Of course, supermarkets have taken over in Amsterdam just like most cities in northern Europe. But if you’re looking for that special ingredient or foodie gift to take home, there are a host of specialist food shops selling everything from pungent cheeses to kitchen gadgets to fine wines. Here’s a list of my personal favourites:
Amsterdam’s 25 Best Specialist Food Shops and Wine Stores
Butchers and fishmongers in Amsterdam
One of the best butcher’s in the centre of town is Slagerij de Leeuw(Utrechtsestraat 92) for meat, pâté, charcuterie and so on. One for the pork lovers: the jamón, chorizo, lomo and more at Ibericus (Haarlemmerstraat 93) is unbeatable. For French specialities like rillettes, terrines and foie gras, go off the beaten path to De Pasteibakkerij (Hoendiepstraat 2).
For fresh fish and seafood, go where all the local restaurants get their fish: Vishandel Tel, near the Nieuwmarkt (Kloveniersburgwal 11). I also love the visschotels (fish platters, ready to take on a picnic) from Vishandel Jonk (Rijnstraat 91). And for smoked fish and meat, don’t miss the legendary Frank’s Smokehouse (Wittenburgergracht 303).
Cheese stores in Amsterdam
For wonderfully smelly, unpasteurised cheeses, head to Kef (now with three locations: Marnixstraat 192, Czar Peterstraat 137 and Van der Pekplein 1 – the latter also has a tasting room). Or, in the Negen Straatjes in the centre of town, make your way to the Kaaskamer (Runstraat 7). But honestly, you can’t go wrong with most of the specialist cheese shops in Amsterdam!
De Kaaskamer, still going strong (Photo courtesy of Eating Amsterdam Food Tours – a great way to get to know the city!)
Cookbooks and kitchen supplies in Amsterdam
For cookbooks in both Dutch and English (including my own lunch cookbook!), try De Kookboekhandel (Haarlemmerdijk 133) or Duikelman (Ferdinand Bolstraat 66-68). The latter, which is very close to the Albert Cuypmarkt, also has the best selection of cooking equipment and kitchen supplies in the city.
International and ethnic ingredients in Amsterdam
For spices, preserved lemons and all sorts of North African goodies, I go to Volkskruidentuin (Kinkerstraat 142). For sushi equipment, soba noodles, Thai basil and all things Asian, I make for Toko Dun Yong (Stormsteeg 9) in Amsterdam’s Chinatown. For fermented foods like kimchi, pickles and sauerkraut, Thull’s Deli is your best bet, now with two locations (C. van Eesterenlaan 21–23 and Zeedijk 71). For Mexican and Southeast Asian specialities, I go to Tjin’s Toko in De Pijp (Eerste van der Helststraat 64) where they also do great Surinamese sandwiches.
If you’re looking for top-notch southern European ingredients, head to Julito’s (Cornelis Schuytstraat 37) for Spanish delicacies like Iberico ham, premium olive oils, paella kits, gourmet canned foods, cheeses, wines and an extensive bocadillo (sandwich) menu. For authentic Italian produce imported from Calabria, try Terre Lente (Westerstraat 55) – a little slice of southern Italy in Amsterdam.
Wine stores in Amsterdam
My favourite wine stores in Amsterdam include Wine & Roses in De Pijp (Van Woustraat 163), Chabrol Wines, which has two locations including a store that’s handily close to Centraal Station (Haarlemmerstraat 7 and Overtoom 444), and Vindict Wine with locations in the Jordaan and Noord (Elandsgracht 113 and Docklandsweg 3), which also carries a selection of Dutch wines at their shop-in-shop Bob Wijn.
Online food and drinks retailers in the Netherlands
If you live in Amsterdam or are staying for a longer period, you may well have reason to order food or drinks online. It’s nigh-on impossible to buy big cuts of meat in Amsterdam (for a low & slow BBQ or a classic English Sunday roast, for example) so I order my brisket, pork belly, beef ribs and more from Butchery.nl. I’m also a coffee snob, so it helps to be able to order beans, machines and caffeine accessories from Koffiestore.nl.
Drinks are always heavy to carry, so ordering them for home delivery is often the better bet. For online wine orders, try Colaris, which carries a wide selection of wines at different price points as well as Vivino top-rated wines and some lovely gift packages. I also like Decántalo, which specialises in southern European wines (although plenty of other regions are represented as well). If your love of booze extends to cocktails, online liquor store Topdrinks sells every spirit imaginable, including all your favourite brands. And finally, Jopen Bier is your go-to for Dutch craft beer.
There’s nothing better than having a good rummage round a food market on a Saturday morning… or indeed any day of the week if you’re on holiday. Chat to the local stall holders, taste the produce, and enjoy Amsterdam’s finest markets.
Noordermarkt: Saturdays only, in the Jordaan. Sells organic food and flea-market bric-a-brac. Expensive but worth a trip, and very central to the Canal Belt. Try also the Lindengracht market just round the corner – cheaper but still generally high quality (especially the fish stall near the start of the Lindengracht closest to the Brouwersgracht).
Nieuwmarkt: Saturdays only, just east of the Red Light District. Farmers’ market selling largely organic food, conveniently located.
Dappermarkt: Daily Monday–Saturday, in Oost. This hive of multi-cultural activity sells food and clothing.
Albert Cuypmarkt: Daily Monday–Saturday, in de Pijp. Sells food, clothing and household goods, and has recently become quite a Mecca for street food, too.
Ten Katemarkt: Daily Monday–Saturday, in Oud-West. Smaller market selling food and clothing at reasonable prices.
