Cheap eats in Amsterdam

Whether you’re visiting Amsterdam on a budget or you’re a local who just can’t stop dining out four times a week, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to go out and make the most of Amsterdam’s thriving restaurant scene. There are plenty of spots in the city where you can have a great time – or a "gezellig" time, as the Dutch would say – on a budget.

If you want a fun, social dining experience, Mexican food is always a good call, and Taqueria Tacobar is one of the most authentic taco bars in Amsterdam, and it’s economical to boot. The restaurant is just a five-minute walk from Leidseplein. For under six euros, you can grab a fish, pork, beef, chicken or vegetarian taco with a range of tasty organic Mexican fillings. There are many Mexican-style sides on hand too; think avocado fries, chilli butter and honey-lime-tequila chicken legs, and don’t forget about the selection of beers and their infamous frozen margarita. How’s that for a fiesta? Tweede Helmersstraat 26

With one restaurant in De Pijp and one in the West, Thrill Grill is perfect for anyone who wants a charcoal-grilled gourmet burger in Amsterdam for a reasonable price. Most of the burgers are under 10 euros, and all the ingredients are locally sourced and natural: pure Dutch beef, potatoes from a local farmer and luscious Dutch gouda cheese – even their toasted burger buns are organic. There are burgers for all tastes, but our top picks are the Peruvian beef thriller, the salmon thriller and the skinny thriller. Gerard Doustraat 98

Skek

Skek is a restaurant and bar near Amsterdam's Red Light District that fuses traditional Dutch food with all the newest eating trends – it’s perfect for Amsterdam locals and visitors alike. They host live-music nights too, which really adds to Skek’s already stellar atmosphere. If there’s one group who appreciate a good bargain, it’s students, and student-run Skek doesn’t disappoint, with dishes costing around 13 euros on average. Skek has a bar that is fitted with an array of special beers – completing that classic Dutch café vibe look and feel. The staff are polite and easy-going as well, happily talking customers through the selection of food and beer that is available. Zeedijk 4-8

De Pizzabakkers

Boasting four Amsterdam locations – Haarlemmerdijk, De Pijp, Overtoom and Plantage Kerklaan – it’s safe to say De Pizzabakkers is something of a phenomenon in the Dutch capital. It’s no shock really: they offer oven-baked thin, crusty pizza that is prepared with the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, with prices starting at under eight euros. With their tagline of "pizza and prosecco", it’s unsurprising that De Pizzabakkers offers a respectable selection of prosecco, wine and – of course – beer, so grab a prosecco cocktail (that’s right, a prosecco cocktail), order your favourite pizza and dine like they do in Napoli. Haarlemmerdijk 128, Sweelinckstraat 16, Overtoom 501, Plantage Kerklaan 2

Café Lennep

At Café Lennep in Amsterdam West, you can get your hands on premium grilled and spit-roasted food for a fraction of the usual cost. With two terraces – one overlooking the waterfront and one courtyard terrace – there’s plenty of room to enjoy your food and drinks in Café Lennep’s friendly, warm atmosphere. The main courses cost roughly 15 euros, and the selection includes steak, lamb, burgers, mussels, ravioli, fish and more; there is a diverse selection of special beer on offer too. With its friendly staff, casual atmosphere and reasonably-priced food, you can’t go far wrong with Café Lennep. Jacob van Lennepkade 334

Spaghetteria prides itself on its homemade, historical and fresh approach to pasta – basing its culinary techniques on the cooking practices of ancient Italy. They serve six different pastas each day, all prepared in-house and overseen by an experienced chef. Spaghetteria uses Emilia Romagna flour, which gives each pasta dish its own unique shape, origin and preparation style. There are three different Amsterdam locations – Zuid, West and Oost – and each dish is approximately nine euros, which is perfect if you’re craving traditional Italian pasta at an affordable price. Jan Hanzenstraat 32, Van Woustraat 123, Pretoriusstraat 72A

Goodies

Located in the heart of Amsterdam shopping area De Negen Straatjes (or ‘The Nine Streets’) is Goodies, a relaxed eatery that has an array of mouth-watering cost-effective dishes on offer. Goodies serves fish, burgers, lamb and even cheese fondue – a Dutch favourite that is perfect for vegetarians. Main courses start at around eight euros, with the average price being a little over that. Everything on the menu is fresh and organic, and it has been adapted to the season. Ingredients are sourced from local fishmongers, butchers and greengrocers, so Goodies really does offer high-quality food at a reasonable price. Huidenstraat 9

Oriental City

If it’s inexpensive, tasty Chinese food you want, then the multi-floor Oriental City is the restaurant for you. Located in the centre of Amsterdam – just a 10-minute walk from Central Station – Oriental City has all the staples of Cantonese cuisine: chicken chop suey, beef chow mein; you name it, they’ve probably got it. If you want to try something a bit different, they also offer more-innovative seafood dishes and the newest fads on the Chinese food scene. All the fresh ingredients are imported daily, and the restaurant’s professional chefs are straight from Hong Kong – it really is a little piece of China within the Dutch capital. Oudezijds Voorburgwal 177-179

La Perla

La Perla is an authentic Italian restaurant in the famous Jordaan neighbourhood of Amsterdam. The restaurant imports ingredients from Italy every week, including the southern Italian favourite, genuine buffalo mozzarella. La Perla’s pizzas are cooked in their huge, wood-filled brick oven, and prices start at under nine euros. Mamma mia! There really is a bargain to be had on some of the finest pizza in Amsterdam. Tweede Tuindwarsstraat 14

La Falote

Just a short walk from the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum, La Falote offers quintessential Dutch cuisine that is cooked traditionally by their talented resident chef. The eatery offers a friendly, laid-back and personal dining experience, right in the heart of Amsterdam’s bustling De Pijp neighbourhood. The menu is seasonal at La Falote, so expect eclectic daily specials, hearty wintertime soups and stews in December, and scrumptious summertime fish dishes during those hot summer months. If you want to mix things up a bit, there is a special à la carte menu with a selection of meats, fish and veggies for you to choose from. Roelof Hartstraat 26

Read more about dining out in Amsterdam . Feeling a little more adventurous? Check out our 10 unusual dining experiences in Amsterdam