8 Best Restaurants in Red Light District, Amsterdam

Culinary surprises are the name of the game at this stately restaurant; instead of a menu, diners are presented with a list of seasonal ingredients (pear, cauliflower, and squid, for example) from which chef Chris Naylor whips up creative and masterful four-, five-, or six-course menus. Some of the vegetables and herbs come from the roof garden of the adjoining Barbizon Palace hotel. The gray-tone walls enlivened with paintings of flowers lend a contemporary yet formal air, and an army of waitstaff are on hand to ensure that the service is always impeccable. Each summer the restaurant closes for one month while the staff go on vacation (dates change year to year).

This unpretentious bakery and tearoom evokes an English country kitchen—one that lovingly prepares and serves breakfasts, high tea, hearty sandwiches, soups, and divine slices of quiche. The closely clustered wooden tables don't give much privacy, but the lively atmosphere is welcoming and warm. There are two other locations: one complete with a garden patio inside Westerpark and the original location in Oud-Zuid, plus a takeout-only counter at Warmoesstraat 133 (all serving breakfast and lunch only).

The large menu of Thai standards—including some very good vegetarian options—doesn't hold many surprises, but everything's fresh and tasty; diners often rate Bird as the best Thai in town, and there are lines most nights. The space is filled with chunky teak furnishings and paintings imported from Thailand, while the takeaway snack bar across the street (Zeedijk 77) is more utilitarian. The best tables for savoring such dishes as coconut-chicken soup with lemongrass followed by fruity curry with mixed seafood are at the back of the restaurant overlooking the canal.

When you enter this classy restaurant inside the Hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, you'll pass a Karel Appel wall mural, before getting distracted by the peaceful hidden garden (where you can dine, if you'd like) and the pretty plant-covered bar of adjacent Oriole Garden Bistro. If you love seafood, Bridges is the perfect destination for a wonderful meal. The creative kitchen produces an array of nicely presented fish dishes; each menu item has a suggested pairing from their thoughtful wine list. For the best sampling of their seasonal cuisine, try one of their four-, five-, or six-course chef's menus.

Bustling and student-filled, this cozy restaurant near the university serves large portions of traditional Dutch home cooking—chicken satay or slabs of steak with rich sauces, french fries, and piles of mixed salad—along with highly rated burgers. You can sit at the wood bar, at the tables downstairs, or higher up in the rafters at the back; in summer you can watch the passing boats from the enchanting canalside terrace.

When in Amsterdam, do as the Amsterdammers do: enjoy some cured herring, the ultimate Dutch snack. Despite popular belief, the herring is not actually raw; it's partially gutted when caught (leaving in the pancreas to develop its flavor) and then salted and frozen for at least two days to prevent parasites. At this landmark shop (est. 1938), you can snack in local fashion; make your purchases inside and then just take the fish by the tail, tilt your head backward, and let the slippery, salty sea creature find its way down. Don't ask for chopped onions here because, according to third-generation owner Gerrie Palmer, you would lose out on the taste. In fact, some herring sellers use pickles and onions as a way to disguise less-than-fresh fish—you've been warned!

Smack in the middle of the Red Light District, this Thai establishment juxtaposes the original wood beams and wall panels of the 17th-century warehouse with a rich color scheme, modern furniture, and traditional Thai wall decorations, which give the space a warm atmosphere. The menu balances spicy dishes like stir-fried beef with onion and chile peppers with milder options to please a variety of palates, though ordering a main is compulsory.

There's almost always a line out the door at this modern-looking Chinese eatery, where the only concession to tradition is the roast ducks hanging in the window. The food is fast, fresh, and inexpensive, and the menu doesn't offer many surprises, but the crowds of locals and tourists keep coming back for sweet-and-sour chicken, noodle soup with shrimp dumplings and beef balls, and spareribs in black bean sauce.