How to eat your way through Utrecht, Amsterdam and The Netherlands

When you think of Dutch food, you think of The Netherlands being famous for being the home of cheese (kaas). It is also something you can find in a lot of other places around the world. So when you are in The Netherlands, you need to make sure you try other Dutch foods they are (or should be) famous for. 

Unlike other places in the world, the Dutch actually eat food that is unique to them. Check out how we ate our way through Utrecht, Amsterdam, and The Netherlands. 

Eat Dutch food like a local

Grabbing a coffee is very popular in The Netherlands. It is also very popular to head out for a coffee and apple tart. This apple pie type cake can be served hot or cold. Having it with cream (slagroom) is our favourite.

When you are in The Netherlands you will inevitably visit a pub or bar for a drink or two. To eat like a local, these drinks need to be accompanied by hapjes; little plates of finger food to share. 

Fries (sometimes referred to as frites) will often be on the menu. However, as you can get them anywhere in the world, you must try something else! You cannot look past trying bitterballen. These amazing balls are breadcrumbed and filled with a soft meat filling. They are then served with mustard.

At every market, you visit while in The Netherlands, you will find fish. Two popular dishes you must try is haring (hollandse nieuwe) and kibbeling. Both of these fish delights can be found at every market and in every town. Sometimes even randomly parked near forests and parks. Haring is a raw fish and comes in two popular forms; held by its tail up in the air and then you bite (messy but traditional) or served with raw onion and sometimes pickle, on fresh bread, called a broodje haring. Does that sound too fishy for you? Then kibbeling may be more your thing. Kibbeling are little bite sized pieces of fish that are lightly coated, and served with a sauce.

Pancakes are a staple to the diet of the Dutch people. The best part is they are not just a sweet breakfast option. It is a popular lunch and dinner choice too. Even though The Netherlands is a small country, it is full of small villages, towns, and major cities. And in each of those, you can find one or more pancake restaurants. Pannekoekenhuis’s offers extensive menus, from natural pancakes, to savoury flavours like satay.  If you like, add stroop (like maple syrup but better) and powdered sugar (poedersuiker)

Shop like a local (and eat while you do it)

Local markets are in every village and town around The Netherlands. You can find them in the main square of the town. Each one features stalls of fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, fresh fish (like haring and kibbeling), and of course the cheese. You will also find plenty of Dutch food. Depending on the size of the town will depend on how many stalls they have.

I could fill pages and pages about the great markets we have visited around the Netherlands, but my personal two favourites are located in Utrecht and Amsterdam. 

The Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam is the largest outdoor market. It has 260 stalls and is open Monday to Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. This market has absolutely everything! You will find the usual Dutch market staples here. They also have textiles, homewares, spices, and some of the most amazing food trucks in the country. Try poffertjes while you are here. They are small pancakes, eaten with a tiny fork, and often served on cardboard. If you are after something savoury, grab some fries with mayonnaise. With so many cuisines represented here, I recommended arriving with an empty stomach.

When you head to Utrecht, make sure you visit on a Wednesday or a Saturday to check out the fabulous Vredenburg Market. It is located right next to the largest shopping mall in The Netherlands, Hoog Catharijne. This is the best location to sample cheese as there are several stalls in each market. Make sure you grab yourself some fabulous fresh bread from Vroeg. (Local Tip: Vroeg has their own restaurant in Bunnik, only a 25-minute cycle from Utrecht, so consider adding to the experience and hire a bike. We frequent this market on Saturdays and without fail will always purchase loempia and stroopwafel crumbs. 

Speaking of Dutch food in Utrecht….

When tourists visit The Netherlands, they naturally head to the capital Amsterdam. While of course, this is a perfect stop, we recommend heading to Utrecht, at least for one day.

No visit to Utrecht is complete without heading to the popular and well-loved establishment, Broodje Mario. With a menu featuring pizza slices and calzone, locals have been flocking here since 1977, for the iconic sandwich with the same name. Whatever street you walk down you will see locals (and tourists in the know) eating one of these unique sandwiches. So what exactly is a brood Mario sandwich? It is a fresh bread roll with cheese, salami, chorizo, and raw grated salad. Served with a green pepper you will start planning your next trip to Utrecht just to eat another! PLEASE NOTE: While Broodje Mario does have other locations and a food truck, the iconic sandwich is ONLY sold at the original shop in Oudegracht, Utrecht. Make sure you have cash as they are still cash only. 

Final Thoughts

There is so much more that can be said about Dutch food. With so many restaurants and cafes to choose from in addition to the pancake houses and markets. With so much food to get through, we recommended walking and cycling as much as possible, if not just to make room for more food!