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Amsterdam, Netherlands

Top food to try in Amsterdam

6 dishes to eat in Amsterdam, what is in them, and where they belong.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Stroopwafel

Stroopwafel
Photo: Elke Wetzig ( User:Elya ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Two thin waffles around caramel syrup, best bought hot off the iron at a market rather than packaged.

2. Haring

Haring
Photo: Rob Bogaerts (Anefo) · CC0 · source

Raw, lightly cured herring with onion and pickle, from a street cart. Held by the tail and eaten in one go, traditionally.

3. Bitterballen

Bitterballen
Photo: Amber Broers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Crumbed, deep-fried beef ragout balls with mustard — the default thing to eat with beer.

4. Dutch cheese

Dutch cheese
Photo: Alistair from Montreal, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Gouda and Edam at a range of ages; the aged ones are crystalline and nothing like the export product.

5. Indonesian rijsttafel

Indonesian rijsttafel
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

A colonial-era spread of many small Indonesian dishes served together — a Dutch format for Indonesian cooking.

6. Patat with sauce

Patat with sauce
Photo: MartinD · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Thick-cut fries in a cone, with mayonnaise, satay sauce and onions in the standard 'oorlog' combination.

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