Best Italian Restaurants in Amsterdam

After the ‘best pizza’ in Amsterdam, let’s focus on the best Italian restaurant in Amsterdam. Of the 300 restaurants claiming to serve Italian food, only 14 made our shortlist.

Due to their different nature, 3 categories have been called to life: (1) trattoria's, (2) great restaurants and (3) fine dining.

Here's the article listing the best pizza in amsterdam.

Amongst Amsterdammers, Toscanini is regarded as ‘the best’. Indeed, the food and service are favolosi. Despite the large space, the restaurant is always fully-booked. If you are too late with reserving a table, try De Koevoet (very small, so also reserve) or Vasso, which usually has a table vacant.

If you are looking for a higher, more exclusive level of dining, Incanto or Pianeta Terra are our favourites.

Category 1: Frill-free neighbourhood restaurants: Trattoria’s

Trattoria Toto - approved by my Italian in-laws, which should say enough.
Trattoria Toto,  Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 12, Oud-West, Amsterdam. T. 683 0028

Assaggi (photo left)- good Italian food and reasonably priced.
Assaggi, Tweede Egelantiersdwarsstraat 6, Jordaan, Amsterdam T. 420 5589

Sa Seada - lovely fish platters and other dishes from the South of Italy.
Sa Seada, Eerste Oosterkerkstraat 3-5, Oost, Amsterdam, T. 663 3276

YamYam - correctly names itself “Trattoria Pizzeria “ because besides wood-oven pizza’s (read about best pizza's in Amsterdam), they also serve authentic Italian food Trattoria-style. Trattoria Pizzeria YamYam, Hendrikstraat 88-90. Oud-West, Amsterdam. T. 681 5097

 Category 2: Idyllic Italian ristorante  

Caffe Toscanini (photo left)- reserve a table and enjoy the experience!
Caffe Toscanini, Lindengracht 75, Jordaan, Amsterdam. T. 6232813

Restaurant De Koevoet - tiny ‘living room’-sized restaurants. Devine fresh pasta. The real deal.
Restaurant De Koevoet, Lindenstraat 17, Jordaan, Amsterdam.

Restaurant De Italiaan - Intimate, gezellig and fab dining. Read Amsterdam Foodie’s review. Restaurant De Italiaan, Bosboom Toussaintstraat 29, Oud-West, Amsterdam. T. 683 6854.

Ristorante Vasso - An fairly secret gem of an Italian restaurant. Enjoy the grappa!
Ristorante Vasso, Rozenboomsteeg 10-14, sidestreet Spui, Amsterdam. T. 626 0158

Ciro Passami l’Olio (photo right)- Only dined here once (spaghetti vongole, half a lobster) and it was very impressive. Great use of authentic Italian ingredients. May be this restaurant should be upgraded to the group ‘fine dining’ category? Ciro Passami l’Olio, Tweede Helmersstraat 3, Oud-West, Amsterdam. T.  06 15 699 649

[Casa di David - praised by locals & expats, but the Italians I know do not recommend it at all.]

Category 3: Fine Dining a la Cucina Italiana

Pianeta Terra (photo left) - Intimate, stylish restaurant serving Italian food at the highest level. Pianeta Terra, Beulingstraat 7, Centre Koningsplein,  Amsterdam. T. 626 1912

Restaurant Incanto (photo at the top of this post)- Beautiful views over Muntplein or the Amstel river plus beautiful Italian wines and decently priced plus beautiful food of the greatest quality. Can’t remember whether the staff was beautiful, too, but love goes through one's belly, right?! Restaurant Incanto, Amstel 2, Centre Muntplein, Amsterdam. T. 423 3681

Quattro Gatti - Amsterdam hot spot and, consequently, rather busy. Quality of dishes served is well worth the (long) wait. Quattro Gatti, Hartenstraat 3HS, 9 Straatjes (little streets) Amsterdam. T. 421 4585

Bussia (photo right) - Excellent dining and recommended by several Gourmet-die-hards. Pay for quality not quantity. Bussia, Reestraat 28-30. 9 Straatjes (little streets), Amsterdam, T. 627 8794 

>> Bussia is quite possible the restaurant with the most interesting wine list in Amsterdam... read a little bit more about Bussia here.

Roberto's (photo below) - Excellent Italian dining in a formal setting.
Roberto’s, Hilton Amsterdam, Apollolaan 138, Oud-Zuid, Amsterdam. T. 710 6025

[Segugio - praised by locals, yet seen as overrated and overpriced by Italians living in Amsterdam].

Comments

[Luca]

Finally a good and objective article about Italian restaurants in Amsterdam....very well done! by a Real Italian gourmet...
Only please write "Cucina" with one "c"...:-)

Grazie

[Kira]

@ Luca - ai ragione! devo studiare italiano. grazie per il tuo commento.

[Sarah]

Kira, you always know the best places!

Update about Koevoet:
Koevoet seems to have taken a 180 degree turn. After having been in love with it for a couple of years, last night I had the worst pasta I have EVER had in my life. Both my and my (italian) boyfriends' pastas were so over-cooked, that chewing was unnecessary. New owner? What a pity!

[Rob]

I ate in Incanto this evening. This is a very nice restaurant, classic, good service. I had a mozzarella starter and a risotto with tartuffo as a first dish. I did not have a main dish. Food quality 7/10 so a little disappointing. But the big disadvantage is the wine list - it is very exPANSIVE but also very exPENSIVE! Over-priced in fact. The selection in half bottles is minimal (about 6) and by the glass even more so: I had a Polizano vino nobile - okay, but no doubt it had already been opened yesterday and not de-aired. The cheapest wine is 38 euros, but such a bland one you wouldnt want to order it if you are into Italian wine and know about it. The cheapest for a good bottle is about 90 and then we hit 150-350 for very very good ones. Not enough choice of wines and the democratic and good and this is a major drawback.

[Rob]

Correcting typo - Not enough choice of wines at the democratic and good end - this is a major drawback.