When I visited Amsterdam I wanted to try different  foods that were popular in the Netherlands. Being a huge foodie, trying Dutch foods was one of the biggest missions that I had. I gathered a list of things that I had to try from bloggers Awesome Amsterdam, The Lazy Travelers, and Invading Holland and then I hit the streets to discover food Dutch people like.


Apples & Pancakes

Apple Pancake at Pancakes!

The Dutch love apples and they also love pancakes!

Luckily I came across a wonderful restaurant called Pancakes that combined the two: Pancakes! Amsterdam. The restaurant is quite popular, and it was full the entire time that I was there. Pancakes can be found all over Amsterdam and come in various sizes ranging from itty bitty pancakes called Poffertjes to large ones like the one pictured above.

Pancakes! Address: Berenstraat 38, 1016 GH Amsterdam, Netherlands


Hagelslag 

Hagelslag

Dutch people like hagelslag (sprinkles). I mean who doesn’t like sprinkles?

What I had never done before however was put sprinkles on my bread. Dutch people like to put sprinkles on their bread. The most popular kind of hagelslag is the ‘puur’ kind (pictured left), which is made from real cacao and is actually quite delicious. The hagelslag was alright on my bread, but I prefered it much more on my bananas 😀


Drop

Drop – sweet & salty

Drop is a kind of Dutch licorice. To say the candy is an acquired taste is an understatement.

Dutch people LOVE this stuff and it can be found in the candy aisle in stores all over Amsterdam. I was forewarned about the taste of the candy but I was unprepared for what I was about to experience.

Honestly, I found it to be horrid, and one of the absolutely most disgusting things I have ever put in my mouth.


Cheese

Cheese at Brouwerij ‘t IJ

I love cheese and eat a lot of it despite my stomach’s disagreement with the wonderful stuff.

In Amsterdam I ate SO much cheese, and surprisingly my stomach was not bothered at all (which means they probably have to really good cheese).

Every chance I got I was eating cheese, from free samples in the Amsterdam cheese museum to going on a cheese tasting at Reypenaer, I just could not get enough.


Hollandse Nieuwe Haring

Hollandse Nieuwe Haring at the Albert Cuypmarkt

This haring can be eaten in three different ways:

  • (1) Hold it by the tail and let it slide gracefully down your throat
  • (2) Eaten on a sandwich
  • (3) Chopped up into bite size pieces and eaten off of a toothpick.

I chose the latter while I was visiting the Albert Cuypmart and it was delicious!


Appletaart

Appletaart at Winkel 43

Appletaart (Dutch Apple Pie) is just about the most amazing dessert for the world to be blessed with.

Some think that apple pie is an American dish, when in reality it came from the Dutch. Layers of apple surrounded by crumbling pie crust  just melt in your mouth. I tried this appletaart at the famous Winkel 43, a restaurant known for their outstanding appletaart.

Winkel 43 Address: Noordermarkt 43, 1015 NA Amsterdam, Netherlands


Bitterballen

Bitterballen at Winkel 43

This delish Dutch dish tastes much better than it sounds.

Bitterballen, or dutch meatballs, are deep-fried crispy balls filled with beef or veal and a creamy sauce. They go very well with beer and alcohol.


Stroopwafels & Coffee

Stroopwafels & Coffee at Pancakes!

Last but not least, stroopwafels and coffee. The dutch love stroopwafels, which are two layers of wafel with a combination of syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in the middle.

They come both packaged and fresh off the griddle in sizes ranging from miniature (like the one pictured above) to plate size. The best stroopwafels that I had during my trip to Amsterdam was a large fresh one made right in front of me at the Albert Cuyp Market.




Have you ever had any of these Dutch foods? Which were your favorite?