1. “I’ll have a pint.”

Dutch beer culture is all about quality, not quantity. The classic Heineken and other pilsners are poured in small glasses to ensure your brew never goes flat. Belgium beer glasses are also similar in size and vary in shape, but overall stick to bottle-size portions when drinking in bars. (Into beer? Read my picks for the city’s best beer bars.)

2. “Psst! Where are the coffeeshops?”

While the Red Light District is a neighborhood known for a specific kind of “sultry sin,” other vices like coffeeshops are spread out around Amsterdam like other shops. Just under 300 coffeeshops are scattered throughout the city, most of them within the city center in all directions. Just walk around and look for the signs that read “coffeeshop” (NOT “cafe”), and that’s your spot. (Confused by the “coffeeshop” vs “cafe” distinction? We can clear it up.)

3. “Do you have gluten-free pancakes?”

The latest health diets and specialty eating fads are just picking up on the European continent. While a few shelves in supermarkets may be friendly to non-dairy drinkers, gluten-free foodies and veg heads, restaurants are a different story. Expect a few vegetarian options when eating out, but don’t push it. Gluten-free pancakes? I don’t think so. However, if you are seriously into pancakes, here are three joints with great cakes.

4. “I’ll have a glass of tap water.”

I don’t know why, but most European cities are SO not into H2O handouts. (Paris is a notable exception!) Cafe owners are annoyed with the request, servers are confused, and customers are disappointed when they’re either turned down or met with a measly four-ounce kid’s size cup of water.

Solution: Keep a bottle in your bag at all times, and refill in the bathroom sinks.

5. “Do you speak English?”

Like Scandinavia, the Benelux region is very fluent in English. Amsterdam, in particular, is a hub for international activity and tourism, and its cosmopolitan residents are bi- or even tri-lingual. For the Dutch, English is a cinch, so just approach conversation like normal. No need to ask.

6. “I’d like a doggy bag.”

The Dutch are familiar with the term because of American films, but they don’t put it into practice. If you want to order out, go specifically to restaurants that say “take away.” Otherwise, finish your meal. Here’s a list of some great snack joints that are especially good for late-night revelers.

7. “Could you put that out?”

A ban on smoking inside was passed in The Netherlands in 2008. But this is a smoker-friendly country, and NEVER will you find an outdoor area with a nonsmoking sign. Expect whiffs of tobacco to be all around outdoors, from the streets to the cafe terraces and patios.

8. “Can I get cash back?”

As convenient as cash back can be at supermarkets and bars when paying with a debit card, the Netherlands just isn’t into it. Thankfully ATM machines are aplenty in Amsterdam, and fees to withdraw cash from a foreign bank account never exceed €5.

9. “They speak Danish here, right?”

For first-timers to Europe, and those “geographically challenged,” here’s the scoop: The Netherlands are Dutch and speak Dutch. Just above are the Danish living in Denmark, and the Germans next door speak “Deutsch” in the country they call “Deutschland.” Phew!

10. “Where is Manneken Pis?”

It’s in Brussels. Yes, I’m positive.

What would you NOT say in Amsterdam?

Have something to add to our list of phrases to avoid when visiting Amsterdam? Share with us in our comments section below.

The post Amsterdam: 10 phrases that tourists should never say appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are three Cheapo picks for my favorite pancake shops in Amsterdam:

Pannekoekenboot (Pancake Boat)
Web site (in Dutch)
4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Pancakes on a boat? Only in the Netherlands. The Pancake Boat organizes one hour, 90-minute, and three-hour boat rides throughout the city on their large and authentic-looking boat. While patrons cruise through the canals the servers bring out rounds and rounds of pancakes. It’s an all-you-can-eat ordeal as you taste pancakes flavored with apple, or bacon, and add toppings like cheese or chocolate sprinkles.

The boat also offers theme cruises for kids, Sunday brunches, and romantic pancake excursions. The price starts at €15 per person per hour, and the normal cruise starts at 4:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m.

Carousel Pancake House
Weteringschans

This pancake house, round in shape like a pancake, boasts its own vintage carousel. The location is central, smack dab in the middle of Weteringschans roundabout, just next to the Heineken Brewery, and their menu is extensive. Prices are normal, about €12 for a typical ham and cheese pancake, although many patrons flock here for their sweet and sugary mini pancakes, or poffertjes.

What sets this pancake place aside from the others is its special character and relaxed atmosphere. Sure it’s for tourists and non locals, but it’s cute and their prices are reasonable. The service is decent, and the place is nice and spacious.

The Pancake Bakery
Prinsengracht 191
Web site
Open daily noon to 9:30 p.m.

The Pancake Bakery offers the real Dutch pancake experience when it comes to look, feel and flavor. Centrally located along the Prinsengracht, the two-level house offers an oh-so cozy and candlelit lower level and a high-ceiling top floor with a canal view. The space is small, and it’s common to share tables with other patrons, however the friendly atmosphere makes it all comfortable.

Tables are equipped with a pot of stroop syrup and powdered sugar, but we’d recommend getting creative with their exotic pancake menu. Why settle for the blueberry when you can dive into a pineapple? Or how about the Egyptian pancake with lamp, red pepper, garlic sauce and salad? Those with a sweet tooth will love dishes like “French”– a pancake with apple, raisins, vanilla ice cream, Cointreau and whipped cream.

Prices vary from €7 for the basics and €14 for the fancy selections.

Other cakes in town

There are dozens of pancake places around Amsterdam, many of them with an extensive menu and prices that aren’t too expensive. But your best bet is to venture off the busy plazas and select one that’s within your budget and memorable.

Do you have a favorite pancake provider? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post Amsterdam: Our 3 favorite pancake joints appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Appeltaart met slagroom
Typical price: €3.75

Apple pie with whipped cream will always be a soft spot for the Dutch. In cafes this pie is usually on display, letting all eyes marvel at its deep, staggering slices of apple cinnamon filling and towering, dense crust. It’s served cold or at room temperature, so add some whipped cream on the side and dive your dessert fork into a swirly dream of delight.

2. Stroopwafel
Typical price: €1 (at the market), €2.50 (grocery store)

Take a very thin waffle iron, cinnamon batter, remove from heat, pour thick stroop syrup over one waffle and press it against another hot waffle to make a soft and gooey syrup sandwich. That’s a stroopwaffle; and they’re to die for. Buy them warm and king-size at the outdoor markets or pre-packaged in the supermarket (which would make a great cheapo souvenir… if you can resist them!).

3. Poffertjes
Typical price: €2.50

Think warm, puffy pancakes the size of quarters, showered with a flurry of powder sugar and a drizzle of stroop syrup. Poffertjes are a good excuse for a sugary breakfast, but are also considered a cozy snack during the winter months. These silver-dollar cousins are served best with hot chocolate or spiced wine, especially after an afternoon spent ice skating.

4. Amandel koekie
Typical price: €1

Amandel koekie are little almond cakes easily finished in two or three bites. The cake is a cheap buy at the supermarket (usually located next to the stroopwafels), but are also available fresh out of the oven in the bakery section for about a euro. Just look for the golden cookie-shaped cake with a naked almond on top, and enjoy.

5. Peren ijs
Typical price: €.75

This pear-flavored Popsicle is a summer treat, a favorite among kids and perfect for cooling off at the beach. They’re cheap, not too sugary, and carry a light, natural taste. These sticks of soothing satisfaction can be picked up from most ice cream vendors, gas stations and beach snack shacks.

The post Amsterdam: 5 delicious Dutch desserts not to be missed appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Today’s absurdly cold weather in New York – 17 degrees fahrenheit anyone? – makes us crave warm comfort food like nobody’s business.  Hot oatmeal, a Bauernfrühstück, heck, even the thought of a full English helps fuel us up and persevere through winter’s bite.

One treat that we never, ever, turn down as a matter of company policy, are pancakes.  And during last month’s trip to Amsterdam, we asked around for pancake recommendations from a mix of students, locals and hotel staff, given Amsterdam’s reputation as the center of the pancake universe.

International houses of pancakes

The two most frequent recommendations we received were The Pancake Bakery located in a 17th century warehouse on Prinsengracht, and Upstairs Pannenkoekenhuis located up a steep set of stairs on Grimburgwal.  We randomly picked The Pancake Bakery and headed in on a similarly frigid morning to see what all the fuss was about.

We were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming menu of pancakes of all types:  traditional pancakes, dessert pancakes, pancakes with chicken and pineapple (who would’ve thought!), and diplomatic pancakes representing Greenland, Egypt, and other countries from around the globe!  Hello pancake heaven, we’ve arrived!

Ham and cheese, please!

I ordered the pancakes with ham and cheese, and watched in bewilderment as a monstrous stack was laid before me.  I picked up my fork and then didn’t speak for the next 45 minutes.  Mere, ever the sweet-tooth, ordered a stack with nutella, bananas, and whipped cream, and – perhaps inexplicably – a cup of coffee.  She then proceeded to go into a deep sugar coma that lasted through the bulk of the afternoon.

Needless to say, we left The Pancake Bakery with a thoroughly satisfied craving.

Stacked against the competition?

The jury is still out on whether these were the the best pancakes we’ve ever had, especially in consideration of my mother’s exquisitely crafted Ohio short stack.  But they were mighty good and we’d recommend them to other Cheapos looking to sample the wonder that is Dutch pancakes.

If you go, plan to spend about €10 for your ‘jacks. Not bad, considering how large they are. Oh, and don’t forget, the tip is usually included at these places.

Do you have any other suggestions for pancakes in Amsterdam?  Add a comment below and let us know!

The post The Best Pancakes In Amsterdam? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.