Raw herring is a Dutch specialty, and there are dozens of haringhuis fish stands in town. The best of all is Van Altena, Stadhouderskade at Jan Luijkenstraat (tel. 020/676-9139; tram: 7 or 10), a class-act operation across from the Rijksmuseum. Owner Pieter "Piet" van Altena has spent a lot of time and money perfecting the raw herring preservation process. Connoisseurs stock up on his fresh pickled herring (garnished with prickly remarks) and lunch on delicious salmon or crab salad, or a dozen other fishy delights, on warm whole-grain buns. You use proper stainless-steel flatware and drink chilled white wine from a stemmed glass. It is basically a stand, but a few lucky diners can even sit down to dine at a couple of tiny tables (though local style is to eat standing). It's open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
To eat a genuine Dutch broodje (sandwich) in a real broodjeswinkel (sandwich shop), go to the ever-crowded Eetsalon Van Dobben, Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat 5-9 (tel. 020/624-4200; www.vandobben.nl; tram: 4, 9, or 14), off Rembrandtplein, where you might try a smoked-eel sandwich. Popular with Amsterdammers on the go, and with only a few tables, another good choice is either of the two branches of Broodje van Kootje, Leidseplein 20 (tel. 020/623-2036; tram: 1, 2, 5, 7, or 10), and Spui 28 (tel. 020/623-7451; tram: 1, 2, or 5). If you can't stomach the idea of eating a raw herring from a street vendor, maybe it'll seem more palatable here. A specialty is the creamy kroket broodje. Broodjes and snacks go for 2.75€ to 5.50€ ($3.45-$6.90).
Should Amsterdam's shortage of good pastrami on rye get to you, head out to Amsterdam South, to Sal Meijer, Scheldestraat 45 (tel. 020/673-1313; tram: 12 or 25), off Churchilllaan, a kosher sandwich shop where the city's Jewish community gathers. The sandwiches and other snacks are excellent. It's open Sunday to Thursday from 9:30am to 7:30pm, and Friday from 9:30am to 2pm.
Homesick Brits and admirers of traditional British fish and chips should head straight for Al's Plaice (get it?), Nieuwendijk 10 (tel. 020/427-4192; www.fishnchips.nl; tram: 1, 2, 5, 13, 14, or 17), where business gets done with the requisite amounts of salt and vinegar. The pickled onions are big and juicy, and the paper wrappers all you could hope for. There's takeout service and seats inside. Al's is open daily from noon to 10pm.
Late-Night Eateries -- Since the majority of restaurant kitchens in Amsterdam are closed by 10:30pm, it's good to keep these late-night addresses handy in case the munchies strike: Fifteen and Pier 10; Sluizer; Bojo; and De Knijp.
