Rijks

In 2014, a year after reopening from its decade-long renovation, the Rijksmuseum debuted Rijks, an elegant, modern restaurant located in the building adjacent to the museum. By choosing a separate building as its home, the eatery can remain open after the museum closes without incurring budget-busting security charges; and it’s a good thing it did, as Rijks is one of Amsterdam’s best restaurants, serving seasonal, Dutch-inspired cuisine in a sophisticated setting. The high-ceilinged restaurant, which also features an alfresco terrace in the summer months, focuses on local produce and shared dishes. Split into sections for hot and cold dishes, the menu delivers cuisine that balances the avant-garde and indulgent, with such bites as duck pancakes, served taco-style with cherry stew, pickled fennel and cream. Main courses follow the same theme, with inventive dishes like the rotisserie-roasted celeriac, which comes served on a creamy bed of messenklever cheese (the only soft cheese produced in Holland) and with a slow-cooked egg yolk.