Dutch food doesn't have the global fame of French or Italian cooking, but it hides an impressive amount of comfort food that genuinely warms you up. Dutch pancakes the size of dinner plates, stroopwafels that only reach their best when eaten warm, and soused herring that the Dutch treat as a national treasure. Canal-side restaurants in Giethoorn fill up fast at lunchtime — book ahead or arrive before noon.
#1 Dutch Pancake (Pannenkoek)
Pannenkoek differs from an American pancake in three ways: thinner, softer, and large enough to fill an entire plate. The tradition in the Netherlands goes back several hundred years. You can order sweet — drizzled with stroop (Dutch cane syrup) — or savory, with bacon, Gouda, and onion. Most restaurants in Giethoorn serve it as a main course, priced around €12–16. One pancake is a full meal.
- Try ordering spek (bacon) and stroop together — the salt-sweet combination is a very Dutch thing and genuinely works.
- Skip restaurants with tourist-photo menus. Local spots tend to make thinner, fresher batter.
- Order appelflap (apple juice) alongside — it's a classic Dutch pairing that kids and adults have eaten together for generations.
#2 Stroopwafel
The Netherlands' most famous export in snack form: two thin waffle discs sandwiched together with thick, sticky caramel syrup (stroop). The authentic Dutch way to eat one is to balance it on top of a hot coffee or tea, wait 1–2 minutes for the steam to soften the syrup inside, then eat it immediately. The difference in taste compared to a packaged supermarket stroopwafel is not subtle — a freshly made one from a market stall is in a different category entirely.
- Buy from a fresh market stall rather than a pre-packaged bag. The markets in nearby Steenwijk and Meppel have them made daily.
- Temperature is everything. Always rest the stroopwafel on your hot drink before eating. Cold, it doesn't compare.
- They travel well as gifts — buy the sealed tin version to keep them fresh for the journey home.
#3 Poffertjes
Mini pancakes, roughly coin-sized, made with a yeast-leavened batter that makes them puffier and fluffier than a regular pancake. Served with melted butter and powdered sugar (poedersuiker) in portions of around 15–20 pieces. They're cooked in a cast-iron pan with small round wells that require some skill to flip cleanly. Good stalls make them in front of you — the smell of butter and yeast batter is hard to walk past. You find them most at weekend markets and summer festivals.
- Eat them straight off the plate. Poffertjes lose their charm fast when they cool down — don't leave them sitting.
- Add fresh strawberries or whipped cream if the stall offers it. It's an optional upgrade worth taking.
- A plate runs €4–7, which is cheap by Dutch food-stall standards. Good snack to grab between sights.
#4 Bitterballen
The Dutch bar snack standard: crispy breadcrumb-coated balls, each one filled with a hot, creamy ragout of beef or chicken that's rich and well-seasoned. The traditional pairing is Dijon mustard — not as a garnish but as a dip with every bite. The name bitterballen comes from the habit of eating them with beer or jenever (Dutch gin), which the Dutch call bitters. The filling is extremely hot right out of the oil — wait before biting in.
- Wait 2–3 minutes after they arrive before biting in. The filling holds heat far longer than the outside suggests and will burn your mouth if you rush.
- Dip in Dijon mustard every single bite — that's not just optional, it's how the Dutch actually eat them.
- Order alongside a local beer like Heineken or Grolsch. It's the classic Friday-evening combo Dutch people have been doing for years.
#5 Hollandse Nieuwe Soused Herring
Hollandse Nieuwe — fresh Dutch soused herring — is a point of national pride in the Netherlands. The herring is caught in May and June, then salt-cured immediately at sea on the boat without any heat. The result is a texture closer to sashimi than to what most people picture when they hear 'pickled fish': soft, mild, and fresh-tasting. The traditional way to eat it is to hold the fish by the tail and lower it into your mouth, or to get it chopped with raw onion and pickled gherkin in a soft bread roll — that's called a broodje haring.
- Vlaggetjesdag (Herring Flag Day) in June marks the first catch of the new season — that's when the herring is at its freshest and mildest all year.
- If the whole-fish version feels like too much of a leap, order a broodje haring sandwich first. The flavour is gentler and easier to approach.
- Fish stalls in the Steenwijk market near Giethoorn sell it for €3–5, which is considerably cheaper than in Amsterdam.
#6 Gouda Cheese
The Netherlands' most exported cheese and one of the most recognised in the world. Named after the city of Gouda but produced throughout the country. The flavour depends entirely on how long it has been aged: jong (young, 4 weeks — mild and slightly sweet), belegen (aged 4–8 months — balanced and nutty), through to oud (old, 1–2 years — intense, slightly crumbly, with salt crystals). Gouda bought at a local Dutch shop is in a different league from what gets exported abroad. Eat it with bread, mustard, and dried fruit — a classic Dutch breakfast or snack.
- Always ask to taste before buying. Dutch cheese shops give free samples of every variety as standard — compare jong and oud side by side before deciding.
- Belegen (4–8 months) is the middle ground most people land on: balanced between mild and sharp.
- Buy at a local cheese shop or market rather than the airport — significantly cheaper, and vacuum-sealed portions travel home easily.
Where to stay in Giethoorn for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Giethoorn — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
De Dames Van De Jonge Hotel Restaurant
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Hotel B&B d'Olde Smidse
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De Kruumte
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Hotel de Harmonie
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Tours, tickets & activities in Giethoorn
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Before You Pack
Restaurants in Giethoorn are few and priced above average because of the tourist location. If you want better value, drive to the nearby village of Blokzijl or the town of Steenwijk — both have more genuine local spots at more reasonable prices.