11 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.

This is the oldest Indian restaurant in Amsterdam (it opened in 1977), and it's a longtime favorite of curry connoisseurs. Although the decor is unremarkable, the restaurant is impeccably clean and the servers unfailingly friendly. 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 "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 Plantage.

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 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.

This stylish, expansive Florentine trattoria is a perennial favorite; the open kitchen, skylight ceiling, wooden floors and tables, and attentive service all work to create an extremely welcoming, country-kitchen sort of atmosphere. The cooks pride themselves on their ability to whip up any regional dish, but you'll probably find your favorite already listed on the extensive menu—or, of course, find yourself inspired by something new. The risottos are excellent, the fish dishes sublime, the desserts delicious, and the wine list inspired. Buonissimo!

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.

Tasty sandwiches, salads, and pastas are available at this popular café, but the crowds come for the appeltaart. Locals, students, and tourists in the know gather here for slices of the thick, cakelike Dutch specialty, studded with fresh apples and cinnamon. Order it with homemade whipped cream, if you'd like, accompanied by mint tea or coffee. The best place to eat is on Winkel's large patio—but Saturday can get crazy before 5 pm, when crowds spill over from the adjacent busy outdoor organic market, Noordermarkt.