I'm always looking for good breakfast places in Amsterdam - and I live here. So thanks for the Little Collins tip minnie90.

Eat Amsterdam

http://www.eat-amsterdam.com

Hi Joseph,

During my stint as Time Out Amsterdam Food & Drink editor, I wrote a whole cover feature on cheap places to eat in Amsterdam. Find the details here: http://target.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416122982&o=int&prev=sub&p=18 (give the page a few seconds to load!).

Eet smakelijk!

http://www.eat-amsterdam.com

Another Vietnamese restaurant has opened in Amsterdam: Cafe Saigon (conveniently located just near Leidseplein but on the first floor so you don't notice!). The restaurant is run by Chinese people and I wasn't impressed with everything I ate there but the pho was pretty good - it should be really, they claim it's their signature dish. http://www.saigon-cafe.nl/

Copenhagen can be pretty expensive, but these places all have good food for reasonable prices:

Mother: convivial Italian restaurant serving sourdough pizza. http://mother.dk/

LeLe: simple interior but tasty Vietnamese food (and lots of it). http://lele-nhahang.com/

42Raw: raw concept in a very central location. http://42raw.com/

Lucky you! I ate there last October. Quite an experience. One word of advice: we were served about a seven-course 'amuse' menu, which we mistook for the actual menu and spent so much time savouring it that we had to skip one of the final courses - they have very strict cut off/closing times.

You could also try Mother, an industrial-style sourdough pizza joint in Copenhagen's Kod Byen district (http://www.mother.dk/), and for something really different 42 Raw, a trendy, completely raw restaurant (http://42raw.com/).

I've had a good look around the Africa boards and there seems to be very little on Johannesburg restaurants. I'm already in town and have been to a number of good French/Italian/steak restaurants but am having trouble finding good Asian (specifically Thai and Vietnamese) here.

Can anyone help? Recommendations for any other good places to eat in Joburg are also welcome.

I usually write about food in Amsterdam, but have temporarily moved by mobile office down to the southern hemisphere. Johannesburg, which seems to be a neglected culinary destination, has a growing number of weekend (food) markets, often in interesting renovated buildings.

Markets to try for pies - and a host of other homemade or locally produced items, including biltong, fynbos honey, cheese, beer, raw chocolate and the samosas mentioned in some of the other posts - are Neighbourgoods on Saturdays http://www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za/ and Arts on Main on Sundays http://www.artsonmain.co.za/.

It's not exactly a pie, but I discovered 'roosterkoek' at one of the food stalls at Arts on Main. An Afrikaans word that translates literally as 'grill cake', these are bread rolls cooked on a braai (bbq) and then stuffed with grilled meats, sauces and the like. They are delicious! This site has a good description and photo: http://www.cooksister.com/2010/05/roosterkoek-a-south-african-braai-essential-1.html.

Eat Amsterdam
www.eat-amsterdam.com

Hi Eatslikeagirl,

Amsterdam is not renowned for its long opening hours, but these suggestions might help:
De Bakkerswinkel bakery, which has just moved to Zeedijk 37, about 5-10 mins walk from Central Station, is a good place for home-baked bread, cakes and pastries. They only open at 8am on Tues though, if you can stretch your departure time by half an hour.
http://www.debakkerswinkel.nl/amsterdam-centrum

One of my favourite chocolate shops in Amsterdam is Chocolatl in the Jordaan. It's open until 6pm during the week. The website is still under construction, but you can find more info and directions here: http://www.eat-amsterdam.com/food-and-drink-shopping-in-amsterdam/174-chocolatl-chocolate-shop.html

Cheese shop Tromp has a branch not too far from Chocolatl on Elandsgracht, which is open until 8pm. They are usually more than happy to give you samples to try before you buy. http://www.kaashuistromp.nl/winkels.html

For cooking shops, you might just catch Studio Bazar in the Centre http://www.studiobazar.com/winkels/index.html or Duikelman, a kitchenwares treasure trove, in De Pijp http://www.duikelman.nl/contact.php. They're both open until 6pm on Tues.

Eat Amsterdam
www.eat-amsterdam.com

Pompadour, Kuyt and Puccini are all well-established chocolate shops in Amsterdam, but several newer ones have joined the scene, which in my opinion are better. Chocolatl http://chocolatl.nl/ in the Jordaan is more like a chocolate boutique than a shop. Granted, many of the products are imported but they have some special stuff. Metropolitan Deli (Warmoesstraat 135) does a roaring trade in ice cream but also sells chocolate made by Dutchman Kees Raat.

I've never been to Vanderdonk http://www.vanderdonkchocolates.nl/ but I've heard great things about it. Van Soest on Utrechtsestraat http://www.vansoest-amsterdam.nl/ is also good, and has beautiful Tiffany-esque branding and packaging.

If you happen to be out in Oost Amsterdam, the third of the 'Vans', Van Velze's http://www.vanvelzes.com sells homemade, Rainforest Alliance certified chocolates in classic and more unusual flavours such as sweet chilli, fennel and Guinness (one of the owners is Irish).

Enjoy!

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Central and in a beautiful location between Utrechtsestraat and Rembrandtplein is Nel http://nelamstelveld.nl. Kids get crayons and paper to keep them busy and there are plenty of child-friendly items on the menu, like pancakes, toasted sandwiches and sausages.

Eat Amsterdam

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Thanks for this Copenhagen tip. I'm visiting for the first time next week. I've been lucky enough to get a table at (the allegedly fantastic) Noma but am looking for some places easier on the wallet for the other days. I'll definitely check it out.

www.eat-amsterdam.com

In addition to the above, I also recently discovered Le Sud on Haarlemmerdijk. It's a fantastic - and cheap - Mediterranean/Middle Eastern deli that is almost completely vegetarian. It serves everything from spicy hummus and tzatziki to roasted aubergine salad and stuffed peppers. Ask for any of the salads to be stuffed into Turkish flatbread for a sandwich or take away pots of things for a meal later.

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Cocktail bars aren't widespread in Amsterdam, but they're slowly catching on. Vesper is one of the best, but you could also try Feijoa (Vijzelstraat, near Rembrandtplein) - their gin infused with cucumber and served with a stick of rhubarb is a great summer drink; Harry's Bar (Spuistraat 285) is well established, although I haven't been personally; or the Dutch outpost of Little Buddha, the Asian-inspired restaurant and lounge concept, recently opened near Leidseplein. They have cut-price cocktails daily between 5pm and 8pm. The Hibiscus Margarita is good.

I'd recommend Gartine (Taksteeg) for breakfast/lunch. It's a mix of Dutch and French influences but lots of locally sourced ingredients are used, many grown in the owners' garden. Try the 'wentelteefjes' (a sort of French toast) made with Frisian sugar bread.
On the lovely Peperstraat (east of Nieuwmarkt), both Greetje and newcomer Gebr. Hartering, the latter run by two Dutch brothers, both do a good range of top-notch Dutch dishes.
'Uitsmijters' - fried eggs, cheese and sometimes ham served on bread - is a popular breakfast dish and is available in cafes all over Amsterdam.
The Dutch also love their 'borrelhapjes' (snacks consumed with a drink), many of which come out of the deep-fat fryer. These include bitterballen (crispy balls filled with meat ragout, croquettes, cheese straws and vlammetjes (pastry filled with spicy meat). These are also available all over town, but De Ysbreeker does them pretty well and has a fantastic terrace on the River Amstel.

I agree with Linguafood about Burgermeester. The interior is diner style but the burgers are quite gourmet: beef burger with tarragon mayo, local lamb with onion compote, wild salmon burger, and jacket potatoes instead of fries.

Burger Bar on Reguliersbreestraat 9 does more traditional but very good burgers. They don't have beer, but it's close to the bars on Rembrandtplein and Utrechtsestraat.

If you're looking for something a bit different Getto, a laidback mixed straight and gay bar on Warmoesstraat, serves burgers named after drag queens (Dolly Bellefleur, Jennifer Hopelezz). Wednesday is Burger Queen's Night when burger dinners cost 10 euros. There's beer too.

Other good beer bars include Cafe Belgique, a dark, intimate place on Gravenstraat, behind Dam Square, Beer Temple (Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 250), which specialises in American microbrews, but beers from Holland, Germany, Czech Republic and Denmark are also represented.

If you want to see beer being made, you can visit De Bekeerde Suster (Kloveniersburgwal 6-8) on Wed/Thurs. Tours are available on other days but the brewing kettles will be empty, and there's a basic lunch menu available (soups, sandwiches, steak, mashed potatoes). De Beiaard mentioned in Linguafood's post is part of the same company.

De Zotte is on Raamstraat 29, just behind Leidseplein where there are also plenty of bars, and stocks some 130 Belgian beers.

Hi Dapuma,

Here are some other options to consider, if you're still looking for local fare in unusual buildings (and not as far out as De Kas): Restaurant Open (www.open.nl) is in a converted section of railway bridge just west of Central Station. It has a French/Dutch menu with an emphasis on heirloom vegetables and fresh, organic produce. It also has a fantastic elevated terrace in the summer.

Gartine (www.gartine.nl) is a shoe-box-sized cafe tucked away on an alley near Kalverstraat shopping street. It also serves French/Dutch-inspired dishes for breakfast, lunch and high tea. It's run by a passionate husband and wife team who grow a lot of their own vegetables.

Blauw aan de Wal is a high-end restaurant incongruously located in the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light District. It's really only affordable for special occasions (and the menu is quite French) but the wines are great.

For handmade chocolates flavoured with unusual things like lemongrass and thyme, Pucinni Bomboni is a must (www.puccinibomboni.com). My favourite place for pastries (try the lemon tart!) is Gebroeders Niemeijer Bakery (Nieuwendijk 35).

Enjoy your honeymoon - it sounds like a great trip.

Eat-Amsterdam
www.eat-amsterdam.com

It's true that Amsterdam has been slow to embrace vegetarianism, but luckily there are a number of meat-free options these days. It's very rare to find a restaurant that has no vegetarian options on the menu at all, although some are definitely more exciting than others.

De Bolhoed (Prinsengracht 60-62 - cash only) is a low-key, reasonably priced vegetarian/vegan restaurant. The three-course Asian menu for around 21 euro is particularly recommended. You can choose your own dessert from the enticingly named 'pie fridge'.

Betty's (www.bettys.nl) is a fantastic, high-end vegetarian restaurant. It serves really inventive meat-free dishes and great wines. This is obviously reflected in the prices, but definitely worth a splurge.

Small World deli and cafe (www.smallworldcatering.nl) has great coffee and sandwiches, many with vegetarian fillings, and carrot cake to die for.

Have fun!

Eat-Amsterdam
www.eat-amsterdam.com

Your hotel is in a great location for all kinds of goodies, although as other people have said, Amsterdam is small and it doesn't usually take long to get anywhere.

Just behind Noordermarkt in the Jordaan is DiVino, a lovely Italian wine bar which also sells a small selection of antipasti and freshly made pasta dishes. Also in the Jordaan (Egelantiersstraat) is La Oliva, a bar/restaurant on a typical narrow street which serves pintxos (sort of North Spanish tapas). This is a great option if you are not very hungry or want to try a little of everything.

CousCousine on Westerstraat is a modern take on Moroccan food with French flair.

For top-notch Dutch food, I highly recommend Gartine (near Rokin), a lovely spot for breakfast, lunch or high tea. The owners are passionate about what they do, and many of the ingredients they use are sourced from their own garden. Another option for excellent Dutch food, although a little further from your hotel, is Greetje (near Waterlooplein). Again, the chefs use lots of local ingredients and while the restaurant is old and atmospheric (wooden beams, view of a canal), many of the dishes have been updated to be lighter and more refined.

Singel 404 is a bustling lunch spot with a list of sandwiches almost too long to choose from, or try the Haarlemmerstraat/Haarlemmerdijk area for some of Amsterdam's best pizzas at De Pizza Bakkers or excellent cakes and coffee at Small World Catering deli.

Albert Cuyp Market is a good place for shopping and street food (herring, waffles, warm roasted cashew nuts, thick crispy fries - with mayo!).

Utrechtsestraat is also quite good for shopping and you can stop off for coffee and sandwiches at Zuivere Koffee, Indonesian at Tempo Doeloe or Dutch/southern European food at laidback Vooges.

Enjoy your visit.

Eat Amsterdam

www.eat-amsterdam.com

I recently went back to Gespot and they now have a new chef and menu. It used to be light, pan-Asian dishes, as I mentioned in my original post above, but is now chunkier and unfortunately less refined Italian fare.

The canal-side terrace is still lovely, but I wouldn't return for the food...

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Golden Chopsticks on Oude Doelenstraat 1 (behind Dam Square) is an authentic Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam that serves congee. You will find the congee listed on the last page on the menu in Chinese, but the wait staff are happy to provide linguistic assistance if you need it.

I hope the pregnancy goes smoothly.

http:www.eat-amsterdam.com

Hi Adelly,

I would recommend Gespot on Prinsengracht 422. It attracts a crowd of young professionals and serves a menu of light, Asian-style dishes. If you're up for it, at weekends a DJ also plays in the basement bar until the wee hours.

Bridges in the Grand Hotel is a new fish restaurant. It's quite upmarket, but you should still be able to eat here within your budget. It's the kind of splurge place you might want to keep for your last night. Their tagline is ‘Dutch fish with a French twist’, so this could also be an opportunity to try some local fare.

Also quite new is Pompstation. It is located in a beautiful former water pumping building in an up and coming area of Amsterdam towards the east, so has bags of character. They pride themselves on the quality of their meat, but there's definitely fish-only and vegetarian dishes to choose from. They also have a good selection of wines and charge a fixed markup on each bottle, regardless of the original price. In other words, the more expensive wine, the better deal it is, relatively speaking.

I admit that none of these suggestions are on your doorstep, but distance is relative and Amsterdam is small it shouldn't take you long to get to any of them. Bridges is near the Dam/Rokin and Gespot is behind Leidseplein, two places you are likely to visit or pass through anyway.

Have a great stay!

Eat-Amsterdam

www.eat-amsterdam.com

A relative newcomer to the rijsttafel scene is Restaurant Blauw on Amstelveenseweg 158-160 (www.restaurantblauw.nl). The interior is sleek and modern, without being pretentious, but the food is some of the best and most traditional I have found in Amsterdam (although as Harters points out, the concept of a rijsttafel is Dutch rather than Indonesian).

There is an a la carte menu, but the rijsttafel is really the best value – and most sociable - way to sample a number of different dishes.

Blauw offers three rijsttafel options: meat, fish and vegetables; fish and seafood; or vegetarian. These cost between €25 and €30 per person. This might seem pricey, but each option consists of about 18 different dishes, including classics like ikan pedis (spicy fish), satay with peanut sauce and rendang (thick beef stew), as well as rice, pickles, sambal etc. etc. - all the dishes are beautifully presented in white, boat-shaped bowls that just seem to keep on coming.

If you have space at the end of all this, I recommend the black rice pudding with pandan ice cream and coconut milk for dessert.

EatAmsterdam

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Hi Sheila,

There are plenty of cheap eats in Amsterdam. Here are some of my favourites:

A good place to start the day is Bazar on Albert Cuypstraat 182. The building used to be a church, and has retained the high ceiling and first-floor seating gallery. The decor is now a colourfully kitsch mix of Moorish tiles, Moroccan lamps and bright Middle Eastern advertising posters. For breakfast, an omelette of spiced feta and tomato costs around €6, or an Algerian thousand-hole pancake with honey and butter is €4.25. The large breakfast with a bit of everything (‘pide’ bread, marinated feta, pancake, apricot jam, yoghurt, boiled egg, fresh juice, coffee – the list goes on and on) is less than €8.

Amsterdam is famous for its squat scene, and several squats have their own, usually basic, restaurants. De Peper @ OT301 on Overtoom 301 is one of these. An organic vegan dinner is served between 7-9pm on Tue, Thur, Fri and Sun and you actually choose how much you want - or can afford - to pay, on a sliding scale between €6 and €10. This gets you a bowl of soup and a main course. Dessert costs an additional €1.50. You pick up your food from the bar and when you are done, take your own dirty dishes to the kitchen. This dining experience definitely won't suit everyone, but it is a great option if you are looking for something informal and a bit different.

Keuken van 1870 on Spuistraat 4 is slightly more upmarket than De Peper – there are waiters! – but also has rock-bottom prices. A three-course meal can be had for just €9.50. This usually includes hearty portions of Dutch classics like mashed potatoes topped with smoked sausage, meatballs and ‘vla’ (custard).

You can also find Dutch comfort food at De Bekeerde Suster just off Nieuwmarkt (Kloveniersburgwal 6-8) – pea soup, beef stew, steak, mashed potatoes – for very reasonable prices. This is also a good place to try Dutch ‘borrelhapjes’, snacks eaten with an (alcoholic) drink, including cheese blocks with mustard, ossenworst (raw sausage), kaasstengels (deep-fried cheese straws) and the ubiquitous bitterballen (ragout-filled croquettes). De Bekeerde Suster doubles as a brewery, so you can wash everything down with artisanal beer made on the premises.

For excellent Dutch apple pie or ‘uitsmijters’ (fried eggs topped with cheese and ham, served on slices of bread), head to Café Latei on Zeedijk 143.

If you get a craving for a taste of home, head out to My Burrito on Kinkerstraat 142, just west of the centre. Everything in this Mexican takeaway, which is run by a lovely Dutchman who spent several years in San Francisco, is organic or eco-friendly. Surprisingly, this adds little to the price but a lot to the taste. A basic burrito filled with rice, beans, cheese and salsa starts at €5, but add a couple more euros if you want meat, sour cream or home-made guacamole. Quesadillas and tacos are also available.

Eat-Amsterdam

www.eat-amsterdam.com

Frites -- it's been said before but Vleminckx really is the best place for fries. For around 3 euros you can get a medium cone topped with a dollop of one of their 20 different sauces.

Pannekoeken -- Pancakes! is a little bit touristy but plenty of locals go as well. It is also very affordable; you can get a plate-sized pancake for between 6.50 and 9 euros.

Wentelteefjes (French toast) -- my favourite place for this is Gartine, a tiny cafe on Taksteeg, between Kalverstraat and Rokin. It is run by a couple who grow a lot of their own food. They use Friesian sugar bread for their French toast, which also gives it an extra local touch.

Poffertjes -- you can also get these baby pancakes at Pancakes! for around 5 euros. Or try the poffertjes stall on Albert Cuyp Market where you can see them being made.

Rijsttafel -- are you coming on your own? Rijsttafel is a Dutch adaptation an Indonesian feast and it involves lots of small dishes, similar to tapas, which you may have difficulty finishing if you are alone. I don't know of any places that serve really cheap rijsttafel (Blauw on Amstelveenseweg is good but not a budget option). If you are interested in trying any other Indonesian specialties, like soto, satay and Javanese meatballs, which have been widely assimilated into Dutch cuisine, then Cafe Kadijk on Kadijksplein is worth checking out. It's also reasonably priced. It does serve a plate of lots of different things for 18.50, which, if this fits into your budget, could be a way to try a bit of everything.

Maatjes haring - the new herring season starts around the end of the first week in June, so you may just be in time to try the new catch. If you are on Albert Cuyp looking for poffertjes, you can look out for a herring stall at the same time.

Hutspot -- this is a dish made from mashed potatoes, carrots, onions and stewed meat. It is usually eaten in the winter, so you may have difficulty finding it at this time of year.

Winkel appelgebak -- this is Dutch apple pie from cafe Winkel on Noordermarkt. They turn out tens of these every day and you can watch them arriving freshly baked from the kitchen in a dumb waiter. Another good option for apple pie is Cafe Latei on Zeedijk.

Belegde broodjes -- this means any filled roll or sandwich. I recommend Singel 404, Small World Catering and Gartine.

Kroketten -- croquettes are available in lots of bars/cafes as a snack. The croquettes made by Holtkamp are particularly good. One of the places you can find them is Star Ferry, the cafe attached to Muziek Gebouw aan t IJ - it's just east of Central Station and part of the new development on the waterfront and also has a great terrace overlooking the IJ.

Stroopwafels (literally syrup waffles) -- again, Albert Cuyp Market is one of the best places to look for these and they will probably be made fresh while you wait. Or try Lanskroon on Singel for waffles that have already been bagged up.

Leyden cheese -- this cheese is actually flavoured with cumin, but it's still delicious! If you are really looking for nettle cheese, ask for 'brandnetelkaas'. Friese nagelkaas, made with cloves, is also unusual and really nice. You should be able to find all of these at De Kaaskamer, Tromp or at either of the organic markets that set up every Saturday on Noordermarkt and Nieuwmarkt.

The cheapest supermarket I know in the centre of Amsterdam is the German one Lidl, although it doesn't have very many branches. The most ubiquitous chain is Albert Heijn but Dirk van den Broek and C1000 are slightly cheaper. Depending on what want to buy, the fruit and veg sellers on Albert Cuyp Market often discount their products significantly at the end of the day. Try dropping by between 4 and 5 PM.

Hope that helps and have a delicious visit!

For apple pie, Winkel on Noordermarkt always gets trotted out, but I think Cafe Latei on Zeedijk (Nieuwmarkt end) is just as good, plus it's really quirky - almost everything in it is for sale, including the chairs you're sitting on.

Vleminckx is still excellent for fries, although it might be worth mentioning they serve Flemish rather than French fries - nice fat things that are crispy on the outside and crumbly on the inside.

There are several really good bakeries to choose from: Bakken Met Passie (near Albert Cuyp market), Vlaamsch Broodhuys, Crust and Crumbs and De Bakkerswinkel. Hartog's wholewheat bakery/cafe near Oosterpark is a bit of a local institution, or try either of the organic markets that set up on Saturdays on Nieuwmarkt and Noordermarkt.

De Pizza Bakkers opened about a year ago and seem to be doing very well, judging by the number of new branches they keep opening. The pizza's are great and you can choose from some standard tomato-and-cheese-type toppings or some more unusual options like fennel sausage (one of my favourites). They don't accept cash, only debit/credit cards.

Thai Bird on Zeedijk is good, but as it is now in all the guide books it's nearly always packed. Another good option in the area is Ocha - its on Binnen Bantammerstraat, a side street on the other side of Nieuwmarkt - which is run by lovely Thai sisters.

It's also in all the guide books, but 't Smalle brown cafe, with its lovely canal-side terrace, always does it for me.

Brouwersgracht must be one of the most beautiful canals in Amsterdam, so it's a lovely place to stay. It's other advantage is that it's round the corner from Haarlemmerdijk and Haarlemmerstraat (one is the continuation of the other).

Loads of exciting foodie things have happened on or close to these streets in recent months, so you could in theory spent a whole trip just discovering this area! De Pizza Bakkers, whose formula comprises pizza and prosecco, has opened a branch at Haarlemmerdijk no. 128, Tea Bar at no. 71 is a nice antidote to all the coffee swilling around Holland and Vesper is an excellent little cocktail bar opposite Small World Catering on the side street Binnen Oranjestraat - the latter probably not so interesting for the kids but the parents might want to wind down here after a day of sightseeing.

For coffee, you can try Espresso Bar Tazzina actually on Brouwersgracht at no. 139. Or if you're looking for beans, Screaming Beans opened on the Nine Streets, a little further down in the Jordaan, earlier this year. They've got 'normal' beans as well as some more exotic stuff like Sundried Panama and Unwashed Yirgacheffe from Ethiopia.

Also good for cheeses is Tromp on Utrechtsestraat, which is almost opposite Patisserie Kuyt.

Blauw is a great place for Indonesian, although relatively formal, especially if you're eating with kids. One of my favourite low-key Indonesian places, which is also slightly off the beaten track, is Cafe Kadijk on Kadijksplein (it's a short walk from Artis Zoo and in a picturesque old neighbourhood). It's small so you should try and reserve a table but the food is good, relatively cheap and there's a nice terrace out front in warm weather.

The best place to get herring in Amsterdam is from a street stall. These can be found all over the place, including on one of the canal bridges on Utrechtsestraat and on Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp neighbourhood.

For great Dutch food in a lovely old building right on the water - when you can go to the bathroom downstairs you can actually dip your hand in the canal out the window - try Greetje on Peperstraat. Restaurant Open serves a combination of Dutch, French and Italian food and is located in a section of converted railway bridge, which is very cool.

Or for something more low-key, try Gartine on Taksteeg for amazing breakfasts, lunches and high teas.