The Flavors of the Netherlands - Eating in Haarlem and Amsterdam
The flavors of the Netherlands - Eating in Haarlem and Amsterdam
FOOD IMAGES // FOR USE MEETYOUTHERE.ME
Eating in the Netherlands was delightful - our taste buds were primed from the different foods in Belgium ready to explore some more new flavors, tastes and smells that Amsterdam and Haarlem had to offer. Italian food can honestly be found at any corner in the world - the access to pizza and pasta out exploring Europe is pretty vast. We did Italian for my birthday dinner (BEST salads we've had since the states, crispy prosciutto) and also tried a flat bread pizza the first night in Haarlem at a place called Woodstone - see their link here. The stroop waffles we searched for in Amsterdam (see the best stroop in the Dam click here - Lanskroon) were probably the best we have had.
The farmers market we strolled thru on Sunday in the center of Haarlem's old time square was very unique, the Netherlands are known for their flowers and gardening which was prevalent in both Haarlem and Amsterdam. Not only do they sell bundles of (cheap) bouquets, sunflowers, daisies and every flower you could name - but many of these shops sell flower bulbs, and seeds to fill your garden with plenty of Netherlands beauty (sorry Mom I should have bought you some).
Fresh fruit baskets from only the most local (and I'd assume organic) farms which litter the countryside - some of the best strawberries we've ever seen and taste. Check out the image below... Follow us on instagram - click here for our IG!
I would say that some of the street food/meals we had may have trumped some of the sit down restaurants in Amsterdam. Try the farmers markets and seek out these weekly gems if they are open during your visit to Haarlem, NL. Although I will give the Netherlands this: we had a pretty tasty farm raised beef burger + milkshake one night at a place called Thrill Grill Netherlands and another night we found a stealin' deal €10 for Steak, Frites and Salad at a place called Van Beinum. Emily had the Duck Confit from a place called Brick located in the center of Haarlem... the food porn below may be too graphic for some readers (image by Emily) - Restaurant Brick
Some suggestions for eating in the Netherlands:
1. Do some research on the local farmers market days - like this market we found in Haarlem, NL (plus keep your eyes peeled for markets exploring any new place)
2. Research places to eat before hand and don't be afraid to try some local cuisine - like we did eating in Belgium (see post here)... A well researched dinner is sure to satisfy you more than letting your hunger pick the spot
3. Ask a local for some places to eat / check out - typically a local suggestion can be a real winner
4. Use Yelp or trip advisor to research some awesome meals nearby - if all else fails hit the streets (with a translator app depending on where you are) your best bet sometimes is to just look around, if the place seems busy with locals it's usually a good go-to option
Thanks for reading another - Taste of... we've got plenty of content coming this week: Prague, Berlin and now we're in London, UK! ~MYT
