We were surprised at how much the kid-foodies enjoyed trying Dutch food in Amsterdam, and spent the rest of our trip trying out kid-friendly restaurants. This post is for any food lover visiting Amsterdam; here’s what Dutch foods to try in Amsterdam, and where to eat them. Read this post to discover our top 10 kid-friendly restaurants in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is quickly becoming one of Europe’s most visited multi-cultural cities. With residents from 180 different countries, this once small Dutch fishing village now caters to almost every appetite imaginable.
For Lou Lou and Jaf, that translates into new experiences and flavors which they love exploring. From our kid-friendly food tour discovering kid-friendly Dutch street foods, daily visits to Vondelpark, and our evening walks near the canals, we found our favorite spots to not only eat, but to “hang-out”.
Table of Contents
What Dutch Foods to try in Amsterdam
If you’re visiting Amsterdam, here are ten street foods you have to try:
Herring
Kibbeling
Vlaamse Frites
Stroopwafels
Spekkoek
Hangop
Poffertjes
Dutch Cheese
Licorice
Bitterballen
Read our post on 10 Dutch Foods to try in Amsterdam for an in-depth look at each dish, where to find them in Amsterdam, and what the kid-foodies thought about them. How many of these Dutch foods have you tried?
Food Tours to take in Amsterdam
The first-ever food tour we took in Amsterdam focused on discovering Amsterdam’s street food scene and was tailored with our kid-foodies worldschooling program in mind. It was a custom food tour with Hungry Birds, and forever changed our culinary worldschooling program – since then, we’ve taken food tours in Marrakech, Prague, and Los Angeles to name a few.
We got to try popular Dutch food, and visited a couple of Amsterdam street food markets that made us fall even more in love with the vibrant city. We also recommend checking out Eating Amsterdam’s Jordaan Food & Canals Tour where you’ll discover local hotspots in Amsterdam’s 17th century neighborhood. And, discover everything foodie related the de Pijp neighborhood has to offer in a customized private food tour by Withlocals.
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Amsterdam
Here’s our list of 10 kid-friendly places to eat in Amsterdam, Lou Lou and Jaf approved of course!
Pancakes! Amsterdam
Love Dutch pancakes (pannekoeken)!
When in Amsterdam, we learned that pancakes are not just for breakfast! Talk about music to our ears. Much like the crepes in Paris, pancakes can either be sweet or savory and there’s no better place to try them than at Pancakes! Amsterdam. Our kids loved the cheese pancakes, and ended up ordering second and third servings.
Kids Favorite: Cheese, apple crumble and lemon pancakes
Cafe Restaurant Amsterdam
The tomato soup was a winner!
Located opposite Westerpark, next to the old water tower, this expansive space originally housed machinery used to pump water for the city before it was converted into a restaurant. Café Restaurant Amsterdam serves a wide range of European dishes such as paté, but we recommend it for its seafood! This restaurant is extremely large, and perfect for larger groups and families with children.
Kids Favorite: Tomato soup, fried codfish, and sticky toffee cake
Dish Global Kitchen
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Known for their fresh ingredients and fruit shakes, this is a lovely lunch spot if you’re near Vondelpark! True to its name, Dish Global Kitchen serves up Asian, African, American, European, and Australian-inspired sandwiches, salads, pies, and more!
Kids Favorite: The omelet with mushrooms, homemade scones and smoothies
How to Get Around Amsterdam –> We did a combination of walking and using the city’s public transportation system to get around. We recommend the I amsterdam city card which not only got us free rides on the buses and metro, but free admission to a lot of the city’s activities, and there were significant discounts for the kids.
Het Groot Melkhuis
The kids played for hours at the park here..
Another great kid-friendly location if you’re in Vondelpark is Het Groot Melkhuis. While you’re taking in the gorgeous city views on the large terrace of this lake-side cafe, your kids will be working up an appetite in its playground! Every Wednesday between 2:00-4:00pm, the cafe organizes a craft workshop to get your kids creative juices flowing.
Kids Favorite: Everything from the frites, cotton candy, burgers and ice cream…
Moeders
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Dutch for the word “mothers”, Moeders has been around since 1990, is a classic Dutch establishment serving up homestyle cooked food. Your kids will love eating there because of the quirky decor – its walls are filled with framed photos of mothers, and none of the utensils or plates match, an ode to your mother’s cupboard. There is also an indoor play area with legos, toys, and coloring pages to keep them occupied until the food arrives.
Kids Favorite: The hotchpotch and spare ribs with fries and dips
Buuf
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This has to be one of our favorite kid-friendly finds in Amsterdam. This self-service café is extremely cozy – you feel like you’re in someone’s living room. Buuf is complete with a kids corner containing toys, books and even a diaper change section.
Kids Favorite: The lamb burger with tatziki and the bread and butter pudding
Pacific Parc
Photo Courtesy: IAmAmsterdam.com
Located in Westerpark, this is actually quite a popular rock-n-roll bar and dance bistro with the locals! But, during the day, Pacific Parc has one of the largest terraces in the area, which is great for family dining. We heard it’s a great place to eat at in the winter, because the kids can go skating at the ice rink after.
Kids Favorite: Chicken drumsticks and brownie with hazelnuts
Sea Palace Chinese Restaurant
The Tsa Siu Pau was their favorite…
We absolutely love dim sum (it’s very kid-friendly), and if you’re craving some in Amsterdam, head to Sea Palace Chinese Restaurant! Other than the food, the kids will love it because it’s a floating pagoda-shaped restaurant, has authentic decor, and a large koi pond. Request to sit on the upper deck for stunning views of the water and city.
Kids Favorite: Tsa SiuPau, Siu Mai and Daan Tat (custard tart)
La Perla
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Located in the charming Jordaan district, La Perla is the place to go if you want authentic Napoli-style pizza while in Amsterdam. Their crispy, fluffy pizzas are baked in a wood oven that is located across the street in their take-out area. The kids loved the spicy salami pizza with buffalo mozzarella; their produce is imported straight from Italy, and you can definitely taste the freshness in the quality of the mozzarella.
Kids Favorite: The quattro formaggi and margherita pizza
Café Papeneiland
Dutch apple pies are what they are known for
One of the oldest cafés in Amsterdam, Café Papeneiland is known for their apple pies, which to this day, are still handmade. A slice of heaven, the crust is crispy, and a little heavier than the traditional American crust we’re used to. The filling consists of apples browned to perfection in brown sugar. A fun fact we heard was Bill Clinton stopped by for a cappuccino and slice of pie, and ended up taking away an entire pie! His thank you letter to the Cafe hangs up on one of the walls.
Kids Favorite: Their apple pie is yum!
All of the restaurants above are child friendly because they prioritized their services towards the entire family. If you ever have the chance to visit Amsterdam with your family, pay these 10 best kid-friendly restaurants in Amsterdam a visit.
You’ll have a great time and will experience all that this truly multicultural city has to offer!
Recommended Reading for your trip to Amsterdam and the Netherlands
Amsterdam is a haven for culinary enthusiasts, and a very kid-friendly city. Here are some additional resources that you may find useful when planning a family trip to Amsterdam and the Netherlands.
Wondering where to stay in Amsterdam? Consider renting a houseboat!
No trip to Amsterdam is complete without tasting some Dutch cuisine. Here are 10 Dutch Foods to try in Amsterdam.
Did you know that Amsterdam has a large Surinamese population? We got invited to a wonderful traditional Surinamese lunch in Amsterdam.
Foodies in Amsterdam:
RVing through Europe? Here are a couple of family-friendly campsites in the Netherlands.
Let us know in the comments below what you favorite family-friendly restaurant in Amsterdam.
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