Best Apple Pie in Amsterdam - An Afternoon at Winkel 43

Popular Pie

Amsterdam

For the best apple pie in Amsterdam there is one clear winner. A spot that, much like its pies, stands tall above the rest. The type of place you go to once and proceed to tell anyone you know that might be in the vicinity of the Amsterdam area they MUST visit.

Check any guide for Amsterdam and you’ll likely find Winkel 43 hovering around on a list of places to visit. It’s an Amsterdam institution – for good reason. One of those rare places in Amsterdam where it’s as busy with tourists as it is with locals. A good indication it’s the real deal.

Dutch apple pie, known here as appeltaart, can be found on most menus in cafés, bars and restaurants across the city. But we’ve found that often they aren’t of the homemade variety and thus don’t possess the same pie perfection that only a recently cooked, straight from the oven slice can provide.

Apple Pie or Apple Cake?

The pie at Winkel is like nothing we’ve ever eaten before. It’s ginormous for a start – towering at least an inch above the average British apple pie. The pie crust is exactly that, a true crust. You must stab your fork to get through it but once joined with the cooked fruit (that manages to retain a little bite) the crunchy and soft combination is pure perfection.

It’s not too sweet and you can truly taste the apples that have managed not to turn to mush beneath the weight of the mighty crust. A hum of cinnamon sings through every bite without becoming overpowering like cinnamon can often do. For the full Winkel 43 apple pie experience we recommend to always order with whipped cream.

What’s most remarkable about this ultimate dessert is the dough inside. Once you cut through its epic crust it becomes not so much a pie but a cake. The apple finds itself immersed with soft, bouncy sponge. The welcome result of an outrageously thick pie crust. It’s here where the pie excels against any competition the city might offer.

Pie in the Sky

It’s a magical place. From your table you’ll see countless puffs of whipped cream go by like fluffy clouds gliding through the sky until eventually one perfect piece floats down to land in front of you.

For some reason (that will never make sense to us) the pie itself is not included on the menu, but don’t be fooled. It is there and we’ve not once gone to find it had sold out (and we’ve gone A LOT).

You might be quick to wonder where all this bottomless pie is coming from. Convinced that it’s been shipped in from some monster, mass bakery off-site. But in a corner seat perched above the window to the kitchen you’ll see towering rows of the freshly baked pies waiting to be cracked through with a sharp knife and shipped out.

Did We Mention the Pie Is Good?

Before we wax poetic too much on the pie (too late) it’s worth noting that they also serve other food: light bites, a small dinner menu, and more snacks. Most people go solely for the pie. It’s difficult not too. What with the sheer size of one slice and the absolute lack of willpower required to share.

You might be tempted to avoid anything that appears too touristy on your travels. Or perhaps the thousands of positive reviews may seem over the top (this one included). But Winkel 43 is worth the hype.

It is the perfect place to spend a few hours in Amsterdam. The coffee is pretty great too. And did we mention the pie is good?