Moeders

Moeders, Dutch for mothers, opened in 1990 with an unusual request. The owner, Jurriaan, asked every guest at the opening to bring along a plate, a glass and some cutlery, and those mismatched pieces still set the wooden tables today. At around the same time the restaurant began collecting photographs of mothers, and the walls are now covered with portraits sent in by diners from all over the world. It is a warm, slightly eccentric setting that feels more like a family dining room than a restaurant.

The menu is devoted to traditional Dutch cooking of the kind many Amsterdammers grew up with: hearty, unfussy food that suits a cold evening after a day of walking the canals. The full evening menu is published on the website and marks dishes that are gluten-free or lactose-free. There is also a separate children's menu, a snack menu and lists of beers and wines, so it works for families as well as couples and groups.

This is one of the easiest places in the centre to try Dutch home cooking in a relaxed atmosphere, and its popularity with visitors means the room is busy most nights. The tone is informal, and there is no need to dress up.

Moeders is open every day from 5pm until midnight, and the kitchen closes at 10pm. Reservations can be made online through the website, and booking ahead is wise, especially at weekends and in high season. If you have an allergy or food intolerance, tell the staff when you order. Allow about two hours for a relaxed dinner. Groups can contact the restaurant by phone or email to discuss larger bookings.

The restaurant is on the busy Rozengracht, the wide street that runs along the southern edge of the Jordaan. Trams 13 and 17 run along Rozengracht, and the Westerkerk, the Anne Frank House and the Prinsengracht are a few minutes' walk away. Afterwards, the narrow streets of the Jordaan to the north are full of brown cafés for a drink, and the Nine Streets shopping area is just across the Prinsengracht. Arriving early in the evening also gives you time for a walk along the canals before dinner.