Skip the tourist traps: how to find Amsterdam's hidden food gems

Signature dishes and modern takes on traditional recipes form the culinary DNA of a place and its people. In Amsterdam for one night before joining a Trafalgar river cruise, with a lot to taste in a short amount of time, I join a guided food tour.

First stop is a traditional bruin cafe (brown bar), one of the many cosy neighbourhood pubs found all over the city. We tuck into the most Dutch of all Dutch rituals: pairing a crisp, local beer with a steaming plate of bitterballen. These iconic, deep-fried balls of temptation are packed with a savoury beef ragout, crunchy on the outside and full of rich goodness on the inside.

Why have one deep-fried course when you can have two? You'll find many traditional fish shops in Amsterdam dishing up kibbeling, tasty bite-sized nuggets of fried white fish. Historically cod, though often haddock or hake now, the chunks of fish are coated in a spiced batter and lightly fried to an airy crisp. We sit down in a busy seafood restaurant to tuck into the salty snack, served hot in a paper cone.

By the time we reach Warung Spang Makandra in the vibrant De Pijp neighbourhood, there's a line of people waiting for tables. An Amsterdam institution since 1978, the popular restaurant specialises in Surinamese cuisine, showcasing the culinary prowess of the former Dutch colony. We devour chicken satay drenched in peanut sauce, declaring it the best bite of the night. Affordable, delicious and redolent with spices, this is a restaurant I'd love to revisit.