Amsterdam's French restaurant scene has exploded in recent years. Steak tartare, natural wine, oyster at the bar, dishes on French dinnerware - it's everywhere. But not everything is equally good. Here is a selection of the restaurants that really stand out, from classic bistro to sophisticated tasting menu, scattered throughout the city.
Auberge cuisine Française - De Pijp
Auberge is the classic bistro of Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot, the duo behind the two-star restaurant 212. Pâté en croûte, onion tatin, bouillabaisse, crépinette stuffed with veal and foie gras. The cuisine is timelessly French, the wine list carefully French-oriented and the price surprisingly fair for those who know what's behind the kitchen. Copper pans on the wall, a glass wine cabinet, irresistible je-ne-sais-quoi. - Albert Cuypstraat 58-60, De Pijp
Bisous - De Pijp
Bisous is the most outspoken of the new batch. The interior is red, Parisian boudoir-style, designed by a Belgian studio. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, DJs play sets from 10 p.m. onward. The cuisine combines classic French with Zeeland ingredients: fish, seafood from the North Sea, steak au poivre, oysters. Not a place for those who want to go to bed early, it is for those who drink wine and linger. - Albert Cuypstraat 29-31, De Pijp
“We wanted a place where you eat well first and don't have to leave afterwards. Not a restaurant that turns on the lights at 10 p.m.” - Lowie Jansen, owner Bisous (Entree Magazine, 2025)
Chez Chloé - Old West
Chez Chloé opened in late March 2026 at the location of Bar Kartel on Overtoom. Chef Marcelo Hernandez is classically French-trained and previously worked at Dinner by Heston and Bolenius. 58 covers, an extensive collection of French wines and an explicit gastronomic concept. Not a bistro but an adult fine dining address in the making. - Overtoom 28-30, Old West
Bouillon d'Amsterdam - Center
Bouillon d'Amsterdam is inspired by nineteenth-century Parisian bouillons: large space, simple classics, fair price. Bavette, egg bouncer, crème brûlée. The building on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal has always had a dining function, and the owners have deliberately maintained that. Good for an extended lunch or an early dinner without the hassle. - Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Center
“The Paris bouillons kept alive a tradition that almost disappeared. Affordable, good and for everyone. That's what we want here.” - Owner Bouillon d'Amsterdam (Misset Horeca, 2025)
Arles - The Pipe
Arles is a modern bistro in De Pijp, run by chef Numa Muller who grew up in the city after which the restaurant is named. The menu changes monthly, a la carte or in a four- or five-course menu. The wine list focuses on the Loire, Burgundy and Provence, with many natural wines. Already awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018. Quiet street, warm interior, quality beyond price. - Govert Flinckstraat 251, De Pijp
Tannay - Center
Tannay is the Caron family's most recent restaurant, led by Burgundy chef Thomas Demuth. It sits on Realen Island in a landmark corner building with a waterfront terrace. The cuisine is classic French with a personal story: his parents own a vineyard in Tannay; their labels are on the menu. Wild duck in dough, hare à la royale, beets with Nantua sauce. Michelin-recommended. - Sand Corner 14, Realen Island, Center
“I cook like my mother cooked, but with everything I learned in the kitchens of Paris. That's the only way I know.” - Thomas Demuth, chef Tannay (Numéro Netherlands, 2025)
Café Caron - De Pijp
Café Caron is the family bistro of Alain Caron and his sons David and Tom, for years one of the regular French addresses in De Pijp. Frans Halsstraat, three courses for less than fifty euros, a warm atmosphere that reminds you faster of a Lyonese bouchon than an Amsterdam restaurant. Chef Roel Paping cooks with fresh seasonal produce. Michelin-recommended. - Frans Halsstraat 28, De Pijp
Le French Café - East/West
Le French Café is the French project of the 3WO group, the same people behind Waterkant and Bar Bukowski. Everyday French from morning to night: oysters, steak tartare, poussin, cheese board, natural wine. The interior does its best to be Parisian and actually succeeds. Now two establishments, the first on Javastraat in East, the second on Admiraal de Ruijterweg in West. - Javastraat 42, East | Admiraal de Ruijterweg, West
“We wanted a place that is open all day and where you can go for everything. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, a glass after work. French, but without the stiffness.” - Jeffrey Klepper, co-owner 3WO (The CaféKrant, 2023)
Café Parlotte - Jordaan
Parlotte is the sister of Café de Klepel, set up by the same team. A small wine bar-bistro on Westerstraat in the Jordaan, open from 4 pm. Oysters, charcuterie, cheeses, a daily changing three- or four-course menu. The tone is informal, the wine knowledge serious. Not a place to eat quickly, but a place to stay for a long time. - Westerstraat, Jordaan
Café de Klepel - Center
The Clapper is one of the best wine cafes in Amsterdam, with a menu that is almost entirely French. At night a chef's dinner of three or four courses that changes seasonally. Also open on weekends for lunch and now for Saturday reservations. Small space, full on reservations, a different menu every time. - Prinsenstraat 22, Center
“The wine list is our starting point. We look for the wines first and then cook the food to go with it. Not the other way around.” - Owner Café de Klepel (The Parole, 2022)
George W.P.A. - South
George W.P.A. positions itself as a New York bistro with French influences: duck confit, steak, club sandwich, extensive cocktail menu and a large sunny terrace on Willemsparkweg. Not a place for a serious French dinner but certainly for a long and delicious afternoon meal in the sun on one of the most beautiful streets in South. - Willemsparkweg 74, South
Lille - East
Lille is named after the Flemish name for Lille, and the cuisine is northern French-Flemish: hearty, direct, seasonal. The interior is understated, 1960s, white and blond wood. Open kitchen, long tables, little fuss. One of Amsterdam's most consistent addresses for years. - Marcus Street 52B, East
“We want people to just come here to eat. No posturing. Good product, fair price, nice company.” - Pieter Smits, owner Lille (NRC, 2019)
Ship's Camel - Center-East
Ship's Camel is not strictly speaking a French restaurant but deserves a place in this list because of its kinship with Lille and the quality of its cuisine. A former warehouse on the Navy Yard, European cuisine with vegetables central and côte de boeuf or whole sea bass to share. The wine list is entirely German. Gault-Millau recognized. - Kattenburgerstraat 7, Centrum-East
Cantine de Caron - Westerpark
Cantine de Caron is the Caron family's most relaxed restaurant, on the grounds of Westerpark. Perfect for a long summer lunch on the terrace or a group dinner with little fuss. French and informal, with the family's well-known quality. - Pazzanistraat 8, Westerpark
“Every place we open should feel like home. For ourselves and for the guest. That's what connects the Caron family.” - Alain Caron, chef-owner (FavorFlav, 2024)
Trump - East
Trump opened in 2023 East and has quickly earned a permanent home. Chef Raymond Plat - previously at restaurant 212 - cooks classic French with a personal twist. Langoustines with lardo and vin jaune, dishes that sound familiar but turn out differently than expected. Open kitchen, wine cellar, terrace in summer. Michelin-recommended. - Schollenbrugstraat 8, East
Brasserie Margaux - South
Brasserie Margaux is the sister of Café Garçon and opened on Beethovenstraat in Old South. Classic French brasserie with marble floor of twenty-two thousand hand-laid tiles, real silver cutlery and Limoges porcelain. Magret de canard, fruits de mer, crème brûlée. The wine cellar has three hundred bottles, including rare vintages and Margaux by the glass. - Beethoven Street 27A, South
“We wanted a brasserie that wouldn't look out of place in Paris. Everything had to be right, from the porcelain to the silver.” - Owner of Brasserie Margaux (Entree Magazine, 2024)
The Jeweler - Center
The Jeweler is the casual counterpart of restaurant 212, on the same Utrechtsestraat. À la carte, two floors, open kitchen, tile walls. The menu is compact and revolves around French classic with contemporary execution: kidneyties, oxtail, veal brains alongside oysters and tongue. No set menu, just choose what you like. - Utrechtsestraat 51, Center
Mont Blanc - The Pipe
Mont Blanc is the most specific restaurant on this list. Chef Thibault Casasole grew up in Haute-Savoie and cooks a tasting menu inspired by his native region. The cheese cart is perhaps the best in Amsterdam, taking up an entire wall. Warm, alpine atmosphere, serious cuisine, consistently one of the city's highest-rated restaurants. - Govert Flinckstraat 308H, De Pijp
“Savoy is not a well-known region to most people, but the ingredients, the wines, the techniques - that's a world unto itself. That's what I want to show.” - Thibault Casasole, chef Mont Blanc (Gault-Millau, 2025)
Amsterdam now has plenty of French restaurants for every mood and budget. Those who want classic food go to Auberge or Café Caron. Who wants a tasting menu: Mont Blanc or Tannay. Who wants to stretch out the evening: Bisous. Those who just want to eat well without thinking too much: Trump or The Jeweler. And for those who don't yet know the Caron family: start at Café Caron and work your way up from there.