Netherlands Vegetarian & Vegan Food Guide: Best Restaurants in Amsterdam, Rotterdam & Beyond

The Netherlands is one of the easier countries in Europe to navigate as a vegetarian or vegan. Amsterdam alone has over 200 dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants — the city has been ahead of the curve on plant-based eating since the 1970s, when it was one of the first cities in Europe to develop a serious natural food culture. Outside Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and even smaller destinations like Haarlem have followed. This guide covers specific restaurants, what to order, and what to watch out for, city by city, so you’re not searching the internet while standing on a Dutch cobblestone street at 7pm.

Table of Contents

• Vegetarian & Vegan Eating in the Netherlands: The Overview
• Amsterdam: Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants
• Rotterdam: Plant-Based Dining
• Utrecht: Vegetarian Options
• Zaanse Schans
• Giethoorn
• Around Keukenhof & Haarlem
• Navigating Traditional Dutch Food as a Vegetarian
• Supermarkets & Self-Catering
• FAQs

Vegetarian & Vegan Eating in the Netherlands: The Overview

The Netherlands has one of the highest rates of veganism in Europe. A 2023 survey found roughly 5% of Dutch people identify as vegan — significantly higher than most European countries. This matters practically: it means restaurant menus routinely have multiple vegan options, most cafés have plant-based milk, and “veganistisch” (vegan) is a label staff take seriously rather than something you have to negotiate.

Indonesian food is a particular asset for vegetarians here. The rijsttafel (rice table) format includes many naturally vegetable-based dishes — tempeh (fermented soybean cake, which the Dutch have been eating since colonial times), gado-gado (peanut sauce salad), various vegetable curries and sambals. Most Indonesian restaurants can create a fully vegetarian or vegan rijsttafel on request.

The one thing to check: Dutch cuisine uses butter and dairy heavily. Dutch bread is typically vegan but often served with butter. Dutch cheese (kaas) is obviously dairy. If you’re vegan, specify “veganistisch” and double-check sauces — “mayo” in the Netherlands is always egg-based. Most restaurants understand the distinction and are reasonably accommodating.

Amsterdam: Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants

Vegan Junk Food Bar (multiple locations, including Waterlooplein and Leidsekruis): Amsterdam’s most popular plant-based fast food chain. Pulled jackfruit burgers, loaded fries with vegan cheese, buffalo cauliflower — the kind of food that converts omnivores. The Waterlooplein location is conveniently close to the flea market and open until midnight on weekends. Prices are reasonable for Amsterdam (€10–15 per main).

De Bolhoed on Prinsengracht: A Jordaan institution since 1982. Small, cash-only, reservations essential for dinner. The menu changes with seasons and uses organic produce — hearty Dutch-influenced vegetarian cooking (stamppot with plant-based sausage, Dutch vegetable soup) alongside more international options. The canal-facing tables on the pavement have arguably the best people-watching in Amsterdam. Worth booking specifically.

Amsterdam’s Albert Cuyp Market has several stalls with vegetarian street food — falafel wraps, Indonesian tofu skewers, fresh fruit. A useful and cheap lunch option if you’re in De Pijp neighbourhood. Open Tuesday–Sunday until 5pm.

Mana Mana on Vijzelstraat: Middle Eastern vegetarian food with excellent hummus and shakshuka. Lunch is better here than dinner — the kitchen gets overwhelmed in the evenings. The mezze spread for two (€18) is more food than you’ll finish.

Rotterdam: Plant-Based Dining

Fenix Food Factory in Katendrecht: Several stalls at this Rotterdam food hall are vegetarian or vegan-friendly. The Kaapse Brouwers taproom serves vegetarian bar snacks; look for the organic bread stall with vegan spreads. The Indonesian vendor (Warung Mini Fenix) can make vegetarian versions of most dishes on request — tempeh and tofu are standard ingredients in their kitchen.

Bazar Rotterdam on Witte de Withstraat: A huge, colourful North African and Middle Eastern restaurant in a converted church. The vegetarian options are extensive — tagines, couscous with seven vegetables, various lentil dishes. The décor alone is worth the trip. Open for both lunch and dinner; no reservations needed for lunch, recommended for dinner.

V11 on Vijverhofstraat: Entirely vegan, Rotterdam’s most serious plant-based restaurant. Modern Dutch cuisine done without animal products — seasonal tasting menus with dishes like fermented celeriac, smoked beetroot with cashew cream. Reservation required; prices are comparable to a mid-range meat restaurant (€35–50 for a full dinner).

Utrecht: Vegetarian Options

Restaurant Blauw (Utrecht branch, on Springweg): The same Indonesian institution as the Amsterdam Blauw, with a full vegetarian rijsttafel available on request. The Utrecht branch is slightly more intimate than Amsterdam’s and almost always easier to get a reservation. A vegetarian rijsttafel here is one of the better meals you’ll have in the country.

Café Olivier on Achter Clarenburg: Belgian beer bar with a reliable vegetarian-friendly menu — the cheese fondue and the vegetarian burger have been consistent standards for years. The point of Café Olivier is the beer list (40+ Belgian beers) and the deconsecrated church interior; the food is straightforwardly good rather than inventive. Useful because it’s open until late.

Zaanse Schans

Options are limited in Zaanse Schans and primarily geared toward tourists. The Catharina Hoeve cheese farm does free tastings of Dutch cheese — vegetarians eat well here; vegans will find less on offer. The Zaanse Schans Bakery has fresh bread and traditional Dutch biscuits, many of which are accidentally vegan. The clog workshop café serves Dutch apple tart (appeltaart), which is typically vegetarian but contains butter.

For a proper vegetarian meal, the Restaurant De Hoop op d’Swarte Walvis nearby has consistent vegetarian mains and can accommodate vegans on request — call ahead to confirm, as their kitchen is small and advance notice helps.

Giethoorn

Restaurant Fanfare on De Jonge Schoolstraat has decent vegetarian options — Dutch vegetable soup, uitsmijter (open-faced egg sandwich) without meat, cheese sandwiches. Nothing inventive, but reliable. The restaurant does good Dutch pancakes (pannenkoeken) with cheese and vegetables.

Restaurant De Lindenhof (one Michelin star) offers a vegetarian tasting menu on request, but this requires advance booking and notice. If you’re visiting De Lindenhof specifically for the food experience, contact them when you book and request the vegetarian menu — the kitchen is skilled enough to make it interesting.

Giethoorn’s ice cream shops are the safest bet for a quick snack — most gelato in Dutch artisan shops is made without eggs and several flavours are naturally vegan (fruit sorbets especially). Ask before ordering.

Around Keukenhof & Haarlem

Keukenhof’s in-garden cafés have limited vegetarian options — sandwiches, soup, standard Dutch apple tart. Adequate but not memorable. If you’re visiting Keukenhof, plan to hold out for Haarlem for a proper meal.

Haarlem’s De Witte Lepel on Nieuwe Gracht: Small, warmly lit, focussed on seasonal vegetarian and vegan cooking. The chef changes the menu monthly based on what’s available locally — more ambitious than anything in the Keukenhof area. Only open for dinner; booking recommended.

Het Veemgebouw near Haarlem’s Grote Markt: Dutch café with multiple vegetarian options. Good for a quick lunch before or after Keukenhof. The broodjes (sandwiches) are straightforward but made with good bread and local cheese. Vegan options are limited but available.

Navigating Traditional Dutch Food as a Vegetarian

What’s naturally vegetarian: Dutch apple tart (appeltaart) is vegetarian. Stroopwafels are vegetarian (contain butter and egg, but no meat). Pannenkoeken (Dutch pancakes) can be ordered with cheese or sweet fillings. Dutch cheese (kaas) is widely available and excellent — note that most aged Dutch Gouda uses traditional animal rennet, so strict vegetarians who avoid this should ask or buy certified vegetarian versions.

What to watch for: Erwtensoep (pea soup) is traditionally made with smoked pork sausage and can contain ham stock. Broth-based soups in Dutch restaurants often use chicken stock. Bitterballen and kroketten are almost always meat-based. Dutch sandwich fillings lean heavily toward meat and cheese; ask for a kaasbroodje (cheese sandwich) as the safe vegetarian option.

What’s naturally vegan: Fresh fruit, oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts) without cream filling, most frites (French fries — just check the frying oil isn’t shared with meat products), most Indonesian rice dishes with tempeh and vegetables, and stroopwafels (the fresh market version doesn’t contain dairy in all recipes — ask if this matters to you).

Supermarkets & Self-Catering

Albert Heijn is the dominant Dutch supermarket chain, open in most cities until 10pm and near every train station. Their plant-based range (sold under the “AH Terra” label) is better than you’d expect — plant-based mince, vegan cheese, oat milk, pre-made meals, vegan cheese sandwiches. Jumbo is the other major chain and equally well-stocked for plant-based options.

For Indian grocery staples — dal, rice, spices, snacks — look for Asian supermarkets in Amsterdam’s areas around Albert Cuypmarkt and Nieuwmarkt. There’s a concentration of Indonesian, Surinamese, and South Asian grocery shops in these neighbourhoods that carry familiar ingredients if you’re missing them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Netherlands good for vegans?

Yes — Amsterdam in particular is one of the most vegan-friendly cities in Europe. Plant-based options are on most menus, plant milks are standard in cafés, and dedicated vegan restaurants are common. Outside Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht are good; smaller towns and tourist attractions (Giethoorn, Zaanse Schans) require more advance planning.

Can I eat vegetarian rijsttafel in the Netherlands?

Yes. Most Indonesian restaurants can make a fully vegetarian or vegan rijsttafel, especially with advance notice. The classic dishes — tempeh, tahu (tofu), gado-gado, cap cay, acar (pickled vegetables) — are naturally plant-based. Blauw in Amsterdam and Utrecht is the standard recommendation for this.

Are Dutch restaurants labelled for vegetarian options?

Major restaurants typically mark vegetarian and vegan dishes on menus with V or VE icons. In smaller restaurants and traditional Dutch cafés, you may need to ask. The word to use is “vegetarisch” (vegetarian) or “veganistisch” (vegan). Most Dutch people speak English fluently, so language isn’t a barrier.

Is Indonesian food safe for vegetarians in the Netherlands?

Generally yes, but with caveats. Many Indonesian dishes use terasi (shrimp paste) in their base sauce, which makes them non-vegetarian despite containing no visible meat. Ask specifically whether a dish uses terasi. Dishes made with tempeh, tofu, vegetables and coconut milk are typically safe. The best Indonesian restaurants will accommodate a fully vegetarian order with advance notice.

What’s the best city in the Netherlands for vegan food?

Amsterdam is the clear answer — the highest density of dedicated vegan restaurants and the most developed plant-based culture. Rotterdam is second and arguably more interesting for its food scene overall, with V11 standing out as the most serious plant-based restaurant in the country. Utrecht is smaller but has reliable options.

Eating Well in the Netherlands, Whatever Your Diet

The Netherlands rarely disappoints vegetarians or vegans who do a little planning. The Indonesian food culture embedded in Dutch cities gives you a default option that’s often better than anything explicitly labelled “vegan” — just a different angle on the same ingredients. And Amsterdam’s dedicated plant-based restaurant scene is genuinely developed, not a token gesture.

If you’d like a Netherlands trip designed around your dietary preferences — specific restaurant bookings, itinerary built around food markets and vegetarian-friendly experiences — Get Tripped’s Netherlands packages can be customised accordingly. Explore Netherlands tour packages from India and mention your preferences when you enquire.