The Bottom Line
French fries, called friet or patat in Dutch, are ubiquitous in the Netherlands, but are not all created equal. Vleminckx Sausmeesters are widely considered the best French fry stand in town, with a product that's vastly superior to that of your typical fast food chain.
Pros
- Best fries in town
- Central location near Het Spui and Kalverstraat
Cons
- Virtually always a wait
- Neither indoor space, nor outdoor seats
- Some report that it's difficult to find
Description
- Address: Voetboogstraat 33, Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 624 6075 - Hours: Mon. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Location: Central Canal Belt, off Het Spui.
- Directions: From Dam Square, head south on Kalverstraat or Rokin; make a right on "Spui", then a left on Voetboogstaat. Otherwise, take the tram (line 4, 9, 14, 16, 24 or 25) or bus (355, 357, 359, 361, 363) to "Spui".
- Payment: Cash only.
Guide Review - De Vleminckx Sausmeesters - Amsterdam Snack Bar Review
When it's time to find a meal or snack in a new city, I'm one of those people who takes busyness as a token of quality. Queues of patient locals outside a restaurant or -- even better -- a nondescript hole in the wall often means that excellent chow is in store. So when I saw the line that snakes from the streetfront counter at Vleminckx Sausmeesters, I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow does much to diminish the wait time at Vleminckx, and once you taste their fries it all becomes clear: this is evidently one of the best friettents in Amsterdam, if not Holland. Sliced fresh just behind the counter, then double-fried for a crisp outside and tender inside, the fries at Vlaminckx are worth the queue -- and the calories, I should add, which will probably be burned off anyway over a day's walk around central Amsterdam.
Despite the appellation Sausmeeters ("sauce masters"), however, Vleminckx offers just a few classic sauces, not the veritable laundry-list that some competitors boast. There is the usual troika of mayonnaise, curry, and ketchup, as well as sate (peanut sauce, a Dutch favorite on fries) -- not to mention the comically named patatje oorlog (literally "war fries"), which combines mayo, sate and raw onions (and is certainly not for everyone!).
Note that Vleminckx has no seats, indoors or outdoors, so don't search for the front door or the picnic tables -- all it is is a counter that doles out irresistible fries, day in and day out. On the other hand, their fries are one of the most delicious, cheapest and authentically Dutch treats in town (and free of animal products -- just hold the mayo), and with their convenient location near Kalverstraat and Het Spui, there's hardly any excuse to miss out.
