Amsterdam: Dutch Bitterballen and Croquette Tasting

Step into Amsterdam’s railway past for a snack.

This one-hour tasting takes place inside Grand Café Restaurant 1e Klas, a handsome former first-class waiting room at Amsterdam Centraal. I like the unusual setting, where Pierre Cuypers’s 19th-century station design gives a simple snack tasting real atmosphere. I also like the chance to sample six different fillings instead of ordering one familiar plate of bitterballen. The main drawback is value: at $15, the food is reasonably priced, but drinks are not included, and the portion may feel small if you arrive hungry.

You’ll also need to find the restaurant inside a busy station, then use the staircase in the Cuypers Hall to reach platform 2B. The setting is worth the effort, but service can be uneven. Some diners received a warm welcome and quick explanations, while others found the arrival less friendly or the meal slow.

Key points at a glance

• Six Dutch snacks in one sitting: Try veal, Peking duck, and Thai green curry bitterballen, plus cheese and arugula, chicken satay, and shrimp croquettes.
• A former first-class waiting room: The restaurant occupies a restored room dating from the late 19th century, complete with old railway details.
• A Pierre Cuypers connection: The station’s architect also designed the Rijksmuseum, giving the meal a useful link to Amsterdam’s major art museum.
• A central but easy-to-miss location: Enter Amsterdam Centraal at Stationsplein 15, find the Cuypers Hall, and take the stairs to platform 2B.
• One hour, with flexible cancellation: The experience lasts about an hour, and you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
• Drinks need checking: Table water is included, but the tasting information also lists beer, wine, and soft drinks separately, so confirm the current drink arrangement before ordering.

Finding Grand Café Restaurant 1e Klas at Amsterdam Centraal

Amsterdam Centraal is not just a transport hub here. It is the first part of the experience.

The restaurant is at Stationsplein 15, inside the central station. Look for the Cuypers Hall, named for Pierre Cuypers, and use the staircase there to reach the former first-class area on platform 2B. The activity begins and ends at the restaurant, so you do not need to arrange transport between stops.

Give yourself a few extra minutes to get oriented. Amsterdam Centraal has many entrances, signs, platforms, and passengers moving in every direction. The restaurant is not simply a café beside the station entrance. You need to reach the correct internal area, and the instructions specifically ask you to find the floor manager when you arrive.

That small detail matters. If you arrive at the appointed time and immediately tell the staff you are there for the tasting, the start should be smoother. The experience lasts only one hour, so losing ten minutes to station navigation is a real loss.

The location is ideal if you are already using Amsterdam Centraal. You can fit the tasting before a train, after arriving in the city, or between walks around the old center. I would not make a special cross-city trip just for the food alone, but the combination of snack tasting and architecture makes the stop more worthwhile.

Why the 1885 setting matters

The restaurant occupies the old first-class waiting rooms of Amsterdam Centraal. The building dates from 1885, and the restored railway details help you picture a time when train travel was divided sharply by class.

Look for the preserved sign showing waiting times. Details like this give the room more character than an ordinary modern restaurant. You are not eating beside a platform in a generic station food court. You are sitting in a formal room designed for passengers who once had time, money, and a separate place to wait for their train.

Pierre Cuypers designed Amsterdam Central Station between 1881 and 1889. He also designed the Rijksmuseum, which creates a nice architectural link between two of Amsterdam’s major sights. Even if you are not interested in architecture, the connection gives you something useful to notice during the meal.

The room has an old-fashioned, grand style. One diner described it as colonial in feel, while others praised its beautiful design and atmosphere from days gone by. The exact impression will depend on where you sit, but the setting is clearly the strongest part of the experience for many people.

The Guardian has named the restaurant among Europe’s top ten station restaurants. That claim is part of the restaurant’s appeal, but I would treat it as a reason to look around, not as a guarantee of a perfect meal. The food is casual. The room is the special part.

A quirky extra may be Elvis, a resident bird mentioned in several enthusiastic accounts. The descriptions vary between cockatiel and cockatoo, so do not book the tasting expecting an animal show. If Elvis is present, the bird adds a bit of personality to an already unusual place.

Six fillings, from veal to Thai green curry

The tasting brings six different Dutch snacks to your table. You receive a veal bitterbal, Peking duck bitterbal, Thai green curry bitterbal, cheese and arugula croquette, chicken satay croquette, and shrimp croquette.

This is more useful than tasting six nearly identical fried bites. The filling changes from snack to snack, so you get a small tour of both traditional and modern Dutch flavors.

A bitterbal is a small, round, fried snack with a savory filling. A croquette is usually longer and more cylindrical, though both are coated and fried until crisp. The outside gives you the familiar crunch, while the filling carries the main difference.

The veal bitterbal is the traditional reference point in the selection. Start with this one if you want to understand the classic style before moving to the more unusual fillings. Peking duck and Thai green curry push the format in an international direction, showing how Dutch snack culture borrows flavors from elsewhere.

The croquettes add another set of contrasts. Cheese and arugula should appeal to anyone who prefers a vegetarian option, although the supplied information does not confirm whether every ingredient meets a particular dietary standard. Chicken satay brings a familiar Indonesian influence, while shrimp gives the plate a seafood choice.

You receive written gastronomic information about the different items. That sheet is useful because it lets you match each snack with its filling instead of trying to guess after the first bite. Staff are also expected to explain the dishes, though the quality of that interaction may vary with the pace of the restaurant.

I would treat this as a tasting rather than a full lunch. Six pieces may satisfy you as a snack, especially with a drink, but the portion may not be enough if you skipped breakfast or plan to walk all afternoon. The restaurant also serves other food, including soup, so you can order more if needed.

What the food and service are really like

The strongest food comments describe the selection as interesting, delicious, and full of excellent flavors. The varied fillings are the point, and the tasting works best if you enjoy trying different combinations rather than expecting a gourmet meal.

Some diners found the bitterballen merely okay. That is a fair warning. Fried snacks are comforting, but they are still fried snacks. The food is fun and distinctive, not a substitute for a long restaurant meal built around several courses.

Service receives a mixed but generally positive assessment. Many people found the staff friendly, professional, and helpful. One particularly warm Filipino waitress was praised for her charm and humor. Other accounts describe slow service, a cool welcome on arrival, or staff who were polite without adding much explanation.

This inconsistency may reflect the restaurant’s dual role. It is both a booked tasting venue and a functioning station restaurant serving many other customers. At busy times, the staff may be managing regular meals, drinks, and railway traffic at once.

If the explanation is important to you, ask about each filling as it arrives. You should receive the information sheet, but a direct question can make the tasting more engaging. If service is slow, remember that you have an hour scheduled, so mention your timing early.

The restaurant serves beer, wine, and spirits, and the tasting information refers to a glass of Heineken draft beer, house wine, or a soft drink. However, the inclusion details specifically list six snacks and table water, with drinks excluded. Since the information conflicts, check the current arrangement before assuming your drink is part of the $15 price.

Is $15 a fair price?

At $15 per person, the tasting is not a bargain if you judge it only by the amount of food. You receive six small Dutch snacks, table water, and access to a memorable historic room. Add a paid beer or wine, and the final bill rises.

I think the price makes more sense as an architecture-and-food stop than as a cheap meal. You are paying for the chance to sit in the old first-class waiting rooms and sample several fillings in one order. If you only want to eat bitterballen, you may get better value by ordering them directly from the restaurant without booking the tasting.

One useful point is that the restaurant can be visited independently. You do not necessarily need to reserve the formal experience. You can go to Grand Café Restaurant 1e Klas, order from the menu, and decide what suits your appetite.

That flexibility creates a choice. Book the tasting if you want the six-item selection, written food notes, and a planned one-hour activity. Visit on your own if you want a casual drink, a larger meal, or the freedom to choose individual dishes.

The tasting is also easier to justify for first-time visitors who want an introduction to Dutch snack culture. You get several styles without having to make six separate decisions. For repeat visitors or confident eaters, the direct restaurant option may offer better control over cost.

How to make the hour work well

I would schedule this when you are already near Amsterdam Centraal. The restaurant’s position makes it practical before a train departure or after arriving in Amsterdam, but do not leave only a few minutes between the tasting and a train. The station itself can take time to cross, and the tasting may not finish exactly when you expect.

Arrive on time and ask for the floor manager. This is especially useful because some people found the initial welcome less organized than the rest of the meal.

Read the tasting sheet as the food arrives. Start with the veal bitterbal, then compare it with the Peking duck and Thai green curry versions. Finish with the cheese and arugula, chicken satay, and shrimp croquettes, or follow the staff’s suggested order if they offer one.

Do not assume the drinks are included. Table water is listed as included, while beer, wine, and soft drinks are listed separately. Ask before ordering so the final cost does not surprise you.

If you are hungry, plan for another meal or order additional food. One-hour tastings often work best as a break in a sightseeing day, not as your only substantial meal. The restaurant serves more than the six tasting items, and one account specifically praised its soups.

The station setting also makes this a good people-watching stop. You can see Amsterdam’s old center from the restaurant area while trains and passengers carry on below. The room gives you calm and ceremony, while the station outside keeps the city close.

Who should book this tasting?

This experience suits you if you like food with a story. The six fillings offer a quick introduction to bitterballen and croquettes, while the room connects the meal to Dutch railway design.

It is especially good for:

• First-time Amsterdam visitors who want a short local food experience near a major sight.
• Architecture fans interested in Pierre Cuypers and the history of Amsterdam Centraal.
• Railway enthusiasts who enjoy old stations, waiting rooms, and restored details.
• Couples and small groups looking for an atmospheric stop rather than a formal tour.
• People with limited time who want an activity lasting about one hour.
• Anyone curious about Dutch snacks but unsure which filling to order.

I would be more cautious if you need a large meal, expect polished fine-dining service, or dislike fried food. The food is casual and the service can be uneven. The atmosphere does much of the work.

The activity is wheelchair accessible, which is helpful for a historic station venue. The meeting instructions still direct you to the staircase in the Cuypers Hall, so confirm the accessible route with the restaurant when booking if that detail affects your arrival.

Book it or eat independently?

Book the tasting if the six different fillings and the old first-class room are the main attractions for you. At $15, it is a fair introduction to Dutch snacks when you also value the setting, written notes, and a planned experience.

Skip the formal booking if you mainly want a drink, soup, or a larger meal. You can visit the restaurant directly, order at your own pace, and avoid paying for a set tasting that may not fill you up.

For most people, I would call it a worthwhile short stop, with realistic expectations. Come for the beautiful railway setting and the chance to compare unusual fillings. Treat the service as restaurant service rather than a tightly scripted tour, and confirm the drink cost before you sit down.

FAQ

Where does the bitterballen tasting take place?

It takes place at Grand Café Restaurant 1e Klas inside Amsterdam Centraal Station, at platform 2B. The address is Stationsplein 15.

How do I find the restaurant?

Use the staircase in the Cuypers Hall inside Amsterdam Centraal Station. Upon arrival, ask for the floor manager.

How long does the experience last?

The tasting lasts one hour. Starting times vary, so check availability for the time you want.

What food is included?

You receive six different types of croquettes and bitterballen: veal bitterbal, Peking duck bitterbal, Thai green curry bitterbal, cheese and arugula croquette, chicken satay croquette, and shrimp croquette.

Are drinks included?

Table water is included. The activity information also refers to Heineken draft beer, house wine, or a soft drink, but the inclusion details list drinks as excluded. Confirm the current drink policy before ordering.

Is the restaurant in a historic building?

Yes. It occupies former first-class waiting rooms in a monumental Amsterdam Centraal building dating from 1885. The station was designed by Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Contact the restaurant ahead of time if you need specific route information inside the station.