Description: OLD CENTER / RED LIGHT DISTRICT. Down an alley in the Red Light District lies this Mediterranean restaurant, a two-level place with both bar and dining room. The clean-lined interior ensures that food, more than decor, receives the attention it's due. Attentive service, an accomplished kitchen, and an outdoor terrace appeal to those who stop in for the first time and are ready proof for regulars that Blauw aan de Wal is always ideal for a meal that's large on quiet, quality and charm. Reserve in advance.

 

Description: FURTHER AFIELD. Fashioned from a circa-1926 greenhouse, this delightful establishment promises airy, romantic dining. Surrounded by its own gardens, De Kas grows many of its ingredients just beyond its doorstep. Supplemented by local meats and seafood, the organic menu is a daily, prix-fixe event consisting of several appetizers, an entrée, and a sweet. Lunch is two courses, and chef's table dinners can be arranged for folks who want a first-hand look at the kitchen's workings. Patio dining is sublime during warm-weather months.

 

Description: WATERFRONT. A beautiful sight in the heart of the Eastern Docklands district – especially when its lanterns are illuminated at night – is this lounge-style restaurant onboard a replica of an old Russian merchant ship. While the chefs conspire in the galley to produce flavorsome traditional French fare with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, enjoy a cocktail and feast on snacks as the sun goes down. After 10pm on Friday and Saturday nights, chairs and tables downstairs are cleared away to create a makeshift dancefloor and the DJs take over the decks. Literally.

 

Description: CENTRAL CANAL RING. This deli itself isn't much to look at, and it seats only a handful of diners, but the pleasure of the authentic Greek cuisine more than compensates for the lackluster decor. Besides, most folks do take-out anyway, and the place is well-equipped for to-go orders. The range of Greek specialties is familiar, from spanakopita and dolmades to moussaka and souvlaki. The quality of ingredients and preparation, however, far surpass what can usually be found. Take advantage of the kitchen's skill, and make sure not to forget the baklava!

 

Description: FURTHER AFIELD. An open, stylish space set with clean-lined furniture and panels of color, this restaurant maintains a high hip quotient. Fashionable types appreciate its culinary sensibility, which fashions a menu based on what's fresh and seasonal at the market. Each day, patrons encounter such fare as venison, chicken and mushrooms, fresh cod, caponata salad, duck sausage, roast quail, and the like. An outdoor terrace beckons to diners when the weather is mild. Kitchen closes at 10pm.

 

Description: MUSEUM QUARTER / VONDELPARK. Connected to the Filmmuseum, this café-restaurant enjoys an enviable location in Vondelpark and makes for especially pleasant dining when the temperature is balmy and the outdoor terrace available. The menu changes regularly, and options range from sandwiches at lunch to full meals featuring a tender rib-eye, grilled tuna, roasted vegetables, pastas, duck confit, and so on. Inside, the cozy space features candlelight and photographs of famous movie actors. The place is named after Hitchcock's film of the same name. You can also buy picnics here to take off into the park.