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Whether you go for Baroque antiques or cutting-edge fashion, the variety of goods available in Amsterdam’s boutiques, street markets, and concept stores is mind-boggling, and hunting for that special purchase akin to grand entertainment.
If you enjoy the thrill of the chase, explore the charming, mazelike streets of the Jordaan and The Nine Streets, in the Western Canal Ring, where you'll stumble upon a surprising number of vintage fashion boutiques, high-end denim brands, art galleries, local design outlets, and specialty-food stores.
For high-end shopping, Amsterdam's priciest street is the P.?C. Hooftstraat, in the Museum District–-affectionately called "the P.?C." (pronounced “pay say”). Porsches and Range Rovers are parked on the street, and many shop interiors mimic stately Dutch mansions, replete with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and antique furnishings. Don't neglect the nearby Van Baerlestraat, Willemsparkweg, and Cornelis Schuytstraat, where you're likely to discover a hyperchic home accessory or premium investment piece for your wardrobe. At the other end of the scale, join the crowds on the Leidsestraat, Kalverstraat, Damrak, Rokin, and Nieuwendijk, where flagship stores, major chains, and department stores stand shoulder-to-shoulder with inexpensive fashion outlets and cheesy souvenir shops.
If that's all a bit too noisy and crowded, head to the Spiegelkwartier for a quieter, more refined shopping experience, with proportionately escalated prices. You’ll find elegant antiques shops whose beautiful displays include antique art, maps, furnishings, jewelry, and clocks. Collectors, museum curators, and antiques dealers routinely shop here for old Delft and Makkum treasures. If you have time, visit one of the daily outdoor markets: the bustling Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp is one of the oldest and best known. Be sure to explore the neighborhood’s many concept stores and hip indie boutiques as well, and make a pilgrimage to nearby Utrechtsestraat for its fantastic food, fashion, and lifestyle stores. There are lesser-known Sunday markets, like the organic Pure Markt at Frankendael Park and the Maker Market at De Hallen, or check out the Sunday Market and Neighbourfood Market at Westergasfabriek.
True turophiles will follow their noses to this exceptional "cheese room," with hundreds of varieties of the world's best cheeses on offer. There are rare finds from France, Italy, Greece, and Switzerland, but we urge you to go Dutch and try Le Petit Doruvael, an aromatic, gooey, washed-rind cheese, or Olde Remeker, a mature, organic farmstead cheese with satisfyingly crunchy crystals.
With more than 400 cheeses, all aged in the shop’s very own cheese cave, this is easily one of the best cheese shops in the Netherlands—and, some say, in all of Europe. There’s also an interesting selection of oils from Provence-based Château d’Estoublon, as well as charcuterie and crackers.
From Sachertorte to sabayon, and almost every Dutch cookie imaginable, Holtkamp has been a master of European pastry classics since 1969. However, this local family business is just as beloved for savory specialties like croquettes (oblong-shape fried meat snack), which can be sampled in quality eetcafes (cafés with food) all over town. On Saturday morning, the line's out the door.
This prizewinning artisan bakery, which mills its own flour and uses no additives or preservatives, was founded by the Hartog family back in 1896, and despite its good name (or perhaps because of it) remains a small-scale operation to this day. To sample the whole-wheat specialist’s breads and Dutch treats, such as speculaas (spiced shortbread biscuits) and oliebollen or Dutch beignets (a must-try in the holiday season), join the queue.
