If you are vegetarian, there are two restaurants that you should consider visiting: De Bolhoed Health Food Restaurant at Prinsengracht 60 (Jordaan) and Vegetarisch Restaurant De Waaghals at Nes 102 .

A couple of restaurants that are a little out-of-the-ordinary are 1e Klas (First Class), in the former turn-of-the-century first-class waiting room of Centraal Station, Platform 2b and In De Waag, Nieuwmarkt which is located in an amazing medieval Weigh House.

Hoppe, Spui 18-20, is popular with business people on their way home from work; it is also an Amsterdam institution dating, allegedly, from 1670. However, the title of oldest café in Amsterdam is reserved for Café Chris, Bloemstraat 42, which has been a tap house since 1624.

Cafe Luxembourg, Spuistraat 22, is very elegant with its high ceilings, but it is also very trendy - this is definitely the place to be seen. If you like to drink cocktails surrounded by parrots, head for Rum Runners, Prinsengracht 277. For a quiet glass of whisky, stop off at Cafe de Stil, Spuistraat 326, which has over 150 varieties on display. De Kroon, Rembrandtplein 17, has a balcony overlooking the square.

The Schiller Bar, Rembrandtplein 26, is a reminder of how the square looked in Art Deco times. De Reiger is a very popular brown cafe at Nieuwe Leliestraat 34 in the Jordaan district. For late night drinking, visit Koophandel at Bloemgracht 49.