During a recent trip to Amsterdam, Matt and I wanted to find a way to ground ourselves in the city and do something unique. I went to one of my favorite travel websites Viator to see what kind of tours I could find and stumbled across a food walking tour called “10 Tastes of Amsterdam: Food Tour by UNESCO Canals and Jordaan”. Read on to find out about our experience, see some photos and reviews of what we ate, and get a little taste of the history and sites that our guide showed us during our tour.

The Booking Process

About a month prior to our trip, we decided to look for some things to do during our two days in Amsterdam. I have had really positive experiences with the company Viator in the past and in several countries, so it is the first place I decided to look. You can either search the website or the app and you can search by place, dates, activity, time of day, duration, all kinds of things. I set my dates and the city and began my search. The listing for the 10 Tastes of Amsterdam immediately stood out to me and as I read the full listing, I knew this was what I wanted to do. You can book your date and sometimes there are multiple times available. You can choose to pay up front or just book and they will automatically charge you right before your tour. I chose the 1:00pm time slot and decided to go ahead and pay for it. I immediately got my confirmation email and was able to add my tickets to my apple wallet. I also printed out a copy just in case.

The website states that the tour will include “10 tastings at 5 beloved local gems spread across 3 historic neighborhoods next to the UNESCO canals. Eat, laugh, repeat with our expert local guide while we uncover the story of Amsterdam trough it's food.” “Perfect for All Ages: Our journey spans a leisurely 2.5km (1.5 miles) along Amsterdam’s picturesque canals with breaks at charming local eateries in Spui, the Nine Streets, and the Jordaan.”

Some other things to know from the website:

• Lasts about 3 hours.

• Wheelchair accessible.

• Stroller accessible.

• Service animals allowed.

• Near public transportation.

• Offer vegetarian and pescetarian alternatives, ensuring everyone's dietary needs are met. Gluten-free options are not always possible, but available at most stops for tours starting 16:00 or earlier. To accommodate special requirements, inform guide at booking and remind your guide at the start of the tour.

• Each tour is unique, with stops tailored to the group's preferences and availability.

• You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Let The Feast Begin-Stop #1 Cheese

Our instructions were to meet our guide at Gastrovino Amsterdam Spuistraat 330, 1012VX Amsterdam. We decided to walk from our hotel and per the instructions we arrived 10 minutes early. We were THRILLED when we discovered our first stop was a cheese shop. Our emailed instructions told us to take a toothpick and to try the cheeses that were provided around the shop while we were waiting, so we did just that! There were about 8 to enjoy. Everything was nicely labeled and available for purchase. As long as it is vacuum sealed, you are able to bring it back into the US with you.

The shop has pastry for purchase as well as sandwiches, wine, and some great lunch bites. It would be the perfect place to stop for a quick bite if you were on a lunch break or if you wanted something fast but tasty.

Our guide Dennis located us and everyone else in the group and then invited us down into the shop basement where he had a special table prepared for us. There is a maximum of 10-12 people per tour, and our group was only Matt and I, a couple from Australia, and a gentleman from Las Vegas.

At our private basement table, Dennis introduced himself and had us introduce ourselves. Then he shared that our first tasting would be traditional Dutch cheese and Port. He poured us each some port and passed around one cheese at a time on a toothpick as he shared a little about it. The first one we tried was a young gouda that was 3-5 weeks old. Next was a 3-5 month old gouda, then goat cheese, then 3 year old cheese. He asked us what our favorites were and we discussed how the cheese tasted with the paring of the port.

Dennis handed us each a cold bottle of water from his backpack, settled the bill, and got us up and moving to the next stop.

Stop #2 Herring

Guys I will be honest, I did not know what to expect, but I did not expect this to be on our tour. Our second stop was at a little stall on a main road. We were lucky enough to snag a small table on the side of the building while Dennis got in the line to grab our bite. Little did we know, it was a traditional Dutch meal, raw Herring with pickles and onions.

Everyone was a little skeptical as we stared at the raw fish on the paper plate in front of us. He handed us each a toothpick, and he proceeded to take the first bite. He eased our worries by telling us that it was a delightful white fish and that it did not have a strong odor or flavor, and we all slowly went in to try it. I got a pickle and then a piece of fish and went right in!

I have to be honest; he was right! I was really light and refreshing. Not “fishy” at all. The pickle was crisp and crunchy, and the raw onions set everything off nicely. Everyone in the group ate at least two pieces of fish before we moved on to our next stop. As we were walking, we realized that Dennis must have known the shop owner because the line to get the Herring was at least 50 people long!!

Het Begijnhof

As we walked through the city, Dennis did a wonderful job also playing tour guide. He pointed out major sites, historical landmarks, and things that were special to the city. On the way to our third stop, he took us down an alley and into a very special place, Het Begijnhof. This place was originally a haven for women practicing the catholic faith.

There is a tiny doorway (pictured below) with a guard who only lets in a certain number of people at a time. Once inside, you see a beautiful courtyard full of houses owned/occupied only by women. Parts of it are sectioned off to prevent tourists from invading their privacy, there is a guard inside monitoring and asking people to remain quiet and off the grass and fence. There is a gothic catholic church as well as a protestant church inside (you could go inside the catholic one). It is a beautiful and peaceful place to stop and take in a moment of history.

Stop #3 Stroopwafels

This stop is probably our favorite stop for a few reasons. The stroopwafel was the most divine thing we tasted on our entire trip. It was literally still hot from the press!! But the history of this family-owned bakery was also really awesome. The bakery has existed for four generations specializing in sourdough bread, fresh croissants, and of course stroopwafels! They use an original recipe from 1898 and make them right in front of you! They even let you take all the photos and videos you want. They know what a special experience they are offering. We went back two other times after the tour!!

Stop #4 Chocolate

Our next stop was a chocolate shop. They had beautiful treats inside, and you could mix and match boxes of all kinds of different varieties. Their best-selling item is their “Heavenly Stones” and that is what we were invited to taste during our stop. The shop worker prepared a tray for us of each of the stones (Milk, Dark, White, and Ruby) and we were given toothpicks to taste in whatever order we wished. Matt and I decided to go from right to left taking us from Ruby to Dark. We both decided that Milk was our favorite although White was a second for me because unlike most white chocolate it was not too sweet.

The Canals

On our way to our next stop, we passed through the 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan. These were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. We snapped photos as we went along, and Dennis offered to take some of us as well. It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was so nice to enjoy the breeze and to watch the boats drift along the waters on the canal.

Stop #5 Simz Eethuis

As we turned away from the glistening waters of the canals, Dennis asked “who likes spicey”. Matt was super excited as he could put hot sauce on anything. I was immediately hesitant because I can barely tolerate table pepper. He took us to one of his favorite restaurants where he says he eats with his family at least once a week. I believe he described it as Surinamese Cuisine. We went inside the shop and watched as the young lady prepared for us what I can best describe as a breaded pita with shredded chicken inside.

The breaded outside was made from Bara which is a potato (but it was so light and fluffy). It was warm and hearty and could be a full meal itself. Matt ate all of his and half of mine. I was so proud to be able to get through half. My lips were definitely tingling with the spice, but it was absolutely bearable and so delicious.

Stop #6 Genever

Our second to last stop was a wine & liquor shop for a tasting of Genever and Gin. The shop owner invited us to his back counter and told us a little about Genever as he poured us each a sip to taste. From the website www.bythedutch.com “Genever is Dutch for “juniper.” Genever is a clear, botanically rich, malted grain-based spirit that can only be made in Holland or Belgium. It is a blend of two or more distillates: first, a whiskey-like triple distillate made of corn, wheat, and rye (so-called malt wine). Second, a juniper-infused distillate. A possible third part can consist of malt wine re-distilled together with different botanicals. Essentially, you can think of Genever as the lovechild of a marriage between whiskey and gin.”

Next, he got us a different tasting glass to try some classic Gin. The Gin was super smooth and had no burn at the end (and I usually and not a fan of Gin. I decided to buy my dad a small bottle of Genever and another member of our group bought one as well. The shop owner also offered shipping on larger bottles or if you were buying multiples that you just preferred to ship.

Stop #7 De Prins

Our last stop on the tour took us to a traditional brown bar De Prins. They call them brown bars because most of the furniture and finishings within the bar are made from scraps from shipwrecks. Dennis asked us each what we would like to drink and we asked him what we should be drinking and he said that traditionally we should all have a beer, and in Amsterdam that means a Heineken. He went to place our order and came back with our beers. We all did a cheers and then started to talk about what our favorite parts of the tour had been so far.

In just a few minutes, our server brought out some Bitterballen. They are very similar to croquettes, but are a breaded veal or beef ball. Not like a meatball, they are soft and flavorful inside and crispy on the outside.

The next bite to arrive was Poffertjes. These are mini pancakes served with powdered sugar, butter, and syrup. They were bite sized and fluffy and a nice light snack after the heavier Bitterballen.

In Summary

If you are looking for a way to get oriented in the city and for some yummy treats, this is the tour for you. We ate and drank every last bite and sip during our tour and even went back to some of the locations throughout our stay in the city. Our guide was super knowledgeable and made it easy for us at each stop and as we went along through the different areas. The booking process was easy, and it was very reasonably priced. We highly recommend it and hope you have a great time!