Restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Two Michelin stars, dinner only, book ahead.
Two Michelin stars in an 18th-century canal building, with dinner service Tuesday through Saturday only. Vinkeles is the strongest case for classical French fine dining in Amsterdam, and the vegetable tasting menu is specifically worth your attention. Book as far in advance as possible — tables at short notice are close to unavailable, particularly on weekends.
Vinkeles earns its two Michelin stars and holds them without theatrics. If you want the most technically accomplished dinner available on a central Amsterdam canal, this is the booking to make — but you'll need to plan well ahead. With service running Tuesday through Saturday from 7 pm only, and no lunch service at all, your window to dine here is tighter than the competition. Book as early as possible; securing a table at short notice is close to impossible, particularly on weekends.
Set inside the Dylan hotel on Keizersgracht, Vinkeles occupies an 18th-century bakery building in Amsterdam's historic canal belt. The dining room carries the ambient weight of that history: low ceilings, original architectural details, and a stillness that signals this is not a venue that competes on noise or energy. The atmosphere is composed and deliberate — closer to a private dining room than a restaurant floor. If you want buzz and a lively room, look elsewhere. If you want a meal where conversation carries, this is the setting for it.
Chef Jurgen van der Zalm runs a kitchen built around classical French technique filtered through restraint. His menus work with a small number of ingredients per dish, aiming for impact through precision rather than accumulation. La Liste awarded Vinkeles 86.5 points in 2025 and 86 points in 2026, placing it in the top tier of European fine dining tracked by that guide. Opinionated About Dining ranked it at #243 in Europe's Classical category in 2024, moving to #424 in 2025 , still a strong position in a competitive field.
The vegetable menu deserves specific attention. We're Smart, which tracks plant-based fine dining across Europe, called it a genuine winner and recommended it without qualification, noting that pure plant cooking has become increasingly central to Van der Zalm's direction rather than an afterthought. If you have been to Vinkeles once on the standard tasting menu, the vegetable menu is the logical next step , it is not a compromise or a lesser option. On current evidence, it represents the sharper edge of what the kitchen is doing.
For context on what this means in Amsterdam's two-Michelin-star tier: Ciel Bleu at the Okura Hotel offers a comparable award level and a more panoramic setting on the 23rd floor, while Spectrum at the Waldorf Astoria takes a different editorial angle with its multi-cuisine format. Vinkeles sits between those two in terms of atmosphere: more intimate than Ciel Bleu's view-driven room, more classically French than Spectrum's range. If French-rooted technique in a historic interior is the brief, Vinkeles is the clearest answer in the city.
For guests who have already visited, the practical calculus is this: the dining room format does not change significantly between visits. What changes is the seasonal menu content and the ongoing development of the vegetable programme. Both are reasons to return, but they reward diners who track what the kitchen is prioritising at the time of booking rather than assuming the experience will replicate a previous visit exactly.
Amsterdam has a credible collection of two- and one-star tables worth comparing. Daalder and RIJKS® operate at a different price register and a different level of formality, useful if the occasion calls for something slightly less ceremonial. 212 offers an interesting counter-point for guests focused on wine-forward dining. None of them replicate what Vinkeles does in terms of the combination of setting, French classical grounding, and the plant-forward direction the kitchen is now developing.
Outside Amsterdam, the Netherlands has a deeper bench at the leading end than many visitors realise. De Librije in Zwolle, 't Nonnetje in Harderwijk, and Aan de Poel in Amstelveen are all worth knowing if you are building a longer trip around fine dining. Closer to Amsterdam, De Bokkedoorns in Overveen is a short journey and a strong alternative for guests who want a different environment. Further afield, Brut172 in Reijmerstok, De Groene Lantaarn in Staphorst, De Lindenhof in Giethoorn, and De Treeswijkhoeve in Waalre represent the broader Dutch fine dining scene worth exploring if your itinerary allows.
On occasion suitability: Vinkeles is a strong call for a significant dinner , anniversary, milestone birthday, a business dinner that needs to impress. The room, the award credentials, and the formality of the service all point in that direction. It is less suited to large group dining given the intimate scale of the space. For solo diners, the counter or smaller table configurations may be available, but confirm at the time of booking.
For broader planning in the city, see our full Amsterdam restaurants guide, our full Amsterdam hotels guide, our full Amsterdam bars guide, our full Amsterdam wineries guide, and our full Amsterdam experiences guide.
At the €€€€ price point, Vinkeles delivers two Michelin stars, La Liste recognition, and a kitchen that has been consistently rated among Europe's leading classical tables. For that combination of setting (an 18th-century canal building), technical cooking, and award credentials, the price is defensible. If you are comparing purely on cost, a one-star table like RIJKS® will cost significantly less. But if the full fine dining format is the point of the evening, Vinkeles is among the strongest cases Amsterdam offers for spending at this level.
Yes, for the right diner. Two Michelin stars, consistent La Liste placement, and strong OAD rankings in the European Classical category all point to a kitchen operating at a level that justifies the spend. The caveat: this is tasting menu territory, and the price reflects that format. If you are uncertain about tasting menus, the value calculation is less clear. For guests who know the format and want to eat at the leading of Amsterdam's fine dining tier, Vinkeles holds up against the price.
The vegetable menu is the specific recommendation here. We're Smart has identified it as the sharper expression of what the kitchen is developing, with well-constructed flavours and considered textures. If you visited previously on the standard tasting menu, this is the version to try next. For first-time visitors uncertain between the two, the vegetable menu is not a compromise , it reflects where Chef Van der Zalm's cooking is currently focused.
There is no lunch service at Vinkeles. The restaurant operates Tuesday through Saturday from 7 pm only, with no morning, brunch, or midday offering. If you are looking for a daytime fine dining option in Amsterdam, Daalder or RIJKS® are better starting points. Vinkeles is an evening-only decision.
It is one of the strongest options in Amsterdam for a significant dinner. The combination of a historic setting inside the Dylan hotel, two Michelin stars, and a composed, quiet dining room makes it well-suited to occasions where the environment needs to match the moment. The atmosphere is formal without being stiff. For a milestone birthday, anniversary, or an important dinner, it is a more considered choice than louder, trend-driven alternatives in the city.
The kitchen already operates a full vegetable menu alongside its standard tasting menu, which indicates some flexibility in how dietary needs are accommodated. For specific restrictions beyond vegetarian , allergies, intolerances, other requirements , contact the restaurant directly when booking. At this level of fine dining, advance notice is expected and generally handled well, but confirm rather than assume.
Smart attire is appropriate and expected. Vinkeles is a two-Michelin-star restaurant in a formal hotel setting on Amsterdam's historic Keizersgracht , the room and the price point both signal that this is not casual dining. Business smart or formal evening wear is the safe call. If in doubt, err toward dressier. Confirm any specific dress code requirements with the restaurant when making your reservation.
Solo dining at a tasting menu restaurant at this price level is genuinely viable if the format suits you. The room's intimate scale and composed atmosphere work better for solo diners than a large, noisy venue would. The practical question is whether smaller or counter seating is available , confirm at the time of booking. Amsterdam also has a range of one-star and highly regarded single-course options that may be a better fit if a full tasting menu alone feels like a stretch. 212 is worth considering as an alternative for solo visits.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinkeles | La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 86pts; Vinkeles, the restaurant of the Dylan hotel, is located in a beautiful 18th-century bakery building in the historic city centre of Amsterdam. Chef Jurgen Van der Zalm combine traditional and modern French cuisine and create dishes without too many ingredients, but nevertheless make an impact. They serve a vegetable menu which brings exciting vegetable dishes with well-thought-out flavours and textures. We note that pure plant is becoming increasingly important for the chef, and such evolution is something we like to see at We’re Smart. Definitely go for the pure plant menu, you won't regret it. A real winner!; Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #424 (2025); La Liste Top Restaurants (2025): 86.5pts; Michelin 2 Stars (2025); Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #243 (2024); Michelin 2 Stars (2024); Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Recommended (2023) | €€€€ | — |
| Ciel Bleu | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Bolenius | Michelin 1 Star | €€€€ | — |
| De Kas | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
| Wils | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
| BAK | €€€ | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Vinkeles and alternatives.
Yes, and it is one of Vinkeles's stronger suits. Chef Jurgen van der Zalm offers a dedicated vegetable menu that La Liste and We're Smart both flag as a serious option, not an afterthought. If plant-forward eating is your priority, the vegetable tasting menu is the version to book. Confirm any other dietary needs directly with the restaurant at time of reservation.
At the two-Michelin-star level, the tasting menu format is the right vehicle for what Jurgen van der Zalm is doing: focused French technique, restrained ingredient counts, and deliberate flavour construction. Opinionated About Dining has tracked Vinkeles consistently in its Classical Europe rankings since 2023, which suggests the cooking holds up to repeat scrutiny. If structured multi-course dinners are not your format, this is not the venue to test that preference at €€€€ prices.
It is a reasonable choice for solo dining, particularly if you are in Amsterdam on business or want a serious dinner without coordinating a group. The Dylan hotel setting on Keizersgracht gives the evening some structure. That said, Vinkeles operates Tuesday through Saturday from 7pm, so plan accordingly — there is no lunch service to slip into more casually.
The Dylan hotel context and two Michelin stars put Vinkeles firmly in smart-formal territory. A jacket for men is a safe assumption; an equivalent level of care for other guests. Amsterdam's fine dining scene is not as rigidly dressed as comparable Paris or London venues, but arriving underdressed at a €€€€ tasting-menu restaurant in a design hotel will feel conspicuous.
Yes, this is one of the cleaner yes answers in Amsterdam fine dining. Two Michelin stars, a historic 18th-century bakery setting inside the Dylan hotel, and a dinner-only format from 7pm all frame the occasion properly. For milestone dinners where the room and the cooking both need to land, Vinkeles is a more cohesive package than most of its Amsterdam peers.
At €€€€, Vinkeles sits at the top of Amsterdam's price range, but the credentials back it up: two Michelin stars held through 2024 and 2025, La Liste scores of 86–86.5 points across consecutive years, and a consistent Opinionated About Dining Classical Europe ranking. If you are comparing it to other Amsterdam fine dining options, Vinkeles carries more third-party validation than most. The value case weakens only if multi-course tasting menus are not how you prefer to eat.
Dinner is the only option. Vinkeles opens Tuesday through Saturday at 7pm and is closed Sunday and Monday. There is no lunch service, so the question of which is better does not apply. Book dinner and allow the full evening for it.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
