Five Great Restaurants for Dutch Cuisine in the Netherlands

Dutch cuisine might be stereotyped as a plate full of meat, potatoes, and vegetables. But if this is your only experience with Dutch food, then you are missing out. The country's cuisine is influenced by its history - in particular overseas, the North Sea, and its large harbour, giving rise to an extra international twist. We've put together a list of five great restaurants to help you embrace the Dutch cuisine experience.

Moeders (Amsterdam)

You can't get more traditional than Moeders (Dutch for mothers) in Amsterdam. On the menu you will find the time-honoured stamppot (mashed potatoes and vegetables mashed together and served with sausage), suddervlees (stewed beef), and hachée (onion beef stew). While enjoying your meal you can take in the pictures of mothers that guests have brought in. In fact, why not add your mother's image to the mix?

Cafe Sjliek (Maastricht)

The Netherlands might be a small country, but when it comes to local specialities, it might as well be three times as big. To experience the regional delights of the southern tip of the country, you can head to Cafe Sjliek who’s menu includes horse-meat stew and great (local) beer and wine options.

Bonus Tip:No visit to the Limburg region should be made without eating a piece of vlaai - a traditional pie style from the region. Bakkerij Mathieu Hermans  is where you can get some of the best.

Captain's Cabin (Rotterdam)

With one of the biggest harbours in the world located in Rotterdam, it comes as no surprise that Captain's Cabin is a restaurant popular among the local shipping and marine community, and not just for the nautical decor. As can be expected, many of the dishes have a fish/seafood focus, but traditional carnivores will also be happy here.

Stads-Koffyhuis (Delft)

Pancakes, apple pie, and award-winning sandwiches all in one place - oh my! If you need something a bit more filling, Stads-Koffyhuis has a decent-sized dinner menu as well. Oh, and we weren't kidding about the award-winning sandwiches. Several have placed in the top three of the Tastiest Sandwich of the Netherlands (Het Lekkerste Broodje van Nederland) competition.

Blauw (Utrecht)

It might seem unusual to find an Indonesian restaurant in a list of places to find Dutch cuisine in the Netherlands. However, Dutch colonial history means that the Netherlands has a thriving Indonesian subculture, and Blauw is a Utrecht favourite (they also have a restaurant in Amsterdam). The menu is extensive, meaning that deciding between the 3-course chef menu, the various main dishes, or sharing a rijsttafel, will probably be the hardest decision you make all week.