De Ballenbar at Foodhallen ★ 4.3
De Ballenbar inside Foodhallen serves Amsterdam bitterballen on the bar, beef ragout deep-fried, with truffle and lobster variants for the splurge order.
Try: Bitterballen and croquettes by the dozen
History
Bitterballen evolved from the bitter, an aperitif served before dinner with small savoury snacks. The Dutch beef-ragout filling reads as kitchen-economy thinking: leftover stew thickened with roux, chilled into a ball, breaded and fried to order. Every Amsterdam brown cafe and most modern bars run them; De Ballenbar inside Foodhallen pushes the format with truffle and lobster variants for a splurge.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg
Where to eat bitterballen
Bitterballen in Amsterdam
Café Hoppe ★ 4.5
Café Hoppe on Spui has poured Amsterdam jenever and beer since 1670, the brown cafe with the dark-wood interior and the stand-at-the-bar after-work crowd.
Signature drink: Jenever, Dutch pilsner on tap
Food: Bitterballen, cheese, bar snacks
Café 't Smalle ★ 4.5
Café 't Smalle on Egelantiersgracht in the Jordaan is the Amsterdam canal-side brown cafe with the postcard terrace, the building going back to a 1780 distillery.
Signature drink: Jenever, Belgian and Dutch ale
Food: Bar snacks
Moeders Dutch Kitchen ★ 4.0
Moeders on Rozengracht is the Amsterdam stamppot room, walls lined with photos of mothers from customers, the menu a Dutch grandmother's repertoire.
Signature: Stamppot, Erwtensoep, Bitterballen
Order: Stamppot of the week with rookworst sausage.
Tip: Bring a photo of your mother to add to the wall. Reservation advised.
Café Papeneiland ★ 4.5
Café Papeneiland on the corner of Prinsengracht and Brouwersgracht is the Amsterdam brown cafe from 1642, the apple pie inside almost as canonical as Winkel 43.
Signature drink: Jenever, beer on tap, coffee with apple pie
Food: Apple pie, bitterballen, cheese
More cities are in research. Want bitterballen covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.