Amsterdam: Food Tour & Canal Cruise with Dutch Tastings

Summary

Cheese shops, canal boats, family recipes and the Jordaan’s quiet corners

You’ll wander through Amsterdam’s Jordaan district tasting Gouda cheese and Surinamese bites, try herring like a local, share homemade apple pie at a family-run café, then float past centuries-old houses on a vintage canal boat with bitterballen and jenever. Expect laughter with your guide and moments that stick long after the last bite.

What’s the experience like?

Someone hands me a slice of Gouda before I’ve even figured out where to stand in the tiny shop — the smell’s sharp but sort of grassy, and our guide (Sanne? I think that was her name) grins as she watches us taste it. She knows everyone here, or at least they all greet her like she’s an old friend. We’re in the Jordaan neighborhood, which she says used to be for workers and sailors. Now it feels creative but still kind of scruffy around the edges; you can hear bikes rattling over cobblestones every few minutes. I’m not sure what I expected from a food tour in Amsterdam, but there’s more history tucked between these shops than I thought.

We stop by a Surinamese place — Swietie Sarang — where the spices hit you right away, even before you eat anything. Li laughed when I tried to say “roti” in Mandarin — probably butchered it — but nobody seemed to mind. It’s not just Dutch food; there are Indonesian flavors too (I didn’t realize how much colonial history shows up on a plate). Then outside again, someone’s cleaning herring at a stall, slicing it fast with hands that look like they’ve done this forever. Some people in our group hesitated but honestly? It tasted fresher than I expected. The canal breeze helped with that.

Later we duck into Café Hegeraad near Noordermarkt for apple pie — crust flaky enough that it falls apart if you breathe too hard on it. There’s coffee, chatter in Dutch all around us, and for a second it feels like we’re just regulars instead of visitors. The last part is the canal cruise: old wooden boat, big windows open to let in the city sounds (and a bit of drizzle), bitterballen that somehow pair perfectly with cold beer and jenever. Our guide points out little things along Brouwersgracht — odd statues on rooftops, faded paintwork — stuff you’d miss if you weren’t looking.

The tour ends close to Anne Frank House but honestly by then my head’s already full of stories and small flavors I don’t want to forget. Sometimes travel is just about eating your way through someone else’s memories.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Amsterdam food tour and canal cruise

• Explore Jordaan neighborhood
• Taste 4 gouda cheeses
• Try Indonesian and Surinamese food
• Watch herring cleaning and taste it
• Enjoy vintage boat canal cruise
• Eat bitterballen with beer and jenever
• Taste apple pie at Cafe Hegeraad
• End near Anne Frank's house

Top questions

How long does the Amsterdam food tour & canal cruise last?

The tour lasts approximately 4 hours including an hour-long private boat trip.

Are drinks included during the Amsterdam food tour?

Yes, wine, beer, coffee/tea and water are included during the tour.

Is vegetarian or gluten-free food available?

Yes, dietary requirements such as vegetarian or gluten-free can be accommodated if advised by email in advance.

Does the tour include pickup?

No hotel pickup is included; guests should arrive 15 minutes early at the meeting point.

Is this Amsterdam food tour suitable for children?

Yes, infants and small children can join using a pram or stroller; service animals are also allowed.

Where does the Amsterdam food tour end?

The tour ends close to Anne Frank House in central Amsterdam.

What are some foods tasted on this Amsterdam food tour?

You’ll sample Gouda cheese varieties, Surinamese dishes, herring (except Sundays/Mondays), apple pie, bitterballen and more.

How many tastings are included?

The experience includes 7 tastings at 6 different locations along with drinks.

What’s included

Your day includes seven tastings across six foodie stops—think Dutch cheeses from specialty shops, Surinamese bites at Swietie Sarang, fresh herring (except Sundays/Mondays), homemade apple pie at Café Hegeraad near Noordermarkt—and an hour-long vintage canal cruise with bitterballen plus local drinks like beer and jenever. You’ll have an English-speaking local guide throughout and receive an Amsterdam Food Lovers Guide to take home.