Eating in Amsterdam

Restaurant de Kas | This is one of the most beautiful food experiences in Amsterdam. The restaurant is inside a greenhouse in Park Frankendael, and the menu follows the seasons. It is perfect if you want a special lunch or dinner, surrounded by green nature but still inside the city.

Café de Ceuvel | A creative and sustainable place in Amsterdam Noord, built around old houseboats and a very alternative local atmosphere. The food is plant-based and the terrace is relaxed.

Thai Bird | For simple, tasty and authentic Thai food, I like Thai Bird on Zeedijk. It is not fancy, but it is full of flavour and very close to the old centre. I especially recommend it if you want something warm, spicy and comforting after walking around the city.

Vlemickx de Sausmeester | For fries, this small place is a classic. Order fries in a paper cone and try a Dutch sauce like oorlog, joppie or simple mayonnaise. It is simple, quick and very Amsterdam!

Drinking in Amsterdam

Brouwerij ‘t IJ | A local brewery next to a windmill. It is a perfect place to try Amsterdam craft beer, especially on the terrace when the weather is nice.

Back To Black Coffee | A small specialty coffee bar with home-roasted coffee and homemade cake. It is a nice quiet stop if you like proper coffee nearby the city center.

Wynand Fockink | A traditional tasting room near Dam Square where you can try Dutch jenever and liqueurs. It feels like stepping into old Amsterdam.

Shopping in Amsterdam

IJ-Hallen | For vintage lovers, IJ-Hallen is one of the best flea markets. It is at NDSM in Amsterdam Noord, so you can combine shopping with street art, industrial views and a ferry ride.

Waterlooplein Market | A classic flea market where you can find vintage clothes, second-hand items, books, records and strange little treasures. And it is just in the city center!

The Nine Streets | For small boutiques, vintage shops, design stores and cosy cafés, walk around the Nine Streets. Saturday could be crowded.

Getting High in Amsterdam

The Bulldog Palace | If you want to see one of the most famous and unusual coffeeshop locations in Amsterdam, go to The Bulldog at Leidseplein. The funny part is that this place used to be a police station, and today it has become one of the most iconic spots in the city. The Bulldog Palace is the Grand Café and bar next door, while The Bulldog Ex-Police Station is the coffeeshop itself. It is not a hidden place, but it is definitely part of Amsterdam’s modern culture and nightlife history!

Museums in Amsterdam

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder | One of the most surprising museums in Amsterdam: a hidden Catholic church inside the attic of a 17th-century canal house. From the outside you would never expect what is hidden inside.

STRAAT | This is my favourite museum in Amsterdam! A huge street art and graffiti museum in a former shipyard at NDSM. It is perfect if you want to see a different, creative and modern side of Amsterdam.

Museum of Canals | If you want to understand why Amsterdam looks the way it does, this is a very good museum. It explains how the canal belt was created and why water shaped the city.

Amsterdam Outdoors

Amsterdamse Bos | A huge forest just outside the city, perfect for biking, walking, picnics, canoeing or simply breathing fresh air. If you like nature, this is one of the best escapes from the city!

Westerpark | Westerpark is not only a park, but also a cultural area with old industrial buildings, cafés, markets, events and music. It is a nice mix of nature, food and local life.

NDSM Wharf | Take the free ferry from behind Central Station to NDSM. It is a former shipyard turned into a creative area with street art, bars, events, studios and a very different atmosphere from the old centre.

Don't Miss This in Amsterdam!

Take the free ferry to Amsterdam Noord | Many visitors stay only in the old centre, but one of the best simple experiences is taking the ferry behind Central Station. Go to NDSM for street art and industrial views, or to Buiksloterweg for A’DAM Lookout and the Eye Film Museum area. It is free, easy and gives you a completely different view of the city.

Visit the Begijnhof quietly | The Begijnhof is a peaceful hidden courtyard in the city centre. Go there respectfully, keep your voice low, and remember that people still live around the courtyard. It is a small place, but it gives you a beautiful quiet moment in the middle of the busy city.

Walk early morning along Brouwersgracht | If you want to feel the magic of the canals without the crowds, walk along Brouwersgracht early in the morning. It is one of my favourite canal areas in Amsterdam, especially when the city is still waking up.