Amsterdam Food Tour: Authentic Dutch Tastings, Canals & Culture
Description
Sherpa's Amsterdam food tour is a small-group walking tour that pairs authentic Dutch tastings with the city's culture and history. Your local guide leads you off the beaten path, through historic neighborhoods and the UNESCO canal ring, like a friend who knows every great spot. This isn't just a food tour. Every bite comes with a piece of Amsterdam: why herring is eaten with onions and pickles, how Surinamese and Indonesian flavors became Dutch staples, and what 400 years of canal-trade history taste like today. You'll sample local classics: aged Gouda, bitterballen, fresh herring, hand-cut fries, alongside local drinks, from milk to wine and beer. Come hungry: there's enough food to replace a meal. With a maximum of 10 guests, an intimate tour. We walk through the city and the canal belt, ending near the Rijksmuseum or the Anne Frank House. This is a Sherpa Food Tour, part of our global collection of High-Fidelity Local Experiences for curious travelers and passionate food lovers.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We meet outside a cozy café in Waterlooplein, once a canal and the heart of the Jewish quarter. Now a bustling market, it reflects Amsterdam’s layered, imperfect charm.
We start underground — literally — with bold, bright Surinamese bites that hit hard with flavor and history. Born from migration, loved by locals, and hiding in plain sight.
Bite into a hot, creamy veal croquette sandwich in a no-frills local favorite. Born after WWII, this iconic snack is pure Dutch comfort food, served with old-school character.
Just off the canal, a cozy spot channels the real spirit of Amsterdam—a new take on the classic brown café where tradition and trend meet. We stop here for classic Dutch snacks: pickled herring, grilled sausage, and a crisp local beer
Stroll Amsterdam’s iconic canal belt and uncover how 17th-century ingenuity shaped a floating city. From timber foundations to merchant houses, every view holds a story.
Sample a four-cheese tasting board in one of Amsterdam’s top cheese shops. Every bite is rich with tradition, terroir, and the deep pride of Dutch artisanal dairy craft.
Step into the Jordaan, once home to workers and dreamers. Its cobbled streets now house artists, cafés, and locals — the perfect bridge between past and present Amsterdam.
Savor modern Dutch cuisine with a soulful stamppot, made from seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Comforting, creative, and a glimpse into where Dutch food is headed. Next, we end the tour with a cozy Dutch dessert and a sip of jenever. It’s a sweet, spiced, and spirited goodbye in a warm setting that captures everything you’ve tasted and explored today.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We meet at Screaming Beans on Waterlooplein, in the heart of the old city and easy to reach by public transport, with the Waterlooplein metro and tram stops just a short walk away.
- The tastings featured are a selection of the dishes we love to share. Because we work with a rotating set of local restaurants, the exact stops and offerings may vary depending on your group size, the dietary needs of the group, and the time of your tour. Whatever the day brings, you're guaranteed a generous spread of authentic local flavors.
- We're glad to accommodate vegetarians — just add a note at booking or email us in advance. Please note this tour is not suitable for vegans, nor for guests with severe or life-threatening food allergies, as we cannot rule out cross-contamination across the venues we visit. The company cannot take responsibility for food allergies or intolerances
- This experience combines indoor and outdoor stops, with a mix of seated tastings and standing bites along the way — part of what makes it feel like a genuine local food crawl through Amsterdam. Please note that this tour still runs if it rains!
Reviews(358)
Such a fun and delicious way to experience a different side of Amsterdam. Ginevra and Flora created a warm, relaxed atmosphere from the beginning—the experience felt more like exploring the city with two knowledgeable locals than joining a standard organised tour. The selection showed how diverse Amsterdam’s food culture really is. The Surinamese fish sandwich was a highlight, followed by a proper broodje kroket and a lovely Dutch cheese tasting. What made the experience particularly memorable, however, were the stories and cultural context behind the food. Everything felt natural, personal and never rushed or overly rehearsed. Even after living in Amsterdam, I discovered flavours and places I probably wouldn’t have found by myself. I would absolutely recommend Sherpa both to visitors and to locals who want to experience the city from a different—and very tasty—perspective. A warm, well-organised and thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!
Genevra was a wonderful guide who was kind and insightful. All of the food we tried on the tour was fantastic! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves food and learning about local culture.
We had such an amazing time on this food tour! It was such a fun way to experience Amsterdam, try some delicious Dutch food, and learn more about the city and its culture at the same time. Our guide, Flora, was absolutely wonderful. She was warm, knowledgeable, engaging, and made the whole experience feel really relaxed and personal. She shared so many interesting stories and insights throughout the tour and made everyone feel welcome and involved. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and everything was really well organised from start to finish. Even if you have been to Amsterdam before, it is such a lovely way to discover new places and learn things about the city you might otherwise miss. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Amsterdam. If you get Flora as your guide, you are in great hands!
G - was very friendly, knowledgeable, and had great stories about food. The food portions were very generous you don’t need to eat anything prior to the tour because you will get full. Great spots. Highly recommend this tour.
Flora was wonderful! Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic . The tour went by so quickly! I would highly recommend
The experience has been great
The Sherpa company was super helpful and accommodating. They paired me with a great tour guide, incredibly knowledgeable, asked questions to lean into what was important to me and it was low key while still being packed! Perfectly paced and I tried quite a few hidden gems while learning about the history!
The guide Ginerva was incredible. She was extremely knowledgeable in history of Amsterdam and the local foods. We were lucky and happen to get a private tour. We recommend the tour and Ginerva, she communicated prior to tour to keep us informed. Excellent
Nice food, good stories. Places I’ve never seen before. Such a good and tasty way to get to know the city :)
Great afternoon activity to explore local stops of the city, learn more about Amsterdam and have great food while you’re at it. Thanks your our amazing tour guide Abby.
