10 Best Restaurants in Jordaan, Amsterdam

The folks at this restaurant, tucked away on a side street, have perfected the art of wood-fired pizza. Made from fresh ingredients imported from Italy, their thin-crust Neapolitan-style pies draw lively crowds of locals and tourists who don't complain about standing in line for the classic Margherita, quattro formaggi (four cheeses), or spicy puttanesca. Note that there are no slices, just whole pies. A roomier La Perla outpost is just across the street at No. 53, where the menu also includes sandwiches, pasta, and salads.

Named after the Dutch word for lettuce, this organic salad bar popular chain bringing healthy eating on the go to Amsterdam (and beyond). Tasty salads, soups, bowls, and juices are made fresh daily with sustainably sourced ingredients. Menu options rotate seasonally and are easily customized to fit dietary preferences, including vegan.

This popular café offers a rotating menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but the crowds show up for their famous appeltaart. Locals, students, and tourists in the know gather here for slices of the thick, cakelike Dutch specialty that's studded with fresh apples and cinnamon. Do it the Dutch way and order a slice with homemade whipped cream accompanied by fresh mint tea or coffee. The best place to eat is on Winkel's large patio—but Monday and Saturday can get crazy before 5 pm, when crowds spill over from the adjacent Noordermarkt.

Crafting wild-fermented sourdough bagels began as the founder's at-home hobby before it grew to a brick-and-mortar microbakery offering NYC-style bagels and loaves for true carb-lovers. Known to sell out quickly, their daily rotation of flavors ranges from classic everything seasoning to spicy jalapeño and cheddar. Delicious on their own or topped with cream cheese, many fans opt for the sandwich version, such as a BLT, smoked salmon with capers, pastrami, and other seasonal specials. 

The "burger masters" first opened their doors near the Albert Cuyp market in 2007 serving fresh, homemade burgers made from sustainable ingredients. Aside from the traditional beef patty option, Burgermeester’s tasty range includes falafel and spinach burgers for plant-based eaters, along with monthly rotations including lamb, salmon, and more. There are a number of side dishes like fries, corn on the cob, and salad. Other locations include De Pijp and Centrum.

The name of this restaurant describes what's served here: a huge selection of warm and cold pintxos, Spanish Basque tapas that run the gamut from oysters to grilled prawns with chimichurri and pata negra ham. Order a combination of small plates paired with a selection from the stellar wine list, many of which can be ordered by the glass. Round out your meal with the chocolate mousse with strawberries before walking it off in the scenic Jordaan.

Traditional Dutch home cooking is just what to expect at a place called Mothers. Outside there's a sunny terrace, and the kitsch interior feels like a living room, full of antiques and photos of mothers (to which you can contribute your own snapshot). Guests are treated to simple dishes prepared with a refined gusto, including erwtensoep (split pea soup) and stamppot (mashed potatoes with sausage). Vegetarians be warned: pickings are slim but they do offer two main courses.

Delicious renditions of North African dishes like couscous salad, chicken tagine, and wood-oven roasted lamb are the focus of the menu at this tiny Algerian restaurant that has just a few tables—you can also opt to order food to go and eat on a canalside bench. There is another, much larger location in the Westergasfabriek complex (Polonceaukade 40), in Westerpark, decorated with handwoven carpets and with lots of cushions for sitting on, as well as a market with food to go (Westerstraat 10).

This mellow organic vegetarian restaurant, with local artists' works hung on the bright orange-and-green walls, serves tasty homemade soups and salads—the salad bar, a mix of cooked items like couscous along with seasonal salads from beans to beets, is especially popular—at lunch as well as its tempting selection of desserts. They increase sophistication (and the prices) at dinner, with noodle dishes and stir-fries. When the weather's nice, there is outdoor seating on the canal across the street.

The appeltaart (Dutch apple pie) served here is said to be the best in Amsterdam, and the lines out front on busy market days attest to Winkel's popularity. If you don't want to wait, though, the Papeneiland around the corner at Prinsengracht 2, also serves an excellent version in a traditional brown café run by the same family for 400 years.