We Tried It: Devour Tours’ Amsterdam Food Tour—6 Stops & a Whole Lot of Stroopwafel
On a relaxed Friday morning in the Dutch capital, we joined Devour Tours for a history-peppered food walk that spanned stroopwafels hot off the iron, raw herring with pickles and the city’s musical legends. Here’s everything you need to know—price, timing, route and why it’s worth adding to your Amsterdam itinerary.
Photo: Internationista
Amsterdam may be famous for its storybook canals and Van Gogh masterpieces, but dig a little deeper (or better yet, take a bite) and you’ll find a centuries-old food culture that’s every bit as compelling. Enter Devour Tours, a company running small-group culinary experiences in eight great cities across Europe and the United States—think Spain, Lisbon, Paris, London, Rome, New York, Boston and of course Amsterdam
On a sunny Friday at 10 a.m., we met our guide Holly—plus a trainee guide and three fellow American travelers—outside The American Book Center in Spui Square. Over the next 3½ hours (10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.) and for €89, we walked, talked and tasted our way through six classic Dutch stops, never straying more than a few minutes from the historic center. Here’s how it unfolded.
Why Book an Amsterdam Food Tour?
Local insight without the legwork. Amsterdam’s food scene is scattered; a curated route means you hit the good stuff fast.
History meets appetite. Each tasting doubled as a mini-history lesson, from medieval beguines to 20th-century crooners.
Small groups = big conversations. With only four guests, there was plenty of time for questions, photos, and Holly’s candid asides: “I always find food tours more relaxing—you get to chit chat with people a bit more.”
Stop-by-Stop: What You’ll Taste on Devour’s Amsterdam Food Tour
Hans Egstorf: Fresh-Off-the-Iron Stroopwafel
Photo: Internationista
Tucked just off Spui Square, Hans Egstorf has been hand-crafting sweets since 1898. We watched the baker press two thin waffle discs, sandwich them with warm caramel syrup, and hand them over while the sugar still sizzled.
What’s a stroopwafel? Picture a caramel-filled waffle cookie—chewy, buttery and best enjoyed hot so the syrup oozes.
Holly laughed as our group demolished theirs: “The stroopwafel is always the fan favorite.”
2. Café de Zwart: Apple Pie with a Canal-Side View
Photo: Internationista
A two-minute stroll delivered us to this classic bruin café, its outdoor chairs facing the street for prime people-watching. We nursed coffees (or in my case, velvety hot chocolate) alongside hefty wedges of Dutch appeltaart. Fifteen unhurried minutes later, we were back on our feet.
3. Gastrovino: A Cheese Lover’s Daydream
Photo: Internationista
If Holland had a national scent, Gastrovino’s cheese counter might be it. We sampled a flight of six varieties, from young Gouda to tangy goat’s cheese, then knocked back a shot of Dutch Stroopwafel liqueur—dessert’s boozy cousin. “Lots of people love the cheese,” Holly quipped.
4. The Begijnhof: A Quiet Slice of Medieval Amsterdam
Photo: Internationista
Food break, history fix. The Begijnhof is a 14th-century courtyard where religious women called Beguines once lived in semi-seclusion, free from formal monastic vows. Apparently, they still do! We ducked into the hidden church, admired the garden and soaked up a hush rare in the city center—proof that this tour feeds more than your stomach.
5. Jonk Volendammer: Raw Herring, If You Dare
Photo: Internationista
Back to bites: haring served the traditional way—slick, salty, garnished with diced onion and pickles. Holly set expectations: “Most people find the herring very challenging. It’s plain, but there’s a certain charm to it.” Brine lovers rejoiced; skeptics got bragging rights.
6. Musical Memory Lane & Café Sonneveld: Dutch Comfort Fare
Photo: Internationista
We paused beside a small park dotted with statues of local legends Johnny Jordaan, Aunt Leen and fellow folk singers Tante Leen and Manke Nelis—voices that once captured the heartache and humor of working-class Amsterdam.
A final two-minute walk led to Café Sonneveld, where steaming plates of stamppot—mashed potatoes mixed with carrots, topped with smoked sausage—landed on our table. Simple, filling, delicious. Conversation turned to travel tips, and as Holly puts it: “What’s better than interacting with people, sharing food and opening up a country and city through it?” Nothing, Holly. Absolutely nothing!