One of my favorite parts of visiting a new country is tracking down all the best spots to try traditional foods. Food is such a huge part of a country’s culture, and I truly feel you can learn a lot about a place by stuffing your face (but maybe that’s just my stomach talking). I always end up visiting cities and suburbs I never would have otherwise, all in the name of a good meal.
I seriously could not get enough of traditional Dutch foods when I was visiting the Netherlands. Every local snack I tried was some delicious deep-fried salt or sugar bomb – totally unhealthy, indulgent, drunken-munchies kind of food. Amazing.
I traipsed all over town hunting down the best spots to try Dutch food, and I’ve come up with the following list. If you’re ever headed to the Netherlands, I HIGHLY recommend trying a few of these – you won’t be disappointed!!
Table of Contents
BITTERBALLEN
WHAT ARE THEY
An orgasmic, melt-in-your-mouth cloud. But more specifically, a cloud of beef, a thick roux (butter + flour), beef broth, and herbs, all battered in breadcrumbs and then deep-fried.
WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM
These were by far my favorite snack from the Netherlands and I ate them literally everywhere. So I can tell you that the best ones by far are from De Ballenbar in Amsterdam’s Foodhallen. I had a 5-ball tasting including traditional, goats cheese, spinach + cheese, truffle, and bouillabaisse. They were AMAZING – light as a cloud inside, with the perfect golden, crunchy exterior. The traditional mustard dip was a perfect accompaniment – they also offer a few other sauces including a truffle aioli!
PANNENKOEKEN
WHAT ARE THEY
More similar to a crepe than a pancake, pannenkoeken are made of a thin batter of milk, eggs, and flour. They are super light and come in a ton of sweet and savory varieties – traditionally apples, cheese, or bacon.
WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM
I had this goats cheese, pepitas, bacon, and spinach variation at PANCAKES Amsterdam in the Negen Straatjes. It was the perfect breakfast – indulgent, savory, but not overly filling thanks to the light-as-air pancake. The coffee was also on point and the service was spectacular. This would be my go-to breakfast spot if I lived in Amsterdam – it was that good! I’ve also heard great things about Upstairs Pannenkoekenhuis, a tiny, very busy restaurant (definitely call ahead before you go! They’re also cash only fyi).
STROOPWAFEL
WHAT ARE THEY
A wafer-thin cookie made of pressed dough filled with a sugar syrup (syrup, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon). They are addicting and it is literally impossible to eat just one.
WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM
I ate probably 8000 during my week in the Netherlands but this one – from a stand in the Markthal food hall in Rotterdam – is the only one I managed to photograph. The best ones in Amsterdam are at Albert Cuyp Markt, a famous street market, where you’ll find a variety of other food stalls and trinkets. For a non-traditional but very Instagram-friendly chocolate-dipped version, try out Van Wonderen Stroopwafel.
LOOKING FOR MORE THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM? | Check out my post about Amsterdam’s best Instagram offerings here
GOUDSEKAAS
WHAT IS IT
Gouda cheese! It’s originally from a small town in the Netherlands called… Gouda, lol.
WHERE CAN YOU GET IT
If you head to the town of Gouda in Southern Holland, you can try every cheese in that photo (!!!) at Gouds Kaashuis, plus every other cheese in the shop. I did. I thought I would throw up afterwards and it was so worth it. They have an absolutely insane range – I think I probably tried upwards of 50 cheeses. Flavors include everything from truffle to sambal. If you’re sticking to Amsterdam, De Kaaskamer has great cheeses as well!
RIJSTTAFEL
WHAT IS IT
A Dutch-Indonesian dish (yep, that’s a thing) of 15+ traditional small-plates served with rice. Dishes include vegetables with peanut sauce, banana fritters, chicken satay, braised pork, and more! Read all about it here.
WHERE CAN YOU GET IT
There are a ton of Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam so it won’t be hard to find a place. I tried the rijsttafel at Restaurant Blauw and was really impressed. For 39 euro I ate enough food for two, and it was all totally delicious. Indonesian food is a serious party in your mouth with big, punchy flavors – think sweet peanut sauces, sticky glazes, and spicy chilli. I’ve also heard Blue Pepper and Kantjil & De Tijger serve amazing rijsttafel!
POFFERTJES
WHAT ARE THEY
Literally just miniature pancakes, cooked in a hilarious little mini pancake pan. Traditionally they’re served with sweet toppings like powdered sugar, butter, and syrup. But sometimes you can find savory versions with Gouda or other cheeses!
WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM
The ones in the photo are not even from the Netherlands because I’m a fraud. But I did try some at the Poffertjes Albert Cuyp stand in Albert Cuyp Markt in Amsterdam and they were amazing – according to Google, they are also supposed to be some of the best ones in the city 🙂
KROKETTEN
WHAT ARE THEY
Basically just a croquette. They are quite similar to bitterballen – in fact, as far as I can tell, the only real difference is the shape lol. The contents are essentially the same – beef, flour + butter, herbs, and beef broth.
WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM
I had a sampler at Het Kroketloket in Rotterdam (located in the Markthal food hall) and they were amazing! But they’re not exactly traditional – they have a ton of random flavors like Peking duck (the standout of the tasting, in my opinion!). If you’re looking for traditional kroket in Amsterdam, try Eetsalon Van Dobben, which are supposed to be the most delicious ones in the city.
IN SUMMARY, DUTCH SNACKS ARE THE BEST. DON’T THINK ABOUT THE CALORIES AND ENJOY!! <3
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