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A paradox in itself, this coffeeshop shows few traces of serving “the herb”. Fresh fruit and veg shakes, healthy food and a bright interior make it a perfect place for breakfast or lunch.

Served from street stalls in a handy paper cone, chips (french fries) are ubiquitous, and very good indeed. They are generally made from whole (not pulped) Dutch potatoes, and fried in good, clean fat. Served with a large dollop of mayonnaise, they are definitely not for the dietconscious. For the very best, go to Vleminckx.

Spend an afternoon browsing the huge stock of travel guides and maps, while planning your next holiday or a short trip out of town.

The national drink of the Netherlands is beer.Pils – top brands Heineken and Grolsch – is the lager-like beer served (with froth) in bars. The Dutch generally drink it from small glasses, so it remains ice-cold to the last drop.

A chocoholic’s paradise! Mouthwatering chocolates often with surprising fillings, such as nutmeg, lemongrass or pepper. Real junkies can also feast on big chunks of chocolate bars.

A delicious culinary after-echo of Holland’s colonial past, Indonesian cuisine is usually eaten in the form ofrijsttafel (rice table), a veritable feast consisting of as many as 25 little dishes of meat, fish, vegetables and sauces (some very hot), centred around a shared bowl of rice or noodles. Amsterdam has several good Indonesian restaurants, including Kantijl en de Tijger and Tujuh Maret.

Simply the best quick-stop in town for sandwiches, carrot cake and other delicious offerings. Eat in at the counter or take away.

A unique record shop stocking rare and collectable vinyl from the 1950s.

This one-stop modern soup kitchen is just a short walk from the Rijksmuseum. Great for takeaways, but some seats are available. Over half the soups are vegetarian.

Seven floors of books, magazines, newspapers and computer games. There are also art exhibitions, lectures and writers’ workshops at the Treehouse annexe, a short walk away.