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The narrow streets of the Jordaan have many dining destinations. Most of the restaurants in this tourist-friendly area are on the small side, so it's best to make reservations or avoid weekends.
This is the oldest Indian restaurant in Amsterdam (it opened in 1977), and it's a longtime favorite of curry connoisseurs. All of the snacks, soups, and meals are delicious: you'll break out in a happy sweat if you order the spicy chicken Madras. The sweet cardamom tea is a good accompaniment to your meal.
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.
A perennial favorite, this Florentine trattoria boasts an open kitchen, skylight ceilings, wooden floors, and attentive service that creates a welcoming, country-kitchen atmosphere. Cooks pride themselves on preparing any regional dish, and their rotating menu often offers something new along with classics like risotto, seafood, or roasted eggplant. Their space also features an Italian deli selling fresh pasta and sauces, homemade dishes, olive oils, wines, Italian sweets and more.
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.
