Description: MUSEUM QUARTER / VONDELPARK. This engaging, established restaurant attracts a diverse mix of people, and depending on when you visit, you'll encounter folks from the world over, including local concert-goers, business professionals, and well-to-do city denizens. The menu is fish and meat-oriented – with a twist – and includes such delights as roasted sea scallops with truffled parsley-root mousse, creamy quail soup with wild mushrooms and a quail wonton and roast monkfish with oven-braised fennel and risotto, among other standouts on the menu. A charming outdoor garden, fantastic wine menu and Sunday brunch are other reasons to drop by.

 

Description: CENTRAL CANAL RING. Eminently convenient for travelers to Amsterdam, this fantastic Italian restaurant is in a hotel in city center, right by the floating flower market. Awarded for its fine cuisine, the delightful place harks back to the days when Louis Armstrong and Josephine Baker performed here, and evokes the southern Mediterranean with its accomplished cuisine. Dishes are rife with flavor and fresh ingredients, from seafood to herbs, meats and seasonal vegetables. Group functions are welcomed.

 

Description: CENTRAL CANAL RING. Charming, stylish and homely all at once, this is one of the city's most popular purveyors of authentic Italian cuisine. Its pizzas are practically legendary and baked in wood-fired ovens using fresh seasonal ingredients and products specially imported from the Mediterranean country. Constantly busy, it's wise to reserve ahead and be sure to book a table by the window with gorgeous views across the canal. In the warmer months, dining spills out onto its terrace.

 

Description: WATERFRONT. Like the renowned London establishment of celebrity British chef Jamie Oliver, his Amsterdam outpost - located within a renovated waterfront warehouse - also trains up local disadvantaged youths in all aspects of running a restaurant. Feast on the set four-course modern Italian 'Tasting Menu' (with vegetarian options), accompanied by a special wine menu which offers eclectic suggestions for each course. Reservations are essential here but if you've left it too late, simply turn up and enjoy pasta or risotto in its Trattoria in the open-plan space. Prior to dinner, you can also enjoy drinks at the bar here. Kitchen closes at 11pm.

 

Description: CENTRAL CANAL RING. In the evenings, this small place will set you up with a bowl of pasta and a hearty salad, but during the day, folks clamor for substantial sandwiches, lush soups, and the like which can be enjoyed, along with views of the charming street, from the window seat or tiny pavement terrace. All ingredients are inevitably top-notch and their fruity shakes are a must.

 

Description: WATERFRONT. Set on the tip of a pier overlooking the IJ river, this intimate restaurant is a well-kept secret, thanks to its location behind Central Station. Dating from the 1930s, the structure is small, comprised of two rooms, and boasts candlelight and great views. The seasonally-adjusted fish and meat menu features dishes ranging from classical French to typically Dutch (and includes several vegetarian options). The chef isn't afraid to expand horizons with ingredients and preparation, so take in the surprises (and the quality) with a smile and a ready appetite. Ask for the room overlooking the water for the best ambiance. Kitchen closes at 11pm.

 

Description: WESTERN CANAL RING / JORDAAN. The seductive curves of Art Nouveau style characterize this delightful restaurant, which gleams with soft lighting and polished surfaces. Outside, the juncture of two canals sets the scene for al fresco dining. To start a meal, you might consider ravioli stuffed with game mousse or rolled eggplant with Tallegio cheese. Main courses include grilled ox tongue, venison, steak, veal cutlet, pumpkin gnocchi, and suckling pig. Noisy at times, the much-frequented place also requests reservations.

 

Description: WESTERN CANAL RING / JORDAAN. A spacious dining room, punctuated by skylights and an open kitchen, adds character to this perennially popular restaurant. Frequented by locals and always crowded, Toscanini specializes in southern Italian cuisine and stays the mark with its homemade foods. Fresh breads and pastas, Italian wines, and authentic meat and seafood dishes convince patrons to return again and again. Fixed menus, along with daily specials, increase the options. Reservations are necessary, as you will see.