Stephanie van Rappard

We can't get enough of St. JOHN - no matter the iteration. This wonderful bakery is naturally no different. They've got traditional loaves and insanely good doughnuts to take away or enjoy at one of their outdoor tables.

This sophisticated, privately-owned boutique hotel is spread across 25 gorgeously restored 17th & 18th century canal houses. Its central location in the heart of the buzzing Negen Straatjes makes it an ideal jumping off point for a day of culture or shopping. We can’t resist an afternoon drink in the garden courtyard in summer, & also adore booking onto the hotel’s boat for a cruise around the canals.

We are so, SO grateful that there’s been a boom in the number of great Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam in the past few years. There’s a wonderful mix of casual and fancy, sushi and yakitori. When it’s sushi we’re after (and when we’re fortunate enough to score a much-coveted reservation), Umeno has to be one of our top picks.

People always say that good things come in small packages. Nowhere is that truer than at Balthazar’s Keuken, a lovely, compact little restaurant on the Elandsgracht that we just can’t help but frequent. Ever since they opened back in 1995, Balthazar’s Keuken has been serving a delicious & affordable tasting menu that makes everyone wonder why they don’t have three-course meals every single day.

This is a luxury beauty store & top quality spa, all rolled into one. Living in, or visiting, a city, can wreak havoc on your skin, so it’s essential to have a good facialist on speed dial for skin emergencies. When you want to look as fresh as a Dutch tulip, book a facial at Babassu. We particularly like those done with Natura Bissé products. Mention second location in Oud-Zuid

If you spend even a few minutes wandering around De Pijp, you will definitely find somewhere to have a biertje or a glass of wine. But just because you could doesn’t mean you should. Instead, we highly recommend heading to Glou Glou, a fantastic wine bar just around the corner from the Sarphatipark. It’s wonderful & intimate & serves really top-notch natural, organic wines that are all free of additives.

These wonderful sister restaurants are located in Amsterdam Oost, between the Indische Buurt & the Dapperbuurt. Wilde Zwijnen is a modern gastropub that serves delicious takes on Dutch classics in an incredibly romantic space, while Wilde Zwijnen Eetbar is an intimate tapas restaurant. The food is so good that the long bike ride is not even the slightest deterrent for us.