An insider guide to Amsterdam

An insider guide to Amsterdam

Purely by coincidence, November saw four jellybeans trot off to Amsterdam over four consecutive weekends. By the time each of our respective trips were over, we had, as you might expect, compiled an (increasingly long) list of recommendations for one another. Full of our favourite foodie hotspots in the Dutch capital, we’ve whittled it down to our top three each. Here are our favourites:

Melis

Le Petit Deli

Tweede Egelantiersdwarsstraat 16 Amsterdam

Le Petit Deli is the perfect slice of Paris in Amsterdam. The coffee is incredibly delicious, but even better are their sandwiches and breakfast items. This café is usually very busy, so we recommend getting there when they open.

The croque mademoiselle a la truffle is a game changer. The bechamel sauce is cooked in black truffle and topped with gruyere cheese, along with a sunny side up egg. This is a flavour explosion that’s not to miss.

The La Tune Melt! comes with a homemade tuna salad, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, caramelised onions, cheddar and avocado. Not only do these ingredients complement each other incredibly well, the sourdough baguet is wonderfully moreish. This breakfast is sure to keep you full for the rest of the day.

Chun Café

Berenstraat 8 1016 GH Amsterdam

Chun Café is arguably one of Amsterdam’s most popular cafes. There is a guaranteed queue at this hot spot, but rest assured it’s well worth the wait. We recommend grabbing a cup of coffee from the café next door while you wait alongside one of Amsterdam’s famous canals.

The menu at Chun Café is limited but for good reason – their brioche toasted sandwiches are famous and rightly so! Their two most popular toasts are the Rib Eye Bulgogi (left) and the Garlic Egg Shrimp (right). The beef sandwich comes with sweet-marinated beef, soft boiled egg, and a mild spicy sauce. Their next most popular toast is the Garlic Egg Shrimp. It comes with a five spice marinated garlic shrimps and a sweet Japanese omelette. Both sandwiches are perfectly curated with ingredients that complement each other unlike any other.

Flagship Wine and Cheese Boat Tour

Departure Anne Frank Huis, Prinsengracht 263-267, 1016 DW Amsterdam

There is no better way to explore and learn about a city than through an (unlimited) wine and cheese boat tour. Flagship Amsterdam have created the ideal way to tour the city’s landmarks and historical monuments through Amsterdam’s world-famous canals on a luxury saloon boat.

Each pair is given a generous plate of smoked and traditional gouda cheese with a pot of Dutch mustard (we know it sounds weird but trust us, they’re delicious together). You can then choose from an array of wines, beers and soft drinks that are unlimited for the hour that you’re on the boat. The hosts tell great stories about the city’s history, cultural stories and more! This is the perfect afternoon activity.

Abi

Maijard Smashburger

Rozengracht 9, 1016 LP Amsterdam

THE ultimate Dutch Smashburger. I love the name of the restaurant – the name “Maijard” is a Dutchification of the chemical reaction “Maillard” obtained when caramelising food, in this case, the burger patties. You know the food’s going to be top-notch when they only offer 2 food items on the menu. With locally sourced ingredients, the burger consists of a double beef patty, secret sauce, iceberg lettuce, pickles and Dutch cheddar. I paired this with their homemade cold brew Jasmine & Orange Blossom Iced Tea – delicious! I was also so tempted to go for the loaded smashed potatoes too, but I had dinner booked just two hours later, so maybe next time.

The Pancake Club

Damstraat 20, 1012 JM Amsterdam

On my fourth and final day in Amsterdam I decided to go for a pancake brunch. You can’t go to Amsterdam without consuming copious amounts of pancakes. It’s a must. A need even. These pancakes were by far my favourite from the trip – fluffy on the inside, slightly crispy bitesize poffertjes with a generous drizzle of rich milk chocolate and sweet strawberries. Accompanied by an oat milk latte, or two, of course.

Rene’s Croissanterie

Damstraat 20, 1012 JM Amsterdam

The best churros I’ve ever eaten, period. They stamp on Winter Wonderland’s. AND they’re open until 3am (!) bang in the middle of the City Centre. The most idyllic midnight snack. I had one portion of these every night of my trip… crispy, crunchy, indulgent goodness.

Clare

d’Vijff Vlieghen

Spuistraat 294-302, 1012 VX Amsterdam

A restaurant where the food only does half the talking. Billed as a unique culinary museum, d’Vijff Vlieghen’s charm comes from its incredible setting across five 17^th century canal houses. With a focus on fresh, local ingredients, it’s an option that may set you back more than some of the others on this list, but a fantastic option for a special occasion.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ

Funenkade 7, 1018 AL Amsterdam

Located next to an iconic Dutch windmill, there’s no better destination to sample some of Amsterdam’s best beers than this brewery housed in a former public bath house. Offering tours as well as tasters, sample the different varieties whilst snacking on some bitterballen – the Dutch answer to the Italian arancini.

Groot Melkhuis

Vondelpark 2, 1071 AA Amsterdam

In an aside from foodie recommendations, I would wholeheartedly suggest getting on a bike at some point of your trip to Amsterdam. Whizz up to Vondelpark and enjoy the city’s greenery. On a cold day, Groot Melkhuis is the place to stop and warm up with a hot chocolate and slice of appeltaart.

Meg

Café de Sluyswacht

Jodenbreestraat 1, 1011 NG Amsterdam

Nothing beats a cosy pub stop-off in between exploring the city by foot. This old-school pub looks like something from Harry Potter, tall and narrow with winding wood-beamed features looking out onto the canal. Well-priced beers and delicious fried cheese sticks – makes it the perfect pick-me-up to recharge for more exploring. 

MR Porter Steakhouse

Spuistraat 175, 1012 VN Amsterdam

Located on the 6th floor of the W Hotel, MR Porter offers fancy cocktails crafted by a top mixologist, premium cut steak, low lighting, a beautiful rooftop setting and a DJ for a relaxed but fun atmosphere with an incredible view over the city.

Hans Egstorf

Spuistraat 274, 1012 VX Amsterdam

Amsterdam is famous for its ‘Stroopwafels’ so of course I had to visit the city’s oldest bakery to try the OG recipe that was created back in 1898. Egstorf bakes hundreds of traditional Stroopwafels by hand every single day, with people queuing out of the door. I can confirm, they’re definitely worth the wait.

So those are our top picks but if you disagree or have more to add please do join the conversation on our socials @jellybeanagency