Work through the list in order. Hide the notes when you know what to do.
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Try Hollandse Nieuwe herring
Mildly brined, exceptionally buttery virgin herring caught in late spring. Order it from outdoor fish stalls (*vishandel*) and eat it raw by dangling it into your mouth by the tail, topped with chopped raw onions and pickles.
The official season kicks off in June, but modern flash-freezing regulations guarantee safe, creamy herring at street kiosks throughout the entire year.
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Try bitterballen
Deep-fried croquette spheres encasing a velvety, molten beef ragout seasoned with nutmeg. They are the quintessential bar snack in brown cafes, served piping hot alongside sharp whole-grain mustard.
The ragout inside stays volcanic long after serving; puncture the crispy breading and let it vent for a minute before popping it whole.
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Try kapsalon
A legendary Rotterdam invention created by a local hairdresser: a layer of crisp fries smothered in doner meat and Gouda, melted under a broiler, then buried in crisp lettuce, garlic sauce, and fiery sambal.
Best ordered late at night from Turkish snackbars across Rotterdam; the aluminum container is hefty and packed with comfort carbs.
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Try stamppot
The cornerstone of Dutch home cooking: fluffy mashed potatoes mashed with kale, sauerkraut, or carrots and onions (*hutspot*), served with a crater of rich gravy and a thick slice of smoked sausage (*rookworst*).
A distinctly cold-weather dish; many historic restaurants only serve authentic stamppot from October through March.
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Try snert (split pea soup)
Rich split-pea soup cooked slow and low until thick enough for a spoon to stand upright. It is laden with celeriac, leeks, pork belly, and slices of savory smoked sausage.
Traditionally presented alongside dense Dutch rye bread layered with thinly sliced cured bacon (*katenspek*) and sharp mustard.
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Try kibbeling
Bite-sized chunks of white fish dipped in spiced batter, fried until golden, and dusted with herb seasonings. Served right out of the fryer at seaside shacks with remoulade or garlic sauce.
Look for stalls with high turnover near harbors; freshly fried fish should stay crisp without turning greasy or soggy.
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Try frikandel speciaal
A skinless minced-meat sausage deep-fried until crisp on the outside. Ordered "speciaal", it comes slit down the middle and stuffed with curry ketchup, creamy mayonnaise, and finely diced raw onion.
Get it straight from the coin-operated glass wall automats (*automatiek*) ubiquitous around transit stations for the authentic local experience.
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Try aged Boerenkaas
Protected farmhouse cheese crafted from raw, unpasteurized milk on traditional Dutch farms. Aged varieties (12+ months) are firm, crumbly, and studded with crunchy salt crystals and rich nutty nuances.
Avoid souvenir shops selling neon green or pink cheeses; head to independent neighborhood cheese shops (*kaasspeciaalzaak*) to sample before buying.
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Try broodje kroket
A soft white roll cradling a long, piping-hot beef croquette. Locals flatten the croquette slightly between the buns until the crispy shell cracks open, splashing it with mustard.
The undisputed standard for casual Dutch work lunches; ubiquitous across station kiosks and casual sandwich shops.
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Try Groninger mosterdsoep
A velvety cream soup originating in the northern province of Groningen, starring local coarse-ground sharp mustard and leeks, finished with crispy bits of cured bacon.
Delivers gentle warmth rather than overwhelming heat; vegetarian travelers can easily request it without the bacon lardons (*zonder spek*).
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Try an Indische rijsttafel
A colonial Dutch-Indonesian feast consisting of 10 to 25 small sharing bowls—beef rendang, pork satay with peanut sauce, fiery sambal eggs, and pickles—surrounding a central mound of jasmine rice.
The Hague is the unofficial capital of Indonesian cuisine in the Netherlands; always book a table ahead and go with an empty stomach.
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Try savory Dutch pannenkoeken
A massive, platter-sized pancake where ingredients like thick-cut bacon, mushrooms, and Gouda are cooked directly into the batter. Locals uniquely drizzle the savory pancake with dark sugar beet syrup (*schenkstroop*).
Best enjoyed in dedicated pancake houses (*pannenkoekenhuizen*), often situated in countryside windmills or scenic forested city parks.
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Try a fresh stroopwafel Desserts and pastries
Two ultra-thin baked dough wafers sliced horizontally while smoking hot and sandwiched with gooey caramel syrup infused with butter and cinnamon. Best purchased warm right off the market press.
When buying packaged ones from groceries, rest a waffle over your steaming mug of tea for two minutes to soften the internal caramel.
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Try poffertjes Desserts and pastries
Fluffy, quarter-sized yeast pancakes made with buckwheat flour, baked quickly in dimpled cast-iron plates. Served piping hot in batches of ten or twelve, buried under powdered sugar and melting butter.
A quintessential street festival treat; watching vendors flip dozens of them simultaneously using a tiny two-pronged fork is half the experience.
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Try Dutch appeltaart Desserts and pastries
A tall, spiced pastry pie packed to the brim with tart apple chunks, raisins, and cinnamon, finished with a classic lattice crust. Always order it with a generous dollop of unsweetened whipped cream (*met slagroom*).
The crown jewel of cafe afternoon breaks; a prime slice should be stacked high with chunky fruit rather than stewed mush.
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Try a Bossche bol Desserts and pastries
A legendary giant pastry from 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant: an oversized choux pastry ball stuffed to bursting with fresh whipped cream and coated entirely in glossy dark chocolate.
Locals turn it upside-down before digging in with a small fork so the hard chocolate shell doesn't send the cream squirting everywhere.
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Drink koffie verkeerd Non-alcoholic drinks
The literal "wrong coffee"—a Dutch-style cafe au lait where warm milk outweighs the coffee. Served in a tall glass, invariably accompanied by a single crunchy speculaas biscuit.
The tradition of receiving exactly one biscuit with any coffee order reflects the country's historic ethos of moderation.
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Order verse muntthee Non-alcoholic drinks
A hearty bouquet of fresh spearmint leaves steeped directly in boiling water inside a tall glass tumbler, served with a small jar of honey. A modern cafe staple found on every terrace in the country.
Naturally caffeine-free and ultra-refreshing, it is the go-to warm terrace drink during damp, blustery afternoons.
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Try hot chocolate with slagroom Non-alcoholic drinks
Rich, velvety Dutch hot chocolate crowned with a massive swirl of fresh whipped cream. The traditional winter warmer enjoyed after ice skating on frozen canals or brisk beach walks.
Always specify "met slagroom" (with whipped cream) to experience the full decadent winter indulgence.
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Try jenever with a kopstootje Local alcohol
The historic juniper-flavored spirit that preceded modern gin, served in tulip-shaped glasses filled to the meniscus brim. Pair it with a beer for a *kopstootje* ("little headbutt"): bend down hands-free to sip the brim, then chase it with a pilsner.
Choose between *jonge* (light, neutral, modern) and *oude* (traditional, rich, malty, aged in wood barrels).
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Try Dutch speciaalbier Local alcohol
Beyond mass-market pilsners, explore local craft ales, Trappist beers brewed in Brabant monasteries, and seasonal Autumn bocks (*Herfstbok*) loaded with toasted malt and dark caramel notes.
Autumn Bock season launches nationwide in October; taste it on tap in specialized beer bars paired with bitterballen.
