FEBO and the automat
The classic Dutch late-night: rows of hot croquettes and burgers behind little glass doors. Drop $2.50, open the hatch, get a fresh kroket. Try the rundvleeskroket (beef) or the frikandel speciaal (a skinless sausage with mayo, onion and curry ketchup). Locations across Amsterdam including Reguliersbreestraat and Damstraat. Open until 3 am on weekends.
Herring, kibbeling, and street fish
Frens Haringhandel at Koningsplein: broodje haring $4.50, kibbeling (fried cod chunks) with garlic sauce $6.50. Stubbe's Haring on Singel does the same for similar prices. Cheap, fast, filling — and genuinely Dutch.
Turkish, Surinamese, Indonesian
Amsterdam's cheapest full meals come from immigrant kitchens. Broodje bapao at Bapao Man ($5). Roti at Warung Spang Makandra in De Pijp ($9 for a huge plate of chicken roti). Turkish pide at any bakery in the Jordaan ($4). Indonesian nasi goreng to go from Toko Dun Yong on Zeedijk ($8).
Supermarket meal deals
Albert Heijn's 'to go' sections have full sandwiches ($4), sushi ($6), stamppot ready meals ($5) and pastries ($1.50). Dirk van den Broek and Jumbo are slightly cheaper. Grab lunch here and eat on a canal bench — a full meal for $8.
Questions answered
What's a Dutch kroket?
A deep-fried roll of thick beef ragout with a crispy breadcrumb outside. Best served in a soft white bun with mustard for $3.50.
Is it OK to eat lunch at a supermarket?
Yes, very common. Locals eat AH to Go sandwiches at office desks and canal benches daily.
Where's the best cheap Indonesian food?
Toko Dun Yong on Zeedijk for takeaway, or Warung Spang Makandra in De Pijp for Surinamese-Javanese ($8-12 mains).
Can I eat well in Amsterdam for $20 a day?
Yes. AH breakfast $3, kibbeling lunch $6, supermarket dinner $8, coffee $3 = $20.
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