6 Best Restaurants in Oud-Zuid, Amsterdam

It's become a bit of a tourist favorite, but many Amsterdammers still believe that this is the best Indonesian rijsttafel in town—so if you're looking for the ultimate Amsterdam dining experience, this is the place to go. Menu choices include fish, meat, and vegetarian rijsttafels; all are fresh, well spiced, and full of authentic flavors. You can order à la carte, but the rijsttafel is the way to go. The design is ultramodern, with lacquered red walls that set off giant vintage family photos from the era of the Dutch East Indies.

A Chez Panisse–trained chef whips up frequently changing menus with local ingredients and a Mediterranean flair at this lively restaurant in a former chapel; all dishes are cooked on an open fire in an outdoor wood oven. The three-course dinner menus are a great value and make it worth venturing to Amsterdam's far southern reaches (Tram No. 5 stops a block away)—there is always a choice of meat or fish, and you can add an "in-between" course for a little bit more. (You can also order à la carte at lunch.) Most of the seating is at long communal tables, which makes for a convivial atmosphere. In the summer, dine out on the gorgeous terrace, which has views of the outdoor open kitchen and leafy Beatrixpark surroundings.