware Jacob Boutique Hotel. Every room is different and even offer family rooms to stay in! See room rates and availability.

Find other hotels to stay at in Amsterdam, click here.

Top 10 Unique Restaurants In Amsterdam

1. Start Your Day Off Right At The Smallest Tea House in Amsterdam

This is hands-down one of the MUST places to eat in Amsterdam for everyone! 

The Smallest Tea House in Amsterdam is only about 6 feet wide. My partner could almost touch both walls at the same time! 

You can come here for a traditional Dutch breakfast or for afternoon tea (a reservation required for both). If you like Earl Grey, I can’t recommend trying the Dutch Earl Grey tea enough (now called Amsterdam Earl Grey)! It’s like Earl Grey on steroids filled with twice the amount of bergamot! 

It was my favourite experience while visiting the city, you can’t really get more local than this! 

The owner, Niels, is the highlight of this shop. He’ll tell you the entire history of the building and how he came to own it. He’s one of the nicest people you’ll meet in Amsterdam and he’s so happy to welcome you to The Smallest Tea House in Amsterdam. 

The only downside is that I found there was a lack of communication when making our booking. I made it all online and I never got an answer to some of the questions I had (about vegetarian options and allergies). 

We showed up the day of with several back up plans if it didn’t work out. In the end, he was very accommodating to my dietary needs!

2. Where To Eat Breakfast In Amsterdam: Lanskroon

If you’re looking for a quicker option for breakfast (and your morning tea) you can go to Lanskroon. This fourth generation family run bakery is no stranger to the Amsterdam morning scene. 

You have to try their coffee caramel stroopwafel when you visit.

There isn’t a lot of seating though, so you have to get lucky with a table or you might have to take it to go.

3. Best Coffee In Amsterdam: Back To Black

If you’re searching for the best coffee spot in Amsterdam, look no further! Back to Black, founded by two best friends, is all about sustainable coffee roasting.

They roast their own coffee beans, have two coffee shops in the city, and even a bakery. Also, I LOVE their logo!

I recommend going to the one closer to Vondelpark. It’s a good spot to sit down for a break after walking through the park.

4. Where To Eat In Amsterdam: Melly’s Cookiebar

If you’re looking for good quality desserts and good coffee in the heart of Amsterdam, go to Melly’s Cookiebar! It’s a family run business, but it isn’t Dutch. It’s actually Argentinian, so you’ll find Argentinian delicacies here, like Yerba Mate tea.

But! In 2019 they expanded to bring a new twist to a Dutch classic! Now, Melly’s Stroopwafels are the most picturesque stroopwafel Instagram has ever seen!

5. Best Restaurants In Amsterdam For Sandwiches: Het Stadspaleis

Het Stadspaleis literally translates to the City Palace… although, it’s probably the furthest thing from a palace. It is charming A.F though and is one of the best restaurants in Amsterdam for lunch.

We walked by the restaurant probably about 5 times before realizing it was the place we were looking for. It’s a small hut on the sidewalk, right next to the street.

Het Stadspaleis is an organic sandwich shop serving juices, tea, coffee and pastries. There are only a few seats inside but the terrace is a good option if it isn’t raining.

6. Unique Restaurants In Amsterdam: FEBO

If you’re looking for where to eat in Amsterdam that’s fast and easy head to FEBO. So it’s a bit of a gimmick, but hey, we don’t have this in North America so for us, it was a must-try… at least once!

FEBO is a Dutch fast food chain where you can quickly get fresh food from a vending machine. 

Let me tell you first hand, it isn’t bad at all. It’s SUPER quick for lunch and it’s one of the best croquettes I’ve ever tried… and I was coming from Belgium.

You can’t get faster than that for a fast food restaurant in Amsterdam! Only negative when using the vending machine is that you have to have change for it to work.

7. Dinner With A View In Amsterdam: SkyLounge

One of the best restaurants in Amsterdam for the view is SkyLounge. Right next to the train station, you’ll find the DoubleTree hotel. This isn’t necessarily a top local spot to eat, but it’s worth checking out at least once while you’re visiting Amsterdam. 

The SkyLounge restaurant at the DoubleTree hotel gives you the BEST skyline view of Amsterdam.

You don’t even technically have to order anything if you don’t want to. Head out to their terrace just to admire the view for a bit.

But if you want, get a table and stay for a while as you stare off into the abyss. It was a bit on the pricier side for us, so we kept it to appetizers (which is the highlight for us anyway) and a drink each. I will admit, they make a mean bitterballen and fried cod that I’d go back for any day!

8. Best Local Restaurant in Amsterdam:Hap Hmm

If you’re looking for more of a local dining experience in Amsterdam, go to Hap Hmm – it’s seriously the best restaurant in Amsterdam. This is the polar opposite of the Skylounge, and it’s not meant for tourists AT ALL! It’s just a bit outside the city center, closer to Vondelpark. 

Also heads up, it’s cash only!

We tried both the beef and chicken stew (it seemed that’s what everyone was getting). We were far from disappointed, the meat melted in your mouth. They even sell some local micro brewery beers here if you’re bored of drinking Heineken.

It’s quite a small restaurant as well, so you end up sitting really close to your neighbours. You also might have to wait a while for a table to open up, but luckily we were hungry at 5:00 P.M., so we had no issue getting one right away.

9. Where To Eat In Amsterdam With Options Galore: FoodHallen

We were lucky to stumble upon this Amsterdam food gem close to our hostel (CityHub, which I recommend staying at!).

It’s pretty much a food court, but with quality food options. They have every cuisine imaginable, including Dutch classics (like bitterballen).

It’s a good place to come if you’re travelling with a few people that all want something different to eat as well, or you’re a picky eater like myself! Plus, it has a fun vibe with live music and bustling crowds.

Make sure to find a table before buying any food though, otherwise you might be enjoying your dinner standing up. Once you find a table, you’re golden for the night! Grab a drink, and try all the different foods FoodHallen has to offer!

10. Local Micro Brewery: De Prael Brouwerij

Want to try local beer that isn’t Heineken in Amsterdam? De Prael is a microbrewery that has a few locations in Amsterdam. We went to the one in the red light district. 

You can order a flight to get a taste of all their beers. But whatever you order, make sure to try their beer bread on the side, it’s so fresh and it comes with homemade hummus!

Related Posts

• A Hotel Review: CityHub Amsterdam
• How To Bike From Amsterdam To See Windmills
• How To Spend a Wonderful 3 Days in Amsterdam: Suggested Itinerary
• Tips For Travelling As A Picky Eater

Looking For A Place To Stay In Amsterdam?

I recommend staying at the CityHub Hostel, read my review before booking!

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