TxTravelPro

Looking for grocery stores, markets, gourmet shops, food halls, interesting street food.
I will be staying on Herenstraat, and unfortunately working most of my time in Amsterdam with very little time for traditional tourism.
My daughter and SIL are both chefs and I like to bring interesting things back for them that are typical of the local markets.
For example, a recent trip to the UK resulted in a huge bag of potato farls, irish cakes, 'set' honey and other simple everyday items that are unfamiliar to us in the US.

I'd also like to find places where I might find moderately priced hand made items like earrings, necklaces, purses, scarves... that sort of stuff.
Any and all thoughts welcome.
Thanks!!

lavandula

You might like to visit the Albert Cuyp market in the Pijp district of Amsterdam. It's not specifically a foodie market but its food offerings are reflective of the fab ethnic blend in the city. A great day out:

http://www.21stcenturyamsterdam.com/...uyp-markt.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Cuyp_Market

Lavandula

hetismij

Amsterdam, and the Netherlands are not foodie.
Typical foods won't travel - think raw herring, pancakes, poffertjes.
you could buy poffertjes mix at a supermarket, but you need a poffertjes pan too - usually these are cast iron, so heavy to carry on a flight home.

Hagel (chocolate sprinkles, but also in fruit flavours) for on bread, gestampte muisjes (aniseed flavoured sprinkles) are tradionally served on beschuit when a baby is born - pink and white for a girl, blue and white for a boy.
Stroopwafels are very Dutch, and like Marmite, you either love them or hate them.

Have a wander around a big Albert Heijn supermarket and see what takes your fancy. You could take back some Boemboes - Indonesian spice/sauce mixtures.
Oh and borrelnoten.

JoyC

Hi hetismij!

I too will be staying on Herenstraat 26 and I was wondering where is the nearest Albert Heijn supermarket. There are some items I would like to buy that AH specifically carries.

Hope you see this, and thanks.

tarquin

You can't take them back, but do try raw herring with chopped onions from the street stands, really delicious.

Stroopwafels are addictive, and I buy salted licorice too (but not the double salt!)

There is a small Albert Heijn near the Muntplein. And sometimes a herring stall.

hetismij

There are several around where you will be staying, - Westermarkt 21, Westerstraat 79 and a third at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 226. But there are plenty more. One thing Amsterdam isn't short of is Albert Heijns .

Go to http://www.ah.nl/albertheijn/winkelinformatie and type in the postcode 1015 CB and all will be revealed

JoyC

Thanks hetismij, and to you too tarquin.

I am very familiar with the AH branch in Delft (city center),and drops by there EVERYDAY when I am in the area (love browsing in supermarkets!!), but Amsterdam is a lot bigger city and I was unsure how to find one.

Thanks again.

spaarne

<i>Typical foods won't travel - think raw herring</i>

<i>You can't take them back, but do try raw herring with chopped onions from the street stands, really delicious.</i>

Wrong, except they are really delicious. I always bring raw herring home from Holland. On my last trip I brought back 40 of those little darlings. I get mine from the fish wagon at the Botermarkt in Haarlem. The owner vacuum packs them for me on the spot. Then I freeze them overnight at my B&B and pack them in my checked luggage in between the clothes. I enjoy them for weeks after I get home.

Another edible souvenir of NL is cheese. You can taste before you buy. The clerk slices off a sliver for you. A typical Albert Heijn has dozens of rolls of cheese. Traditional cheese shops have even more. Both of the traditional cheese shops in Haarlem have shut down in the last ten years. The country is going to pot.

My other souvenirs are jenever and cigars. Ketel 1 sells a *jonge* (young) graanjenever in a bottle almost identical to the bottle they use for their vodka in the USA. You can buy a liter cheap at duty free in Schiphol on your way home and can carry it on the plane. There are many other brands. If you are not familiar with jenever it is a bit like gin.

The Dutch specialize in Sumatra cigars. There is an excellent shop on the Rokin named P.G.C.Hajenius. Dutch cigars are much cheaper than any good smoke you'll find in the USA. The duty free at Schiphol also has a variety of cigars. I usually bring 400 home.

When you are done working for the day I recommend a visit to the Hoppe Cafe at the Spui. It is a great watering hole and meeting spot, one of the oldest *brown bars* in Amsterdam. Try a jenever there in the traditional fluted glass filled to over the brim. The Hoppe is about a ten minute walk from Herenstraat.

spaarne

BTW, if you buy cheese also get a Dutch cheese slicer. They cut a very thin slice. But they don't work on American cheeses.