No. 1 Restaurant in Amsterdam - De Kas
Almost nothing makes me happier than food; writing about food, reminiscing about food, planning soon-to-be-gobbled-up food AND, of course, eating food. So I am happy to have finally put together my ‘Best Of Amsterdam’ list for you and your tot in tow after 5 years of sampling this city’s cuisine. And I love a good list, so here goes.
- 10. Praq - This restaurant takes kid-friendly to a entirely different level, welcoming parents and their tots in tow. Besides a special menu for kids (served on unbreakable plates) and kid’s furniture, there is a separate playing room where kids can hang out while waiting for their meal. The food is excellent, made with fresh ingredients and the atmosphere is inspiring and playful. Take advantage of the terrace, but I suggest making a reservation especially on the weekends.
Praq Restaurant
- 9. De Pannenkoekenboot – You can’t get more Dutch than this! A genius combination of food, tourism and boats. A boat tour, all you can eat Dutch pancakes, a ball pit and happy families! The colorful spread of toppings will astound any child (kid in a candy store indeed)! We chose to eat lunch before we boarded, so Charles and his friends could make a bee-line straight to the sweet pancakes and skip the savory ones. I suggest doing the 1 hr cruise. Great afternoon!
- 8. Le Pain Quotidien – Happy day! the first Le Pain just opened up in Amsterdam. If you are a loyal follower of my site, than you know that this Belgian bakery is one of my favorite restaurants with it’s long, rustic wooden communal tables, cozy atmosphere and a great selection of a la carte options and entire plates.
Le Pain Quotidien
- 7. Panini - This low-key, trendy panini cafe is great for lunch with a tot in tow. No frills or elaborate menus, just good food that hits the spot.
- 6. Incanto – Location, location, location. Perched above Munt square overlooking the flower markets and canals, this is a perfect place to people-watch or count the passing trams, while eating great Italian cuisine. A fresh, seasonal, simple menu that satisfies every time.
- 5. Villa Zeezicht – Hands down, this is the best apple pie you will have in all of Amsterdam, and quite possibly in your life! So unbelievably good! Every time we make it to Amsterdam, we debate which day we should hit up Zeezicht for its legendary pie. This trip…I went twice! Located on the Singel Canal, Torensteeg 7.
Wish you could smell this Zeezicht Apple Pie!
- 4. Cafe Restaurant Amsterdam – It’s huge! Once a water pumping station, now a delicious, family-friendly restaurant. While waiting for your meal, check out the historical building, color in the kids corner, or play in the outdoor area. We eat here every time we are in Amsterdam. It is popular with the locals, so be sure to make a reservation!
- 3. Hotel de Goudfazant – Don’t be confused by it’s name….it is not a hotel, but a huge converted warehouse with tons of character and a surprisingly warm, inviting atmosphere. Communal tables, old cars and motorcycles, a ping pong and pool table (for restless kids or competitive adults) complete this gem of a restaurant that overlooks the river Ij. The food is great and your kids will love to eat the whole roast chicken with their hands!
Tea and Cookies at the Hotel de Goudfazant
- 2. Kinderkookcafe – The direct translation is “Child Cook Cafe” and it is exactly that, a place where the kids not only do the eating, but the cooking and the serving! An absolute MUST for your kids!
- 1. De Kas – LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place! Everything you find on your plate is either grown on-site, at their farm, or from local farmers….from the garden straight to your plate. Parents can enjoy amazing, fresh cuisine and kids can burn off energy before or after the meal, wandering through the greenhouse, outdoor garden or play on the wooden playground! A perfect combination and my ABSOLUTE favorite restaurant in Amsterdam. In fact, Charles and I (we share the same birthday) had our birthday dinner at De Kas last year.
Asparagus Starter from De Kas
I guess it’s obvious that I eat well when we are in Amsterdam…in fact it was hard making this list of a mere top 10. Here are the restaurants that didn’t make the list. We can call these my notable mentions…Lof, The Terrace of the Film Museum, Pasta e Basta, Dauphine, Winkel, De Tarte Van Mijn Tante, Toscanini, Neva (Hermitage Museum), Wilhelmina-Dok, and of course, High Tea at the Amstel Hotel Lounge.
