Covering the breadth of flavours across the South Asian subcontinent, Amsterdam offers everything from moreish momo dumplings and paper-thin dosa pancakes to bowls brimming with biryani rice. If the craving hits and you have no reservation, simply head to the Eastern Canal District, where most of the region’s restaurants are located. You’ll find authentic hole-in-the-wall eateries and stylish next-gen spots in the city. And, if you’re looking to spice up an indoor evening, many of these places also deliver. Here, then, are our pick of the city’s best Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan restaurants.
All of the 29 states inspire the “twisted Indian” menu at this cheerful Jordaan-based street food specialist, where the trilingual servers are fast and friendly. The décor is contemporary rustic, with wooden tables and a small traditional floor seating section. The focus is on helping diners discover that “Indian food is more than just a curry”. Chefs Rahul Chandrambeth and Dipak Adhav succeed admirably with an affordable 3-course menu of delicious dahi puri (crispy fried semolina baskets stuffed with potato and pomegranate yoghurt), kolhapuri chicken (marinated and spiced chicken with two types of chilli) or slow-cooked lamb rogan josh (a yoghurt-based curry with alkanet flower and Kashmiri spices) and rasmalai (soft cheese dumplings cooked in sugar syrup and soaked in creamy cardamom-saffron milk) for dessert. There are also wine, (craft) beer and cocktail options, including a tasty rum-spiked mango lassi.
Karin Engelbrecht
After writing about all things lifestyle in Amsterdam for 15+ years, this born-and-raised South African knows where it’s at.
