The Local’s Take on Dutch Foods to Try in Amsterdam
Every guidebook gives you the same list of Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, and most are written by people who never lived here. As someone who teaches the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam for a living and eats around De Pijp daily, I have strong opinions about what belongs on the plate. This is the honest local version: ten Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, ranked by how Dutch they really are, where to taste them, and which ones to skip.
How I Decide What Counts as Dutch
Three rules. First, it has to be Dutch, not Belgian or Indonesian or pan-European. Second, locals have to eat it weekly, not just at festivals. Third, it has to be available in central Amsterdam without booking three weeks ahead. A lot of the Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam fail one of these tests, which is why the list is shorter than the ones you see online.
The clearest yes on all three counts is the stroopwafel, which is why the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam exists at all. You roll your own dough, press the waffle, and pour your own caramel, then eat the result while it is still warm. The session lasts 45 minutes, prices start at €23.74, and groups of 8 to 60 or more all fit comfortably. That makes the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam the easiest yes for couples, families, and corporate teams who want to actually do something with the food, not just look at it.
1. Stroopwafels, Fresh and Warm
The stroopwafel is the king of Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, non-negotiable, and choosing where to eat stroopwafels in Amsterdam makes or breaks the experience. Born in Gouda in the late 1700s, it is eaten across the Netherlands at every breakfast table. The supermarket version is fine, but a fresh one is a different cookie: still soft, caramel molten, cinnamon warm. Buy one from a stall at the Albert Cuyp Market or, better, make your own at the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam on Albert Cuypstraat 194. Want the history? Read the stroopwafels in Amsterdam guide on our sister site for the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam back-story.
2. Bitterballen with Mustard
If stroopwafels are dessert, bitterballen are how Amsterdam drinks. They sit right at the top of our local list of traditional Dutch snacks every tourist should try. They are crispy fried beef-ragout balls, marble-sized, served with grainy Dutch mustard. You eat them with a toothpick at a brown bar, ideally with a pilsner in your other hand. Of the savoury Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, this is the one locals order most. Try them at Café Hoppe on the Spui or any neighbourhood pub. Skip the frozen supermarket versions.
3. Raw Herring, Properly
This is the test that separates tourists from locals. New season Hollandse Nieuwe herring is salted only lightly, served raw with chopped onion and pickles, and eaten by tilting your head back and lowering the whole fillet into your mouth. It tastes like the sea with a touch of cream. The stand outside Stubbe’s at Singel 414 is the classic spot. Of all the Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, this is the one that wins you the most respect from older locals. June and July are peak season, so right now is the moment.
4. Poffertjes, Tiny Puffy Pancakes
Poffertjes are small, soft, slightly sweet pancakes the size of a euro coin, served by the dozen on a paper plate with a snowdrift of icing sugar and a knob of butter. You will find them at canal-side stalls in winter and at every market in summer. Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs on Grimburgwal is the storybook spot, but any market stall with a hot iron griddle does the job. Pair this stop with our best things to do in Amsterdam local guide for a sweet-and-walk afternoon.
5. Aged Gouda, the Good Kind
Forget the wax-coated yellow blocks aimed at tourists. The real Dutch cheese experience in Amsterdam is old Gouda, oude or extra belegen, aged 18 to 36 months. It is crystalline, almost butterscotch, with a sharpness that knocks the back of your throat. Buy by the wedge at the Albert Cuyp Market or at Kaaskamer on the Runstraat. Tasting Gouda is one of the Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam that pairs naturally with a Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam visit, since both sit a short walk apart in De Pijp alongside the rest of the best hands-on activities in Amsterdam. See our Dutch souvenirs from Amsterdam guide and our Amsterdam cooking classes for tourists shortlist for booked tasting sessions.
6. Patat with Sauce, the Right Way
Twice fried, thick-cut, crispy outside and fluffy inside, eaten standing on the street from a paper cone. The right sauce is fritessaus, a tangy mayo-mustard hybrid, or the Amsterdam classic of mayonnaise and peanut satay sauce together. Ask for “patatje oorlog” to look like you know what you are doing. Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx on Voetboogstraat is the gold standard, and a portion sits perfectly in the gap between a Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam session and dinner.
7. Haagse Hopjes and Other Old Sweets
Beyond stroopwafels, the Netherlands has small hard candies and liquorice. Haagse hopjes (coffee and cream caramels) and zoute drop (salted liquorice) lock in the Dutch identity. Drop is divisive, almost ammoniac on the first chew, but locals love it. The Hema candy counter is the easiest place to sample without buying a kilo bag.
8. Erwtensoep, Winter Pea Soup
Thick enough to stand a spoon in. Yellow split peas, smoked sausage, celeriac, leeks, and bacon, served with rye bread and butter. This is a winter dish, but a handful of brown bars keep it on the menu year round. Moeders, Greetje, and any traditional Dutch restaurant in the Jordaan will do a proper bowl. It is the most filling of the savoury Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, and you will need a nap afterwards.
9. Indonesian Rijsttafel, the Honorary Dutch Dish
Yes, it is Indonesian in origin, but the rijsttafel (“rice table”) was invented for Dutch colonial dining and belongs to Dutch food culture now. Twenty small dishes around a central bowl of rice: beef rendang, sweet soy chicken, pickled cucumber, peanut sauces. Sampurna near Rembrandtplein and Tujuh Maret near Utrechtsestraat are local favourites. Plan it for the start of a long evening.
10. Apple Pie, Dutch Style
Dutch apple pie is taller, denser, and less sweet than the American version, with cinnamon, raisins, and a lattice top. Winkel 43 on the Noordermarkt is famous for a reason. A slice with whipped cream after a morning at the Anne Frank House is one of those quiet Amsterdam rituals. It pairs with strong Dutch coffee.
How These Dutch Foods to Try in Amsterdam Fit a Real Day
You cannot eat all ten of these in 24 hours, even with the best intentions. Pick three and link them with neighbourhoods. A morning Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam in De Pijp (45 minutes, from €23.74, groups 8 to 60 or more) sits naturally with herring at Stubbe’s after lunch, then bitterballen in a brown bar near Spui in the early evening. Add poffertjes from a market stall if you have room for sugar. The Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam works as the anchor because it is hands-on, weatherproof, and finishes with food you take home.
If you are travelling as a group and want a workshop that complements the food crawl, the Tile Painting Workshop in the same neighbourhood is a great non-edible second act. For a craft pairing with stroopwafels, The Stroopwafel Workshop in central Amsterdam handles larger groups and team events. Both sit easily inside a half day, leaving room for food in between.
Where to Skip and Where to Splurge
Skip the Disneyfied “Dutch pancake boats”, the airport stroopwafel tins (they are dry by the time they reach the gate), and any “cheese tour” that charges €30 for three sample squares. Splurge on the things that need real hands: a fresh-baked stroopwafel at the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam, a proper rijsttafel for two or more, and a bowl of erwtensoep when the canals freeze. The Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam stays the best value because you leave with a story, a certificate, and a box of cookies for the train home.
For a longer food trail, our Dutch food experience Amsterdam guide maps a full eating itinerary. Pair it with the team-building Amsterdam activities page if you are visiting as a group and want the cooking time built into the agenda.
FAQ: Dutch Foods to Try in Amsterdam
Which Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam are best for first-time visitors?
Start with a fresh stroopwafel, then bitterballen at a brown bar, then herring at a street stand. Those three together cover sweet, savoury, and the seafood courage test. A booking at the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam wraps the sweet category into a 45-minute experience, which is the easiest entry point for anyone nervous about the rest.
Are there any Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam that are vegetarian friendly?
Plenty. Stroopwafels, poffertjes, patat with fritessaus, aged Gouda, Dutch apple pie, and most market sweets are meat-free. Vegetarian bitterballen exist now in many bars, often made with mushroom ragout. The Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam is vegetarian by default. Erwtensoep traditionally has smoked sausage, so ask before ordering.
How much should I budget per day for food in Amsterdam?
For street and market eating, €25 to €40 per person covers three good food stops and a coffee. Add a sit-down dinner and you are at €60 to €90. A Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam slot at €23.74 fits inside the snack budget rather than a dinner one, which is one reason it is the most-booked food activity for groups on a budget.
Where do locals actually eat these Dutch foods in Amsterdam?
De Pijp for street food and markets, the Jordaan for brown bars and erwtensoep, Centrum for herring stands and patat, and east Amsterdam (Oost) for the newer rijsttafel spots. Our roundup of the best Amsterdam food tours walks you through each of these zones in detail. The Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam sits at Albert Cuypstraat 194 in De Pijp, which puts you within walking distance of most of these neighbourhoods.
Book Your Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam
The fastest way to taste, learn, and take home Dutch food culture in one visit is to book the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam. Forty-five minutes, from €23.74, groups 8 to 60 or more, Albert Cuypstraat 194 in De Pijp. Whether you are a couple on a city break, a family with kids, or a corporate team looking for something hands-on and a little bit sweet, the Stroopwafel Workshop Amsterdam is the easiest yes on the list of Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam.
