10 Tastes of Haarlem Food Tour from Amsterdam: Full Meal

Haarlem has more restaurants per resident than any other Dutch city, and this tour reaches the ones locals eat at.

A guided food tour of Haarlem departing from Amsterdam with 10 tastings at five family-run venues, a full meal's worth of food and drink, and a local guide who knows the city's 1573 siege, its buried master painter Frans Hals, and the tulip auction that crashed here in 1637. The route adapts to your preferences (vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free options are built in), and you pick the stops that appeal to you. Small group of up to 12; three to four hours; optional hotel pickup in Haarlem's center.

Step-by-step itinerary

Haarlem food and cultural tasting tour

• Meet guide at Haarlem station
• Explore Haarlem with private guide
• Visit Fish Market for fresh seafood
• See Grote Kerk (St. Bavo Church)
• Sample artisanal Dutch cheeses
• Tour De Jopenkerk brewery and taste beers
• Visit Van der Pigge Apotheek pharmacy
• Taste classic dishes at oldest Haarlem cafe

The experience

You arrive in Haarlem by direct train from Amsterdam (15 minutes, no changes), and meet your guide at the station. Haarlem is older than Amsterdam by 60 years, and the difference shows: Gothic cathedral, the country's first museum, and a maze of streets where the real eating happens. Your guide customizes the route on the day based on what you want to taste and what's open, so no two tours follow the same path.

The 10 tastings unfold across three to four hours at places that have been family-run for decades. You start with an Indonesian warung, move through an artisan cheese shop on one of Haarlem's oldest streets, hit the chocolate tradition of Droste, stand in line at the fish market if you want the freshest catch, taste hot Dutch friet, then sit down to stamppot or pea soup. The finale happens in De Jopenkerk, a former church turned brewery, where you choose from 10 locally brewed craft beers, including a gluten-free option, and eat bitterballen and a cheese stick with two glasses of wine. The guide tells you why each place matters: the lying stones at Teylers Museum, the auction where tulip mania crashed in 1637, where Frans Hals is buried.

Dietary needs are handled before you book: tell the operator what you eat and don't eat, remind your guide when you meet, and the stops shift to fit. Vegetarian, pescatarian, and most gluten-free preferences are accommodated at every venue. The group stays under 12, so you're never herded. If you want to linger at a cheese counter or ask the brewer a question, there's time.

What’s included

• 10 food and drink tastings at five family-run venues including cheese, chocolate, friet, stamppot, craft beer and wine.
• professional English-speaking local guide.
• optional walking pickup from Haarlem city center hotels.
• insider recommendations for what to do in Haarlem after the tour.
• vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free adaptations at every stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.You can choose from 14 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Adam & Eve Amsterdam Food Tours

Is this one for you?Small groups of up to 12 work best here because the guide can customize the route on the day and linger at stops without holding up a crowd. Couples, families, and corporate teams all fit the pace, and dietary preferences are built in from the start.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3): free.

Can I pick up the tour in Amsterdam instead of meeting in Haarlem?

Walking pickup from Haarlem city center hotels is included. If you prefer to start in Amsterdam, you'll take the direct train to Haarlem and meet your guide at the station, which is part of the experience.

What exactly do the 10 tastings include?

Indonesian warung appetizer, artisan cheese samples, Droste chocolate, fresh seafood at the fish market, hot friet, stamppot or pea soup as a seated course, craft beer selection at the brewery, bitterballen, a cheese stick, and two glasses of wine at the finale: a full meal's worth across five family-run venues.

Do I need to buy a train ticket from Amsterdam to Haarlem separately?

Train tickets between Amsterdam and Haarlem are not included in the tour price, so you'll purchase those separately unless you book the Amsterdam pickup option.

What is De Jopenkerk and why does the tour end there?

De Jopenkerk is a former church in the heart of Haarlem that was converted into a brewery. It's where the tour finale happens with craft beer tasting and a seated course with wine, so you finish sitting down instead of standing.

Can the guide change the stops if I don't like one of the venues?

Yes, the tour is customizable based on your preferences and what's available on the day, so you can tell your guide which stops appeal to you and the route adjusts accordingly.