Oud-West

Specialty coffee roastery and cafe in the heart of the Jordaan, and one of the spots that helped kick off Amsterdam's third-wave coffee scene. The space is minimal: exposed brick, a La Marzocca machine, a small roaster visible behind the counter, and not much else. The coffee is excellent. They roast in small batches, rotate single origins regularly, and the baristas know what they're doing. The pour-over and filter options change weekly depending on what's been roasted. The espresso-based drinks are consistently good, with a house blend that balances fruit and chocolate without the aggressive acidity that some specialty roasters lean into. There's no real food menu beyond a pastry or two, and that's fine. You come here for the coffee. Lot Sixty One is on Kinkerstraat in Oud-West (they also have a Jordaan location on Haarlemmerdijk). The space is small and doesn't have much seating, so most people take their coffee to go or perch on the bench outside. If you need to sit and work, this isn't the spot. If you want genuinely good coffee prepared by people who care about extraction and origin, it's one of the best in Amsterdam. The beans are available to buy and make excellent gifts.

The best Indonesian restaurant in Amsterdam, which in a city with this much colonial history and this many Indonesian restaurants is a serious claim. The rijsttafel (rice table) is the thing to order: a parade of 15-20 small dishes served simultaneously, covering the full range of Indonesian cuisine from satay to rendang to gado gado to sambal-scorched green beans. It's a shared feast designed for the table, not the individual. The rijsttafel tradition exists almost exclusively in the Netherlands, a direct result of the colonial era when Dutch plantation owners in Indonesia would have elaborate multi-dish meals served to impress their guests. The cuisine itself is Indonesian, but the format is Dutch-Indonesian, and Amsterdam is the world capital of it. Blauw does it better than anyone else in the city. The dishes are precise, the spice levels are authentic (not toned down for Dutch palates), and the presentation is beautiful. Blauw is on Amstelveenseweg in Oud-Zuid, near the Vondelpark. The space is modern and sleek, not the faded colonial decor you find at older Indonesian places. The full rijsttafel for two runs about €45-50 per person. They also do smaller set menus and a la carte if you don't want the full spread, but the rijsttafel is the point. Reserve for dinner, especially on weekends. If you're interested in the history behind the cuisine, the Tropenmuseum in Oost has an excellent exhibition on Dutch-Indonesian relations that adds context to what you're eating.

Indoor food market with 21 stalls serving everything from Vietnamese banh mi to Argentinian empanadas. The converted tram depot has communal seating and a lively atmosphere on weekends.

A hidden garden restaurant tucked into the edge of Vondelpark, serving organic and seasonal dishes in a greenhouse-like setting. The focus is on vegetables and sustainable ingredients, with a menu that changes weekly. The peaceful garden terrace feels like an escape from the city despite being in the heart of Amsterdam.

Michelin-starred chef's casual restaurant serving refined small plates and comfort food at non-fine-dining prices. The fried chicken and beef croquettes showcase high-end technique applied to accessible dishes.

This cozy brown café has been a neighborhood institution since 1970, serving honest Dutch-French cuisine in an intimate, candlelit setting. The menu changes regularly based on seasonal ingredients, and the atmosphere is quintessentially Amsterdam with locals chatting over wine. The apple pie is a must-try dessert.