The Netherlands is famous for its postcard-perfect canals, charming windmills, and rich cultural heritage. But one of its most underrated treasures? The food. Dutch cuisine is a delightful mix of sweet and savory, offering something for every taste. Whether you’re planning a trip to the Netherlands or just exploring from your kitchen at home, here are 10 classic Dutch foods every traveler should try.
For more to do in the Netherlands, check out the best art museums, cycling through the Dutch countryside, or the best tulip guide.
1. Stroopwafels – The Ultimate Sweet Street Snack
No trip to the Netherlands is complete without biting into a warm stroopwafel. This iconic Dutch treat consists of two thin waffle cookies sandwiched together with a caramel syrup called stroop. Originally from the city of Gouda, stroopwafels are now enjoyed across the country.
For the best experience, buy one fresh at a local market or street stall, where it’s warmed over your coffee or tea — a local trick that softens the syrup and enhances the flavor. You can also find pre-packaged versions in shops and airports, perfect for bringing home. Some varieties are dipped in chocolate or topped with sprinkles or nuts.
📍Where to try: Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam or Gouda’s weekly market.
🧳Travel tip: Bring some back as souvenirs, they travel well and make great gifts.
2. Dutch Cheese – A World of Flavor Beyond Gouda
Cheese is deeply woven into Dutch history and daily life, with the Netherlands producing over 650 million kilos annually. Gouda and Edam are the most famous exports, but the variety goes far beyond that.
Gouda (pronounced “HOW-da” in Dutch) can range from young (jong) and creamy to aged (oud) and sharp. Aged Gouda develops caramel notes and a firm, almost crumbly texture. Edam, which comes in red wax, is lighter and slightly salty. Leyden is infused with cumin or caraway seeds, adding a warm spice, while Maasdam is buttery, nutty, and often mistaken for Swiss cheese due to its holes.
📍Where to try: Cheese markets in Alkmaar or Edam, or cheese museums in Amsterdam and Gouda.
🧀Insider tip: Many shops offer vacuum-sealed cheese for easy export. You can also book tastings that include wine or beer pairings.
3. Bitterballen – Crispy, Creamy, and Perfect with Beer
Bitterballen are a quintessential Dutch bar snack — crispy meatballs filled with a thick beef or veal ragout, breaded and deep-fried to golden perfection. The outside is crunchy while the inside is soft and almost creamy, made from slow-cooked meat thickened with roux and broth.
They’re usually served with sharp mustard and enjoyed with a beer, making them a staple in brown cafés (traditional Dutch pubs). Don’t confuse them with kroketten, those are the elongated version often found in vending machines or train stations.
📍Where to try: Café Hoppe in Amsterdam or any Dutch pub (eetcafé).
🍻Perfect pairing: Order with a local pilsner like Grolsch, Hertog Jan, or Amstel.
4. Haring – A Bold Dutch Tradition
Haring, or Dutch raw herring, is not just a food but a cultural event. It’s typically served with diced onions and pickles, and the traditional way to eat it is by holding the fish by the tail and lowering it into your mouth in one bite, though it’s perfectly fine to use a fork, too.
Herring season starts in May and peaks in June, when the “Hollandse Nieuwe” (new catch) is celebrated. The fish is lightly brined, not fully raw, and has a silky texture with a clean, salty flavor.
📍Where to try: Fish stalls across the country (look for “Haringhandel”), especially on the coast.
🐟Fun fact: There’s even a national herring festival “Vlaggetjesdag” to celebrate the first catch of the season.
5. Poffertjes – Mini Pancakes with Maximum Delight
Poffertjes are tiny, fluffy pancakes made with yeast and buckwheat flour, giving them a light texture and slight tang. They’re cooked on a special cast-iron griddle with half-sphere molds, flipped with skewers, and typically served with powdered sugar and a knob of butter melting on top.
At fairs and street markets, you’ll often find them served by the dozen, sometimes with optional toppings like Nutella, strawberries, or whipped cream. Watching them being made is part of the fun, it’s almost theatrical.
📍Where to try: Winter markets, food trucks, and pancake restaurants like De Carrousel in Amsterdam.
👨👩👧👦Tip for families: Kids love poffertjes, making them a great snack when traveling with children.
6. Patat – Fries Done the Dutch Way
Forget French fries, Dutch patat is in a league of its own. Thicker than typical fries and double-fried for crispiness, they’re sold at snack bars (snackbars) and served in paper cones with toppings that might surprise you.
Popular sauces include:
- Mayonnaise (Dutch-style, richer and creamier)
- Satay sauce (a savory peanut sauce)
- Curry ketchup
- Speciaal (ketchup, mayo, and onions)
- Oorlog (“war”) – a messy, delicious combo of satay, mayo, and chopped onions
📍Where to try: Manneken Pis in Amsterdam, or any FEBO automat.
🍟Pro tip: Ask for a fork — Dutch fries are saucy!
7. Erwtensoep – Hearty Dutch Pea Soup
Erwtensoep, or snert, is the ultimate winter comfort food. Made from green split peas, leeks, carrots, celeriac, and smoked pork, it’s so thick that a spoon can practically stand upright in the bowl. It’s often served with rookworst (Dutch smoked sausage) and rye bread topped with bacon or cheese.
This soup is traditionally eaten the day after it’s made giving it time to thicken and develop its flavors. It’s especially popular during ice skating season when roadside stands sell steaming bowls to skaters on frozen canals.
📍Where to try: Winter cafés, home kitchens, or traditional Dutch restaurants in January and February.
🌡️Seasonal tip: Only served in winter months, so plan accordingly!
8. Dutch Apple Pie – A Slice of Spiced Comfort
Dutch Appeltaart is a deep-dish apple pie made with a buttery crust and a generous filling of cinnamon-spiced apples, raisins, and sometimes lemon zest or rum-soaked currants. The top is usually latticed or covered in a crumbly dough rather than a flat pastry lid.
It’s served slightly warm with whipped cream (slagroom) and often enjoyed during koffietijd — the Dutch custom of taking a break for coffee and cake mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
📍Where to try: Winkel 43 in Amsterdam is famous for its appeltaart.
☕Pairing tip: Try it with a strong Dutch coffee for a full café experience.
9. Drop – Love It or Hate It Licorice
The Dutch consume more licorice per capita than any other country. Drop comes in a wide variety of shapes, textures, and intensities from soft and chewy to hard and chalky.
There are two major flavor profiles:
- Zoete drop – sweet and milder.
- Zoute drop – salty, sometimes with added ammonium chloride (salmiak), giving it a unique tang.
You’ll find drop shaped like coins, cats, or cars, and often mixed into Dutch trail mix. It’s an acquired taste, but locals grow up on it and often crave it abroad.
📍Where to try: Supermarkets, candy shops, or Dutch brands like Venco and Klene.
🎒Souvenir idea: Pick up a sampler bag to challenge friends back home!
10. Dutch Coffee – Strong, Simple, and Social
Dutch coffee culture is relaxed but serious. The most common brew is a strong black coffee, often made using a filter machine. Unlike Italian espresso culture, coffee in the Netherlands is something to linger over — often enjoyed with a biscuit or slice of cake during a casual social visit.
Coffee shops (koffiehuizen, not to be confused with cannabis cafés) serve everything from espressos and lattes to koffie verkeerd, the Dutch version of a latte, with more milk than coffee.
📍Where to try: Café de Jaren in Amsterdam or Coffeelab in Utrecht.
☕Etiquette tip: Refusing a cup of coffee during a home visit might be considered rude — it’s part of Dutch hospitality.
Final Thoughts: Eat Like a Local in the Netherlands
Dutch food is comforting, fun, and rooted in centuries of tradition. Whether you’re wandering through street markets in Amsterdam or trying regional specialties in small towns, the Netherlands offers a surprising variety of dishes that are both hearty and flavorful.
So go ahead — dip your fries in satay sauce, bite into a raw herring, and don’t forget to grab a fresh stroopwafel for dessert. With this guide in hand, you’ll be well on your way to eating like a local in the Netherlands.