7 Best Restaurants in De Pijp, Amsterdam

While you're in Amsterdam, do try Surinamese food, a unique fusion of Amerindian, Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, Dutch, and Indonesian cuisines that arose from this South American country's history as a Dutch colony. Albina is a local fave that serves up one of the best rotis (the Surinamese take on Indian flatbread) in the city. It comes with a choice of fillings and is real-deal comfort food. Nieuw Albina, at No. 49, has the same owner and the same kitchen, if you find the original too crowded.

This elegant two–Michelin star dining room nods to modernity with gleaming metallic design touches, but the French-international food at the "Blue Sky" leans more to the classically extravagant. Any of the three tasting menus (with a choice of two wine pairings) are highly recommended for a celebratory meal. Enjoy beautifully presented dishes—like the signature king crab with Baeri caviar, beurre blanc ice cream, and preserved lemon, or the delicate pink "Dutch shrimp'' perched in a pool of green bean bouillon with a roast cumin crisp and Oscietra caviar and an elevated take on Dutch apple pie for dessert—while taking in the amazing panorama from the 23rd floor of the Hotel Okura Amsterdam.

The Indonesian-inspired Surinamese food at this often-cramped local favorite includes many simple but well-prepared variations of chicken, fish, lamb, or beef with vegetables and nasi (rice), bami (noodles), or roti. You can also try Javanese rames, a mini-rijsttafel-style smattering of everything on a plate. The restaurant is very casual, but the staff are friendly, the food is tasty, and the price is right—no wonder it's always busy. There are two other Amsterdam locations, but this one is the most central.

Traditional Japanese haute cuisine is sublimely presented at this elegant restaurant where a Zenlike sushi bar, kimonoed waitstaff, and views over a pretty Japanese garden (complete with koi pond) all add up to a sublime dining experience. The seasonal kaiseki menu is a fabulous splurge, but you can also choose from à la carte menu offerings like sushi, sashimi, tempura, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu prepared table-side, as well as grilled whole fish and steaks. At lunchtime, large and more economical bento boxes are available. The wine and sake lists are encyclopedic.