Best budget restaurants in Amsterdam
You’re looking for somewhere to eat out in Amsterdam, but you’re strapped for cash; we’ve all been there. Luckily, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to make the most of Amsterdam’s thriving restaurant scene. The city has a variety of eateries in which to enjoy a quality meal that is reasonably priced. Read on for our pick of the best budget restaurants in Amsterdam.
Skek
Skek is a student-run restaurant and bar near Amsterdam's Red Light District that fuses traditional Dutch food with all the newest eating trends – it’s perfect for Amsterdam locals and visitors alike. They host live-music nights too, which really adds to Skek’s already stellar atmosphere. If there’s one group who appreciates a good bargain, it’s students, and Skek doesn’t disappoint, with dishes costing around €13 euros on average. Skek has a bar that is fitted with an array of special beers – completing that classic Dutch café vibe look and feel. The staff are polite and easy-going as well, happily talking customers through the selection of food and beer that is available.
Dumplings
This epic food stall on the corner of Westerpark dishes out traditional wallet-friendly snacks that have been eaten on the streets of Beijing for centuries. The menu at Dumplings encompasses Chinese crepes made with mung beans, noodles, egg and spring onions, doused in soy sauce with optional roasted pork or duck. On top of that they serve a great variety of pork and vegetable dumplings, bao buns, spring rolls and noodle plates that will fill your tum for as little as €6.50. Can't get enough? Here's our round-up of the best dim-sum spots in town.
Dumplings | Nassauplein 60, Westerpark
Thrill Grill
With one restaurant in De Pijp and one in Oud-West, Thrill Grill is perfect for anyone who wants a charcoal-grilled gourmet burger in Amsterdam for a reasonable price. Most of the burgers are just over €10, and all the ingredients are locally sourced and natural: pure Dutch beef, potatoes from a local farmer and luscious Dutch gouda cheese – even their toasted burger buns are organic. There are burgers for all tastes, but our top picks are the Peruvian beef thriller, the vegan Beyond burger and Asian chicken.
Thrill Grill | Gerard Doustraat 98, De Pijp / 1e Constantijn Huygensstraat 35-3, Oud-West
De Pizzabakkers
Boasting several Amsterdam locations, it’s safe to say De Pizzabakkers is something of a phenomenon in the Dutch capital. It’s no shock really: they offer oven-baked thin, crusty pizza that is prepared with the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, with prices starting at under €9. With their tagline of "pizza and prosecco", it’s unsurprising that De Pizzabakkers offers a respectable selection of prosecco, wine and – of course – beer, so grab a prosecco cocktail (that’s right, a prosecco cocktail), order your favourite pizza and dine like they do in Napoli.
De Pizzabakkers | Copernicusstraat 49, Oost / Eerste Sweelinckstraat 16, De Pijp / Haarlemmerdijk 128, Centrum / Waddenweg 2, Noord / Overtoom 501, Oud-West/ Plantage Kerklaan 2, De Plantage Spaarndammerstraat 51, Westerpark / Willemsparkweg 178, Oud-Zuid
Café Lennep
At Café Lennep in Amsterdam West, you can get your hands on premium grilled and spit-roasted food for a fraction of the usual cost. With two terraces – one overlooking the waterfront and one courtyard terrace – there’s plenty of room to enjoy your food and drinks in Café Lennep’s friendly, warm atmosphere. The main courses cost between €15-19, and the selection includes steak, lamb, burgers, mussels, ravioli, fish and more; there is a diverse selection of special beer on offer too. With its friendly staff, casual atmosphere and reasonably-priced food, you can’t go far wrong with Café Lennep.
Café Lennep | Jacob van Lennepkade 334, Oud-West
Fou Fow Ramen
There could be nothing better to warm the soul and fill the belly on a budget than a giant bowl of noodle soup packed full of goodies. The clue’s in the name at Fou Fow ramen, with three locations in central Amsterdam. Order a generous bowl of fresh Japanese noodles, sliced meat, soft-set boiled egg, crunchy seaweed and greens in a fragrant house-made chicken, pork or vegetable broth for anywhere between €12-16.
Fou Fow Ramen | Elandsgracht 2, Centrum / Prinsengracht 411, Centrum / Van Woustraat 3, De Pijp
Spaghetteria
Spaghetteria prides itself on its homemade, traditional and fresh approach to pasta – basing its culinary techniques on the cooking practices of ancient Italy. They serve six different pastas each day, all prepared in-house and overseen by an experienced chef. Spaghetteria uses Emilia Romagna flour, which gives each pasta dish its own unique shape, origin and preparation style. There are several Amsterdam locations and each dish ranges from approximately €10-16, which is perfect if you’re craving traditional Italian pasta at an affordable price.
Spaghetteria Amsterdam | Gerard Callenburgstraat 1, Bos en Lommer / Jan Hanzenstraat 32, Oud-West / Pretoriusstraat 72, Oost / Olympiaplein 176, Oud-Zuid/ Amstel 80, Centrum / Kuipersstraat 60, De Pijp / Daniël Stalpertstraat 93, De Pijp/ Van Woustraat 123, De Pijp
Oriental City
If it’s inexpensive, tasty Chinese food you want, then the multi-floor Oriental City is the restaurant for you. Located in the centre of Amsterdam – just a 10-minute walk from Central Station – Oriental City has all the staples of Cantonese cuisine: chicken chop suey, beef chow mein; you name it, they’ve probably got it. If you want to try something a bit different, they also offer more-innovative seafood dishes and the newest fads on the Chinese food scene. All the fresh ingredients are imported daily, and the restaurant’s professional chefs are straight from Hong Kong – it really is a little piece of China within the Dutch capital.
Oriental City | Oudezijds Voorburgwal 177-179, Centrum
La Perla
La Perla is an authentic Italian restaurant in the famous Jordaan neighbourhood of Amsterdam. The restaurant imports ingredients from Italy every week, including the southern Italian favourite, genuine buffalo mozzarella. La Perla’s pizzas are cooked in their huge, wood-filled brick oven, and prices start at under €9. Mamma mia! There really is a bargain to be had on some of the finest pizza in Amsterdam.
Kauffmann Falafel
It’s falafel pitas all the way at this happening foodie hangout in De Baarsjes. Kauffmann Falafel churns out delicious and reasonably priced Levantine-inspired fast food topped with combinations of grilled halloumi, mango, pineapple, spicy sausages and green chilli tapenade. When the sun’s shining the high doors open out onto a great terrace making it the ideal spot to sip on the great selection of Dutch craft beers on offer. The restaurant welcomes children and has a kids menu that includes Lebanese flatbread pizza, cheese pita and a small falafel plate.
Kauffman Falafel | Reinier Claeszenstraat 4, De Baarsjes
De Foodhallen
All housed in a converted tram depot that’s had something of a face-lift, De Hallen comprises not just a great range of artisanal shops but a hip industrial-chic hotel, and De Filmhallen, the largest independent cinema in the Netherlands. Lets not forget to mention the giant indoor food court, De Foodhallen, packed with dozens of pop-up eateries for dim sum, fried chicken, pho, tacos and pretty much everything else that’s ever been accredited tasty in between. Between all the pop-up food stalls, eateries and long-established favourites you’re bound to find a filling meal that won’t break the bank.
