Food from home
There’s nothing quite like food from home – be it familiar family recipes, special ingredients or even local brands that are hard to find. Fortunately, when it comes to dining out, multicultural Amsterdam hosts cuisines from all over the world. This guide will steer you to the cafes, specialist stores and delis that will comfort your tastebuds and make you feel right at home.
Whether you're craving your daily dose of maple syrup, curry spices to heat up a chilly evening or seasonal treats like mooncakes, Easter eggs or Thanksgiving turkeys, you can find it in the city, and we’ll show you exactly where to look.
North America
- Biscuit Baby - Juicy yet crunchy Southern fried chicken and other comfort food from mac and cheese to grits.
- Pendergast - This smokehouse brings Southern BBQ flavours to its brisket and ribs, served with a comforting side of mashed potatoes and slaw.
- Tony’s NY City Bagels - If you’re craving a taste straight out of the Big Apple, these New York-style bagels will hit the spot. Afterwards, grab a Blondie or a Brownie and enjoy the terrace.
- Flo's Deli - NYC-style bagels with all the trimmings, from lox to shmears, accentuated by delicious toppings.
- Americakes – Unsurprisingly given the name, this cafe/bakery in De Pijp specialises in North American-inspired baked goods: cakes, cupcakes, bread, pie, plus American brand filter coffee. You'll also find special seasonal menus and products for holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Eichholtz—This international delicatessen has been on the go since the early ‘80s, specialising in North American and Australian treats—from staples like maple syrup, Vegemite, and Tim Tams to Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys and all the traditional trimmings.
- Kelly’s Expat Shopping – Located in De Pijp and Oud-West, this cheery shop stocks all goods from the UK and the United States. You’ll find tons of popular candies, sodas, and breakfast faves like cereal and toaster pastries. The store also has a selection of Mexican and Tex-Mex items to stock up for the next taco Tuesday.
Europe
- The Cottage – The Cottage will satisfy any cravings for traditional British fare, from classic English breakfast to scones, cottage pie, and, most importantly, Sunday roast, with a weekly menu.
- O'Reilly's Amsterdam – Great atmosphere, great beer by the pint, Beef ‘n Guinness pie and sports watching in good company: simply said, you’ll feel right at home here.
- The Chippy – Fish & chips, burgers and pies paired with mushy peas and pickled egg will transport you straight back to good old England, no swim across the channel required.
- Kafenion – Here, you’ll find speciality coffee and Greek snacks: Mpougatsa sweet pie, tiropita, spanakotiropita or Bougatsa minced pie paired with real Greek frappes or a cup of special mountain Sideritis tea enjoyed through a relaxing game of backgammon.
- Kazik Amsterdam – This cozy cafe brings the taste of Krakow to Amsterdam with their delicious zapiekankas, Polish pastries and cakes, homemade jams and seasonal “nalewka” liquors. There are vegan options galore, from sandwiches to cakes.
- Le Fournil de Sebastien – A traditional French artisan bakery, Le Fournil de Sebastien is known among the locals and expats for its amazing French bread. Come here for delicious sourdough, rye and all manner of bread made with ancestral methods of long fermentation and baked in a stone deck oven.
- Almond Bakery – The new kid on the block, this Eastern-European bakery already enjoys queues of hungry customers that come here for classic desserts such as Medovik honeycake, Napoleon custard cake, Smetannik sour cake, berry-flavoured zephyr, Pavlova and much more.
- Selma's – this is the place to go for authentic Swedish cinnamon and cardamom buns, made with love and tradition. There’s also the food: traditionally prepared gravlax smørrebrød sandwiches, tosti’s made with Stockholm levain, and more.
- Gallizia Deli – For some Mediterranean goodness, stop by this charming place in Amsterdam Oost. The shelves are stocked with wine, gourmet pasta, sauces and other Italian fares. Behind the counter, you’ll find antipasti, meats and delicious items perfect for creating a feast at home.
- Hollandaluz – This Spanish delicatessen provides a taste of sunshine all year round, from the dry-cured hams hanging from the walls to a diverse tapas range and fresh fish that’s suitable for any Mediterranean platter.
Here are our round-ups of pasta restaurants, French cuisine, Greek restaurants and speciality delis.
Middle East
- Batoni Khinkali – Georgian cuisine has long been underrepresented in Amsterdam, but no more. Batoni Khinkali is known for, you guessed it, khinkali - juicy meat-filled dumplings, as well as Acharuli khachapuri, a feast of dough and cheese topped with egg yolk, and other Georgian staples such as kupati sausage and lobio beans.
- Puri Khachapuri – while it is only open for takeaway or delivery, it would be a pity to exclude it from this list. Puri’s speciality, Georgian khachapuri pies, bursting with layers of cheese and combined with aubergine rolls and a glass of Tarhun or Duchess lemonade, will give you that much-missed feeling of home.
- Dabka – authentic Lebanese food with a menu catering to every whim, from fatoush and tabouli to kofta, kabab and vegetarian options such as falafel and tahini.
Read this guide to Middle Eastern cuisine for more.
South Asia
- Authentic India – Step inside this family-run store to discover everything from India you could ever want. The freezers are full of frozen naan and chapattis, spice mixes line the shelves and fresh food for takeaway waits by the register. Don’t miss the homemade paneer, either.
- India Bazaar Amsterdam – Packed with goods from India, Sri Lanka and Surinam, this cheerful store is the place to go for juicy mangos, Subcontinental sweets and spices of every variety.
- Saeed’s Curry House – A bustling neighbourhood hot spot, this store has fresh produce, irresistible Pakistani sweets and tons of spices. The friendly staff also run a counter where you can buy homemade snacks, including samosa chaat, which consists of a couple of the potato-filled pastries doused in yogurt, chili sauce, coriander and other savoury bits.
- Spice Indian Supermarket – Heat things up with a visit to this charming spot in Amstelveen. Get some spicy pickle to enjoy alongside a homemade curry or stock up on turmeric, chili powder and cardamom before grabbing a pack of crispy paratha bread.
Read this guide to Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan dining for more.
East Asia
- OnigiriYA! - This tiny cafe and shop is known for its wide choice of onigiri - rice balls with all fillings imaginable. There are only a couple of tables inside where you can enjoy a cup of miso soup, and the shop also stocks Japanese staples that you’ll want in your pantry, from noodles and speciality snacks to mochi.
- Seoul Food - A Korean lunch spot and shop offering everything from kimbap and bibimbap to bulgogi, japchae, kimchi, tteokbokki and mandu.
- Amazing Oriental – A mainstay for the local Chinese community, this store is stocked with food from across Asia, including Korea and Japan. There are tons of fresh veggies and herbs, a takeaway snack stand and all the ingredients needed for an amazing hot pot night with friends.
- Japanse Delicatessen Atariya – Established in 1987, this deli and store is one of the best places in Amsterdam for Japanese food and household goods. Treat yourself to freshly made sushi, grab some ramen to make for lunch the following day and don’t forget the candy, either.
- Japans-Koreaans Delicatessen Shilla – Enter this beautiful store and browse through aisles filled with wonderful items from Korea and Japan. There’s enough to keep the serious cook satisfied, but lots of fun things as well, including fiery instant noodles and Pocky sticks in wild flavours.
- Tjin’s Toko – Filled with a little bit of everything, this funky toko has many items from Southeast Asia, as well as imports from the USA, including hot salsa. At lunchtime, it fills up with people craving Suriname-style sandwiches packed with curried chicken and other irresistible spreads.
- Toko Dun Yong – Since 1959, this store has been providing Amsterdammers with food from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and other Asian countries. The helpful staff are happy to answer questions and it also stocks a variety of cooking gear, including massive woks perfect for stir-frying.
Read our guides for dim sum, sushi, ramen, Indonesian, Southeast Asian, and Korean restaurants for more.
Central & South America
- La Reinita – This Argentinian deli is the place to go for empanadas, milanesas, pastries and dulce de leche paired with a cup of yerba mate.
- Chamuyero Carnicería & Deli – an Argentinian deli honouring the flavours of Buenos Aires. Their shelves are filled with fresh medialunas and empanadas as well as a wide selection of natural and classic Argentinian wines.
Don't miss these guides to Mexican restaurants and dumplings from around the world.
Africa
- Kilimanjaro Restaurant - this is the place for all those longing for Ethiopian cuisine. From Injera to Temtemo and other African dishes from Senegal, Morocco and Cameroon, this restaurant is the ultimate comfort for the soul.
Read our guide to North African restaurants for more.