The Pancake Bakery and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Pancakes/Stroopwafels/Poffertjes/Appeltaart

It would be a crime to visit Amsterdam and not have pancakes at least once! The Pancake Bakery on Prinsengracht is one of the oldest and most famous pancake restaurants. It's a large restaurant in the cellar of a building, but was almost full when we visited for lunch. The service isn't particularly quick, but then it was very busy. Lots of couples and families were eating there. Handy for the Anne Frank House.

Favorite Dish: We had an Egyptian pancake, which contained marinated lamb and was just gorgeous, plus a salami and cheese pancake, which was also tasty. The pancakes are VERY filling - I was so full it was almost uncomfortable afterwards, and I had to do a lot of walking before I could even think about eating again!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Prinsengracht 191

Restaurant Name: Italian Restaurants / Pizzeria

This is a fabulous Italian restaurant, built in an old town house on the Singel. We sat downstairs, where we could watch the pizzas being baked and see the hand-pulled dumb waiter hoisting the food to the customers upstairs. It has a great, lively atmosphere, and the service was excellent. We arrived at around 7pm, and by 8 the restaurant was almost full, so I recommend booking if you want to eat at a busy time, or if there is a large group of you. The restaurant is only open for evening meals.

Favorite Dish: We had minestrone soup, bruscetta and pizza. Absolutely delicious, and as good as anything I ever ate in Italy.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Singel 426
Website: http://www.casadidavid.com/Pages/index1.htm

Restaurant Name: Fast Food

You will see Febo shops everywhere in Amsterdam, and eventually the urge to put a Euro in the slot and take a piece of food out will prove too much. Honestly, take our word for it - it's not worth it! Think of all the other things you coould do with that euro! 30 seconds after this picture was taken, the food was in the bin. We had thought it was some kind of beef croquette, but my boyfriend thought it was more likely to be solidified pea soup, deep-fried in batter. We're in no rush to try a Febo again anyway - now don't say we didn't warn you!


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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Indian/Thai/Malaysian/Vietnamese Restaurants

Sawaddee Ka is about a ten minute walk from Leidesplein but is worth the stroll. It is a great Thai restaurant, with a quiet atmosphere - a nice change to some of the more hectic restaurants in the centre. The service was friendly and efficient, and there is an excellent choice of foods on the menu. the only drawback is that credit cards are not accepted.

Favorite Dish: We had a range of traditional Thai foods - I can't remember exactly what, but I know we enjoyed it and if we had had the time, we would have returned another night!

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Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Overtoom 49

Restaurant Name: Cafe's/Grand Cafe's/Bars/Pubs/Bruine Cafe's

This is a great cafe on the Prinsengracht, not far from Anne Frank's House. The tables are right by the canal on a quiet street, and the service is fast and friendly. The prices are also very reasonable, and we felt that this was probably the best value lunch we had in Amsterdam.

Favorite Dish: We had a focaccia club sandwich, and a Mexican chicken wrap, followed by a really tasty apple pie. The sandwich and wrap were stacked with filling, they were just so good. Definitely recommended.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Prinsengracht 124

Restaurant Name: Indonesian Restaurants / Rijsttafel

I had read about rijsttafel on VT before travelling to Amsterdam and so was really keen to try it. We found Cilubang by chance and were really glad we did. It is a quiet and charming restaurant, with friendly staff who will happily guide 'rijsttafel virgins' through the menu. The restaurant was busy when we visited, so it may be worth booking in advance.

Favorite Dish: We chose the rijsttafel, which was a selection of around 15 different Indonesian dishes. It sounds a lot, but the portion sizes were just right so we didn't feel overwhelmed. The food wasn't as spicy as I expected, and I didn't find the satay dishes too peanuty for my tastes. It was all quite delicious, and I'd happily visit again.

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Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 626 97 55
Address: Runstraat 10