The question I get asked more often than any other: what’s your favourite restaurant in Amsterdam? It’s like asking me which is my favourite child! (Or not, as I’m merrily child-free, but you know what I mean.) Of course, I have different favourites at brunchtime, or when I’m in the mood for Indonesian rijsttafel, or feel like splashing out on fine dining. But
Reservations at Amsterdam restaurants
Wherever you eat in Amsterdam, but at these modern classics in particular, you’ll need to make a reservation. Many of the restaurants below have their own reservation systems that use platforms like Formitable to book your table and take a deposit, which is deducted from your bill at the end. You can also sometimes find good deals on TripAdvisor. Whatever you do, however, please avoid websites like Appointment Trader that charge you to make reservations. They are the ticket touts/scalpers of the restaurant world, and are making eating out even less accessible and affordable for diners.
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Café Modern
What better way to start a round-up of modern classics than with a restaurant called Café Modern? One of the culinary pioneers of Amsterdam Noord, Café Modern has been in business since 2011 – serving its five, six or seven-course surprise menu to guests, based on seasonally changing ingredients. Their wine pairing arrangement also deserves a shout-out: it’s as unconventional as it is spot-on. The autumnal evening I dined there, the first course of slow-cooked squid with sea buckthorn set the tone – bright, fruity and well matched with a tropical Fernão Pires from Óbidos. Mussels with chestnut purée, leek, nashi pear and sake sabayon followed, its earthy-briny balance mirrored by a dry, savoury sake. But my favourite dish was the boudin blanc with pistachio, spinach and duck-liver jus – rich yet delicate, lifted by a lightly sparkling red Lambrusco with cranberry freshness.
A main of duck breast with rillette and shallot purée showed classic technique without feeling dated, especially alongside a floral Xinomavro from Naoussa that could’ve passed for Burgundy. To finish, a baba with elderflower, clementine, goat’s yoghurt and fig-leaf ice cream met its match in a honeyed Ramandolo from Friuli – a clever, fragrant finale that summed up Café Modern’s knack for marrying creativity with comfort.
Editor’s note: I was invited to Cafe Modern as a journalist, and I didn’t pay for my meal. I try to be as objective as possible, but I always disclose when I’ve had a freebie.
Roef
From an old-timer to a newcomer: restaurant Roef in Watergraafsmeer only opened its doors in September 2025 but it’s already delivering accomplished cooking. The menu is made up of small bites, medium-sized à la carte dishes, and large sharing plates (or you can opt for the chef’s menu) – allowing you to try a bit of everything.
The “Bites” all offered a pop of small but perfectly formed flavour: Asian oysters were umami-sweet with miso and spring onion, kaassoufflé was laced with jalapeno and truffle, and steak tartare on slices of brioche was accented with sesame and bottarga. Next, we tried an elegant presentation of red gurnard with yellow beetroot discs and buttermilk sauce studded with jalapeno and lime gel (perhaps my favourite dish of the evening). The brandade was reminiscent of a Portuguese cod croquette, but served with Dutch witlof and a punchy salsa verde. While an earthy, autumnal salad of red beetroot, blackberries, hazelnuts and goat yoghurt brought a welcome hit of veggies. Lastly, we shared the “Tomapork” main: essentially a hefty pork chop with a savoury red onion and mustard seed chutney, plus chips and Brussels sprouts. I was eating out with my parents, and Mr Foodie Senior (aka my dad) was effusive in his praise for the contrasting flavours of the small dishes, plus their juxtaposition with the hearty meat ‘n chips main. And if he’s happy, I’m happy!
Kop van Oost
I first discovered Kop van Oost’s fantastic takeaway meal packages during the covid lockdowns in 2020. I dined there in person as soon as restaurants were allowed to reopen and I’ve been back again many times since (most recently in summer 2025). Perched on the water overlooking the Brouwerij ‘t IJ windmill, it’s the perfect spot to take visitors. As for the food, the menu has recently been updated with all sorts of tempting, shareable dishes: baked cauliflower with miso and kosho sauce, lamb satay with crispy rice and pickles, sweet potato ravioli with celeriac and smoked almonds, and even an Asian take on spaghetti carbonara. Kop van Oost’s wine list is well thought out, while there are good options for those who prefer cocktails or beer. And of course you can’t beat the windmill view from the terrace.
Leo Bistro
With a large terrace on the Beukenplein, Leo Bistro is the kind of place where you can rock up without a reservation on a Friday night and still get a table (almost unheard of in Amsterdam in 2025). It’s part of the Goudvisch restaurant group that’s also behind Arie, and it’s similarly casual with a friendly neighbourhood vibe and good service. Leo offers a very affordable three-course menu but everything is also available à la carte – and the snacks alone are worth the detour from the fixed menu. With beer, we split some salty, crispy chorizo croquettes and spicy vegan vlammetjes, followed by the smash burger on a helpfully manageable brioche bun with melty cheese, pickles and a sort of piccalilli mayo. Upscale bar food, perhaps, but done well and for a good price. The wine selection is well curated too: I enjoyed the light Spanish orange Grenache and the rich Pfalz Spätburgunder – both chilled on a warm day.
Café-Restaurant Amsterdam
When a city is four metres below sea level, water management is of paramount importance. So it’s no surprise that since the 1900s, the Westerpark area has had its own water pumping machine, water tower and engine room. While these have evolved in the intervening years, the disused engine room was converted into a café and restaurant in 1996. Unfortunately it seems they couldn’t think of a more creative name for it, but at least you know what you’re getting with Café-Restaurant Amsterdam. Nowadays, they serve a simple but well executed menu of classic dishes like steak-frites, Caesar salad or gambas with aioli. CRADAM (as it’s affectionately known) is a huge space – so it’s ideal for group dining or for families getting together. It’s where I meet my friends for Sunday lunch when all their kids are in tow.
Nomads
Every six months, the aptly named restaurant Nomads in Oostpoort takes you on a culinary journey through a different country, serving you four, five or six courses. The first night I visited, that journey was to Jordan. The Nomads Experience started with three mezze-style dishes: sweet ‘n spicy muhammara (red pepper and walnut paste); fragrant falafel with yoghurt dip; and smooth but simple hummus – all excellent, and all served with fluffy, warm, whole-wheat pitas. The subsequent courses included razor clams spiked with preserved lemons; lamb tartar with onions and capers; and soft, smoky aubergine with a coriander and basil dressing. The main courses of cauliflower and labneh and grilled duck with beetroot were just as delightful, and the service was spectacular too. The experience has been equally marvellous when I’ve been back for the Portuguese and Vietnamese editions on subsequent occasions.
Alba
Nestled into a leafy square just off Wibautstraat, Alba’s extensive, covered terrace is perfect for warm evenings. There’s a varied menu of natural, organic wines by the glass, which the servers will let you taste before you decide if you ask nicely. But for those who fancy themselves as sommeliers, there’s an expansive list of wines by the bottle to select from. On the food front, Alba is hard to categorise. We tried a perfectly devilled egg, which felt classically French, but later had a Japanese-style slow-cooked egg with a sort of curried mousse – impossible to describe but trust me, it was good. Continuing the fusion theme, we ate ultra-fresh peas with tofu and crispy chilli oil, side by side with ricotta gnocchi and courgette. And finished up with hanger steak with spiced sweet potato purée and chipotle dressing. Even the bread and butter were delicious. It’s been just as good on every visit since.
Hotel de Goudfazant
Located in a former auto garage in hipster, industrial Amsterdam Noord, Hotel de Goudfazant occupies a huge warehouse space that gives the restaurant a relaxed, no-frills feel. When I went back there after over a decade, I was pleased to see they still had a poultry and pistachio terrine on the menu – and I still loved it. As mains, we ordered the crispy pork belly with Hollandse garnalen and samphire, and cauliflower with epoisses cheese and hazelnuts. Both were classic, well made dishes. We skipped dessert in favour of a bottle of a red Loire valley blend, and came out spending not too far over €100 for two people.
Lion’s Head
Touting itself as a South African-Amsterdam mashup that also brews its own beer, Lion’s Head Restaurant & Brewery is the kind of place that offers something for everyone – whether you’re in de Pijp on a date or for after-work drinks with colleagues. The menu features grilled peri-peri chicken with a pint of kölsch on the one hand, and bunny chow with a fruity watermelon wheat beer on the other. Plus a smattering of American buffalo wings and Tex-Mex nachos thrown in for good measure. I’ve been back to Lion’s Head several times since I discovered it: the relaxed atmosphere and lovely service make it hard to resist.
Wijmpje Beukers
It might call itself an eetcafe, but Wijmpje Beukers is clearly a cut above what that name would imply. At this neighbourhood gem in de Pijp, you’ll find an elegant, creative, well-thought-out à la carte menu made up of five starters, five mains and five desserts. The evening I dined there, one highlight was the smoked carrot with goat’s yoghurt, fenugreek and pumpkin seeds, which was savoury-sweet, chewy-smooth and full of autumnal flavour. Next came perfectly tender bavette with confit red cabbage and a hearty hash brown; and gurnard with new potatoes, samphire, an apple and dill salad and a sauce of smoked eel and lardo. On the wine list, I worked my way through a Limoux Chardonnay, a Pfalz Spätburgunder and a Rioja Crianza. They were generous pours and good examples of their grapes. The only downside is that Wijmpje Beukers doesn’t take reservations. So at popular times, you can expect to wait a little for your table. Don’t despair, though: I’ve heard they’ll mix you a mean espresso martini at the bar.
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