9 Best Restaurants in De Pijp, Amsterdam

This elegant two-Michelin star dining room nods to modernity with gleaming metallic design touches, but the French-international food at the "Blue Sky" leans more to the classically extravagant. Any of the three tasting menus (with a choice of two wine pairings) are highly recommended for a celebratory meal. Enjoy beautifully presented dishes—like the signature king crab with Baeri caviar, beurre blanc ice cream, and preserved lemon, or the delicate pink "Dutch shrimp'' with violet potatoes, and an elevated take on Dutch apple pie for dessert—while taking in the amazing panorama from the 23rd floor of the Hotel Okura Amsterdam.

One of Amsterdam's brunch pioneers, this intimate Australian-run eatery has a laid-back vibe and friendly servers. Although you'll inevitably have to wait for a table on weekends (it's walk-in only), the eclectic menu, which includes sweet and savory options, is worth it. Pass the time with one of the tasty brunch cocktails or house-made soda, iced tea, or drinking vinegar. In early 2019, a second outpost, offering all-day dining and small plates by night, opened in West (Bilderdijkstraat 140).

This candlelit French-Mediterranean restaurant with exposed brick walls and whimsical cartoon paintings is a true local favorite. Choose a set menu by picking from several appetizers, mains, and desserts—the minimum order is four courses and ranges all the way up to seven. The menu changes frequently and features highly flavorful modern dishes with an international twist. There's usually a complimentary predessert—which could be a deconstructed apple pie with tapioca balls and cream—poking delicious fun at the Dutch appeltaart tradition.

While you're in Amsterdam, do try Surinamese food, a unique fusion of Amerindian, Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, Dutch, and Indonesian cuisines that arose from this South American country's history as a Dutch colony. Albina is a local fave that serves up one of the best rotis (the Surinamese take on Indian flatbread) in the city. It comes with a choice of fillings and is real-deal comfort food. Nieuw Albina, at No. 49, has the same owner and the same kitchen, if you find the original too crowded.

For a taste of the neighborhood's regentrified café culture, check out this new corner bar-bistro that fills up most nights with parched Pijpers. Daytime means breakfast bowls, hamburgers, soups, and a daily lunch special, including a sandwich, salad, and fries for €16.95. Come for a meal, or just stop by for a coffee and apple pie or beer and bitterballen (a popular local snack, which is essentially a bite-size croquette). 

Owned by two young Indian transplants, you won’t find all the old Indian cliches at Miri Mary, but instead, a vegetable-forward menu with on-point spicing, prettily made-up plates, creative cocktails, and a large outdoor patio. Go here for a modern take on Indian cuisine that’s firmly rooted in the traditions of the past.

This Korean (food) bar, which opened in 2022, has become part of the heart and, ahem, Seoul of the De Pijp party scene. You’ll find various Korean crowd-pleasers like garlic soy--fried chicken, kimbap (rice rolls), mandu (deep-fried dumplings), bimimpap (rice bowls), and bingsu (shaved ice cream) here. There are also many types of soju (a rice-based spirit) and funky cocktails on the menu (one even sports a Rocket ice pop). Do indulge in the ultimate Korean party trick: a soju shot, balanced betwixt two chopsticks over a glass of beer, which drops when the table is slammed.

The Indonesian-inspired Surinamese food at this often-cramped local favorite includes many simple but well-prepared variations of chicken, fish, lamb, or beef with vegetables and nasi (rice), bami (noodles), or roti. You can also try Javanese rames, a mini-rijsttafel-style smattering of everything on a plate. The restaurant is very casual, but the staff are friendly, the food is tasty, and the price is right—no wonder it's always busy. There is another Amsterdam location, but this one is the most central.

Traditional Japanese haute cuisine is sublimely presented at this elegant restaurant where a Zen-like sushi bar, kimonoed waitstaff, and views over a pretty Japanese garden (complete with koi pond) all add up to a sublime dining experience. The seasonal kaiseki and omakase dinner menus are a fabulous special occasion splurge.