After 85 years spent serving musicians, concertgoers, and residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the art museums and Concertgebouw, this half restaurant, half café-bodega has evolved into something as familiar and comfortable as an old shoe. You can come at almost any hour for a simple drink or a full meal. The interior is paneled with dark wood, the lights are dim, and Oriental rugs cover the tables. The menu is equally traditional - among the meat and fish selections are tournedos and sole meunière - though it may also include a more adventurous ris de veau (veal sweetbreads) with orange and green pepper sauce or fricassee of veal with nut-basil sauce. AE, DC, MC, V.

Brasserie van Baerle
Van Baerlestraat 158, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/679-1532
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Eclectic

Begun as a neighborhood lunch and Sunday brunch restaurant, this bright, appealing spot with an uncomplicated European modern decor now draws late diners who come in following performances at the nearby Concertgebouw. The chef's creativity is the main attraction. Imaginative dishes include spicy Asian salads and duck in truffle sauce. There is outdoor dining in good weather. The brasserie also serves vegetarian fare. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sat. and Dec. 25-Jan. 2.

Café Americain
American Hotel, Leidsekade 97, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/556-3000
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Cafes

Though thousands of buildings in Amsterdam are designated as historic monuments, the one that houses this restaurant is the only structure whose interior, an Art Nouveau treasure designed by Kromhout, is also protected. Opened in 1902 and said to have been the venue for Mata Hari's wedding reception, the Café Americain is a hybrid restaurant-café serving everything from light snacks to full dinners. To one side are formal tables draped with white linens, where traditional entrées such as medallions of beef with béarnaise sauce are served; to the other side are tiny bare-top tables, perfect for a quick coffee and pastry. There is a well-stocked salad buffet. AE, DC, MC, V.

Caffe Esprit
Spui 10, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/622-1967
Under EUR16
Amsterdam
Contemporary

Clean-cut and popular, this restaurant has tall windows that overlook the busy Spui square; the decor is simple black, white, and gray, with just a handful of small tables and a small counter to take care of overflow. The menu is contemporary American, with choices such as a Surf Burger garnished with avocado and bacon or a Yankee Doodle sandwich (a crisp roll with pastrami, mustard, mayonnaise, and grilled paprika). Salads include Popeye's Favorite Salad - wild Italian spinach, bacon, croutons, mushrooms, and egg, with warm tarragon vinaigrette. There are also pastas, pizzas, standard sandwiches, and a children's menu. Reservations not accepted. AE, DC, MC, V.

Christophe
Leliegracht 46, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/625-0807
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
French

After Algerian-born Christophe Royer opened his eet tempel (eating temple) on a small canal between the Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht in the 1980s, he and his French kitchen staff quickly became recognized for their fine French cuisine with Arabic and African influences. The constantly changing menu may include crevettes à l'orange (shrimp with orange sauce) or pigeon à la marocaine (pigeon cooked with coriander and other tangy spices); there is also a selection of vegetarian dishes, including a delicious artichoke with cumin. Not only is the menu special, but so are Christophe's welcoming atmosphere and personalized service. Reservations essential. Jacket advised. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch. Closed Sun.-Mon.

D' Theeboom
Singel 210, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/623-8420
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
French

The menu here offers you a royal choice of mouthwatering and original French haute cuisine for a surprisingly low price. The interior is sparsely but stylishly furnished, and the atmosphere is sophisticatedly smart. This is one of the few restaurants where you can linger over a long lunch during the week. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed lunch weekends and Mon.

D'Vijff Vlieghen
Spuistraat 294-302, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-8369
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
Continental

Dining in a traditional canal-house environment is part of the Amsterdam experience, though you are more likely to find yourself seated among closely packed tables of Swedes and Japanese than among Dutch diners. But don't let that stop you; the "Five Flies" is a charming spot that in the 1950s and 1960s was frequented by the likes of Walt Disney and Orson Welles. Set in five adjoining houses that date from 1627, the restaurant incorporates a series of small, timbered dining rooms, each well adorned with mementoes and bric-a-brac, ranging from music boxes, liqueur kegs, and violin cases to two etchings by Rembrandt. The kitchen, long a bastion of traditional Dutch meat-and-potatoes cooking, now serves such dishes as suckling pig cutlets coated in pastry and grilled halibut with a mussel ragout. AE, DC, MC, V.

De Belhamel
Brouwersgracht 60, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/622-1095
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Continental

A stunning Art Deco interior and a fine view down the Herengracht set the tone for a well-prepared and attentively served dinner. In winter the emphasis is on hearty game dishes such as hart with a red wine and shallot sauce. In summer you can sample lighter fare. AE, MC, V. No lunch.

De Oesterbar
Leidseplein 10, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/623-2988
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
Seafood

"The Oyster Bar" is a local institution. It's the first place to think of when you hanker for a half-dozen oysters fresh from the Oosterschelde or the simply prepared catch of the day. The choices are straightforward: grilled, baked, or fried fish served with tartar sauce, potatoes, and salad. Live lobster is also available in season. The no-nonsense room on the main floor has a small bar at the back, with white tile walls incorporating nautical murals and a long row of eerily lighted fish tanks along one side. In the upstairs dining room, the mood is oddly bordellolike, with elaborately patterned wallpaper and an assortment of innocuous paintings on the walls. Reservations essential. AE, MC, V.

De Silveren Spieghel
Kattengat 4-6, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-6589
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
Continental

This intimate restaurant is in a delightfully crooked 17th-century house. The cuisine is the New Dutch cuisine and uses the best of local ingredients, including lamb from the island of Texel and the honey of Amsterdam's Vondelpark. The seasonal game dishes are always worth trying, especially those that come with rose-petal sauce, and the fixed-price menus represent excellent value for the money. Reservations essential. AE, MC, V. Closed Sun. Lunch by appointment (phone a day ahead).

Dorrius
Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre Nieuwezijds Voorburgal 5, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/420-2224
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Dutch

This 1890s restaurant was transplanted a hundred years later - dark-wood paneling, leather wallpaper, leaded glass, and all - to two 17th-century commercial buildings flanked by the Crowne Plaza hotel. Dorrius was known in its original incarnation for heavy Dutch favorites like the pea soup or the sauerkraut with seven "garnishes" (among them bacon, veal, lamb and pork sausages, frankfurters, and black pudding). The new chef prepares these dishes but also turns out (relatively) lighter Dutch-influenced French fare and even some vegetarian entrées. Start your meal off with some dry young jenever (Dutch gin) and finish with "sop in the pan" - bread soaked in milk and eggs, fried in butter, topped with cinnamon and sugar, and served with ice cream. Then bike through Amsterdam to work off you meal. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V.

Dynasty
Reguliersdwarsstraat 30, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/626-8400
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Pan-Asian

At this trendy, interesting spot, the decor is a fanciful mating of Asian and Art Deco. A mural in red, white, and black encircles the room, and dozens of amber and dove-gray Chinese paper umbrellas hang upended from the ceiling. Chef Lai-Ky's menu is as fascinating as the decor: The medley of Asian cuisines includes authentically prepared, classic Chinese dishes, such as Three Meats in Harmony, and selections from the cuisines of Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, such as succulent duck and lobster on a bed of watercress. There are two fixed-price menus. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch. Closed Tues.

Excelsior
Hotel de L'Europe, Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/531-1777
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
French

The Excelsior's view over the Amstel River, to the Muntplein on one side and the Music Theater on the other, is the best in Amsterdam. The dining room is a gracious, chandeliered hall with plenty of room for diners, waiters, dessert trolleys, preparation carts, towering palms, tall candelabra, and a grand piano. The approach is traditional French with a twist: you might choose a lobster bisque or an adventurous dish such as grilled turbot with shrimp and Parmesan risotto. For dessert, try the delicious lemon tart or poached figs. There are five fixed-price menus. Jacket required. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch Sat.-Sun.

The Goodies
Huidenstraat 9, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/625-6122
EUR16 to EUR25
Amsterdam
Cafes

Fresh homemade pastas, healthy salads, and simple but tasty meat and fish are the secret of this spaghetteria's success. During the day the restaurant is a popular café serving filling sandwiches on Italian farmer's bread, salads, and deliciously thick fruit shakes. AE, DC, MC, V.

Het Gasthuys
Grimburgwal 7, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-8230
Under EUR16
Amsterdam
Continental

In this bustling restaurant near the university you'll be served handsome portions of traditional Dutch home cooking, choice cuts of meat with excellent fries, and piles of mixed salad. Sit at the bar or take a table high up in the rafters at the back. In summer you can watch the passing boats from an enchanting canal-side terrace. No credit cards. No dinner.

Kantjil en de Tijger
Spuistraat 291/293, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/620-0994
Under EUR25
Amsterdam
Indonesian

This lively Indonesian restaurant is a favorite with the locals and near the bars on the Spui. The menu is based on three different rijsttafel, with a profusion of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes varying in flavor from coconut-milk sweetness to peppery hot. Alternatively you can select separate dishes to create your own feast. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Le Garage
Ruysdaelstraat 54, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/679-7176
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
Contemporary

On April 1, 1990, a backstreet garage near the Concertgebouw began a new lease on life. Oil stains and engine parts had given way to mirrored walls, plush seating, and clinking cutlery. Chef Joop Braakhekke, who is famed in the Netherlands as the zany presenter of a TV cooking show, mixes superb New Dutch cuisine with a few old family recipes, such as eel stewed with raisins, barley, and herbs. Media stars, politicians, and leading lights in the Dutch art world eat here, making this a hot spot for celebrity-spotters. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

Lom Pura
Rozengracht 46-48, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/623-8950
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
Indonesian

This is Indonesian cuisine at its best. Treat yourself to a Selamatan Puri Gede, more than 15 succulently spicy dishes served with rice. The waiters wear sarongs, and the restaurant is decorated with silky fabrics and colorful parasols. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Lucius
Spuistraat 247, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-1831
Over EUR25
Amsterdam
Seafood

The plain setting and the simple service belie the fact that this is one of the best fish restaurants in town. On the exclusively marine menu, your choices range from grilled lobster to more adventurous creations such as sea bass with buckwheat noodles and mushrooms. You can also opt to have any fish available cooked to your taste. The wine list includes a good selection from California and even a Dutch wine from Apostlehoeve in Limburg province, the country's only vineyard. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Mangerie De Kersentuin
Dijsselhofplantsoen 7, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/664-2121
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
French

The name of this cheerful, high-ceiling restaurant means "cherry orchard," and it signals the color scheme that extends from the dinnerware to the decor. It is a good place for a leisurely meal. Although there are large windows overlooking a residential street, the focal point is the kitchen, open behind glass panels. As you dine, you can watch chef Michel Vander Kroft and his staff prepare French dishes with a Far Eastern twist, such as perch flavored with coconut and spicy Thai sauce, or calves' sweetbreads marinated in soy sauce and ginger. Jacket and tie. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch Sat. Closed Sun.

Pier 10
De Ruyterkade Steiger 10, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-8276
EUR25 to EUR34
Amsterdam
Eclectic

This intimate restaurant, perched on the end of a pier behind Centraal Station, was built in the 1930s as a shipping office. Ask for a table in the tiny glass-enclosed room at the far end of the restaurant, where you can see the water lap gently beneath the windows and the harbor lights twinkle in the distance. Owner-chef Steve Muzerie sometimes comes up with odd combinations, such as licorice mousse with a sauce made from advocaat (a liqueur made with beaten egg yolks, sugar, and spirit), but his culinary inventions are usually delicious. Try the goose with wild mushrooms, or a gigantic Caesar salad. Reservations essential. AE, MC, V.

Rose's Cantina
Reguliersdwarsstraat 38, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/625-9797
EUR16 to EUR34
Amsterdam
Tex-Mex

A perennial favorite of the sparkling set, this restaurant serves up spicy Tex-Mex food and lethal cocktails. The noise level can be lethal, too. Pop in for a full meal or sundowner. In summer you can sit in the gardens facing the backs of the stately mansions on the Herengracht. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Sama Sebo
P.C. Hoofstraat 27, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/662-8146
EUR25 to EUR34
Amsterdam
Indonesian

Come to this small, busy, and relaxed neighborhood Indonesian restaurant near the Rijksmuseum and Museumplein for a rijsttafel feast with myriad small dishes, a simple bami goreng (spicy fried rice with vegetables), or a lunch of nasi goreng (spicy fried noodles with vegetables). The colors are muted tans and browns with rush mats covering the walls. When things are busy, the restaurant can be cramped. AE, DC, MC, V.

Sluizer
Utrechtsestraat 43-45, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/622-6376 (meat); 020/626-3557 (fish)
Over EUR16
Amsterdam
Continental

Sluizer is really two side-by-side restaurants with a bistrolike atmosphere - one serves only meat, the other only fish. Both are simply decorated and unpretentious; both are known for good food that is prepared without a lot of fanfare or creativity; both are reasonably priced; and, not surprisingly, both are crowded every night. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

't Swarte Schaep
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/622-3021
Over EUR34
Amsterdam
French

This cozy upstairs restaurant overlooking the noisy Leidseplein is named for a legendary black sheep that roamed the area in the 17th century. It's a study in traditional Dutch decor, with copper pots hanging from the wooden beams and heavily framed paintings on the walls. Together with this Old Holland atmosphere, the excellent French cuisine - which includes chateaubriand with béarnaise sauce and lobster mousse with asparagus salad - sometimes attracts members of the Dutch royal family during their visits to the capital. Dinner orders are accepted until 11 - late even for Amsterdam. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V.

Toscanini
Lindengracht 75, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/623-2813
EUR25 to EUR34
Amsterdam
Italian

This cavernous, noisy Italian restaurant is very popular with local trendies. The food is superb, and all prepared at the last minute. You'll find pasta with game sauce, subtle fresh fish dishes, such as trout with fresh basil, and other delights, as well as such familiar favorites as the antipasti, which are scrumptious here. Reservations essential. No credit cards. Closed Sun. No lunch.

Van Puffelen
Prinsengracht 375-377, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: 020/624-6270
EUR25 to EUR34
Amsterdam
Contemporary

This traditional restaurant and proeverij (tasting house) is on a quiet section of the Prinsengracht, with a terrace. On one side is the proeverij with a large selection of traditional Dutch jenever for you to sample. The bustling, popular restaurant has classic late-19th-century fittings and fills with locals every night of the week. If it's too noisy, you can escape to the more secluded and intimate mezzanine floor. Starters include goat cheese salad; the fish or meat main course or daily special might be braised duck's breast with passion-fruit sauce. Red meat tends to be delivered rare, so let them know if you prefer medium to well-done. Service is alert, and there is an excellent and reasonably priced wine list. A limited lunch is served, in the bar, on weekends only. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekdays.