Big groups*
Tables that absorb eight people without a spreadsheet, kitchens that feed them without a wobble. Book ahead and bring the loud friends.
Hotel de Goudfazant
The garage that invented Noord dining, still its best-value French table.
Rijsel
Rotisserie chicken and Flemish classics in a gloriously noisy former home-economics school.
Sahan
Osdorp's charcoal-grill palace where half of Amsterdam's Turkish families celebrate everything.
Caffè Toscanini
Forty years of daily-changing Italian cooking under a glass roof; the locals' heirloom.
Restaurant Blauw
The rijsttafel that converts skeptics, served where Vondelpark meets Amstelveenseweg.
Pesca
A theatre of fish: pick your catch at the market, eat it minutes later.
Restaurant Barracuda
A 250-seat seafood hall running like an Italian beach shack on the IJ.
Wilde Zwijnen
The Javaplein pioneer that proved modern Dutch cooking is a real thing.
Night Kitchen
Candlelit Mediterranean neo-bistro where the chef writes the menu around your table.
Ron Gastrobar
Ron Blaauw traded two Michelin stars for this, and won the trade.
MITTS
Javastraat's cosiest mezze room, vegetable-first and quietly serious about it.
Goldcoast Restaurant & Loungebar
Ghanaian institution near the Arena, serving jollof and waakye until deep night.
De Japanner
Amsterdam's original izakaya: sake, skewers and noise on the Albert Cuyp.
NELA
Live-fire glamour inside the Valley building; Zuidas finally learned to have fun.
Restaurant Merza
IJburg's home-style Turkish anchor: iskender, beyti and a breakfast buffet worth crossing bridges for.
Bird Thai Restaurant
The Zeedijk's Thai anchor: proper curries, teak everything, zero concessions to timid palates.
Orontes
Twenty years of Antakya charcoal cooking, steps from the market stalls.
La Oliva
Cantabrian-Basque pintxos and serious Spanish wine on a pretty Jordaan street.
Bouillon d'Amsterdam
The Parisian bouillon formula lands behind the Dam: steak frites for €16.90, oeufs mayo for pocket change, and a room full of actual Amsterdammers.
Café Restaurant Metro
Bakery-driven all-day cooking in the Nxt Museum's front hall, natural wine included.
Café-Restaurant Dauphine
French brasserie classics in a gorgeous former Renault showroom by Amstel station.
Ubuntu Beach
Boho fixture on the south boulevard doing easy mornings, long lunches and late dinners properly.
Café Loetje
The original Loetje: butter-soft biefstuk, legendary gravy, zero pretension since 1977.
Tijn Akersloot
The surfers' pavilion at the quiet south end, now cooking almost everything over fire.
Indrapura
Rembrandtplein's grand old rijsttafel room, still the classic Indonesian spread.
Fa. Pekelhaaring
Rowdy, big-hearted Italian-ish canteen that Van Woustraat treats as its living room.
Stadscafé
The Roest and De Willem crew's grand café at Westergas: crêpes at breakfast, rotisserie chicken at dinner, 120 wines by night.
Klaproos
Pizza, good wine and dancing on a half-built Buiksloterham corner.
Café-Restaurant De Plantage
Mediterranean brasserie cooking inside the prettiest cast-iron winter garden in Amsterdam.
Chez van Rijn
Parisian bistro swagger in art-nouveau De Kroon, the rare Rembrandtplein table locals actually book.
Restaurant Beyrouth
The Estephan family has run Amsterdam's best mezze since 1990.
African Kitchen
Nigerian-leaning kitchen on the Bijlmerdreef doing serious egusi, suya and grilled tilapia.
Woodstock '69
The boho institution of Bloemendaal: barefoot brunch by day, live music as the sun drops.
Semhar
Injera, spiced stews and family warmth on the Jordaan's western edge, for pocket change.
Hangar
Corrugated-iron hangar on the IJ doing côte de boeuf and long sundowners.
Van de Werf
The NDSM's all-day living room, with a kitchen that quietly overdelivers.
Pllek
Container-built city beach where the vegetables outshine the sunset. Almost.
Bar Botanique
A rainforest-green corner bar off the Dappermarkt that cooks better than it needs to.
Republiek
Architect-built pavilion with real kitchen ambition, priced like it knows it.
Sallora
Aleppo-born grill-and-mezze operation on Osdorpplein, part restaurant, part bazaar, fully halal.
Mossel & Gin
Pots of mussels and matching G&Ts on Westergas's sunniest terrace.
De Neef van Fred
All-day French-leaning bistro with the best waterside terrace in De Baarsjes.
Bar Baarsch
De Baarsjes' living room: smash burgers, pub quiz, drag queen bingo.