Eating Amsterdam Food Tour: The Best Way To See The City

Despite having visited Amsterdam three times before moving here, I couldn’t confess to having tried many Dutch specialities.

The novelty of having my own kitchen at each of our housesits was too strong and I often ended up cooking most of our meals. Aside from a foray into pickled herring, some samples of cheese, a few swigs of local beer and a nibble of bitterballen, I’d fallen short of the mark when it came to local cuisine.

So when I was invited to take part in an Amsterdam food tour with the lovely people at Eating Amsterdam Food Tours, I was intrigued about what delights were in store.

As luck would have it, it was a beautiful sunny Saturday the day I took the tour. If you know Amsterdam at all, then you’ll know how precious that is. The tour takes place in and around the Jordaan district of the city, which is one of the most popular and hip neighbourhoods. But as with all cities, there’s a reason the Jordaan is so popular and much of that has to do with its delicious food offerings. Its network of pretty canals doesn’t hurt, either.

The tour lasts for around four hours and takes in twelve food tastings. Now, I’m still a newbie when it comes to food tours, but I’m sure that’s quite a lot. Especially considering that they don’t skimp on the portions.

After the first hunk of appeltaart to start off the morning (a delicious elevenses), I was already starting to worry how I would be able to carry on eating. Even with my huge appetite, as I rolled out of the second stop of the tour – after feasting on spicy Indonesian/Surinamese snacks – I was starting to doubt my own abilities.

Were my pants stretchy enough for this feat? Had that one slice of toast at breakfast been too much to line my stomach with? Had I finally met my match against the Dutch love of carbohydrates and sugar??

I needn’t have worried, as I never got too full. Maybe it was the walking that accompanied the tour. Or maybe it was the little historical facts that we got fed along with the food that kept my appetite whet for more. Either way, I managed to wolf down every offering at every stop. Hooray for me!

One of the highlights of this tour, in my opinion, is the hour-long boat cruise you take part way through. It is true that Amsterdam is best seen from the water and the unique thing about this food tour is that it combines parts of a walking tour and a boat tour in one. The boat, also referred to as an “historic monument” because it’s so old, is a beautifully relaxing way to indulge in yet more food and even an alcoholic tipple or two.

I’m loathe to give away too many details on the actual food and drink you sample on this tour. I myself don’t like spoilers and had managed to dodge several before going on the tour, meaning that I was pleasantly surprised by some of the stops. I’d love for you to be able to say the same.

Instead, I’ll give you some practical details, should you decided you want to experience the deliciousness of Amsterdam for yourself.

– The tours run in any weather. Unfortunately, this being The Nertherlands, this may mean that you’ll be walking around in the rain and wind. Wear comfortable shoes and pack a raincoat and umbrella, just in case. On the flip side, if it’s a sunny day, as in my case, a little sunscreen wouldn’t go amiss.

– There are several opportunities to drink some water on the tour, but bring along a bottle if you think you’ll need it to wash down the food and alcohol.

– Go in with an open mind and an empty stomach. Some Dutch specialities are a bit like Marmite – you either love them or your hate them. But please, do try them all, even if you decide afterwards that they’re not your cup of tea. A food tour is a great way to experience the local culture and you might just surprise yourself by loving something that you would assume you’d hate (I don’t like apple pie, but the taart on this tour has turned me into a convert. No lie.)

I received a complimentary food tour from Eating Amsterdam but that in no way affected my opinion. All ramblings are my own and I do truly believe that a food tour is the best way to see a city.