Where to eat
The Dutch are not famous for their food, I’d skip most Dutch cuisine, it’s stogy, potato based and pickled. The only dish worth trying is borrel, deep fried beer snacks, Bitterballen being the most popular among the Dutch. These are best eaten in a local brown cafe (bruine kroeg) under ‘Where to drink’ below. Visit the below for fresh European food and decor.
Where to drink
Amsterdam home to 45 breweries and the Dutch go to drink is definitely beer. Visit the local brown bars (bruine kroeg), found central or to the West, or modern breweries dotted across the city. For waterside drinks check out; Waterkant, t’Smalle, Mediamatic & Pllek.
Het Papeneiland (bruine kroeg) 
Oedipus Brewing 
Café Belgique 
Waterkant 
Café Brandon 
Louis 
Bar Parry 
‘t Smalle (bruine kroeg) 
Mediamatic 
Festina Lente (bruine kroeg) 
Skatecafe 
PLLEK
Neighbourhoods to visit
Amsterdam is relatively small for a capital city and is best seen by foot or bike. Three neighbourhoods that are a must visit for every trip are; Jordaan, easily the most picturesque neighbourhood and where to go for photo perfect canals and historic brown bars (bruine kroeg). The 9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes) full of independent boutiques, cafes and vintage stores. NDSM, a 20 minute free boat ride from central Amsterdam, the area is an abandoned shipyard now an artists initiative with relaxed on the Ij bars.
Check out the maps below for walking & cycling routes around each area.
What to see & do
Flea markets & vintage shops
Van Dijk and Ko 
Noordermarkt (Saturday & Monday AM) 
Ari 
Spui Book Market (Friday’s) 
Laura Dols 
Mood Indigo
One & two day walking routes
Starting in the red light district spend the day wandering Amsterdam’s prettiest streets and canals, exploring the 9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes) and Jordaan. Stop regularly to enjoy the brown bars (bruine kroeg), cafes and independent boutiques. Finish in Westergas, once the cities gasworks it is now a vibrant hub of bars set in the green Westerpark.
Do the walk on a Saturday or Monday AM to explore Noordermarkt, a vintage and farmers market.
Rent bikes and explore the northern side of Amsterdam. Starting in NDSM, an abandoned shipyard and 20min boat ride from Amsterdam Centraal, visit the cities best waterside drinking spots and breweries. Forewarning the North is an industrial area not the postcard Amsterdam you see in tourist photos, but it is home to some of the best drinking and eating spots in the city.
Check the opening times for the SkateCafe & Oedipus brewery before you visit!