Hello there!! So if you are here, it means you haven’t had enough from Amsterdam yet!
And well what can I say?
You are right to be here because you can never get enough from this City!
Now Enough talking…You remember when I promised about food and Useful tips in my Page?
Well here is when I keep my promise! Along with the additional exceptional experiences that you can witness in this vibrant city, this article will include some delicious food information and recommendations!
Hey! If you haven’t checked the Generalities, tips & Extras yet… Here is Your link!😀
Amsterdam Generalities, Tips & Extras!
So let’s pick up where we left of and enjoy it Together!🤩
- Amsterdam’s Specialties
- The Irresistible sugary Experience
- The Avocado Show
- The red light district
- Experience Amsterdam Coffee shops
1- Amsterdam’s Specialties😋
The Netherlands is not known for its cuisine like France, Italy, Japan or many other countries that some of us visit just to enjoy their cuisine. But having said that, it doesn’t give you any reason not to try the Dutch specialties that comes in either a salty or sugar way!
Well first and foremost those delicious crispy fries! As we all know, the Netherlands formed once a single country with Belgium up until the 1830th and maybe this fact played a major role for finding those fries shops all over the city that open all night long!
Now come on who of us don’t like French fries? And what if they were all crispy flavored and trust me sooo yummy! So don’t hesitate to grab a box of those fries during your day walk along the canals or after your night out! The only thing you will be hesitating about is what flavor and dip to choose!
Here is the most famous topping combination:
Mayonnaise, raw chopped onions and peanut sauce and is called a “patatje oorlog” which means ‘fries at war’
Which fries not to miss trying?
Well without any doubt the Manneken Pis Frites! You can’t miss the shop its right on the way down from Dam square, you’ll spot it meters away once you see a big queue over there.
But Hey don’t let go because of the queue! I promise you it’s really worth it. Use this time to think about the toppings & dips you want!
Location: Manneken Pis, Damrak 41 (between Dam Square and central station)
Cheese lovers?
For all of you cheese lovers who would like to see, smell and buy some of the best Gouda and Edam cheese, here are some amazing vintage stores made just for you.
I am not a big fan of cheese and couldn’t keep myself from visiting them!
- Old Amsterdam cheese store: Damrak 62, 1012 JS Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cheese & More by Henri Willig, Dam: Nieuwendijk 226, 1012 MX Amsterdam, Netherlands
2- The irresistible Sugary Experience
Hey Amsterdam Give me some sugar!
And the answer for that is definitely Pancakes!! For those of you who like to have the hotel breakfast you will find pancakes, but I advise you to break this tradition once and head to one of the pancakes restaurants.
It is really worth it! You will find all kind of pancakes that can satisfy all tastes and you won’t have any idea what to choose you will want all of them!
We’ll all of them is not possible right? But what I always do to get the maximum of everything is share with my friends, and trust me you should try this with those pancakes! All you have to do is find friends who actually like to share food.
Oh! And for those who are not much of a sugar fan, you can also find salty pancakes. As I told you those gems will satisfy all tastes.
So do I have any recommended restaurants?
Well I have tried a couple of pancakes restaurants and both were very good, nice ambiance great food and not pricy! The first one being close to Dam square and the second in a less touristic area but still close to down town.
Pancakes Amsterdam: Prins Hendrikkade 48, 1012 AC Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tip: For this one you should have a valid credit card on you as they don’t accept cash!
MOAK Pancakes: Jodenbreestraat 144, 1011 NS Amsterdam, Netherlands
Is there any other specialties?
Yes! Most of them being finger food/ snacks, there is no excuse not to try them and they are:
- Stroopwafel: A unique kind of Waffle made from baked batter and filled with “Stroop” syrup.
- Kroket: A deep fried roll with meat ragout inside.
- Poffertje: Mostly found in winter outdoor stands, those are baby fluffy pancakes.
- Bitterballen: The perfect pair to your beer, a mixture of beef, beef broth, butter, flour for thickening and spices
- Kaas: Dutch cheese “Gouda” and “Edam”
Oh! And don’t forget to grab some candies to go! 😀
What can be better than walking down the street with a small bag full of candies of your choice. Don’t be so greedy not to share there is plenty for all of us and all flavors!
3- The Avocado Show
For many of you this might sound weird. How can there possibly be a show for avocados? Well actually it’s not a real show in terms of a performance on stage for avocados but it’s a Show in your plates! Yes you heard me right it’s a Restaurant.
But not any restaurant! It’s called the Avocado show for a reason and that’s because everything you order there is with avocados! All appetizers salads burgers sandwiches everything.
When I first new about the place it became the first thing I wanted to visit once in Amsterdam, because of my love for avocados. And indeed in both my visits to Amsterdam it was the first thing I did and I was super satisfied by the experience.
The food and ambiance are simply amazing, you can be surprised by the variety you find on the menu: you have toast base, eggs, burgers sandwiches, poke and salads made for all tastes meat, chicken lovers or vegetarians.
Location:
There is two locations so depending on where you are staying you can chose either of them it’s the same menu but the difference is:
Location 1 has a more casual ambiance, a smaller place and luckily to be packed and need to wait.
- Daniël Stalpertstraat 61, 1072 XB Amsterdam, Netherlands
Location 2 less casual ambiance, and a bigger space.
- Keizersgracht 449, 1017 DK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Pricing:
- The appetizers and sides are between 6 & 8 euros
- The average main dish is between 13 & 15 euros
- Cocktails are between 9 & 11 euros
PS!! The restaurant does not accept any cash money! So be sure to have a credit card on you!
8- The red light district
We all know it exists it’s there it’s actually a district that publically legally offers sex. It might also be one of the top reasons for tourists to visit Amsterdam, and so for me as tourist it was something worth it to see.
Yeah you heard me right! I went there just out of curiosity to see what does this famous district look like. Sorry there won’t be any experience to share for those of you who expected so but still would like to share with you the reactions and experiences I had.
It is legal! Yes, it is actually a job, where all girls are registered in the government with a self-employed status and pay taxes.
Do I recommend it? Well this sure isn’t the perfect scene for everyone. So its up to you! And if you simply don’t feel like exploring this touristic side of the city, it is not a must!
For all others who actually go there out of curiosity to see what is it about just like we did, Enjoy your walk there and remember to be respectful!
My experience to get there!
Well we actually took an Uber there and the driver kept asking us “are you girls sure about the destination? There is nothing for you there!” And so I was confused for a moment Maybe I did my research wrong? Could I actually be there or its not a touristic place as I thought?
I was about to put my curiosity aside and skip this experience, but by that moment we were already there!
Once I got there, all my confusions were off the table! It is actually allowed for everyone to be there and guess what? The streets are clean and safe and it’s a beautiful Neighborhood full of curious tourists and locals!
With below my favorite side of it!
Fun fact!
I was surprised that it is actually a whole district which is also called DE WALLEN. An area full of many streets filled with those shops with a girl standing by each window in a provocative way waiting for the interested clients.
I always thought that it’s only one street with some shops one next to the other. And apparently I was wrong! ( don’t tell anyone :p) Also, that some of them actually look bored and they are not as busy as I thought.
Red Light: The light is kind of a sign to know from far if the window and related girl is available or no. Once the lights are on those girls are actually available.
Some of the facts to know:
- The district is open 22 hours a day from 8AM till 6AM
- Walking tours with a guide are available for groups of not more than 15 people
- It is Forbidden to take pictures of the girls!
- It is not allowed to drink alcohol in the district.
9- Experience Amsterdam Coffee shops
The famous Amsterdam’s Coffee shops! They are actually the main reason that attracts tourists all over the world and why is that? Well as we probably all know those are not basic coffee shops that serve coffee and hot chocolate but instead most likely serve happiness and experience!
Happiness and experience yes you heard me right! As they legally sell all kind of cannabis and you can legally relax there while smoking weed or hash eating space cakes etc…
Whether you are into smoking or simply curious about trying it those are the places to visit and in my case as a non-smoker my only chance to have this experience.
Important Info!🚨
You will still find the usual coffee shop but it is called a café or coffee house (Koffiehuis) which is the casual coffee house that sells coffee pastries and light meals.
Can you smoke everywhere?
- Street: You are free to smoke joints on the street as it is legal
- Hotels: Not all the hotels allow you to smoke in there. So if this is a priority for you make sure of that before booking your reservation.
- Bars & Nights: Not all bars allow you to smoke weed so get informed before getting yourself in trouble.
You can also find some Canabis cakes and Magic Mushrooms sold in small shops all around the City also in some souvenir shops!
Where to find those coffee shops?
Almost everywhere in the city! You will surely spot them while walking and stop by the closest one. Here are some of the coffee shops names:
- Bulldog, Barneys that have helpful staff and a wide range of weed
- Abraxas that have a nice aesthetic interior & helpful staff
What about the related souvenir shops?
Mostly around Dam square but you can also find them all around the City! They offer a wide range of merchandise and can also have some stylish and distinctive souvenirs. Go ahead and take a look!
Recommendations:
- Don’t be shy to ask for help especially if you don’t have a clue about those stuff and you are just there out of curiosity and for the experience. There is actually many types and dosages so be specific and honest about what you are looking for.
- Don’t overdo it if you are not used to this, and try to share the joint with your friends.
- Laying in Vondelpark or sitting by the canal are nice options to enjoy this experience during the day.
So goodbye for now, Enjoy your Stay!! See you😉
Thank you for reading and Leaving your comment! 😀
Ana's miles of Joy 