Amsterdam Jordaan Artisan Food Tour Meet the Makers
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In the Jordaan, the city's food traditions survive because someone's grandmother, uncle, or neighbor decided they were worth keeping alive. On this small-group walking tour, you'll meet six of them: from a family baking apple pie from a recipe untouched since the 1900s, a fishmonger who still cleans herring by hand in full view of the street, to a cheesemonger aging Gouda the traditional way. You'll dip into a historic cheese shop, chase down poffertjes fresh off the griddle, and taste a home recipe from a kitchen that gives women space to cook food from their own cultures. Along the way, wander canal-side streets built for 17th-century workers and alleys that once held the city's poorest families. Your guide keeps the group small, never more than 12. Vegetarian, gluten-free and other dietary needs are easily accommodated with advance notice.
Your experience
Stop 1
Settle into one of the city's oldest cafes, in business since the 1600s, for a slice of homemade apple pie made from a recipe generations old. Pair it with coffee, tea, or a local beer while your guide sets the scene for the tastings ahead.
Stop 2
Step into the Jordaan itself and walk along a picturesque canal once lined with breweries and storage warehouses that supplied the entire city. Your guide traces Amsterdam's long relationship with beer, from its Golden Age boom to the craft revival happening today.
Stop 3
Watch a fishmonger clean fresh herring by hand in the open air, a skill passed down through the trade for generations. Taste silky Dutch herring alongside crisp, golden kibbeling, a favorite among locals who grew up there.
Stop 4
Settle in at a centuries-old brown cafe for a tasting of organic Gouda cheese at four different stages of aging, from young and mild to sharp, crumbly, and aged for years. It's a small, delicious education in the country's most famous export.
Stop 5
Look into the narrow passageways once known as the hallways, cramped alleys behind the houses where the city's poorest families lived in close quarters, battling hunger and disease in the shadow of the wealthy canal ring.
Stop 6
Duck into a catering kitchen run by and for women sharing recipes from their home countries. Taste crisp, savory briwat from a Moroccan family recipe, or a Surinamese roti roll with curried chicken if it's on offer that day.
Stop 7
Watch poffertjes sizzle fresh on a hot griddle before they land warm on your plate, dusted with powdered sugar and a pat of butter. This puffy Dutch classic has been a neighborhood treat for as long as anyone here can remember.
Stop 8
Pass by the exterior of the house where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Second World War, one of the city's most visited sites. Your guide shares its story and its lasting place in Amsterdam's collective memory.
Stop 9
Wrap up the afternoon at a cozy, nostalgic brown cafe with crispy bitterballen and a glass of jenever, the juniper spirit that put Dutch drinking culture on the map. It's a fitting, unhurried final toast to the neighborhood.
What’s included
- Local English-speaking guide
- 4 drink tastings, including local beer, coffee, tea, and a Dutch spirit
- 'Food & the City' Insider Tips
- 12 savory and sweet tastings, from fresh seafood to classic Dutch bites
- Visit family-run shops and local cafes across the Jordaan neighborhood
- Guided walk through hidden courtyards and generations-old artisan workshops
Not included
- Gratuities / Tips for the guide
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Extra drinks
Meeting and pickup
Your guide will be waiting for you at the back of the Church and wearing our purple Eating Europe bag!
Before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This activity requires a minimum of 4 guests. Should this not be met, we will contact you directly to help you get rescheduled or reimbursed.
- Children under 4 years old do not need a ticket and can join the tour for free. However, food is not included. Paid tickets with food included are available for ages 4 and up.
- Please note that the tastings mentioned are a selection of the delicious foods we often feature. Both offerings and tour stops may vary by day or season, but you're sure to enjoy a delightful array of local flavors!
- Have dietary requirements? Simply email us or add a note at booking, and we'll do our best to accommodate vegetarians, gluten-free guests or other dietary needs where we can. For guest safety, this experience isn't suitable for those with severe or life-threatening food allergies to ingredients found on the tour, and the company cannot take responsibility for any food allergies or intolerances.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Check the policy for your selected date and option before booking.
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