*Travel Tips>>>Netherlands Travel Tips

Baby-friendly restaurants in Amsterdam?

Travel Info
In a few weeks we are off to Amsterdam for a couple of days, bringing our 18month old son.
I was just wondering if anyone knew the general attitude to taking little ones into restaurants? Do most places have high chairs? Any articular recommendations or places to avoid would be great too.
thanks!

Travel Tips

Going out for dinner with little kids is not as common as in the US. Dinner in a restaurant is regarded as a social event not merely to get a bite to eat. This means that it will take a lot longer than in the US, eating (and talking) in a restaurant for 2-4 hours is not uncommon. Service is adapted to that pace, so won't be quick. So bringing kids to a restaurant is a bit of a challenge because the kids don't have the patience for this (also the restaurants don't provide distractions like crayons). Consequently you won't see many children in restaurants.

Now this doesn't mean that people won't be helpful, they will, however I wouldn't count on high chairs, and I would count on slower service than in the US. Also non-smoking sections may not be as clearly separated as they are in the US. If you prepare for this and are able to improvise (e.g. put the child on your lap, bring your own diversions for the kid), you will have a good time eating out in Amsterdam.

It's been a while since I have been in a restaurant in Amsterdam so I cannot give any specific recommendations.
Others

I never went with children to Amsterdam, but in general Dutch people are very child-friendly. Avoid the red light streets though.
I have been to Holland quite a lot as I have family out there granted my granddaughters are a little big for highchairs now being in their teens but as a general rule you Will find the dutch very helpful a bit of advice though when going out to eat in Amsterdam when you come out of central station the road directly ahead of you called damark you cant miss it it is a very wide road don't go to the restaurants here they are tourist traps go a little further into Amsterdam into some of the side streets you will get a much better meal and better service Amsterdam is a very safe city to be in and you will find the majority of people very helpful
I'm from Amsterdam and i can definitely recommend the Amsterdam beach - yep, they've created one and it's wicked... Very chilled out and a nice bar / cafe (Cantina Mobile - tapas etc) where you can get food and drinks while kids can play on the beach. Could only find dutch websites but try this link:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/eur...
If there is a macaroni grill there, I would recommend it.

Yes indeed, they are very friendly people.

[assuming you have never been there]

It's mostly Italian food.
http://www.macaronigrill.com/home/defaul...
Hi, I don't live in Amsterdam, but i do live in Den Haag with a little toddler, and I can say that eating out here has been a bit of a nightmare. Even though you see lots of families eating out - it seemed to me that it is easier if you speak Dutch (which I don't).

What we did to get round all this is the following, it will be easier for you if your baby isn't walking yet.

We used to go earlier to the restaurants - circa 4.30pm onwards, as if you go later without booking, it takes ages to get served and it gets really smokey etc.

There are very few toilets anywhere - when you find a store that has them, remember where they were - there is a couple of times I've had to change a soiled nappy down a side street as I cannot find a toilet. Totally different from the UK where every town has at least 2 baby changing areas in each shopping mall.

Go to restaurants that have outside eating areas, its less stressful when your baby is running around outside, and there is a more relaxed feeling all round.

Before you go into a restaurant, see if it has highchairs - if not, then it is not baby friendly. We did that a couple of times with me holding our daughter on my lap - she just wanted to wriggle and run around (at that age they are so curious). We got a few 'looks' from other diners.

Take your buggy with you as an emergency chair to use. Take food that you know your son likes, so that you can keep him fed while you are waiting for your own meals (whcih can sometimes take ages to get to the table!).

Take toys that will hold his attention for a couple of hours - a lot of the more chain type of restaurants will give you paper and pencils to draw etc, but I found it just didn't hold our daughters attention for more than 5 minutes.

Don't get stressed if your son plays up - kids do, and if you find people staring at you (they seem to do that here) then just stare back until they drop their gaze - you will find this less in Amsterdam as it is a more touristy city.

Definately stay away from the tourist traps outside central station. If you go further towards the town centre you will go along a street called Muntplein, where there is a V&D department store (they do a great sandwhich here for lunchtime and they have high chairs and healthy smoothies etc for kiddies!!!! - Also they have toilets but bring 30 cents with you to pay. In fact, bring lots of change with you as most toilets charge. Usually there is an attendant outside.

Amsterdam is a great city, and really friendly, but just plan a little bit to have a good time with children.

PS - the baby changing areas at Schipol airport are in the disabled toilets!