14 Best Restaurants in Amsterdam, Netherlands

For innovative "New Amsterdam" cuisine, head to this Michelin-starred restaurant near the Station Zuid Metro stop, in sleek Zuidas. The design is Scandinavian-inspired lacquered wood and angular chairs, but the set six-course menu is hyperlocal, and everything is beautifully presented; many of their vegetables and herbs come from the on-site kitchen garden, one of the largest in Amsterdam. Expect creative vegetable-led dishes like "risotto" of cauliflower and ricotta, topped with herring roe, or 30-day dry-aged beef with parsnip and apple.

Situated in a 1926-built former municipal greenhouse is a lovely, modern, and light-filled restaurant (you're surrounded by glass) serving Mediterranean-influenced food. Wim de Beer and Jos Timmer took over the menu in 2018, changing the focus to include more freshly grown vegetables, often from the restaurant's own greenhouses and garden, though the restaurant is not strictly vegetarian because both meat and fish are served. The daily changing prix-fixe dinner menu, with dishes chosen by the chef (vegetarians can be accommodated), always consists of five or six dishes (lunch is three or four).The wine selection is delightful, and they do a wonderful job with pairings.

Fans of fabulous nose-to-tail dining have faithfully been placing themselves in the experienced hands of chef Giel Kaagman and sommelier and host Bram Kortekaas since 2015. Their namesake eatery, which has been a leading light in the local bistronomy movement, sits along a medieval alley in the heart of tourist hell, where multiple levels arranged around a slightly sunken kitchen allow some diners to feel like they’re part of the action. Regularly changing four-, five- or six-course chef’s menus keep things fresh, but there’s usually homemade charcuterie, plenty of traditional techniques and a few offal surprises - picky eaters, you’ve been warned!

A Chez Panisse–trained chef whips up frequently changing menus with local ingredients and a Mediterranean flair at this lively restaurant in a former chapel; all dishes are cooked on an open fire in an outdoor wood oven. The three-course dinner menus are a great value and make it worth venturing to Amsterdam's far southern reaches (Tram No. 5 stops a block away)—there is always a choice of meat or fish, and you can add an "in-between" course for a little bit more. (You can also order à la carte at lunch.) Most of the seating is at long communal tables, which makes for a convivial atmosphere. In the summer, dine out on the gorgeous terrace, which has views of the outdoor open kitchen and leafy Beatrixpark surroundings.

Culinary surprises are the name of the game at this stately restaurant; instead of a menu, diners are presented with a list of seasonal ingredients (pear, cauliflower, and squid, for example) from which chef Chris Naylor whips up creative and masterful four-, five-, or six-course menus. Some of the vegetables and herbs come from the roof garden of the adjoining Barbizon Palace hotel. The gray-tone walls enlivened with paintings of flowers lend a contemporary yet formal air, and an army of waitstaff are on hand to ensure that the service is always impeccable. Each summer the restaurant closes for one month while the staff go on vacation (dates change year to year).

This elegant two–Michelin star dining room nods to modernity with gleaming metallic design touches, but the French-international food at the "Blue Sky" leans more to the classically extravagant. Any of the three tasting menus (with a choice of two wine pairings) are highly recommended for a celebratory meal. Enjoy beautifully presented dishes—like the signature king crab with Baeri caviar, beurre blanc ice cream, and preserved lemon, or the delicate pink "Dutch shrimp'' perched in a pool of green bean bouillon with a roast cumin crisp and Oscietra caviar and an elevated take on Dutch apple pie for dessert—while taking in the amazing panorama from the 23rd floor of the Hotel Okura Amsterdam.

A cozy candlelit atmosphere and French country cooking inspire many to cycle out here up the Ringdijk, which runs east of the Amstel. Every night, a new five-course menu is posted; Monday night's menu is always strictly vegetarian. Dishes rotate seasonally but may include fish soup, a chicory salad, veal with parsnips and baked potatoes, and chocolate fondant with vanilla ice-cream. In the summer, you can dine on the charming terrace.

This small restaurant in a white-and-red corner building near the Tropenmuseum is easy to spot, and inside, the dark-wood paneling, pressed linen tablecloths, and knowledgeable waitstaff come together to make every visit feel like a special occasion. The food is decent, too. Choose from reasonably priced three- and four-course set menus featuring—dishes like roasted quail with a Jerusalem-artichoke cream sauce, sweet-potato gnocchi with bok choy, or deep-fried ice cream with chocolate and Baileys liqueur. In summer, dining alfresco is a pleasure.

Traditional Japanese haute cuisine is sublimely presented at this elegant restaurant where a Zenlike sushi bar, kimonoed waitstaff, and views over a pretty Japanese garden (complete with koi pond) all add up to a sublime dining experience. The seasonal kaiseki menu is a fabulous splurge, but you can also choose from à la carte menu offerings like sushi, sashimi, tempura, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu prepared table-side, as well as grilled whole fish and steaks. At lunchtime, large and more economical bento boxes are available. The wine and sake lists are encyclopedic.