Food & Restaurants

Restaurant guide Iens independent index (www.iens.nl)
lists restaurants listed by cuisine, location, specialty, and more.

If you prefer to stroll and sniff out your own sustenance, here are a few tips. If you want to pick your own rocket salad, go to IJburg . Go to the Pijp if you crave econo-ethnic; cruise Haarlemmerstraat, Utrechtsestraat, Nieuwmarkt, the ‘Nine Streets’ area (the streets linking the canal ring between Leidsegracht and Raadhuisstraat) and Reguliersdwarsstraat if you want something classier; and only surrender to Leidseplein if you don’t mind being overcharged for a cardboard steak or porridge-like pasta.

Quality snack opportunities can be found in the form of fish , rolled ‘pizzas’ from Turkish bakeries, Dutch broodjes (sandwiches) from bakers and butchers, and nice and spicy Surinamese broodjes from ‘Suri-Indo-Chin’ snack bars. And you really should visit an Albert Heijn grocery store to get an insight into Dutch eating habits and, more importantly to buy a box of hagelslag (flaked chocolate bread topping) for your emergency travel kit.