Essential Dutch winter foods to eat in Amsterdam

Snert

It’s green. It’s more delicious than it looks. It’s snert. Often, you’ll see it called erwtensoep or Hollandse erwtensoep but it all means the same. Snert is emblematic of Dutch winter cuisine, and it’s the ultimate winter warmer: a thick pea soup packed with onions, celery, leeks, carrots and sliced rookworst (smoked sausage), traditionally served with rye bread and smoky bacon. Stop by some of Amsterdam's best Dutch food restaurants to try it.

Fondue

It may not have its origins in the Netherlands, but fondue has a special place in the hearts of all Dutchies. Few things are cosier than huddling around a cauldron of hot melted cheese with a bottle of red on a winter’s night, which is why the Swiss staple has become a mainstay in the Lowlands. There are plenty of places in Amsterdam to get your fondue fix, and we've even put together a selection of the very best fondues to make life easier and, dare we say, cheesier. 

Stamppot

Stamppot is a big lovely mess of mashed potato mushed up with other vegetables, including sauerkraut, kale, spinach or turnip greens. Sometimes the potato is smashed with carrots and turnips, and then it’s called hutspot. You’ll typically find it served with a generously portioned rookworst (smoked sausage) or a pork chop at one of these traditional Dutch restaurants. 

Suddervlees

Looks aren't everything. Suddervlees literally means "braised meat" which translates on the plate to a big hearty beef and ale stew. It makes absolutely no attempt to look attractive (see picture), but with its punchy combo of slow cooked meat, beer, onions and seasoning, it’s winter on a plate for many people in the Netherlands. Get it with frites to mop up all that lovely gravy at one of these traditional Dutch restaurants. 

Oliebollen

Oliebollen (which translates to "oily balls" – yum?) are so special that you can only get them for a few short winter months. Traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve, they’re deep-fried dough balls dusted with powdered sugar and studded with raisins and currants. Look out for the oliebollenkramen (stalls), which appear around Amsterdam in mid-October, and eat as many as possible before they disappear for another year. These are our picks of the best places to find them.

Poffertjes

Repeat slowly: "Poff-fert-jus." Now that you know how to say it, you have no excuse for not ordering trays and trays of these tiny pancake treats while you’re in Amsterdam. Get them steaming hot from a street vendor, slathered in melty butter and powdered sugar, and devour them whole. Here's our round-up of the best poffertjes spots to treat yourself on a cold winter's day.

Pannenkoeken

Nice things about eating massive pannenkoeken (pancakes) in winter: everything. Thankfully, pancakes are as ubiquitous as bicycles in Amsterdam, so drizzle them in syrup and sugar and let the good times roll. Take a look at some of our favourite pancake houses if you need inspiration.

Chocoladeletters and pepernoten

Go into any food store in November or early December (pre-Sinterklaas), and you will probably see many giant letters made from chocolate. These chocoladeletters are an integral Sinterklaas tradition in the Netherlands, given as gifts to reflect the first letter of the recipient’s name. It’s also absolutely fine to buy them for yourself. Likewise, you'll see the supermarket shelves stacked high with pepernoten (speculaas-spiced mini biscuits), which are eaten by thousands of spectators as Sinterklaas makes his customary under-the-radar arrival into the city, with a massive canal parade known as the Sinterklaas Intocht.

Chocomel

Wrapping your hands around a mug of hot chocolate milk on a winter’s day is one of life’s simple pleasures. You’ll find hot chocolate (usually found on menus under 'Chocomel') at most cafes and street markets in Amsterdam - ask for yours with a splash of rum if you want to feel a bit adventurous. These are our favourite spots for an indulgent cup.

Appeltaart

Holland’s national pastry comes into its own in the winter months, and there’s nothing more enjoyable than sitting on a heated terrace on a crisp winter’s day, tucking into a thick slice of freshly baked apple pie. Appeltaart (Dutch apple pie) is a thing of wonder: with layers of sliced apple tightly packed under a layer of yummy doughy pastry. A couple of cafes are often said to have the best appeltaart in Amsterdam, but there can be only one winner – so make up your own mind with this list of the best appeltaart in Amsterdam.