Van Kerkwijk

Far from the bustle of Dam Square, though really just a few strides away, on one of Amsterdam's most charming streets. Airy by day, romantic and candle-lit by night, it's equally good for group chats or tête-a-têtes. Lunch brings sandwiches and the evening more substantial food, though the emphasis is as much on genteel drinking. (Beware the near-vertical stairs leading down to the bar toilets, which have claimed more than their share of drunk tourists.)