Dining Out in Amsterdam - A guide to Gay Restaurants

Amsterdam, somewhat unfairly, is not generally regarded as a foodie destination. It is, however a city of fine restaurants: Borderwijk, Le Garage, Bond, Christophe, Utrechtsedwarstafel, and a slew of others offer gastronomic delights at corresponding prices. Indulge if you will, but be prepared for the check.

Fortunately, Amsterdam’s reputation for quirkiness means you can have a fine dining experience at a budget price. Would you believe a non-profit restaurant? One of the hottest tickets in town is Restaurant Freud. Operated by a social service agency (and overseen by two restaurateurs) this stylish storefront restaurant near the Westerpark is staffed entirely by persons with psychological difficulties who are transitioning back into the workforce. That said, the service is professional and friendly, the Mediterranean food consistently delicious and any problems are deftly kept behind the scenes by dedicated social workers overseeing the operation. It’s become so popular with locals that reservations are essential.

Limited menu options are not uncommon in Amsterdam (another local quirk), and restaurants so structured can be a bargain. A favorite is Café Bern, where the thing to order is cheese fondue—it’s delicious, and with a salad and house wine, dinner is about 20 Euros. The best bargain for steak in town may be L’ Entrecote et les Dames— entrecote with pommes frites is all they serve, cooked perfectly to order, sliced, and preceded by a delicious salad of butter lettuce and walnuts. Shockingly, once you’ve cleaned your plate, the waiter passes by with a platter offering you seconds. All this for 22.50 Euros, plus there’s a choice of reasonably priced wines—they bring a bottle and charge you for only as much as you drink.

Most bars offer a range of inexpensive, typically Dutch snacks. Order a beer (or a soft drink, though they’re the same price) and an order of bitterballen (a traditional deep fried mystery snack) or a tosti (a grilled cheese or ham and cheese sandwich.) Most brown cafes will have snacks, but a nice option is the modern Spanjer & Van Twist, with outdoor tables lined up along the picturesque Leliegracht, just around the corner from the Anne Frank House.

Taxes and service are included in the price you see on the menu. It’s nice to leave a small gratuity of about 5% in cash (even when paying by credit card, tip in cash) And note: you will never get your bill until you ask for it.

Some gay favorites include ARC (Reguliersdwarsstraat 44) big and trendy, fun finger food. Coffeeshop Downtown (Regulierdwarsstraat 31) is in a central location, busy inside and outside for lunch. The Garlic Queen (Reguilersdwarsstraat 27) is truly deliciuous, where everything is made with healing and aromatic garlic, including ice cream! Yes its amazing.

Getto (Warmoesstraat 51) 'serving hungry homos since 1996,' offers home cooking, cuisines from Louisiana to Paris with a popular Sunday brunch. The gay-trendy restaurant is along the lovably seedy and leather-oriented Warmoesstraat, is an inviting spot that's known as much among see-and-be-seen types for sipping cocktails as for tasty food, from camp-themed burgers (try the Priscilla, with mozzarella, tomato, basil, and pesto-mayo) to more elaborate daily specials featuring seafood and wild game.

For vegetarians, check out Golden Temple (Utrechtsestraat 126) international cuisine, many vegan options.Hemelse Modder (Oude Waal 11) offers French and Italian food with an Asian twist; 'heavenly mud' is their to-die-for chocolate mousse.

The Other Side (Reguilersdwarsstraat 6) is a friendly gay coffeeshop with pre-rolled hash, potent pot, munchies, hot chocolate. Fancy some italian? Saturnino (Reguliersdwarsstraat 5)is an authentic Sicilian restaurant with an inexpensive wine list and welcoming staff.

Cafe t Leeuwtje (Torensteeg 1) offers a drag show dinner with two seatings. Supperclub (Jonge Roelensteeg 21) reclining couches, in-house DJs, fun cast of characters, five- course set meals and an Uber cool atmosphere. Finally, Walem (Keizergracht 49) has a gay- friendly vibe and a popular canal-side terrace.

Brasserie Harkema http://www.brasserieharkema.nl/ Nes 67+31 20 4282222. Situated in the center of Amsterdam, Brasserie Harkema turns a former factory building into a lively, open space serving contemporary French brasserie dishes. The open kitchen, soft lighting and minimalist decor lends a feeling of intimacy to the large space. Open for lunch and dinner.

Segugio www.segugio.nl/ Utrechtsestraat 96 +31 20-3301503 is an airy, two-level Italian restaurant is known for serving fresh and innovative dishes with the finest ingredients. Segugio’s bread, pasta and ice cream are all homemade, so be sure to give them a try. Open for dinner only.

MOMO www.momo-amsterdam.com/ Hobbemastraat 1 +31 20-6717474 blends the Far East with the West. The interior is cosmopolitan, trendy and colorful which attracts a hip crowd. The menu is described as modern Pan Asian and dishes are meant to be shared. The large bar in the center dominates the room. Great spot to try one of MOMO’s fabulous cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner.

If you stop at Gartine www.gartine.nl/ Taksteeg 7 +31 20-3204132 for breakfast, lunch or high tea, you’ll notice an incredible attention to detail. All of the cutlery and plates are hand-selected by the owners from antique markets across Holland. In addition, Gartine ensures that all dishes are freshly prepared, with ingredients pulled from the owner’s own garden.

Finally, Hotel de Goudfazant www.hoteldegoudfazant.nl/ Aambeeldstraat 10H+31 20-6365170 is a hip restaurant in an old warehouse located on the water’s edge in North Amsterdam, Hotel De Goudfazant is easy to access by a free ferry ride from Central Station. Menu has French & Italian influences and changes with the seasons. Dinner only.

In the gay-popular Reguliersdwaarstraat district, Het Tuynhuis is one of the most refined restaurants in the city - the elegant spot serves first-rate modern Mediterranean-French food, such as rack of lamb with sausages, lentils, and fresh spring vegetables.

Frenzi a lively corner trattoria at the hip and charming corner of Staalstraat and Zwanenburgwal). The restaurant is close to Waterlooplein and the cluster of gay bars along the opposite shore of the Amstel River. There's an excellent list of Italian wines, and here you can dine on superb rustic fare, including pastas and grills. If you're with a friend, order the ginormous antipasti platter.

Just around the corner from Homomonument, the restaurant Werck is another stellar option, set in a charming coach house and serving globally inspired haute cuisine, such as tuna sashimi with ginger-soy glaze, and smoked duck salad with mango-raspberry vinaigrette. You'll also find several excellent Indonesian, Thai, and other International restaurants throughout the city centre. Indonesian food is a major specialty in the Netherlands, and one of the best - and most stylish - places to sample it is Selecta, a smartly furnished eatery just around the corner from the Reguliersdwaarstraat gay-nightlife strip.

There are plenty of places throughout the city to grab a light lunch,.On Utrechtsestraat, fans of java should duck into the Koffee Salon, a comfy place with hardwood floors and plenty of seating (plus free WiFi). You can relax here with friends while sipping some of the best coffee in the city, plus outstanding chocolates and snacks.

Some advice for dining out in Amsterdam: Make reservations for restaurants. Eat your snacks early. Dining and snacking options are extremely limited after 10pm. If you do want to hit the city’s top restaurants, try to come during Restaurant Week where the city’s finest restaurants charge only 25 Euros for a three course dinner. Reservations advised well in advance at restaurantweek.nl.