A fresh stroopwafel, pressed in front of you with the caramel still warm and stretching, is one of the great cheap pleasures of this city. A packaged one from a supermarket is a different, sadder food. So the only real question for the best stroopwafels in Amsterdam is where to get them made fresh. Here is the honest answer, the spots worth the walk and the one tourist trap to think twice about.
We are Ruma (formerly De Beste Lekkernij), a Mediterranean bakery in the Nine Streets. Stroopwafels are not our trade, milk cakes and baklava are, but we live here and we send a lot of visitors in the right direction. This is that direction.
Fresh versus packaged: why it matters
A stroopwafel is two thin waffle layers with a caramel syrup centre. Eaten warm off the iron, the outside is crisp and the middle pulls like toffee. Left to sit, it turns brittle, which is why the classic move is to rest one on top of a hot coffee and let the steam soften it. If you only ever buy the cellophane packs, you have never really had one. Find the iron, smell the caramel, eat it standing up.
The best stroopwafels in Amsterdam
1. Rudi's Original Stroopwafels at the Albert Cuyp Market
The benchmark. The Albert Cuyp in De Pijp is Amsterdam's largest daily street market, and Rudi's is the stall with the permanent queue for a reason. Large, generously filled, pressed to order, and famously good value at a couple of euros, far less than the Instagram versions. Cash is king here. This is the one we send people to first.
2. Melly's Stroopwafels, in the centre
Set into the stone of De Nieuwe Kerk near Dam Square, Melly's makes them on-site and offers a proper range of flavours, from classic to hazelnut and salted caramel, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Central, warm, fresh, and a good shout if you are nowhere near a market.
3. Lanskroon, on the Singel
For a sit-down version, Lanskroon is a small, traditional bakery on the Singel canal that does a dinner-plate-sized stroopwafel with honey or caramel filling, plus a seat and a hot drink. Slightly pricier, but you are paying for the setting and the craft. A lovely mid-afternoon break.
4. Van Wonderen, the Instagram one
You will see the maximalist, topping-loaded stroopwafels from Van Wonderen on the Kalverstraat all over social media. They photograph well and the queues are long. Be aware the price is far higher than a market wafel, so go in knowing it is more about the photo than the value. Plenty of locals would steer you to the Albert Cuyp instead.
How to eat a stroopwafel like a local
- Buy it fresh and warm, eat it on the spot.
- If it has cooled, rest it on a hot coffee or tea for a minute so the caramel softens.
- Skip the supermarket multipacks if you can get a freshly pressed one nearby.
- Markets are cheaper and often better than the tourist-strip shops.
Where to find the best stroopwafels in Amsterdam
The best fresh ones are at the markets, the Albert Cuyp above all, with strong central options near Dam Square and the Singel. If you are doing a Nine Streets and Jordaan dessert loop, you can fold a Singel stroopwafel into the same walk that takes in our counter at Herenstraat 24A. For the full sweep, see our sweet tooth's guide to Amsterdam.
What is a stroopwafel, exactly?
It helps to know what you are eating. A stroopwafel is two thin, round waffle wafers pressed in a special iron, then split and sandwiched together with a thick caramel syrup, the stroop. The waffle is lightly spiced, usually with cinnamon, and the syrup is what makes it sing. It was born in the city of Gouda in the early nineteenth century, the story goes, as a way for a baker to use up leftover crumbs and syrup, which is why it started life as a cheap, everyday treat. That humble origin is exactly why the overpriced tourist versions feel so wrong. A stroopwafel is meant to be honest, simple and affordable.
Stroopwafel vs the Belgian waffle
Visitors often lump them together, but they are completely different. A Belgian waffle is thick, fluffy and eaten as a hot dish, often piled with toppings. A stroopwafel is thin, flat, crisp-chewy and built around its caramel centre, eaten by hand as a snack. If you came to Amsterdam for the towering, topping-loaded waffle, that is the Belgian style, and it is not really the Dutch tradition. The genuine local article is the humble stroopwafel.
Buying stroopwafels to take home
They make one of the best edible souvenirs going. Tins and packs from a good market stall like Rudi's at the Albert Cuyp travel well and cost a fraction of the airport price. They keep for weeks, and the trick at home is the same as here: rest one on a hot coffee or tea for a minute so the caramel softens before you eat it. If you want a sweeter, fresher gift instead, a box of baklava or lokum from our counter is another option. For the full city sweep, see our sweet tooth's guide to Amsterdam and best desserts in Amsterdam guides.
Done the wafels? Try the milk cake
If you have eaten your way through the stroopwafel stalls and want something cold, soft and a little different, our handmade trilece is waiting in the Nine Streets. See the menu, plan a visit, or order across Amsterdam. More ideas in our must-eat desserts in Amsterdam guide.