The Netherlands is a fascinating land that boasts the tallest men in the world, the highest bicycle-to-human ratio in the world, and also ranks as a top nation for nutritious and affordable food! You will have a plethora of amazing cuisine options to choose from in the Netherlands and the opportunity to choose from budget-friendly options and more high-scale options.

What is an ideal food budget for a Netherlands stay? Fast food will often be under 10-euros, while restaurant meals may cost closer to 15-25-euros per meal. Fine dining may cost 30-50-euros per person if alcohol is included. You should estimate at least 30-euros per day on a budget-friendly meal plan, and 70+-euros per day if you plan to dine or consume alcohol.

Use this guide to plan your daily budget, discover recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as wonderful hacks to save more along the way! By the end of this guide – you will know how to budget for a Netherlands stay properly, how to eat to your heart’s content, and also gain a greater understanding of European dining as a whole.

Food Budget for A Netherlands Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Dutch aren’t exactly known for their cuisine. Much like English or Scottish cuisine, it will be considered bland by some (more than Spanish or Italian food, for instance). However, there is plenty of amazing food in the Netherlands – if you know how to find it!

What we can tell you with certainty is that there are impeccable Dutch dishes and flavors that you have to try once in your lifetime. You’ll be sampling unique tastes such as kibbeling (which is closely related to the English dish of ‘Fish & Chips’), waterzooi, which is a savory beef stew, and Bossche bol, which you’ll find at pastry shops filled with chocolate and paired with a cup of coffee.

The Dutch have some of the best dishes I’ve personally tried and don’t seem to get enough recognition for their distinct approach to cuisine. We will link recommendations, restaurants, and dishes you must try later in this article, but first, you need to understand budgeting.

An Oxfam Data Report on Nutrition discovered that The Netherlands has the highest food quality of 125 nations, as well as ranking highest in affordability. This means that you’ll be eating the freshest and most nutritious food that the world has to offer without having to penny-pinch the entire time.

We’ve listed the main point of reference in the bolded text above, but next, we will break this down even further to add life’s specificities and scenarios you may face.

I want to note the factors that make it hard to estimate how much you will spend. We all have different:

• Appetites
• Portion Preferences
• Metabolisms
• Food Preferences
• Thoughts on what is considered cheap, what is expensive, etc.

Continue reading to find a blueprint of what your budgeting should look like while traveling in the Netherlands.

For a Budget-Conscious Traveler

If saving money is your goal when it comes to eating, the following is a suggestion of how your eating-schedule for one day in The Netherlands should look:

• Breakfast – You can easily find something for 5-euros at breakfast. Your coffee may cost between 1-2-euros, and you can purchase a pastry or egg for around 1-euro. Dutch people often eat buttered bread and coffee for breakfast, so you can also do this cheaply! If you’re staying in a hostel or hotel, breakfast will often be included.
• Lunch – It is difficult to purchase a full meal for less than $10. In Europe, things are slightly more expensive, but a euro only equals $1.11, so the conversion won’t be too painful on you. You should budget at least 10-euros for a meal in the Netherlands. You won’t be able to drink alcohol at this rate, but you can eat at a quaint café.
• Dinner – You can get very creative at dinner time when traveling on a budget. You could easily eat street food which you could find for around 5-euros. You could do this at lunch, too, but you should budget 15-euros for dinner to be safe!

Total daily meal cost for a budget-conscious traveler – Between 15-30-euros per person

For a Quality-Conscious Traveler

Some travelers want to “live it up” when on vacation; they are there to enjoy themselves, after all. If you are traveling in a capacity where funds are not an issue, use this meal-budgeting reference to help plan for your daily food costs:

• Breakfast – You may want to savor new tastes and not limit yourself to only bread and butter. If you go to a delicious breakfast spot like Bakers and Roasters, you could get the veggie breakfast (vege brekkie, as they call it) for 15-euros. Perhaps you want a Bloody Mary as well for 8-euros. If you plan to get coffee, any extra sides, or tip at all, you can easily budget 25-euros for breakfast.
• Lunch – You could do something more low-key since you’ve just had a big breakfast, but you may end up buying another round of drinks or a small plate later in the afternoon. If you are not trying to be a budget-conscious traveler and want to enjoy your every whim, budget around 20-25 euros for lunch per person.
• Dinner – This is where you can go all out! If you want to enjoy the finer flavors of the Netherlands, you will need to budget accordingly. A spot in Amsterdam that comes highly recommended is the Brasserie Ambassade. Here you may enjoy a salad (between 13-20-euros). For the entrée, you will spend between 20-60-euros. If you plan to drink wine and enjoy yourself to the fullest, you can easily budget between 60-100-euros per person.

Total daily meal cost for a quality-conscious traveler – Between 105-150-euros per person

As you can see, it’s truly up to you how much you want to spend. You could eat fast food the entire time and eat for less than 30-euros a day. Moreover, if you drink wine with all of your meals, your daily cost can double or even triple.  

Budget-Friendly Recommendations

Most travelers will be passing through or predominantly visiting Amsterdam, so the following restaurant recommendations are located in Amsterdam:

Breakfast:

• Omelegg – you can easily find an entire dish for between 5-10-euros.
• Prins Heerlijk – an ideal joint for pancakes and lunch options. Most dishes are between 4-10-euros.
• De Laatste Kruimel – the pastry shop of your dreams and ranked #7 out of the top 50 bakeries in Amsterdam.
• Bocca Coffee – if you’re looking for vegetarian options and a great cup of coffee!

Lunch:

• Sir Hummus – also ranked as a top favorite in the city, this spot will blow you away with innovative hummus dishes and vegetarian options for under 10-euros.
• B&B Lunchroom – this spot doubles as a breakfast café and is very affordable. You can get sandwiches for under 6-euros and breakfast pastries/coffee for under 3-euros.
• Sugo Pizza – features many pizzas like figs, dates, and goat cheese on a pizza with by-the-slice options for under 4-euros!

Dinner:

• Belushi’s – your ideal chill bar scene for a great beer and a burger. You can easily dine and drink here for under 15-euros.
• Hasta La Pasta – fantastic Italian place if you’re craving something a little saucier! Most dishes are under 12-euros.
• Hap Hmm – the ideal family-spot to taste Dutch classics at a reasonable price. Entrees will usually be under 12-euros.

Fast-Food-Like Chains:

• Febo – be sure to pick up some patat (thick potato wedged fries often served with mayonnaise, which is a Dutch delicacy).
• Wok to Wok – affordable Chinese food ranked #22 under top quick bites in Amsterdam. It also offers carry-out service, so it is perfect for on-the-go diners or between tours.
• Julia’s – pasta and Italian on the go.
• Street Vendors will often be under 5-euros per dish. Not the healthiest options but often the tastiest – and they feature canal views!
• Any of the standard American staples like Burger King and McDonalds.

Utilizing the Supermarkets

Another pro-tip for your budget during your getaway is to utilize the supermarkets. The grocery stores in Europe will be a fascinating experience where you will be surrounded by new products and types of food you’ve never heard of.

This could be one of your favorite aspects of the trip, so be adventurous and push yourself to try something new. You may not be able to read the label or know what it is, but the mystery product might be the most delicious flavor of your trip!

Additionally, the grocery store will easily be the most affordable option for food shopping.

When you eat out you pay for:

• The experience
• The quality
• Having someone else cook it for you
• Having someone else do the dishes
• The service charge, etc.

Purchasing your food directly from the market and cooking it yourself will be, on average, three to five times cheaper than eating out, according to Forbes. Don’t try to push yourself to eat out every meal – you will be underestimating the savings of grocery-dining!

Top-Notch Recommendations

Some higher-quality dining recommendations in Amsterdam are:

Breakfast:

• Bakers and Roasters – listed above in our budget breakdown, this is an ideal spot to have a beautiful brunch with the cocktail of your dreams.
• Little Collins – this is known as one of the first, ‘antipodean’ brunch spots in the city and serve a little bit of everything. You can taste the flavors of the world or stick to the tried-and-true staple of a Dutch pancake!
• Zoku – named by Forbes as one of the Top 25 Coolest Hotels in the World, Zoku also offers a rooftop dining experience you won’t forget. There is an all-you-can-eat menu option and cozy seating that make this a beautiful high-end experience.

Lunch:

• Gartine – this is a full experience instead of just a meal. Set with the backdrop of a beautiful garden, Gartine offers organic meals for breakfast and lunch. It’s quite affordable with eggs benedict costing under 10-euros, but it will feel much more luxurious.
• Greenwoods Singel – ranked between $$-$$$, this upscale lunch spot features fine dining outside of a cozy European café. Romantic in ambiance and delicious in quality, this cafe is ranked #6 out of 628 cafes in Amsterdam on Trip Advisor’s guide.
• Ivy and Bros – very affordable, wonderful vegetarian and vegan options with a view right along the winding canals.

Dinner:

• Ciel Blue – situated on the 23^rd floor of the Hotel Okura. Not only will you enjoy gourmet dining, but you can enjoy it while sipping champagne and looking out over Amsterdam with the most beautiful views of the city.
• Senses Restaurant – this inventive menu features between 4 to 7 courses with a wine pairing option available. They use sustainable and organic ingredients with plenty of edible flowers in their flawless plating.
• Guts – you can also dine here for lunch and enjoy the 5 to 7 courses featured, or you can choose the theater menu offered from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Dutch Delicacies You Must Try

While in the Netherlands, you’ll see Dutch food staples repeatedly listed on Dutch menus. A few Dutch dishes that you will commonly see on menus and should get acquainted with include the following cultural favorites:

• Stroopwafel – the most famous cookie and pastry in the country, this is essentially a thinly sliced waffle with the crisp of a cookie. Often there are two pushed together with a sugary syrup. These have been a favorite since the 18^th century.
• Patat – thick French fries, again often served with mayonnaise.
• Bitterbalen – you can commonly find Bitterbalen at pubs. It’s a cousin of the meatball but dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. There is usually a dipping sauce served on the side, and it pairs beautifully with beer.
• Kaas – cheese! The Dutch choose to include cheese in breakfast, lunch, and dinner, if at all possible.
• Hagelslag – literally a sandwich filled with chocolate sprinkles. This may sound like your 5-year-old would make it, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
• Rookworst – sausage
• Kibbeling – similar to fish and chips
• Raw Herring – raw fish that you can often get from a food truck or street vendor. If you’re not brave enough to try this, at least try the fried version of kibbeling.
• Ontbijtkoek – a ginger breakfast pastry. Similar to a cake that you can add butter to and dip in your coffee.

Final Tips for Dining in The Netherlands

Some things to keep in mind while dining, (especially as an American who may not be well-versed in European dining etiquette) include:

• The dining experience is very different across Europe compared to the perceived customer service level or the dining speed that Americans are accustomed to. A European dining experience will be much slower, and your server will not ‘bother you’ often. The server wants you to enjoy the experience and your food, so they find it rude to interrupt you or check on your table frequently. Because of this, they will expect you to flag them down or let them know if you need something.
• People easily dine for 3-5 hours in Europe, sometimes making it an all-day affair. So, servers won’t notice every time your drink is empty or if you need a napkin. Don’t be rude, but don’t be shy! Flag them down with a smile, and they are more than happy to help.
• Always check your tab for a service charge, as tipping is often included. Consider this when budgeting for your day-to-day food budget because it will take away from your usable funds. Do keep in mind that this service charge is given to the entire restaurant, including the kitchen and management. Your server makes an hourly wage, so if you want them to get the tip because of wonderful service, give it to them directly.
• Don’t anticipate ice while traveling in Europe. If you order a coke, order it with ice. Europeans aren’t accustomed to putting ice in everything; this is a very American quality.
• The Dutch hold much stronger eye-contact than Americans, and you will get used to this traveling around all of Europe. Don’t feel odd if someone stands very close to your face. It’s nothing to be offended by unless they are inappropriate. Prepare for the most intense eye-contact of your life and you’ll realize how Americans are truly quite private and shy in many ways.
• Don’t touch people unnecessarily while in the Netherlands. The Dutch are much less affectionate than Americans and don’t often touch each other. Only hug or shake hands with consent or if the moment invites it.
• About 90% of the Dutch population will speak English, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble communicating or asking for assistance at any point.

In Conclusion

There is so much to see and do in The Netherlands, and you will have little time to be bored. Eating is an important part of any trip, so make sure that you budget accordingly. I hope this guide has been useful to you and veilige reizen! (This means ‘safe travels’ in Dutch, but perhaps we’ll stick to English!) Safe Travels!