Kibbeling is Amsterdam's fried-fish street snack: bite-sized cod chunks in a spiced batter, deep-fried, served with garlic mayonnaise or tartare sauce in a paper cone or basket.
Kibbeling started as the fishmonger's way to sell offcuts: small pieces of cod or whiting that wouldn't sell as fillets, battered and fried fast. By the 1990s the snack had moved off the harbour and into Amsterdam street markets, with Volendammer Vishandel at Albert Cuyp setting the template. The batter is enriched with paprika, nutmeg or curry powder; the garlic mayonnaise is the universal accompaniment.
3 editor picks for Kibbeling in Amsterdam, ranked by editorial score. All Amsterdam signature dishes · Kibbeling across every city.
Frens Haringhandel ★ 4.6
Koningsplein, 1017 AW Amsterdam
Frens on Koningsplein near the Bloemenmarkt is the Amsterdam herring stand locals queue at, raw soused herring with onion and pickles, served the proper way.
Stubbe's Haring ★ 4.4
Singel 8H, 1013 GA Amsterdam
Stubbe's at the Haarlemmersluis bridge on the Singel near Centraal is the Amsterdam herring stand that ranks alongside Frens, family-run for more than a century.
Volendammer Vishandel ★ 4.3
Albert Cuypstraat 50, 1072 CV Amsterdam
Volendammer Vishandel on Albert Cuypstraat sells Amsterdam kibbeling fresh from the fryer, battered cod chunks with garlic mayonnaise, the way the markets eat fish.