Where to Eat, Stay, Shop & More

The Dutch are not a people who countenance snobs, or snobbery; zuinigheid (frugality) is proudly considered an element of the national identity, and the former Prime Minister famously rode his bicycle to the houses of Parliament. But in Amsterdam, the country’s wealthiest and most international city–180 languages are spoken in the city the size of Charlotte–that is changing (a little–luxury brands are still confined to a single block, the gilded ghetto along PC Hoofdstraat.)

And, it must be recognized, snobbery is about more than spending a lot of money. It’s about refinement of taste. Herewith, some of the best that Amsterdam has to offer.

Where to Stay

The Dylan Hotel.

The most characteristic type of hotel is the converted canal house (usually a few canal houses that have been connected after blowing out the side walls), and the one with the most character is the Ambassade: The lobby bar is a library. More on the chic side is The Dylan, with its fireplace bar, garden restaurant and wonderfully professional service. In summer, an argument can be made for the Pulitzer, with its expansive garden. Stride past the front desk there anyway just to get a glimpse of the plane trees and ornamental flora of the hidden half of the Canal Ring. If the grand European five-star is more your vibe, the Intercontinental (which everyone still calls the Amstel) and the Hotel de l’Europe afford the opportunity to admire the passing boats while enjoying breakfast at the water’s level.

Where to Eat

A gorgeous vegetable dish from De Kas restaurant.

Once rightly mocked for its penchant for bland, beige, fried foods, Amsterdam now features as many Michelin-star restaurants as San Francisco. De Kas, in the middle of Frankendael Park within view of a stork’s nest, features produce from its on-site greenhouse. RIJKS has to be the world’s best museum restaurant. Though not starred, Vuurtoreneiland offers a unique experience of drinks and hors d’oeuvres served on a 45-minute boat ride to a windswept island; the meal and its thoughtful wine pairings are served in a building of reclaimed wood and glass walls, through which diners can spy the sheep that provided the cheese they’re consuming. (Book two calendar months in advance to ensure a table.) The option to stay in one of the six self-standing hotel rooms broadens and lengthens the experience.

Pro tip: Restaurants are mostly quite small, so book days in advance for a table on weekend evenings.

Where to Shop

Ahead of Black Friday, the city ran an ad campaign urging shoppers to “check whether you really need it” and buy second-hand. And this was not widely mocked. So shop like a Netherlander: Vintage clothing shops like De Ruilhoek, Grice, Penny Lane and Laura Dols feature actual fashion, not rows of flannel and pilling sweaters. A vintage record shop and a vintage guitar shop can also be found in every neighborhood; Black Gold, around the corner from Rembrandt Huis, brings together (finally!) funky jazz and espresso drinks. Platypus’ owners are a font of knowledge about classic hip-hop. Gastronomie Nostalgie is the place for antique silver tea sets and the seldom-seen standing ashtray, which can be deployed as a clever, less pushy version of the coaster.

For gifts to bring home without needing to lecture recipients on the virtues of zuinigheid, stroll the independent boutiques on Gerard Doustraat. In Jordaan, Tenue de Nîmes sports minimalist fashion like A.P.C ballet flats and Barena Venezia sweaters, and the quirky wind-up metal fabrications at Mechanisch Speelgoed (“Mechanical Toys”) will get the young child in your life off their iPad for a change.

Where to Coffee

The Dutch drink four cups a day, on average, and will offer you some while you’re browsing in a shop. Many Amsterdam cafes still feature lever-operated stainless steel espresso machines that in other cities (and some places here, too, truth be told) have been replaced by push-button electronic gizmos, separating the barista from their product.

When you find yourself in the tiny streets of the former working-class neighborhood Jordaan, stop in at Rum Baba; near Museumplein, Cafecito; in the Center, Bocca and Koffiesalon; in multi-culti De Pijp, Badeta. To taste beans you can’t find anywhere else, Bruno’s is in a corner of Jordaan where tourists seldom visit. The organic coffee of Het Stadspaleis is served from a tiny carpenter-Gothic house set down in a newly-renovated park in the middle of Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.

Don’t go into a “coffeeshop” looking for coffee or scrambled eggs–here the term is a euphemism for a place that sells pot.

It’s unlikely you will find decaf anywhere.

Where to Chill

The best way to see the Canal Ring is from the canals, which provides the broadest views of the hundreds of 16th- and 17th-century step-gable houses. Rederij de Jordaan plies the waters in century-old wooden “salon” boats skippered (from the Dutch schipper, one who operates a ship) by Reinhard Spronk and restored with electric motors to eliminate noise and fumes.

The “brown bar” is Amsterdam’s version of the pub, serving beer on tap, coffee, and the occasional G&T–but they’re disappearing as tastes change. Step back in time at Cafe Wetering, Cafe Tabac, or Cafe Papeneiland (where a secret tunnel led to a Catholic church back when Papism was banned). Usually there’s a cat.

Cocktails aren’t typically Dutch, but you can find unique creations as well as the classic concoctions at Bar Oldenhof, Hiding in Plain Sight, and Door 74 (reservations required; upon arrival, ring the bell by the white globe lamp).

Sauna Deco is a hidden gem, with period decor and furniture, and large, curving stained-glass windows. Proviso: All the saunas, steam baths, showers, and plunge pools are nude-only, so get comfortable with your body (and your fellow patrons’). Bring the bathrobe, towel and slippers from your hotel, for enjoyment of the lounge spaces, to save €15.

The city boasts several of the best music venues in the world, whether your tastes run to Mendelssohn or Aurora. Concertgebouw’s acoustics and orchestra are world-renowned. Visit Bimhuis for jazz, Paradiso and Melkweg for rock and pop, or take a chance with Muziekgebouw’s eclectically-curated mix.

Where to Ponder

The Rijksmuseum Library

Architectura & Natura has for 85 years featured expertly-selected books on architecture, urban design, landscaping and gardens. Lambiek claims to be the only continuously-operated comics shop in the world, and includes the latest highly literary graphic novels alongside fare for younger audiences such as Vampire Cousins, which hilariously adds the supernatural to the horror of a visit with extended family. You’ll need a reservation to sit in the Rijksmuseum’s four-story, atriumed library, but its balcony offers a peaceful repose to clear your mind to contemplate all you’ve seen during the long trip home.

Paul Tullis has covered science, technology, and other topics for The New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, Nature, Bloomberg Businessweek, Slate, and many others. His work has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Society of Environmental Journalists, Association of Food Journalists, and others. Born in Chicago, he now lives in Amsterdam with his wife and two daughters.