Amsterdam’s Asian food scene looks very different to the one I first started writing about 20 years ago. Back then, your options were largely limited to Indonesian restaurants – a legacy of the Netherlands’ colonial history – and the Chinese restaurants around Nieuwmarkt and Zeedijk (Amsterdam’s small but mighty Chinatown). Both are still very much worth your time, but the Asian restaurant scene has expanded enormously since then: Japanese ramen, Korean fried chicken, Vietnamese pho, curries (whether Indian or Thai), tongue-numbing Sichuan hotpot – all have had their moment over the past two decades.
I’ve now written dedicated restaurant guides to several of Amsterdam’s Asian cuisines – Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Japanese – and you’ll find links to those below. But if you’re not sure where to start, or you’re looking for a quick overview of the best the city has to offer across the board, this is the place to start.
Planning your trip to Amsterdam
Before you can sample Amsterdam’s Asian cuisine, you’re going to need to get here! Below are a few trip essentials, but my Amsterdam travel planning guide covers everything from transport to the best time to visit.
- Getting to Amsterdam: Schiphol airport is well-connected, and Expedia and Omio are good starting points for comparing flights and rail options. If you’re coming from London, Paris or Brussels, the Eurostar is a relaxed alternative to flying, though Dutch national carrier KLM has direct flights from most major cities in Europe, the US and beyond.
- Getting around: Amsterdam is compact enough to walk, and public transport covers everything else. Skip the rental car unless you plan to leave the city – use GVB to plan your route, or do as the locals do and rent a bike!
- Where to stay: From canal-side luxury (Pulitzer) to boutique quirkiness (Hotel Not Hotel), there’s plenty of choice. Browse the full range on Booking.com or visit my neighbourhood guide for specific hotel recommendations.
- Tours and experiences: A canal boat trip is a must – find options on Viator or GetYourGuide. For food tours, I recommend Eating Amsterdam plus any of the other Amsterdam tours and experiences in my dedicated article.
- Further reading: For restaurant and wine bar recommendations, grab a copy of my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide or Amsterdam Wine Lover’s Guide.
Best Asian fusion restaurant in Amsterdam
True Asian fusion – where various Asian culinary traditions are combined with seamless skill – is harder to find in Amsterdam than you might expect. That’s why I have one and only one recommendation in this section!
- A-fusion: As a restaurant critic, I rarely tend to go back to places more than once or twice. I make an exception for A-fusion: an always bustling Asian fusion restaurant in the heart of Amsterdam’s Chinatown. I’ve been regularly frequenting A-fusion since 2008, and I tend to leave my dining choices in the hands of the kitchen – ordering the fantastic “Bib Gourmand” menu. Whatever they bring is a delight, but I’d recommend adding some steamed oysters and truffle-beef sushi – because you’re worth it.
Fancy sushi at A-fusion
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Best Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s Chinese food scene has come a long way from the roast duck joints of Zeedijk. These days you’ll find delicate Cantonese dim sum, tongue-numbing Sichuan cuisine, communal hotpot, hand-pulled noodles and plenty more. Here are three of my favourites, covering three very different styles of Chinese cooking.
- China Sichuan Restaurant: If you love to feel the burn, this is your soul place. The Sichuan province is famous for its fiery cooking, based on dried red chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, and China Sichuan Restaurant delivers the real thing: silky mapo tofu, the brilliantly named “ants on trees” (minced pork with glass noodles), and everything bold, punchy and unapologetically spicy.
- Jinweide: Watch the chefs pull noodles in front of you, then pick your thickness and your dish. The spicy cold noodles and the beef noodle soup are both excellent, and the side salads are surprisingly moreish. Excellent value, and a genuine taste of Northwest China.
- Peijie Hotpot: Hotpot is one of the great communal dining experiences, and Peijie does a Chongqing-style version that is not messing around on the spice front. Choose your broth, dip your skewers, mix your own dipping sauce – and definitely take them up on the offer of an apron.
- For dim sum, Beijing duck and more, read my complete guide to the best Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam.
Jinweide’s beef noodle soup with hand-pulled noodles
Best Indian restaurants in Amsterdam
As a former Brit, I take my Indian food seriously – and Amsterdam’s Indian options have come on considerably since I first moved here from London. These days you’ll find everything from classic North Indian curries to South Indian dosas, plus a handful of excellent Nepali restaurants that are well worth seeking out.
- Rangla Punjab: Solid, reliable North Indian cooking on the Overtoom. The lamb madras is full of warmth and depth, the tandoori chicken tikka arrives on a sizzling platter with caramelised onions, and the curries are genuinely spiced rather than tourist-friendly. A neighbourhood gem.
- Surya: Dark, atmospheric and good for a date night, this De Pijp spot serves curries that stand out from the crowd. The Gurkha curry in particular – lighter than your average, with a different blend of herbs and spices – is a real highlight.
- Bhatti Pasal: For something genuinely different, head to this Nepali restaurant (two locations in Amsterdam). The momo – juicy pork dumplings, lightly pan-fried in an umami-rich sesame sauce – are not to be missed. The Khaja Set, a sharing platter of Nepali small dishes, is a brilliant introduction to a cuisine most Amsterdammers have barely tried.
- For the full list including South Indian dosas, Indian brunch and the best takeaway, read my complete guide to Indian restaurants in Amsterdam.
Momo at Nepali restaurant Bhatti Pasal
Best Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam
Indonesian food has a special place in Dutch culinary history, and in the hearts of most Amsterdammers. The rijsttafel (literally translated as “rice table”) is the thing to order: dozens of small, shareable dishes ranging from mild to fiery, served with rice. Here are three restaurants that do it particularly well, from a reliable neighbourhood favourite to a fine-dining take from one of the city’s most celebrated chef-patrons.
- Blauw: A long-standing favourite, Blauw’s rijsttafel is extensive and genuinely spiced, ranging from beef rendang and satay to more creative dishes like fish mousse with a spicy green sauce. For those with a sweet tooth, Blauw’s desserts don’t disappoint with favourites like spekkoek and mango ice cream.
- Tujuh Maret: A family-run spot on the Utrechtsestraat that’s not much to look at but absolutely delivers. The Minahasa rijsttafel is good value and several of the dishes are actually properly spicy. One of the most reliable options in the city.
- Ron Gastrobar Indonesia: It’s worth making the trek out to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel for chef-patron Ron Blaauw’s take on the rijsttafel, with fine dining service and an extensive wine list. The satay alone is worth the bike ride.
- For the full rated guide to Amsterdam’s Indonesian restaurants, read my complete rijsttafel roundup.
The boat-shaped dishes of the rijsttafel at restaurant Blauw
Best Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s Japanese food scene has exploded over the past decade – from ramen joints and sushi bars to izakaya-style casual dining and full omakase chef’s table experiences. Here are three picks covering very different ends of the spectrum, from a ramen institution to a serious splurge.
- Fou Fow: One of Amsterdam’s original ramen restaurants and still one of my favourites. The tonkotsu broth is rich, porky and satisfying, the tantanmen equally good, and the egg yolks are still orange and oozy. A firm favourite.
- Omakase Amsterdam: “Omakase” essentially means leaving your menu choice to the chef, and here that means top-quality sushi, friendly service and an informal atmosphere. Sashimi arrives first, followed by a steady stream of nigiri, gunkan and temaki, with tuna – lean, fatty, everything in between – clearly the obsession of the house.
- TSUNARIÉ: For a special occasion, this intimate 10-seat counter restaurant in De Pijp offers a kappo-style experience – chefs preparing dishes right in front of you, from exquisite sushi to wagyu beef cooked every which way. It’s spendy but worth every cent.
- For the full guide to Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam, including gyoza, street food and onigiri, read about Japanese restaurants for every occasion. And for my ramen roundup, read about where to eat ramen in Amsterdam.
Marinated tuna and quail’s egg gunkan – a masterpiece by Omakase Amsterdam!
Best Korean restaurants in Amsterdam
There are not a lot of genuine Korean restaurants in Amsterdam, and even fewer that are any good. (My favourite Korean BBQ spot in the Red Light District closed down years ago.) But here are a couple of picks for different occasions, whether dinner or daytime.
- Kim’s So Korean: Start with the yuzu martini, then order the “crazy spicy” Korean fried chicken – they are not kidding on the spice levels. The kimchi samgyeopsal (Iberian pork belly stir-fried with kimchi, garlic and gochujang) is phenomenal, and the whole thing comes out at a very reasonable price. Two locations in Amsterdam.
- Chun Café: A TikTok favourite in the Negen Straatjes, and for good reason. Alongside bubble tea and specialty drinks, Chun does gourmet stuffed toast unlike anything else in Amsterdam – try the egg with garlic shrimp, in its signature toasted brioche pocket. Arrive early to beat the queues.
- Uki Uki Asia Food: Technically Korean-Japanese fusion, but I’m adding it here to make up numbers. Uki Uki was packed with Asian diners even on a Monday lunchtime – surely a good sign. I enjoyed the comforting gyudon: a rice bowl with thinly sliced beef and onions in a sweet-soy sauce, plus punchy kimchi. Next time, I’ll try more on the Korean side of the menu!
“Crazy spicy” Korean fried chicken at Kim’s So
Best Thai restaurants in Amsterdam
Thai food was one of the few Asian cuisines already well established in Amsterdam when I moved here in 2006 – and the scene has evolved considerably since then. Alongside the reliable old-school options, a new generation of Thai restaurants has reinvented itself as a proper night-out destination.
- Krua Thai Classic: I’d biked past this cosy spot on Staalstraat dozens of times before I finally made it inside, and now I wish I’d visited sooner. Start with the signature Meang Kham: peppery leaves topped with roasted peanut and coconut, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and lime, wrapped up and dunked in a tamarind-based sauce – a potent pocket of flavour that’s unlike any Thai snack I’ve eaten in the West. Mains were classic but well executed: a mild, fragrant chicken massaman and stir-fried beef with red chillies and Thai basil.
- Little Thai Prince: A Chinatown staple that looks basic but delivers reliably good curries, stir-fries and pad Thai. Exactly what you need when you just want a solid Thai meal without any fuss.
- Boi Boi: A party atmosphere on the Dapperstraat in Oost, with a wide selection of local beers and the kind of Thai food that’s made for sharing with a group.
Meang Kham at Krua Thai Classic
Best Vietnamese restaurants in Amsterdam
Before Japanese ramen hit Amsterdam, we were all eating Vietnamese pho. There are a couple of places serving up a decent bowl of steaming beef broth in Amsterdam, plus another doing a lot more besides.
- Papa Thang: The owner describes it as Vietnamese street food meets tapas meets fine dining, and I couldn’t have put it better myself. Highlights include the Bun Cha Hanoi (pork two ways in a sweet, fragrant broth, wrapped in lettuce with vermicelli and herbs) and various elevated vegetable dishes – grilled nappa cabbage with roasted shallot and ginger, or Brussels sprouts in an umami-rich oyster-ginger sauce. An airy, minimalist space in Noord, with a lovely Spanish-led wine list.
- Pho 91: A relaxed, affordable spot next to the Albert Cuypmarkt serving steaming bowls of beef broth and other Vietnamese specialities. No frills, just good pho.
- Little Saigon: Vietnamese sandwiches, spring rolls and pho at two locations – Chinatown and Noord. A solid all-rounder.
Vietnamese nems at Papa Thang
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