Amsterdam has many outdoor markets but my favourite one by far is the Noordermarkt on Saturday mornings. Just writing about this market makes me happy.
Start with “koffie verkeerd” (warm frothy milk with a little coffee) or peppermint leaf tea and freshly baked “appeltaart met slagroom” (apple pie with whipped cream) at Café De Winkel located on the corner of the Westerstraat at Noordermarkt 43. Many say this is the best apple pie in Amsterdam and the terrace is perfect for people watching. Prepare to wait in line for a seat though as this cafe is very popular.
When you are sufficiently sugared and caffeined up, head over to the market and make your way through the alleys full of delicious Dutch and foreign cheeses, organic fruits and vegetables, colorful mushrooms, fresh seafood, crusty breads and pastries, artisanal quiches, crepes, olive oils, various kinds of pesto, herbs, spices and nuts.
Try the "Leidsche kaas" (cheese with cumin seeds) and if it is in season, toward the middle of May, “gras kaas”, which is a hard cheese made from the first milk cows produce after reentering the pastures following a long winter indoors.
There are just too many good things for me to list. One stall I always stop at is the one with all the fresh herbs, salsas and mustard. The tomatilla salsa is my favorite and I always run out way too quickly. If you return the glass jar in which they scoop the sauce, you will get some money back. This stall also has herbs that are generally a bit more difficult to come by in the Netherlands such as shiso leaf.
If you are off exploring the city afterwards, organic red currants, goose berries, medium sized disks of sheep's cheese with thyme and rosemary, pear juice and soft raisin rolls called “krentebollen” are perfect for an afternoon snack along the canals or, if you are going a bit further into town, a picnic in the Vondelpark.
Behind the food stalls, toward Central Station you will find secondhand clothes and a small flea market. Street musicians also regularly play at the market and the whole atmosphere is just lovely I think.
It can get very busy so if you have a stroller you may want to go early to avoid the crowds. My daughter loves to eat and to rummage through the different wares at the stalls so we have always found the market child friendly but this is perhaps not the best place for kids to run around as there are too many people.
The market is in the Jordaan neighbourhood not too far from Central station. All produce sold on the market is organic.
It open every Saturday from 9 am until about 4 pm. I think it is best to come in the morning as my favourite things still tend to be there. They sell out fast!
The market is approximately 10 minutes by foot from the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House. It is about 15 minutes by foot from Centraal Station.
During the winter months, the market is still on but in a slimmed down version. My beloved herb stall is not there in January and parts of February but last weekend it was back so my Sunday morning breakfasts are brightened by scrambled eggs covered in tomatilla salsa once more.
Note that there is another outdoor market just around the corner on the Lindengracht. This is quite a big market and also fun to visit whilst you are in the area. It is not an organic market. However, if you would like to try some Dutch fried fish, this might be a good place to do so. I remember eating very memorable warm "kibbeling" (fried battered cod) there on a cold day. I am working on a post on Dutch fish stalls so more on that later.
