Kaasbar on Ferdinand Bolstraat runs an Amsterdam cheese-only menu: tasting flights of aged Gouda, raw-milk farmhouse, and a Sunday cheese fondue.
Signature dishes: Cheese flight, Aged Gouda plate, Cheese fondue
Must order: The five-cheese tasting flight, with a glass of jenever.
Tip: Small room, books up at the weekend. The cheesemonger upstairs sells what you tasted to take home.
Address: Ferdinand Bolstraat 10, 1072 LJ Amsterdam
Badcuyp on Eerste Sweelinckstraat is the De Pijp music-cafe and kitchen, the Amsterdam venue running European bistro plates alongside a live-music programme.
Signature: Daily-changing menu, Steak frites
Order: Whatever the day's special is; the steak frites is the safe fall-back.
Tip: Live music many weeknights; check the calendar before booking the late seating.
Kenneh on Nassaukade is the Amsterdam West African room, jollof rice, suya, fried plantain, the menu Adekunle Owolabi built around home cooking.
Signature: Jollof rice, Suya, Fried plantain
Order: Jollof rice with suya skewers; plantain on the side.
Tip: Bring a group; the menu rewards sharing. Reservation strongly advised on weekends.
Café de Klepel on Prinsenstraat near the Jordaan border runs a tight French bistro menu, an Amsterdam corner room with a winelist that rewards a long stay.
Signature: Daily-changing 3-course French, Wine pairings
Order: The chef's three-course set with the recommended pairings.
Tip: Open Mondays when many Amsterdam rooms are dark. Books a week ahead.
Badcuyp on Eerste Sweelinckstraat is the De Pijp music-cafe and kitchen, the Amsterdam venue running European bistro plates alongside a live-music programme.
Signature: Daily-changing menu, Steak frites
Order: Whatever the day's special is; the steak frites is the safe fall-back.
Tip: Live music many weeknights; check the calendar before booking the late seating.
Upstairs Pancakes on Grimburgwal occupies an Amsterdam canal house dating to 1539, four tables of pancakes, teapots on the ceiling, since 1961.
Signature: Sweet pancakes, Savoury bacon-and-cheese pancake
Order: The bacon and cheese pancake with apple, drowned in stroop.
Tip: Cash-only; reservations by phone a week ahead. The stairs are steep, the room is tiny.
Helling 7 in Amsterdam-Noord is a waterfront warehouse running wood-fired pizza, grills and a long terrace on the IJ, the room you book for a sunny Saturday.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Burgers, Sharing platters
Order: Wood-fired pizza with whatever the seasonal vegetable topping happens to be.
Tip: Take the NDSM ferry; book the terrace explicitly in summer.
Tarim is Amsterdam's halal Uyghur room on Aalsmeerweg in Zuid, hand-pulled laghman noodles, cumin-rubbed lamb skewers, dishes carried out of Xinjiang via the spice road.
Signature: Hand-pulled laghman noodles, Lamb skewers, Polo rice
Order: Laghman noodles with lamb, then a plate of cumin skewers to share.
Tip: Halal-certified; alcohol-free. Walk-ins fine on weekdays, book Friday and Saturday.
