Traveling to the Netherlands for vacation, study abroad or work should be an exciting experience, not one riddled with worry because you’re gluten free. Fortunately, the Netherlands — and Amsterdam more specifically — is a near-worry-free destination for gluten free travelers.
I didn’t go hungry and I didn’t get sick. And I didn’t have to work too hard to find safe food, either. That’s a win in this celiac’s book.
My guide to some highlights in and around Amsterdam will give you some ideas of restaurants to look for, but more importantly, how to search for them yourself, since places are always changing.
It’s more important to understand HOW to find gluten free in another country than it is necessarily to look for a specific PLACE. You never know where your travels will take you, or what new restaurants and bakeries have popped up since the last post you read.
You know the old expression, “give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.” Yeah, it’s like that.
Finding Gluten Free Food in the Netherlands
Learning the Language
First things first. The word for gluten-free in Dutch is “glutenvrij”. It looks very similar to our English term, so it’s easy to identify. Unfortunately, as in other parts of Europe (and increasingly in the U.S.), gluten-free is not the same as wheat-free anymore.
If you have a wheat allergy or are avoiding “gluten free” wheat starch, you also need to be sure the “gluten-free” food does not contain wheat starch, or “tarwezetmeel”. Ask for wheat-free: “tarwevrij”.
Incidentally, to ask for dairy-free, it’s “zuivelvrij,” but mostly you’ll see it written on menus and packaging there as lactose-free: “lactosevrij.”
I share these translations with you so you can familiarize yourself with the words when you see them, and more quickly identify safe foods. You will still need to ensure that there is no cross-contact, so Google Translate will come in handy if they do not speak English. Download a Dutch Restaurant Card here which will make this communication easier.
Another thing to look out for is that in the Netherlands, as with the rest of Europe, beers may be labeled “gluten free” that are not naturally gluten free. U.S. labeling regulations forbid this crossover labeling, only allowing naturally gluten free beers to be labeled “gluten free,” but in Europe, “gluten free” beer can also mean gluten reduced, i.e. made from barley and possibly wheat (both gluten).
How to Find Safe Gluten Free Food in the Netherlands
You know from my other travel posts that I always start my search for gluten free restaurants with the Gluten Dude App. I know I can trust the places listed because the Gluten Dude App is built, run, and maintained by a celiac like me.
If you would like to download this app for yourself, a lifetime subscription is normally $149, but by using THIS LINK, it’s only $99!
I also use the Find Me Gluten Free App. It’s been around awhile and the user-generated listings are more voluminous, but not vetted. You have to really read through the reviews to be sure of what you’re getting, but it’s a great place to cross-reference.
Finally, I also open Google Maps and type in “gluten free restaurants near me” and it will pull up a map of options with reviews based upon where you are at that moment. It’s also review-based, so you have to read the reviews to be sure the places are good, but often there are new restaurants added there first. (You can see how helpful Google Maps can be in my Gluten Free in Paris post, my Gluten Free in London post, and my Gluten Free in Copenhagen post).
I found this great spot in Haarlem called Woodstone Pizza and Wine using these apps and Google Maps. (Incidentally, Haarlem is adorable!!)
Based upon the reviews (and my questions at the restaurant, of course!), I felt confident enough to order their gluten free and vegan cheese pizza.
The Dutch Coeliac Society (NCV) maintains a website also offers a map and list of gluten-free inspected restaurants. This is a great place to start if you know your itinerary and can plan around your meals.
A Dutch App called Glutenvrije Horeca is also available (use Google Translate) to find these restaurants more easily on your phone.
You also may happen upon one of these restaurants bearing the NCV seal (“Lekker Glutenvrij quality mark”) — lucky you!
Even if you find yourself at a restaurant without a gluten free mark or menu, my experience was that most were able to offer gluten free bread or at least a safe salad. Don’t be afraid to share your dietary restrictions and ask about options.
While the Dutch were all over veganism and vegetarian options abounded, traditional foods there often involve cheese and/or fried food, so choose a restaurant which has a different focus to give yourself more options.
At this Amsterdam restaurant, for example, vegan and vegetarian options were designated, but no mention of gluten free was on the menu. When asked though, they had gluten free bread and were happy to prepare a vegan sandwich for me on gluten free bread using safe measures to keep the foods separate from gluten.
There were also plenty of places I wandered by with “gluten-free” proudly emblazoned on their signs.
Supermarkets also have lots of gluten free options in the Netherlands, as they do in the U.S., but you’ll have an easier time of finding specialized gluten free foods at health stores like Ekoplaza and Holland & Barrett (called “reformwinkel” or “natuurvoedingswinkel”).
Naturally gluten free local specialities like GIANT meringues can be found on nearly every Amsterdam corner. These were seriously as big as Kaiser rolls. Some contained dairy, but all were gluten free and were labeled as such.
Other traditional treats called “Peppernuts” are definitely not gluten free, but in several dedicated Peppernut stores I found gluten free options for these gingersnap-like cookies.
Traditional and ubiquitous Danish pancakes aren’t gluten-free either, but many restaurants offer gluten-free versions.
Farther out of Amsterdam and the metropolitan areas it can be more difficult to find gluten free options in regular restaurants, but if you stick to cuisines that normally don’t contain (much) gluten, you’ll do just fine. We had sushi one night in Zaanse Schans when we couldn’t find any place else to eat, and they went above and beyond to ensure it was gluten free. On another night in Amsterdam, I enjoyed one of the best Thai meals I’ve ever had.
If you’d like to go there yourself, reserve a table at Krua Thai Classic in Amsterdam!
A trip to the Netherlands is well worth it for so many reasons, including the gluten-free fare! I’d love to hear of any favorite restaurants or bakeries you’ve visited!
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