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 dishes: Hand-pulled laghman noodles, Lamb skewers, Polo rice
Must 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.
Address: Aalsmeerweg 34H, 1059 AK Amsterdam
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.
Bazar on Albert Cuypstraat is the cavernous, soaring Amsterdam North African-Middle Eastern room set in a converted church, all halal, all-day from breakfast.
Signature: Mezze platters, Tagine, Couscous royal
Order: The full mezze platter with the chicken tagine to share.
Tip: Halal-certified. Big room, walk-in friendly. Pre-market breakfast is the value.
Spang Makandra has been Amsterdam's reference Surinamese counter since 1978, rolling roti, ladling saoto soep, almost nothing on the menu costing over 15 euros.
Signature: Roti kip, Bami goreng, Moksi meti
Order: Roti kip; ask for medium spice and the kouseband bean stew as a side.
Tip: Lunch only at the upstairs tables; takeaway counter for everything else.
Thai Snackbar Bird on Zeedijk has run an Amsterdam Chinatown Thai counter for over two decades, snug, no-frills, the city's most reliable bowl of pad krapow.
Signature: Pad krapow, Green curry, Tom yum noodle
Order: Pad krapow gai with a fried egg on top.
Tip: Walk-in only; turnover is fast, the booth seats clear quickly.
La Perla in Amsterdam's Jordaan has run a wood-fired Roman-Neapolitan crossover since 2009, the bar across the alley taking overflow and people-watching.
Signature: Margherita, Diavola, Marinara
Order: Margherita with the salty house-cured anchovies on the side.
Tip: Walk-up only at the bar opposite; the dining room takes phone bookings.
Caldi e Freddi on Spuistraat is the Amsterdam Italian deli-trattoria you walk past once and book the next week, a tight room with fresh pasta and a wine list to match.
Signature: Fresh pasta of the day, Antipasti spread
Order: Whichever pasta is fresh that day; ask the counter to name the ragù.
Tip: Lunch is a counter scene; dinner is small-room booking.
