Free Samples?

gracialynne, that's really an impossible request. No one is going to be able to produce a complete list like that. I'm sure shops offer samples for customers intent on making a purchase but I don't know as I'd otherwise take advantage of, or waste time looking for, them..especially as it looks like your time in the city is limited (a 12-hour layover).

The Cheese Museum looks to be your best bet for free sampling:

http://www.cheesemuseumamsterdam.com

Thanks, Kathy. I remember a cheese shop was passing out free samples when I was in Amsterdam in April. They were so yummy.

I remember one Coffee Shop that handed out some small samples when we visited as a group. The complete details are a bit hazy.

I don't recall a lot of places giving away samples when I have been there.

You have made it clear that you are travelling on a very tight budget and that you really enjoy finding ways to NOT spend money, but are you actually hoping to eat only free samples during your short layover in Amsterdam? "Cheese, chocolates and mustard or other delicious foods". Please allocate a few euros for a proper meal if only to keep up your strength for Rome, next on your itinerary. Living and travelling like a pauper can get tiresome pretty fast.

Oh, we are planning to dine at the Roemer Hotel and Café Roem while in Amsterdam, Norma. When I was in a cute little town near Amsterdam in April the stores all handed out fabulous free food samples. It was a windmill village with a big museum by it. It was fun tasting all those things. There were free cheese samples given out during a Walking Tour of Amsterdam I took, too. Of course we'll be dining at restaurants and shopping at grocery stores. LOL. Have you ever eaten at the Roemer Hotel or the Roem Café in Amsterdam? In April I dined at the yummy restaurant that has the classic Dutch meal-- can't remember the name-- mashed potatoes with a topping of carroty stew and giant meatballs? It was so good!

"mashed potatoes with a topping of carroty stew and giant meatballs". Oh, yum.

I believe it was Café Sonneveld where we dined on stamppot/hutspot. It was a very cold spring day, and the meal was delicious. The Walking Tour guide had recommended this restaurant to me, and I'm so glad he did!

LOL, Mark. I enjoyed your response. My niece explained the difference between coffee shops and cafes in Amsterdam to me, before I went there last spring. HAHA.

I would love to know of other restaurants in Amsterdam where you have enjoyed delicious Carrot Stamppot/Hutspot? I'd like to introduce it to my hubby, who will be traveling with me this trip. http://www.thedutchtable.com/2010/10/hutspot-met-klapstuk-carrot-mashed.html

Zaanse Schans is the town I mentioned that I visited last April but couldn't remember the name of that is near Amsterdam that has all the many awesome samples of authentic Dutch delicacies. Thanks for the info on the Cheese Museum in Amsterdam, Kathy. That very well may be the place our Amsterdam Walking Tour Guide took us for our free samples of cheese.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers-g188600-d194318-t2519493-Do_we_need_to_pay_for_entrance_fee_around_Zaanse.html.

Thanks for the info on the Cheese Museum in Amsterdam, Kathy.

You're welcome: enjoy!

For those who haven't had it: stamppot is absolutely delicious!! I just can't remember where we ate it when I was there in Feb.

Yep, Stamppot is sooo good, S. Jackson! I was in Amsterdam this past King's Day and got to try tompouce, a wonderful custard cream filled pastry. Have you had it? What other Dutch dishes do you recommend?

https://hollandathome.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/oranje-tompouce.jpg

Poffertjes are yummy. We had them with caramelized sugar, ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream for dessert one day but they're plenty good with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poffertjes

Yum, Kathy! We'll be hungry when we arrive early in the a.m., 8 o'clock-ish. Do you know of a fun place we can get Poffertjes, a café with a cute interior, perhaps, near the train station?

I have never seen Poffertjes for breakfast.

Good to know, Nigel. Where would you recommend we stop for a traditional Dutch breakfast when we arrive in Amsterdam? And what do you think would make a unique breakfast treat?

arrive in Amsterdam Centraal from where? Flying in? LaPlace, if it is open so early, at the airport just before the road exit, on the left.
by train? Where are you starting from?

I always have had breakfast with my hosts, never in a restaurant. Dutch breakfasts tend to be very simple - a cup of coffee, a couple of pieces of bread, some jam, perhaps hazelnut spread or chocolate spread, maybe a few chocolate sprinkles. Or simply a cup of coffee and a roll.

If you have been to Amsterdam Centraal this spring you will know that there isn't a lot in the immediate vicinity of Amsterdam Centraal.

The well known Albert Cuyp market has quite a few cheese vendors and before buying they'll happily give you a sample .

We will be taking the train into town from Schiphol Airport. That Dutch Restaurant with the giant tulip at the airport has really good apple streudel and coffee. I wouldn't mind eating there again, but we will be itching to get out and about and see the city, once we land.

Thanks for the great info, grrttgr! We'll stop in there and buy some cheese to take to Rome!

Roode Leeuw restaurant specializes in traditional Dutch dishes , including stamppot and hutspot . They are practically located on Dam square . However , they are remodeling the restaurant and the hotel right now and will re-open " later this fall " according to the facebook website . www.restaurantderoodeleeuw.nl/

Grrttgr, thanks for the good restaurant tip. Do you know where we could get the really thick chocolate milk to try, referenced in this article in the link below? Have you eaten at the restaurant mentioned in this piece?

http://www.vervemagazine.in/travel-and-spaces/in-pursuit-of-anne-frank-amsterdam

The cheese at the cheese museum, but forget that and splurge and head to Winkel 43, (not far from the cheese museum) and you must order the apple pie with whipped cream.... gosh, I'm going to look up a flight to Amsterdam just to go for a long weekend to enjoy this Dutch apple pie. Like nothing I've ever tasted. Make sure you get the cream!

Ooooh, that sounds good, tgreen! I LOVE apple pie. I must go there!

nothing like apple pie US style... it is a grogeous apple cake... with the most delicious whip cream... ohhhhhhhhhhhhh you must go there!!!!

Tgreen, it sounds sensational! I can't wait to try it with whipped cream on top. I think it would be PERFECT for breakfast with coffee! How early do they open? Hubby would love it, too! These are just the kind of detailed tips I love! Thank you!

Google can be your friend

Known for its apple pie, this lively cafe/bar serves hearty European
snacks, lunches and dinners. Address: Noordermarkt 43, 1015 NA
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hours:

Wednesday 8am–1am

Thursday 8am–1am

Friday 8am–3am

Saturday 7am–3am

Sunday 10am–1am

Monday 7am–1am

Tuesday 8am–1am

Thanks for the info, Nigel. But sometimes Google is NOT one's friend. Like yesterday. Google claimed a movie was playing at 5:15. Went to the theater, and that information was totally wrong. Wasted our gas. LOL. Hours change so frequently that sometimes Google isn't able to keep up. But glad to see what you found.

A Grrttgr recommended, Roode Leeuw is a good choice. Unfortunately we found out about it being closed when we walked over there a couple months ago intending to have dinner. Van Speyk (my favorite) near the Renaissance is a nice alternative. It has that traditional Dutch beef stew as do many restaurants.

I remember the cheese shop in Volendam had samples of basically anything you wanted to try. Cheese samples are kind of a downer for me because if I end up liking one of them, it is not practical to purchase a full size block since you then have to lug it around and then end up throwing it away as US customs frowns upon bringing food and dairy products back home. I just like getting through with less hassle so I don't even bring back sealed candy!

I know that Bruges is not even close to Amsterdam, but it is the best place to enjoy chocolate. I don't even bother with asking for samples there. I already know the quality is high so it is worth buying a lot of. Then we all just enjoy it each day during our time in Europe. Rick Steves features The Chocolate Line shop in his Bruges travel video on YouTube. That is one of my favorite chocolate shops since they have so many unique flavors.

Henri Willig has free cheese samples and you can pay for a more extensive cheese tasting...only 9,95 and you get a glass of wine, a glass or port, 4 cheeses, 1 mustard, and 1 balsamic dip. A good value.

For Stampot, we went to the Pantry and I can't recommend it enough. Make a reservation, people were getting turned away if they didn't have one. They have a few kinds. I got one with mashed potatoes mixed with sauerkraut (amazing!), they have the carrot one, and they have a kale one. You can also get a combo with a scoop of all 3. Then you choose a meatball or a sausage. The servers were incredibly nice as well.

Thanks for the great tips, Kerri10! I almost missed your post.