Best Pastry Shops and Patisseries in Amsterdam — A Guide for Expats & Tourists
Amsterdam has a thriving pastry scene that blends Dutch baking tradition with modern French-inspired patisserie. Here's our curated guide to the best sweet stops in the city.
Amsterdam rewards those who know where to look. Beneath the surface of its world-famous canal houses and busy tourist corridors lies a pastry scene of genuine depth — one that ranges from century-old Dutch bakeries selling nothing but what their grandparents baked, to sleek contemporary patisseries producing French-calibre chocolate work and laminated pastry. For expats settling into the city and tourists who want more than a supermarket stroopwafel, this guide is a practical starting point.
The city's baking culture reflects Amsterdam itself: proudly local, quietly cosmopolitan, and reluctant to shout about its own quality. You often have to stumble upon the best places, or be told by someone who has lived here for years. This guide aims to shortcut that process.
Classic Dutch Bakeries You Shouldn't Miss
Lanskroon (Singel 385) has been operating since 1964 and remains one of the most beloved traditional bakeries in the city centre. Its window display changes with the seasons, but the tompouce — that distinctive rectangular cream slice capped with glossy pink or orange fondant — is a permanent fixture. Lanskroon is also respected for its koffiebroodjes (sweet rolls), banketletters, and seasonal specials around Sinterklaas and Easter. The space is small, the queue can be long on weekends, and that is entirely the right sign.
Patisserie Holtkamp (Vijzelgracht 15) occupies a different register. Founded in 1969, it is the kind of establishment that Amsterdammers point to when they want to demonstrate that Dutch culinary craft is serious. Holtkamp is perhaps best known for its kroketten — veal and shrimp, made to a recipe of considerable refinement — but its pastry counter is equally impressive. The displays are precise, the products are made in-house, and the atmosphere is that of an old-school Dutch delicatessen that has never needed to reinvent itself.
Hartog's Volkoren (near the Albert Cuyp Market) dates to 1896, making it one of the oldest continuously operating bakers in Amsterdam. The focus here is wholegrain bread, but Hartog's also produces honest Dutch pastry that tastes like it belongs to a different, slower era. If you are in the De Pijp neighbourhood, this is an essential stop.
Modern Patisserie and Chocolate
Unlimited Delicious (Haarlemmerstraat) occupies a well-lit corner of one of Amsterdam's best shopping streets and operates as both a chocolate shop and a patisserie. The macarons are reliable, the ganaches are well-balanced, and the gift packaging is among the best in the city. It is a particularly useful address if you are looking for something to bring to a Dutch colleague or host.
Chocolatl (Staalstraat 14) is Amsterdam's most serious bean-to-bar chocolate producer. The shop is small and the approach is rigorous — single-origin bars, careful sourcing, and no unnecessary additions. This is not the place for cream cakes, but for chocolate lovers who want to understand what Dutch craft chocolate looks like in 2026, it is essential.
BBROOD has multiple locations across Amsterdam and represents the better end of the city's chain bakery landscape. The croissants, in particular, are worth going out of your way for — well-laminated, properly buttery, and consistently executed. It is the kind of place you might visit twice a week without guilt.
What to Try: A Pastry Primer
If you are new to Dutch baking, a few items demand your immediate attention.
The tompouce is the signature Dutch cream pastry — two layers of puff pastry enclosing a thick layer of pastry cream, topped with fondant icing. On Koningsdag (King's Day, April 27), the fondant turns orange. It is messier to eat than it looks and considerably better than it sounds.
Stroopwafels are best bought from a market stall, not a supermarket shelf. Fresh from the iron, the caramel centre is warm and yielding. The Albert Cuyp Market has reliable vendors. The packaged versions are a different product entirely.
Oliebollen are deep-fried dough balls, traditionally sold from street stalls in December and January. They are dusted with icing sugar and can be plain or filled with raisins or apple. They are not refined. They are very good.
Appeltaart — Dutch apple cake — is not the same as American apple pie. It is denser, higher-sided, spiced with cinnamon, and often served warm with a generous portion of slagroom (whipped cream). Nearly every brown café in Amsterdam serves a version. Quality varies; the best versions are genuinely excellent.
Neighbourhoods for Pastry Lovers
The Jordaan is the most rewarding area for independent bakeries and café stops. The streets between Westermarkt and Elandsgracht are dense with small producers and coffee shops that take their food seriously.
The Albert Cuyp Market (open Monday through Saturday, most active on Saturdays) is the best single destination for market-stall Dutch baking — stroopwafels, oliebollen in season, poffertjes, and various regional specialities depending on the time of year.
Utrechtsestraat runs south from Rembrandtplein and is lined with boutique food shops, wine merchants, and cafés. It is a good street for afternoon pastry with a coffee.
The Nine Streets (Negen Straatjes) area rewards slow browsing. The concentration of independent shops extends to food, and there are several reliable patisserie and chocolate stops within a short walk of each other.
Practical Tips for Visitors
Most traditional Dutch bakeries are closed on Mondays — this is a firm convention rather than an exception. Plan accordingly, particularly if you are visiting for a short time.
Morning visits will almost always yield the freshest goods. Dutch bakeries typically have their best stock available before noon; by mid-afternoon, popular items sell out and quality begins to decline.
Many of the older and more traditional patisseries are cash-only or strongly prefer cash. Carrying a small amount of euros will save frustration, particularly at market stalls.
Two words worth learning: vers (fresh) and ambachtelijk (artisanal, or handcrafted). When you see these displayed — on a window, a chalkboard, or a label — they are generally a reliable signal that the producer takes their craft seriously. They are not guarantees, but they are a useful filter in a city with a lot of options.
Conclusion
Amsterdam's pastry scene rewards curiosity and a willingness to walk. The city's best bakers are not necessarily the most visible — they are the ones whose windows are fogged in the morning and whose shelves are half-empty by eleven. Start with the classics: a tompouce from Lanskroon, a fresh stroopwafel from the Albert Cuyp, a coffee and appeltaart in the Jordaan. From there, the city's deeper pastry geography opens up naturally. For expats making Amsterdam home, these addresses will become part of the weekly rhythm. For visitors with limited time, they are among the most honest and satisfying things the city has to offer.
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