Haesje Claes (Closed Permanently)

Named after the 16th-century woman who ran the local orphanage, Haesje Claes is a terribly good place to sample traditional and signature Amsterdam food, whether pea soup with sausage and bacon (erwtensoep met worst en spek) or the equally comforting, filling and wintry stamppot, which combines mashed potato, vegetables and bacon on one plate. Fish, game stew, meatballs and venison also figure on the menu, with a good standard of cooking guaranteed. Started in 1974 in one building but now spread across six, the ever buzzy, warmly lit and tavern-like restauarnt is a maze of themed rooms, all conveying a faux but pleasing and successfully corherent olde-worlde-ness created by a hodgepodge of Amsterdam materials, including oak panelling, stained glass and decorative lamp fixtures. Gets filled up, but neighbouring beer specialist De Koningshut (Spuistraat 269), also something of a local institution, allows you to order food from the Haesje Claes menu. Open until midnight, but kitchen closes at 10pm.