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6 Cheap Eats in Amsterdam
Amsterdam has many good, cheap eating options for visitors including both sit-down places and take-away outlets. Below are a few local suggestions you should try out that make alternatives to the bland international junk-food chains... |
1. V&D La Place - This popular self-service restaurant in the Vroom & Dreesman department store sells decent food for a reasonable price. You can find sandwiches, soups, salads, meat and fish mains, home-made pizzas, Asian wok dishes as well as coffee/tea and cakes. Mains priced between €5 to €12. Large seating area. Locations at Rokin / Kalverstraat (near Muntplein) and on the 7th floor of Amsterdam central library.
2. Vapiano - This is a chain restaurant originally from Germany that sells excellent Italian food - pasta dishes, pizzas and salads. The emphasis is on fresh and natural ingredients, with the pasta made on site. You choose which type of pasta and sauce combination you want and it is cooked in front of you. Pasta dishes from €6. Modern and pleasant decor. Located on the ground floor at Amsterdam central library (OBA).
3. Bagels & Beans - Hip cafe hang-out which sells a wide variety of different bagel dishes using fresh, quality ingredients. Numerous franchise outlets all over town, some with free wifi. Bagels priced from €3 to €6.
4. Maoz Falafel - Maoz is a "fast-food" outlet selling deep-fried chickpea falafel (vegetarian) in pita bread. They have an unlimited self service salad bar which means you can get quite a filling meal for around €5. They have branched out internationally but originate in Amsterdam with 5 locations in the city - Leidsestraat 85, Muntplein 1, Ferdinand Bol Straat 67, Oudebrugsteeg 30, Van Woustraat 15.
5. Vleminckx - For authentic Flemish-style chips (French fries) head to Vleminckx which is consistently rated as serving some of the best chips in Amsterdam (although we also like the chips at V&D's La Place). This is take-away only with the chips being served in a paper cone with your choice of sauces including mayonnaise, ketchup, onions or peanut sauce. The stall is tucked away on a side street - Voetboogstraat which links Spui and Heiligenweg, not far from Koningsplein.
6. Haring - Haring (raw herring) is a Dutch delicacy which tastes surprisingly good and should be tried by visitors to the Netherlands. It is perfectly safe to eat having been cured in salt and frozen to kill any bugs- and is rich in healthy Omega-3 fats. It is normally served covered in chopped raw onions - hold the tail of the fish and chomp away. It can also be eaten in a bread roll (minus tail) with onions and gherkins. The best fish is labelled Hollandse Nieuwe haring (Dutch new herring) which is caught during late spring to early summer. You can buy haring on the street at a number of stalls around the city - including Albert Cuyp market in De Pijp, at Koningsplein and on the Singel canal at the start of Haarlemmerstraat.
