Amsterdam for Veteran Travelers

Pricey! But you do get what you pay for. First Class Service and great dining. You have to be a guest to dine at the cafe. But there is a restaurant accessible through the courtyard. The hotel is made up of a series of converted fine homes along the Prinsengracht canal. Book a canal view room for the best experience. Note that during August the Pride parade passes by right outside. This makes coming and going somewhat challenging. Especially if arriving by car or taxi. If the Pride parade is why you came, for a few hundred euros you can board the hotel’s private dock for the event. I think that fee includes your booze? There is also a televised classical music concert in August right out in front of the hotel that makes for a week of workmen banging away setting up. It’s a big production. A stage is built on the canal directly in front of the restaurant. The concert itself is fantastic.

My favorite local cafe/pub in the Jordaan for ribs and mussels. The friendly staff like to play Funk music. Outdoor tables in the summer are a great way to dine. Expect the local cat to come by for a visit.

You won’t find this place on Yelp. And you don’t go here for a shred of ambiance. It’s mostly a local’s take out joint. But what you will find is a very friendly Dutch/Thai couple who serve up some banging hot authentic Thai food. Ask for spicy. You’ll be asked, “Dutch spicy? Or Thai spicy?” The Dutch do love their spices, and there is great Indonesian food in this city. But nothing I’ve found as hot as Tik Tuk Thai’s THAI SPICY 🌶️! “Be careful”, the husband owner will warn you, “if you tell my wife ‘Thai Spicy’, she’s gonna make you cry”. Bring on the tears.

The tourists pass right on by. The signage screams 1985. The locals speak of this place with reverence. Some of the best cheese in town. And if you catch the bread rolls when they’re still warm - Oh yeah!

When you’re traveling & having phone issues - you need a caring expert. This is the place. Smart personal service. All solvable problems solved. These guys are next level.

Reservation highly recommended! If you walk in to this fondue restaurant for a table, you’re most likely out of luck. I did get two seats at the bar once, when a co-worker came to town last minute. But if you book in advance, you’ll for sure be treated to a crowded, intimate, delicious meal in this old and very cozy place. Absolutely perfect for small intimate groups and well-behaved kids. I recommend arriving hungry.

Lots of places ‘sell fries’ in Amsterdam. At Fabel Friet they make them right in front of you from the original potato. No sitting on a shelf. No pre-frozen. No mass-produced blandness cooked in used oil. On top of that they carry a wide variety of sauce toppings. It’s really something to experience. The down side? Videos of people smashing your potato into fry shapes make for great social media videos. As a result, the line here on weekends can be long. Summer afternoon lines too. I recommend going on a M-Th right when they open. (Which is noon)

One of my go to places for Indonesian food. Spend the money for the reijstafel for two. If you’ve never had reijstafel - it’s time! Instead of committing to one dish, you receive a large variety of dishes to sample. A great way to have a fun sit down meal.

When it’s a beautiful day and you want somewhere to sit in the open air that isn’t as crowded as the center of town. When you need a good burger. When the kids need a place to play where you can eat and drink and everyone in the family is having a good time. Getting here means taking the free ferry from the back side of the train station. Ask the attendant so you don’t get on the wrong boat. It’s worth it.

My favorite hotel when getting over jet lag quickly is important. Concrete walls. Excellent blackout curtains. Great food downstairs. An frequent, easy, & free ferry takes you to the central train station. Catch the subway to RAI from there!

Chocolate to die for. Made on the premises. There is a second location in town as well. But this is the location where they both sell and make their wonderful creations.

Decent Mexican-style street corn in Europe? It exists! Along with a lot of other great menu items from Latin America. For reasons I don’t understand, there are far to many atrocious Argentinian steak houses in Amsterdam serving what tastes like horse meat to feet-worn tourists. There has also been a huge uptick in avocados on Amsterdam menus in the last decade. And some pretty muted taco houses have sprung up that will disappoint any Southwestern American. Salmura is the shining exception. For amazing beef. For authentic Mexican. Not to mention the great courtyard, generous staff, and all-around great dining experience. Don’t look at the prices. It ain’t cheap. But you’re thousands of miles from most other great versions of this food, and you’re still in the city of canals, Rembrandt, & Van Gogh. What a combo.