Let’s set aside ramen for a moment, about which I’ve written an entire separate article (that evolves continuously) and instead focus on the rest of Japanese cuisine in Amsterdam. There’s sushi of course, plus Izakaya-style casual dining, the whole shebang of the Omakase experience, plus various forms of Japanese street food. All of this and more is represented in Amsterdam – below is just a short, curated list of some of my favourites.
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What are the best Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam?
For casual Izakaya-style dining: Kyo
Close to the Nieuwmarkt, you’ll find Kyo: an Izakaya-style Japanese restaurant with an extensive selection of fresh sashimi, traditional gyoza, grilled things on skewers (if you like eel, you’ll love the unagi), delicately fried vegetable tempura and chicken karaage with Japanese mayo, thick udon noodles with umami-rich chicken and veg, and lots, lots more (the menu goes on for pages). If all that doesn’t represent enough choice, get stuck into the sake list and you’ll be busy for days: I only tried two out of the dozens on offer (and I can no longer tell you which they were) but they came in a curious little shot glass, inside a wooden box, into which the sake overflowed for later drinking. I’d never seen that before and found it quite charming!
For refined Omakase-style dining: TSUNARIÉ
In the spot formerly occupied by ramen restaurant Fou Fow in de Pijp comes new Japanese restaurant TSUNARIÉ. An intimate, 10-seat counter restaurant offering a kappo-style Omakase experience, the chefs prepare the dishes right in front of you and the kitchen feels like a screen on which you’re watching the action unfold up close. Unlike a purely sushi-focused chef’s table, this is a broader exploration of Japanese cuisine. There’s exquisite sushi, of course – from rich tuna belly to smoky hamachi to sweetly umami eel. But TSUNARIÉ is also exceptionally proud of the quality of its wagyu beef (A5 grade, if that means anything to you!) prepared every which way. Raw in tartare format; thinly sliced and just-poached in a shabu-shabu style broth; fried with matcha, taro and shiso in a tempura roll; and grilled over burning hay with egg sauce, black truffle and rice. It’s a veritable celebration of wagyu in all its opulent glory.
There are other dishes too, of course, and well thought-out sake pairings. The menu changes monthly, and differs depending on which tier you choose (my experience is based on the €125 mid-tier menu). But either way, you can expect exquisite ingredients, simply yet imaginatively prepared, using a range of techniques and with a story to match.
Transparency disclosure: I was invited to the pre-opening of TSUNARIÉ as a journalist and did not pay for my meal.
For top-notch sushi: Sushi Fanatics
No article about Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam would be complete without at least one recommendation for traditional, high-quality sushi, where every authentic piece is crafted by hand. That’s what you’ll find at Sushi Fanatics, where they are (as the name suggests) fanatical about sushi. If you eat upstairs, you’ll even get to sit at a traditional low-slung Japanese table on a cushioned bank on the floor – although people with knee problems would be advised to sit downstairs. You can order individual pieces of nigiri or rolls of 4-8 pieces from Sushi Fanatics’ menu (also available for takeaway and delivery). But to get a broader taste experience, go for one of three “combo” options made up of 13 pieces of sushi – one being more traditional, one more creative, and one vegetarian. Sushi Fanatics also has an extensive sake list featuring sakes in a range of different styles – ideal for the sake newbie wanting to try a few options.
For Japanese street food: De Japanner
Although De Japanner calls itself a street-food concept, it’s not actually a food truck or a market stall out on the street. Although its first branch does occupy a venue along the Albert Cuypmarkt, so perhaps that kind of counts? The style of food, however, is definitely small bites that you can eat with your hands (or perhaps a pair of chopsticks). Think kimchi gyoza, herring sashimi, beef tataki and chicken katsu. For the price and the atmosphere, it’s a good-value, fun night out. Plus, it’s open till midnight. Now with four locations in Amsterdam.
For gyoza every which way: OTEMBA-gyoza
OTEMBA were first known in Amsterdam for their ramen, but in February 2024 they opened a second branch in de Pijp – this time specialising in gyoza. And who doesn’t love a dumpling? They serve them three different ways – naked with a slick of mayo, “soaked” in a dressing, and swimming in broth – and we tried all three. I absolutely loved the chicken gyoza in tonkotsu broth, not least because it’s like a mini bowl of ramen and gyoza in one. But the hoisin veggie gyoza soaked in cha siu dressing was a flavour bomb as well: sweet, savoury and silky. Try them all!
For onigiri in a metro station(!): Wagaya
Yes, really – one of the best quick Japanese bites in Amsterdam is tucked inside Wibautstraat metro station. Wagaya specialises in onigiri: hand-pressed triangles of sushi rice filled with everything from pork belly to shrimp mayo to unagi (eel), wrapped in crisp nori (seaweed) just before eating. They recommend two to three per person – so I bought four. Ideal for a quick, satisfying lunch while on the go.
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