As all Amsterdammers know but many visitors don\u2019t, Indonesian food is widely eaten in the Netherlands due to the two countries\u2019 intertwined history. The Dutch colonised Indonesia (as the Dutch East Indies) for roughly 350 years, ending only in 1949, and during that period the colonists developed a taste for Indonesian food. After independence, waves of migration brought Indonesian cooks and cuisine to the Netherlands, which is why it\u2019s now so deeply embedded in Dutch food culture. Hence when you\u2019re in Amsterdam, checking out one of the Indonesian restaurants is an absolute must.<\/p>\n
In this article, I\u2019ve focused on the Indonesian restaurants<\/em> in the city, where you can turn up for a proper sit-down meal with wine (or whatever your poison may happen to be). But there are of course plenty of tokos<\/em> offering takeaway Indonesian food in Amsterdam, or holes-in-the-wall where you can sit down to eat a quick meal without alcohol.<\/p>\n Before you can start indulging in Indonesian food, you\u2019re going to need to get here! Below are a few trip essentials, but my Amsterdam travel planning guide<\/a> covers everything from transport to the best time to visit.<\/p>\n You absolutely mustn\u2019t leave the city without trying a rijsttafel<\/em> (literally: \u201crice table\u201d): dozens of small, shareable dishes ranging from mild to spicy, in all colours of the rainbow, served with rice. Although something of a Dutch invention (locals in Indonesia aren\u2019t eating rijsttafel<\/em>), it\u2019s a great way to try lots of dishes in one meal. Satay skewers \u2013 generally chicken and goat \u2013 are a staple, as are various curries (meat and fish), boiled eggs in spicy sauces, vegetables in peanut sauce (named gado-gado<\/em>) and fried bananas. But there\u2019s much more besides, depending on the particular restaurant\u2019s selection of rijsttafel<\/em>. Here\u2019s a curated list of my favourites:<\/p>\n Restaurant Blauw<\/a> has been going strong for decades \u2013 and I\u2019ve been a fan ever since I first visited in 2009. I like its split-level interior and bold d\u00e9cor that eschews the kitschiness that often goes along with Asian restaurants. I like the fact that it\u2019s a bit of a trek \u2013 down at the bottom of the Vondelpark on the Amstelveenseweg \u2013 which means it isn\u2019t full of tourists. I also like its rijsttafel<\/em>, which comprises a huge selection of boat-shaped dishes ranging from mild to super-spicy. It includes classics like beef rendang and various forms of satay (chicken, goat and shrimp) but also more interesting dishes like fish mousse with a spicy yet fresh green sauce. For those with a sweet tooth, Blauw\u2019s desserts don\u2019t disappoint, with favourites like spekkoek<\/em> and mango ice cream, as well as more adventurous flavours like durian parfait and chocolate fudge laced with cayenne pepper.<\/p>\n The boat-shaped dishes at Indonesian restaurant Blauw<\/p>\n<\/div>\n More central (it\u2019s on the Utrechtsestraat) is Tujuh Maret<\/a> \u2013 a family-run restaurant that\u2019s not much to look at but absolutely delivers. When we first looked at the menu, we weren\u2019t sure they served alcohol (shock horror!) but when we asked they were happy to keep carafes of house wine flowing. The \u201cMinahasa\u201d rijsttafel costs under \u20ac40, which is cheaper than many, but is just as extensive. And (wait for the best bit) several of the dishes are actually properly spicy. Not uncomfortably so, but I\u2019d have a few friends whose eyes might water a little. And that\u2019s a good thing because it\u2019s been regrettably hard to come by in the gathering of this list. It\u2019s difficult to pick out favourite dishes because I enjoyed them all \u2013 even the tempeh, which I usually can\u2019t stand.<\/p>\n Tujuh Maret\u2019s spicy rijsttafel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Blue Pepper<\/a> is essentially serving the fine-dining version of rijsttafel<\/em>: instead of all being plonked on the table at once, you can expect your dishes to arrive in several distinct courses. That\u2019s not to say that the atmosphere is stuffy or pretentious, but the service is a cut above your regular Amsterdam restaurant, the presentation of the food is fancier, and you can order paired wines with everything. Needless to say, the price tag matches the experience.<\/p>\n Upscale rijsttafel at Blue Pepper<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The evening we visited, our first course was a delicate scallop dish with orange, macadamia nuts and samphire. The second course comprised three mini-dishes in one: a pulled-goose fried spring roll with a sauce fragrant from cloves and cinnamon; a palate-cleansing fruit combo of pineapple, mango and cucumber with a sweet sauce; and a spicy guinea-fowl curry that was pleasantly hot on the tongue. With the satay course, we were back in more familiar territory: chicken satay came with the requisite peanut sauce, while lamb satay came with a soy-based sauce. Next came a traditional selection of four rijsttafel<\/em> dishes: spicy prawns, beef rendang<\/em>, gado-gado<\/em> and pickled vegetables. I\u2019ve seen restaurants try to posh-up rijsttafel<\/em> before, and the flavour suffered as a consequence. But at Blue Pepper, you\u2019ll still find the punchy flavours and chilli kicks you\u2019d expect from the best Indonesian food but in an upscale atmosphere.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: I was invited to eat at Blue Pepper as a journalist, and I didn\u2019t pay for my meal.<\/em> Obviously I try to be as objective as possible, but I always disclose when I\u2019ve had a freebie.<\/em><\/p>\n Chef Ron Blaauw has a series of restaurants in Amsterdam showcasing everything from classic fine dining to Oriental specialities. But it\u2019s worth taking a trip to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (around a 40-minute cycle ride from the south of the city centre) to try the rijsttafel<\/em> at Ron Gastrobar Indonesia<\/a>. Notable dishes included the satay \u2013 the chicken and goat meat were perfectly moist yet charred on the outside, and the sauces spicy yet sweet. Both the eggs and the fried shrimps were the perfect level of chilli heat. And all the curries were succulent and distinctly different in flavour. My only criticism is that I\u2019d have liked it if a few more of the dishes were on the spicy end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n Ron Gastrobar Indonesia \u2013 worth the bike ride<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In contrast, old-timer Sampurna<\/a> is right in the centre of Amsterdam, just off the bustling flower market on the Singel canal. Yes, it may be full of tourists, but the food is still good and reasonable value given the location. It\u2019s been in business for over 35 years \u2013 so they must be doing something right!<\/p>\n The first time I went to Kartika<\/a>, we were forced to order our food before we\u2019d even sat down, and were hustled out the door less than an hour later. But because the food was actually pretty good, I ended up going back. The manager there called me out on what I\u2019d written the first time (he actually remembered me, amazingly), which was awkward but at least we both got to say our piece. Suffice to say that the second time the service was much more leisurely, and the food was just as good.<\/p>\n Beef rendang<\/em> had excellent warm spices and a rich sauce; gado-gado<\/em> was fresh and fragrant, not cloying with peanut butter as is often the case. Two chicken dishes were good and distinctly different from each other: a hotter version in a thin, chilli-based broth; and a milder version in a sweet, soy-based sauce with plenty of aromatic anise. And Kartika also serves one of the cheaper rijsttafels<\/em> in Amsterdam, which is handy for those on a budget.<\/p>\n The record-time rijsttafel at Kartika<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Similarly speedy was the rijsttafel<\/em> at restaurant D\u00e8sa<\/a> in De Pijp, which is good value at under \u20ac30. It includes some tasty chicken dishes: I particularly liked the spicy ayam rica-rica<\/em> and the chicken in coconut milk and turmeric. I was less impressed by the beef rendang<\/em>, which could\u2019ve been stewed for longer to make the meat more tender. But overall, D\u00e8sa is a solid contender, especially for the price point. The service was also top notch: we had one small complaint that was immediately rectified and we were offered a free round of drinks. A rare occurrence in Amsterdam!<\/p>\n Visitors to Amsterdam a decade ago would have been forgiven for thinking that rijsttafel<\/em> was the only Indonesian speciality ever served. But of course Indonesian cuisine is much more diverse than that \u2013 and nowadays you\u2019ll find Indonesian restaurants serving brunch, street food dishes and more. This list is a work in progress, and I\u2019ll be adding to it over time.<\/p>\n Despite its name, Bali Brunch 82<\/a> does a lot more than just brunch from its skateboard-vibe location on the Stadhouderskade. We tried three of their shareable \u201cbites\u201d and found lots to love: chicken rica-rica<\/em> involved crispy fried chicken with a spicy red-chilli sambal; breaded shrimp came with a green coriander-based sauce and creamy mayo; while chicken and vegetable dumplings swam in a thin peanut sauce. All were fresh and flavoursome, and I\u2019d love to go back in the evening to try one of their main meals with a cocktail or two.<\/p>\n Indonesian bites at Bali Brunch 82<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On a rather ill-fated corner straddling De Pijp and Oud-Zuid, Omahe<\/a> is an Indonesian brasserie that hopes it has what it takes to make its location work. Based on the food we tried, I think it will: vegetable fritters were feather-light and perfectly seasoned; fried chicken had a crunchy-spiced coating and came with a moreish mayo; beef satay was pleasingly medium-rare, with a sauce that was sweet but not only sweet \u2013 umami soy and cool lemongrass cut through the glaze.<\/p>\n Omahe Indonesian brasserie<\/p>\n<\/div>\n For mains, we tried the \u201cDendeng Balado\u201d: more beef, this time cooked slowly, served with an excellent chilli sambal. Meanwhile, \u201cTerong Kriuk\u201d comprised breaded, deep-fried wedges of aubergine, also served with a chunky sambal fragrant with lime leaves. I also loved the tropical-sour kalamansi punch, though not so much the sweetly synthetic lychee negroni and the patchy service. Worth a visit, so long as you\u2019re not in a rush! (But then again, why rush?)<\/p>\n Essentially an Indonesian eetcafe<\/em>, Caf\u00e9 Kadijk<\/a> has been offering simple, hearty meals for years now \u2013 with bonus points for its expansive, west-facing terrace just north of the Plantage neighbourhood. If you\u2019re the kind of person who wants to try a bit of everything, order the \u201cIndisch Bordje\u201d to get a taste of several dishes: beef rendang<\/em> (warmly spiced beef stew), ayam boemboe<\/em> Bali<\/em> (chilli-laced pulled chicken) and smoor daging<\/em> (beef in a sweet, ketjap manis<\/em>-based sauce) plus gado-gado<\/em>, pickled cucumbers and krupuk<\/em>. The quality isn\u2019t quite up to the level of some of the other places on this list, but it\u2019s good value and in a lovely location.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Indonesian-restaurants-in-Amsterdam-rijsttafel-v2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPlanning your trip to Amsterdam<\/h2>\n
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Where to eat rijsttafel in Amsterdam<\/h2>\n
Blauw<\/h3>\n
![\"Indonesian](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/Indonesian-rijsttafel-at-restaurant-Blauw-Amsterdam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTujuh Maret<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Tujuh-Maret-rijsttafel-500x298.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBlue Pepper<\/h3>\n
![\"Blue](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Blue-Pepper-rijsttafel-Amsterdam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRon Gastrobar Indonesia<\/h3>\n
![\"Ron](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ron-Gastrobar-Indonesia-rijsttafel-500x667.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSampurna<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Kartika<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Kartika](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Kartika-Indonesian-restaurant-in-Amsterdam-rijsttafel-500x500.jpg\")
<\/p>\nD\u00e8sa<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Want to eat more than Indonesian food in Amsterdam? Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Amsterdam-Restaurant-Guide-2023-banner.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBeyond rijsttafel: other Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam<\/h2>\n
Bali Brunch 82<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Bali-Brunch-82-Indonesian-restaurant-in-Amsterdam-946x1500.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOmahe<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Omahe-Indonesian-brasserie-Amsterdam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCaf\u00e9 Kadijk<\/h3>\n
Want to eat more than Indonesian food in Amsterdam? Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/h3>\n