On every corner and in every street of Oud-Zuid you will find the most amazing restaurants, mostly with terraces. Hard to choose with so much goodness within walking distance. From cozy bistros, gourmet delights, tasty lunch on a sun terrace and hidden gems, these restaurants in Amsterdam South you'd prefer to slide into tonight.
Wils
At Wils is all about the essence of cooking: fire. Behind the impressive open kitchen, Master Chef Joris Bijdendijk, Chef Erwin Oudijk, Friso van Amerongen and Chef de Cuisine Thomas Val work daily on refined dishes straight from the wood oven, hoist grill or fire pit. The style is pure and thoughtful. No excess, but top-quality seasonal products that, thanks to fire, take on a deep, almost instinctive flavor. - Stadionplein 26.
Brasserie Margaux
Margaux, from the people behind restaurants Willams Farmhouse and The Marlin Bar, a classic French brasserie with ditto interior, extensive wine list and a terrace that fills up immediately in good weather. The menu is French in tone, the atmosphere that of a Parisian bistro that has found its way to Old South. - Beethovenstraat 27.
The Marlin Bar
Seafood Restaurant The Marlin Bar by Wolves Hospitality Group, opening in 2025 on Van Baerlestraat across from the Concertgebouw. Oysters, handmade fish croquettes, ceviche of corvina with smoked eel and a terrace that fills up quickly on sunny afternoons. The interior was designed by Lisa Boissevain, also responsible for Margaux and Café Garçon. A DJ spins on Thursdays through Saturdays, a live jazz brunch on Sundays. Good for dinner before or after a concert. - Van Baerlestraat 120.
Jondani
On Beethoven Street, on the border of Paris-to-the-Amstel and Amsterdam: a warm, contemporary restaurant with a Mediterranean menu and an atmosphere that sits between brasserie and modern bistro. Jondani is good for lunch and dinner, popular with local residents looking for something just a little less crowded than the big names. - Beethoven Street 18.
Marathonweg
The original from the same team that later opened Bar Kaspar: an all-day restaurant with coffee, grill and bar. Lunch and coffee during the day, casual dinner from the grill in the evening. Tried-and-true address in Old South with a regular clientele that returns year-round. - Marathonweg 4.
Ferilli's
For years a household name in Old South: Italian restaurant on Beethoven Street with pasta, antipasti and a wine list worthwhile. The atmosphere is warm and informal. Ferilli's has several locations in the city, including a cicchetti variety and a dining table at The College Hotel, but Beethovenstraat is its progenitor. - Beethoven Street 11-15.
Barolo
At the corner of Valeriusstraat and Emmastraat, brings Barolo the Italian la dolce vita to Old South. A wood-fired oven for pizzas and meatballs, shared plates and a wine list with good bottles at a fair price. The terrace on the corner is one of the nicest spots in the neighborhood on nice days. - Valeriusstraat 77
Castell South
Collaboration between the team of grill restaurant Castell and the Italian DNA of Bar Barolo: a bistro with the perfect steak as its anchor. Grill dishes, wine pairings and an open kitchen in an interior that's warm but not overdone. Open until after midnight, making it useful for night owls as well. - Valeriusstraat 128B.
“At Castell South, it's all about the quality of the meat. The steak is perfect, the interior cozy and the evening flows naturally.” - Amsterdam Now (2025)
George W.P.A.
George W.P.A. is one of the best brasseries in Amsterdam, at Willemspark. A large, elegant dining room with a terrace that in summer is among the finest in the city. The cuisine is French-international, the atmosphere is that of a place where business lunches and birthdays take place side by side. Good for large groups. - Willemsparkweg 6.
Sama Sebo
Sama Sebo has been the address for rice table in Amsterdam for more than fifty years: Indonesian restaurant on Pieter Cornelisz. Hooftstraat, in the heart of Oud-Zuid. The rice table for two is a classic ritual, with twenty small dishes appearing one after the other. Reserve well in advance, as Sama Sebo is always full. - Pieter Cornelisz. Hooftstraat 27.
Umeno
The best Japanese restaurant in Oud-Zuid, and one of the best in Amsterdam: Umeno has been serving authentic Japanese cuisine on Agamemnonstraat for decades. Umeno is not just a sushi bar but has a full Japanese menu: yakitori, tempura, sashimi and seasonal specials. Intimate, small and consistently good. Reservations are required. - Agamemnon Street 27.
Ron Gastrobar
Chef Ron Blaauw brings fine dining to an informal setting: a Ron Gastrobar on Sophia Square with shared plates, high sticks and a menu that changes completely every three months. The cuisine is technical and contemporary, the atmosphere is approachable. Good for those who don't want to choose between good food and a relaxing evening. - Sophia Square 10.
Blue
Indonesian restaurant on Amstelveenseweg, one of the best in Amsterdam: Blauw serves contemporary rice table with organic ingredients and a wine list to match the flavors. The interior is modern and airy, the atmosphere informal. Good alternative to Sama Sebo if you prefer a more modern approach. - Amstelveenseweg 158-160.
Mr. Sam
Chef Sam Yeh took over his parents' Chinese restaurant on Amstelveenseweg and turned it into a modern Asian bistro. Yellowfin tuna tartare with cassava chips, shrimp tempura with kimcimi mayonnaise and grilled miso lobster: the menu moves between Japanese, Korean and Cantonese without dwelling too long on anything. Mr. Sam is good for a special dinner that is not as well known as it deserves. - Amstelveenseweg 344.
NENI Amsterdam
Part of the 25hours Hotel on Museum Square: a loud and cheerful restaurant with a menu that travels through the Middle East and the Levant. Mezze, hummus, shakshuka, sabich and shared board dishes. The roof of Neni is open in the summer and overlooks Museum Square. Good for a large party that doesn't want to sit still for too long. - Museum Square 1.
Momo
Restaurant and lounge on Hobbema Street, for years one of the noticed addresses in the Museum Quarter. A large, dark interior with an Asian-inspired menu and a cocktail bar that draws visitors even after dinner. Momo is good for an evening where you shift from eating to drinking without changing seats. - Hobbema Street 1.
Rijks Restaurant
State is the Rijksmuseum's restaurant, on the first floor of the museum: here Chef Joris Bijdendijk (also of Wils) cooks a more accessible version of his cuisine, using Dutch seasonal products and a clean, timeless approach. Great to combine with a museum visit but also worth an evening on its own. Reserve well in advance. - Museum Street 1.
Bennies
Bennies a modern, informal eatery in the Schinkel neighborhood in a business park in South: always out of the way but worth it for those who have been there once. The menu changes regularly, the dishes unexpected and stylish, the atmosphere that of a restaurant that knows exactly what it is. Large format, good for large groups. - Polder Road 15.
Bar Bonnie
A community cafe in the style of the Goudvisch family, on Amstelveenseweg: café-bistro-bar for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The interior has the coziness of a brown pub but lighter and more modern. On the dinner menu the classics of Goudvisch cuisine: farmhouse chicken, Bonnie steak and seasonal specials. - Amstelveenseweg 130, Oud-Zuid
Tozi
The menu of Venetian-inspired restaurant Tozi on Queen's Road runs on cicchetti, the small Venetian appetizers that set the tone at Serenissima. Shared food, lobster linguine finished at the table, truffle ravioli and a dessert menu that does not disappoint. - Queen's Road 34.
Sandberg Cafe
Sandberg is the Stedelijk Museum's café, on the first floor with access even without a museum ticket. Good for lunch, coffee or drinks. Located on the border of Old South and the Museum Quarter, but functions as a neighborhood café for those who work nearby or visit the museum. - Museum Street 10.
The Bosch
On the Nieuwe Meer at the edge of Old South you will find restaurant Bosch, a hidden culinary gem with a terrace overflowing in summer with local residents fleeing the city. The cuisine is French-European, the atmosphere is that of a day out of town. Reachable by bicycle from Oud-Zuid in twenty minutes. - Koenenkade 8, Amsterdam Forest.
Eatery Schotsheuvel
Eatery Schotsheuvel on Banstraat is one of Oud-Zuid's most beloved eateries: no reservations, good daily specials, house wine on tap and an atmosphere just right for a weeknight. Come early or wait at the bar. - Ban Street 14.
Oud-Zuid has something for every moment of the day. Breakfast at Bar Bonnie, lunch on the terrace of Margaux or The Marlin Bar, drinks at Bar Kaspar or Marathonweg and an evening at Wils, Sama Sebo, Umeno or Ron Gastrobar. And those who aren't done after dinner: Momo has a bar and Castell South is open until after midnight.