La Oliva
La Oliva's concept is about pintxos y vinos – Basque-style tapas and wine. The pintxos – most of which involve a bread base plus topping – are lined up on the bar so diners can take a look, give their selection to the staff, and wait for their chosen titbits to arrive. The wine list is extensive, and offers some excellent Spanish varieties. For hungrier diners, there is a regular menu of starters and mains involving some excellent ingredients typical of northern Spain, including the delicious, if expensive, pata negra ham. Try the skewer of seared tuna with meltingly fresh foie gras and a sweet, umami-heavy reduction of Pedro Ximénez sherry.
Egelantiersstraat 122-4, +31 20 320 4316, laoliva.nl, mains €20-€25. Open Mon-Wed 5pm-10pm, Thurs-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10pm
Beddington's
Beddington's is named after British chef and owner Jean Beddington, who opened her first restaurant in Amsterdam in 1983. A combination of her Derbyshire roots, Asian influences from living in Japan, and modern Dutch twists, make her food some of the most stylish and experimental in Amsterdam. Think seared tuna steak with a zingy horseradish, wasabi and soy concoction, served with mellow sweet potato mash. The restaurant itself is serene, despite the full view into the working kitchen, and it is tucked down a leafy side road away from tourist hubbub. Like most top quality restaurants, it attracts more business types than gastronomes, but Beddington and her team are never complacent when it comes to creativity.
Utrechtsedwarsstraat 141, +31 20 620 7393, beddington.nl, three courses €48, four courses €55. Open Tues-Sat from 7pm, last orders 9.30pm
De Kas
De Kas, meaning greenhouse in Dutch, is housed in an enormous glasshouse: one half for eating, the other for growing the fruit and vegetables that end up on your plate. If your food wasn't produced here, it will come from the surrounding garden or a nearby farm. You might be served edible begonia flowers or the leaves of the "oyster plant" that tastes (bizarrely) of its namesake. While its reputation means that De Kas has a more commercial feel than it used to, the food is undeniably excellent. Organic, healthy and with the emphasis firmly on fresh produce, it serves modern European flavours with flair.
Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, +31 20 462 4562, restaurantdekas.nl, two-course lunch €37.50, three-course dinner €49.50. Open Mon-Fri noon-2pm, 6.30pm-10pm, Sat 6.30pm-10pm
Restaurant Greetje
While Dutch cuisine might not have the greatest reputation, Greetje takes old-fashioned classics and makes them into something the country can – and should – be proud of. Bread is served with meat-flecked goose fat instead of butter, and potatoes are the carbohydrate of choice – generally mashed with seasonal vegetables to make a typically Dutch stamppot. The only element of this establishment that isn't Dutch is the service. Far from the indifference you'll encounter elsewhere, the waiting staff here are friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about their menu.
Peperstraat 23-25, +31 20 779 7450, restaurantgreetje.nl, mains around €25. Open Tues-Fri, Sun 6pm-10pm, Sat 6pm-11pm
Vis aan de Schelde
Off the beaten track, this fish restaurant is something of an Amsterdam institution, despite its location by an out-of-town roundabout, next to the RAI convention centre. Seafood lovers will thrill at the fresh oysters, crayfish, turbot and monkfish. Recent dishes include milky haddock and scallops served with crispy-fried pata negra ham, black "venus" rice made with squid ink and a sea-tasting, foamy sauce. The atmosphere is a little more old-fashioned and formal than Amsterdam's usually relaxed restaurant scene, making it the kind of place to take your parents. There's an extensive wine list, with a bias towards bottles that will go with the fantastic fish. Worth going the extra mile for.
Scheldeplein 4, +31 20 675 1583, visaandeschelde.nl, mains €29-€62, three courses from €38. Open Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm, Sat, Sun 5.30pm-11pm
Razmataz
The menu at Razmataz leans towards French and Mediterranean dishes, and there's always a good selection of specials on the blackboard. In winter, you're looking at hearty lamb shanks, fillets of beef and magret de canard; in summer, expect Dutch asparagus with new potatoes, young peas in salads, and fragrant strawberries in sweet "soup". Service is friendly, if a little slow, and the crowd is young and diverse – just like the Westerpark area the restaurant is in. Razmataz is one of only a few restaurants open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, not to mention morning coffee and after-dinner drinks. Its terrace also ensures it gets a healthy after-work crowd on sunny evenings.
Hugo de Grootplein 7, 9-11, +31 20 486 8408, razmataz.nl, mains around €20. Open Mon-Thurs 8.30am-1am, Fri 8.30am-3am, Sat 9am-3am, Sun 9am-1am
District V
District V comes into its own on a warm summer's evening, when its terrace fills the entire south-east corner of a leafy square in the south of De Pijp. It offers a simple three-course menu for under €30, with just a few choices for each course: meat, fish or vegetarian. The food is generous and tasty, with a leaning towards French bistro fare. Recent dishes include a whole poached artichoke with a buttery dressing, classic steak tartare, and spicy gazpacho with seafood. The menu changes fortnightly, making it the kind of place you want to return to again and again. It's also close to De Pijp's hip bar scene – after-dinner drinks are all too easy from here.
Van der Helstplein 17, +31 20 770 0884, district5.nl, mains around €19, three courses €29.50. Open Mon, Wed-Sun 6pm-10.30pm
New King
The queue regularly runs out the door of this Mandarin Chinese institution. Despite the venue's size, diners regularly wait 45 minutes for a table. But portions are generous, and you're bound to order more than you can eat, so building up an appetite is advised. Service can be brusque, and the wine list won't excite, but the food is worth the wait. New King's speciality is roasted duck: its skin is so crisp you could cut your finger on it, and it's served with broth with hints of aniseed. The dim sum are highly recommended, although some involve a half-hour wait. Also try the aubergine stuffed with peppery minced pork (but beware of the chilli kick).
Zeedijk 115-117, +31 20 625 2180, newking.nl, mains around €16. Open daily 11am-10.30pm
Take Thai
Not a hint of bejewelled elephants or sequined cushions at this elegant, minimalist Thai eatery. The decor is all white orchids and serene neutral tones, while the staff are as elegant as the tableware. The menu includes Thai classics such as fishcakes fragrant with kaffir lime leaves, presented with concise attention to detail. A house speciality is the lamb massaman: the meat has been simmered in a rich, spicy, addictive sauce until it falls apart. Prices are as friendly as the service, despite the restaurant's prime Utrechtsestraat location. Just a stone's throw from the gaudy, fluorescent-lit tourist traps of the Rembrandtplein, Take Thai is a haven of sophistication and calm.
Utrechtsestraat 87, +31 20 622 0577, takethai.com, mains around €20. Open Mon, Tues 6pm-10pm, Wed-Sun noon-3pm, 6pm-10pm
Blauw
Blauw is on the up-and-coming Amstelveenseweg, and the design – split level with low-slung lighting and mood decor – gives it the edge over its more traditional Indonesian competitors. But its trendy interior and cool crowd don't detract from the fact that the food is exquisite. Order the rijsttafel (literally: rice table) and prepare for an enormous selection of marinated meats, fragrant curries and crunchy salads. Skewers of juicy chicken and beef come with sweet-yet-savoury sauces of satay and molasses, while vegetable-based salads – both raw and cooked – are tossed with sweet, chilli, vinegary dressings and plenty of coriander and peanuts. Prepare to be rolled out the door afterwards.
Amstelveenseweg 158-160, +31 20 675 5000, restaurantblauw.nl, mains around €25. Open Mon-Thurs 6pm-10.30pm, Fri 6pm-11pm, Sat 5pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-10.30pm
