The Netherlands captivates visitors with its iconic windmills, colorful tulip fields, and picturesque canal cities. From Amsterdam's world-class museums and vibrant culture to charming villages and innovative architecture, this low-lying country offers a perfect blend of history, art, and modern Dutch living.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Netherlands through its food.
Amsterdam Street Food & Market Tour
Walk through the Albert Cuyp Market and surrounding De Pijp neighborhood tasting stroopwafels, Dutch cheeses, raw herring, and Indonesian rijsttafel bites with a local food guide. Includes 8-10 tastings.
Jordaan Neighborhood Food Walk
Explore Amsterdam's most charming neighborhood stopping at traditional brown cafés, artisan cheese shops, independent bakers, and a jenever tasting at a historic proeflokaal. Small groups of 8 or fewer.
Canal Dining Cruise Amsterdam
A guided food tour aboard a classic Amsterdam canal boat combining the UNESCO waterway experience with Dutch and Indonesian fusion tastings. Evening departures with wine pairing options.
Dutch Countryside Food Bike Tour
Cycle from Amsterdam through polder landscapes to a working cheese farm, windmill, and organic market garden. Includes cheese tasting, fresh stroopwafel making, and lunch at a farm café.
Rotterdam Markthal Culinary Tour
Expert-guided tour of Rotterdam's spectacular Markthal with tastings from 15+ vendors including Dutch herring, artisan chocolates, Indonesian satay, craft beer, and Zeeland oysters.
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Netherlands's food scene.
Street food tours
Street food tours focus on Dutch classics - herring from haringkraam stands, stroopwafels, frikandellen, Dutch frites with satay sauce, and bitterballen at local cafés
Market tours
Guided tours of Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam, Markthal Rotterdam, and traditional cheese markets in Gouda and Alkmaar
Restaurant tours
Multi-course Dutch and Indonesian rijsttafel dinners at historic venues; Michelin tasting menus at De Librije, Vinkeles, and Bord'Eau
Specialty tours
Jenever tasting at Wynand Fockink proeflokaal, Heineken brewery tours, Dutch chocolate tours, artisan Stroopwafel workshops, North Sea catch-to-table dinners
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Netherlands home with you.
Dutch Cooking Workshop Amsterdam
Learn to prepare classic Dutch dishes including erwtensoep (split pea soup), stamppot (mashed potato and vegetable), oliebollen, and Dutch apple tart in a communal kitchen near central Amsterdam.
Rijsttafel Cooking Class
The Netherlands' most popular dinner tradition, the Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table) with 20+ dishes, taught by a Dutch-Indonesian chef in Amsterdam. Prepare rendang, gado-gado, nasi goreng, and more.
Stroopwafel & Appeltaart Baking Class
A hands-on class in Amsterdam teaching the art of making authentic Dutch stroopwafels with caramel syrup and the classic Dutch apple tart at a local bakery. Take home your creations.
Gouda Cheese Making Experience
At a traditional cheese farm near Gouda, learn the complete cheese-making process from milk to pressing. Guide explains aging differences between young and mature Gouda; includes extensive tasting.
DIY self-guided food tour
Amsterdam's food landscape is walkable and public-transport-friendly; a self-guided food crawl through De Pijp and Jordaan covers Dutch classics in a single afternoon
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1
Stop 1: Haringkraam Stubbe on Nieuwmarkt - try fresh Dutch raw herring with onions (maatjesharing)
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2
Stop 2: Albert Cuyp Market - stroopwafels, Dutch cheese, frites with satay sauce
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3
Stop 3: Henri Willig Cheese Shop in Jordaan - aged Gouda tasting (free samples)
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4
Stop 4: Wynand Fockink proeflokaal on Pijlsteeg - jenever tasting in historic 1679 tasting house
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5
Stop 5: Foodhallen in Oud-West - Indonesian satay, Dutch bitterballen, craft beer at covered market hall
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Raw herring (maatjesharing) season runs May to August - seek out haringkraam street stalls for the freshest catch
Dutch breakfast is understated - try bruine boterham (rye bread) with hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) for an authentic Dutch experience
Indonesian cuisine is the de facto national comfort food thanks to colonial heritage - rijsttafel restaurants are everywhere and outstanding
Dutch fries (patat) are thicker than Belgian and served with an extraordinary range of toppings - oorlog (war fries) with peanut sauce, mayo and onion is the classic
Jenever (Dutch gin) tasting at Amsterdam's proeflokalen tasting houses is essential - try Wynand Fockink (est. 1679) for historic context
Cheese markets in Gouda (Thursday mornings) and Alkmaar (Friday mornings) are theatrical experiences rather than practical shopping
Dutch supermarkets (Albert Heijn) have excellent quality prepared food and specialty Dutch items - great for self-catering and food gifts
Stroopwafels bought from street markets are far superior to packaged versions; Albert Cuyp Market has several stroopwafel stands making them fresh