Restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Two Michelin stars, plant-driven, book early.

Spectrum holds two Michelin stars inside the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam and delivers one of the city's most technically serious plant-forward tasting menus, with a 945-bottle wine program to match. Open Wednesday to Saturday evenings only, it is a near-impossible book and worth the effort, particularly for a second or third visit once you know what Schutte's cooking demands of your attention.
Spectrum holds two Michelin stars and sits inside the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam on the Herengracht canal. If you are planning a serious dinner in Amsterdam, it belongs on your shortlist, but seats are scarce and the format demands commitment: dinner only, Wednesday through Saturday, 6 pm to midnight. Book at least six to eight weeks out, and treat a second or third visit as a deliberate strategy rather than a bonus, because the creative menu rewards the kind of attention you can only bring once you know what to expect.
The setting does a lot of work before the first course arrives. The Waldorf Astoria occupies a row of restored 17th-century canal houses on the Herengracht, and the dining room reflects that history: high ceilings, canal-facing windows, and the kind of proportional calm that most hotel restaurants spend fortunes trying to manufacture. Visually, this is one of the more considered rooms in Amsterdam, and it earns its price tier on atmosphere alone before chef Sidney Schutte sends anything out of the kitchen.
Schutte trained under Jonnie Boer at De Librije in Zwolle and absorbed an approach to vegetables from Belgian chef Roger Souvereyns at Scholteshof. That lineage matters here because it explains why plant-forward cooking at Spectrum does not feel like a compromise or a trend concession. Vegetables sit at the structural centre of the tasting menu, not as a substitute for protein but as the primary expression of technique. La Liste placed Spectrum at 92 points in 2026, and Opinionated About Dining ranked it 192nd in Europe in 2025, positions that reflect consistent two-star execution rather than a single breakout year.
Wine director Cas Kratz oversees a list of 945 selections and 4,400 bottles in inventory. The strengths are France, particularly Burgundy and Bordeaux, with Italian representation alongside. Star Wine List published Spectrum as a White Star recipient in May 2024. Wine pricing is mid-tier for a list of this size and ambition, which matters at the €€€€ cuisine level because pairing costs can easily double a dinner bill elsewhere. If wine matters to your group, this is one of the better-matched programs in the city for a meal at this price point.
First visit: orient around the full tasting menu with the wine pairing. The room, the format, and the plant-driven structure are all new, and the pairing gives Cas Kratz's list proper context. You will spend the meal calibrating, which is not a criticism, it is just the reality of encountering a two-star creative menu for the first time. Expect to leave with a clear opinion on whether Schutte's style connects with you.
Second visit: if it did connect, come back and focus on what the first visit rushed past. Request the pure plant menu if you did not try it first time. Opinionated About Dining and La Liste both signal that the vegetable-forward format is where Schutte is most confident, and a second visit with that specific brief tends to be more illuminating than the first. Ask the sommelier about selections outside the core Burgundy and Bordeaux anchors; with 945 options, there is range worth exploring once you have the baseline.
Third visit: Spectrum is a Wednesday-to-Saturday restaurant with no weekend lunch, which limits visit frequency. A third booking is worth pursuing if you are based in Amsterdam or travel there regularly, and the reward is the kind of familiarity with a creative format that lets you track evolution across the menu rather than simply experiencing it. For context on other serious kitchens within reach of Amsterdam, Aan de Poel in Amstelveen operates at a comparable level and offers useful contrast.
Spectrum is open Wednesday to Saturday evenings only, 6 pm to midnight. It is closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The address is Herengracht 542, 556, inside the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. Cuisine pricing is €€€€ with a $$$ food rating per Opinionated About Dining conventions, meaning a typical two-course meal excluding beverages runs above €66. The wine program is priced at $$, mid-range for a list of this depth. The Google rating is 4.7 from 283 reviews, consistent with two-star expectations. Booking difficulty is near impossible without meaningful lead time; plan for six to eight weeks minimum, longer for weekend dates. For broader context on where Spectrum sits among Amsterdam's serious restaurants, see our full Amsterdam restaurants guide. If you are staying in the city and need hotel recommendations alongside your dinner planning, our full Amsterdam hotels guide covers options at comparable and adjacent price points. Amsterdam's bar and drinks scene is worth building into the same trip; our full Amsterdam bars guide and our full Amsterdam wineries guide are useful starting points. For things beyond eating and drinking, our full Amsterdam experiences guide covers the city broadly.
Other two-star and serious creative kitchens in the Netherlands worth cross-referencing: 't Nonnetje in Harderwijk, Brut172 in Reijmerstok, De Bokkedoorns in Overveen, De Groene Lantaarn in Staphorst, De Lindenhof in Giethoorn, and De Treeswijkhoeve in Waalre.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | €€€€ · Creative | €€€€ | Spectrum is a restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was published on Star Wine List on May 1, 2024 and is a White Star.; La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 92pts; Spectrum is the restaurant of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Chef Sidney Schutte got the love of vegetables from the Belgian chef Roger Souvereyns when he worked in his Scholteshof and at Jonnie Boer’s restaurant, De Librije. Vegetables play a major role in Sidney's sophisticated preparations. He can enjoy himself in the pure plant menu. We are fan of his cooking style and believe that Spectrum will become an international culinary place of pilgrimage for pure plant lovers.; Spectrum is the restaurant of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Chef Sidney Schutte got the love of vegetables from the Belgian chef Roger Souvereyns when he worked in his Scholteshof and at Jonnie Boer’s restaurant, De Librije. Vegetables play a major role in Sidney's sophisticated preparations. He can enjoy himself in the pure plant menu. We are fan of his cooking style and believe that Spectrum will become an international culinary place of pilgrimage for pure plant lovers.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #192 (2025); WINE: Wine Strengths: Burgundy, Bordeaux, France, Italy Pricing: $$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Selections: 945 Inventory: 4,400 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: European Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Dinner STAFF: People Cas Kratz:Wine Director Wine Director: Cas Kratz Chef: Sidney Schutte; Michelin 2 Stars (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #193 (2024); Michelin 2 Stars (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top New Restaurants in Europe Ranked #128 (2023) | Near Impossible | — |
| Ciel Bleu | €€€€ · Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Bolenius | Modern Dutch, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| De Kas | €€€ · Organic | €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Wils | €€€ · World Cuisine | €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| BAK | €€€ · Farm to table | €€€ | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Book the full tasting menu on your first visit — the plant-driven format is the point, and skipping it misses what earns Spectrum its two Michelin stars. Chef Sidney Schutte trained under Roger Souvereyns and Jonnie Boer (De Librije), and vegetables are genuinely central to the cooking, not a side option. The setting inside the Waldorf Astoria on the Herengracht adds weight to the occasion, so treat it as a full evening: service runs to midnight. Wine Director Cas Kratz oversees a 945-selection list with strength in Burgundy and Bordeaux, so the pairing is worth adding.
Book at least three to four weeks ahead for a weekend table; Spectrum is open Thursday to Saturday evenings only (plus Wednesday), which concentrates demand into four nights a week. Special occasions or larger groups should go further out. The Waldorf Astoria address means some tables are absorbed by hotel guests, so do not leave it late.
At the €€€€ price point, it is worth it if plant-forward creative tasting menus are your format — two Michelin stars held in both 2024 and 2025, a 92-point La Liste ranking, and a #192 OAD Europe placement in 2025 put Spectrum among Amsterdam's most credentialled dinner options. If you want a more casual or à la carte experience, De Kas or Bolenius will cost less and require less commitment. Spectrum is a considered splurge, not an everyday dinner.
Yes — the combination of a two Michelin-star kitchen, a canal house setting inside the Waldorf Astoria, and a format that runs to midnight makes it one of Amsterdam's stronger cases for a significant celebration dinner. For a milestone that calls for serious wine, the 4,400-bottle inventory and Burgundy-focused list give the evening somewhere to go beyond the food. Ciel Bleu at the Okura is the main peer comparison for hotel fine dining at this level in Amsterdam.
Tasting menu restaurants at this level often accommodate solo diners at a counter or bar seat, but Spectrum's specific solo policy is not confirmed in available venue data — contact them directly before booking. What is clear: the format (long tasting menu, evening service only, Wednesday to Saturday) suits a solo diner who wants a deliberate, unhurried dinner rather than a quick meal. The wine list depth means a glass-by-glass approach is likely well-supported.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.