Dutch tapas borrelhapjes are small snacks enjoyed in bars and sports venues. They can be served as starters, but also as bites to accompany a Trappist beer.
Most people are familiar with Spanish tapas, but fewer are aware of the Dutch version. If you like snacks, you will love borrelhapjes.
Let’s travel to Amsterdam to taste some of the most typical bites of Dutch tapas!
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We arrive in Amsterdam from Tilburg, in the south of the Netherlands, in the early evening.
Much of our afternoon before the train ride has been spent trying to find decent and reasonably priced accommodation in the Dutch capital.
The reviews of budget hotels and hostels on Booking.com say it all: “In a word: rat hole!”
So we decided to invest a bit in quality and find a hotel located by a small canal near Vondelpark, housed in an old villa.
Our room, complete with a balcony, is downright huge. Museumplein is within walking distance.
(Unfortunately, this hotel is no longer in operation.)
By the time we’re checked in, it’s already late, and we’re a bit worried about finding dinner anywhere.
Our salvation comes in the form of Dutch tapas; borrelhapjes.
Office Snacks That Work for Everyone
Borrelen is the Dutch custom of going out for beers and genever with colleagues after the workweek.
But it’s a broader concept than just “after work drinks.”
Borrelen is a chance to let loose after a tightly disciplined, Calvinist-style workweek, truly, and at the same time, it serves as a kind of social glue within the workplace.
Beer (or wine), often accompanied by a shot of genever, is never consumed without food.
And this is where borrelhapjes step in — onto the table, quite literally.
But borrelhapjes aren’t just for office gatherings.
Since they’re served as bar snacks, they’re perfect for anyone with a bit of hunger — and they can even save a weary traveler in need of a real meal, like us.
Borrelhapjes are also standard fare at sports events and festivals.
The undisputed king of the borrelhapjes is bitterballen; small deep-fried meatballs, often made with ground beef and sometimes cheese.
They’re typically served with mustard.
A common seasoning is nutmeg, a culinary influence dating back to Indonesia’s colonial-era ties with the Netherlands.
To this day, borrelhapjes and other Dutch dishes are found on the menus of many Indonesian restaurants – sometimes even those that have disappeared from the Netherlands itself.
On festive occasions, tiny Dutch flags are proudly planted into the bitterballen.
Fries are also a beloved snack among the Dutch and are available on practically every bar street.
They’re typically enjoyed with mayonnaise. The restaurant version we had also came with a Belgian-style meat stew.
Bitterballen find their way onto our dinner plate as well, which we enjoy on the terrace of a conveniently located bar proudly advertising borrelhapjes.
Along with the bitterballen, we’re served a hearty chunk of bread, olives, and cheese.
I wash my meal down with a beer, while Tanja opts for wine.
Heat lamps ensure that diners stay warm – and bathe both people and plates in a lovely crimson glow.
But bitterballen are far from the only popular Dutch tapas – borrelhapjes come in a wide variety.
The most popular Borrelhapjes
- Kaassoufflé
- Mini-kroket
- Loempia
- Kaasloempia
- Mini-frikandel
- Kaasblokjes
Cheese is kaas in Dutch, and since the country is famous for its cheeses (like Gouda and Edam), it naturally plays a prominent role in borrelhapjes as well.
- Kaassoufflé is a deep-fried pastry filled with cheese. As the name suggests, the filling is cheese, and it’s often served with a mildly spiced peanut sauce. Since kaassoufflé contains no meat, it can — by Dutch standards — almost be considered a vegetarian dish.
Well, to be fair, the Dutch do eat a lot of vegetables. The country’s fertile farmland produces so much that a large amount of it has to be exported. - Mini-kroket is a close relative of the bitterball. Made with the same ingredients, it’s elongated in shape and — as the name implies — a smaller version of the traditional kroket.
- Loempia is one of the dishes that arrived in Dutch cuisine from Indonesia. Essentially a spring roll, it is often filled with vegetables, though meat fillings are also common.
- Kaasloempia, as the name implies, is a cheese-filled version of the loempia. The cheese is Gouda, and it’s typically served with chili sauce for dipping.
- Mini-frikandel is a small, mildly spiced sausage-like meat roll — basically a miniature version of the popular Dutch snack frikandel.
They’re a pub favorite, often topped with fried onions and curry ketchup. - Kaasblokjes are simply cheese cubes, usually Edam or Gouda. Mustard is often served alongside for dipping.
While borrelhapjes are, in true tapas style, savory snacks meant to be enjoyed with drinks or as an appetizer, the Dutch, who typically have a sweet tooth, often opt for thin pancakes or waffles as a snack.
These are frequently paired with a cup of hot chocolate, typically Chocomel, but we chose coffee instead.
Deep-frying goes down well with the Dutch
Most borrelhapjes, as it turns out, are deep-fried. Kaasblokjes are an exception — at least the cheese itself isn’t fried.
That said, kaasstengels, deep-fried cheese sticks, are also quite popular.
Dutch food in general tends to involve a fair bit of deep-frying.
The Dutch may have a genetic fondness for frying, or perhaps some deep fryer salesman did an outstanding job back in the day.
Then again, hearty food goes well with beer and spirits – and helps prevent excessive drunkenness, which could, in the worst-case scenario, damage team spirit rather than strengthen it.
The North Sea winds may also explain the local preference for heavier meals.
And the Dutch straightforwardness is reflected in their food culture as well.
But as mentioned, borrelhapjes also include things like olives and bread — both staples of the Dutch diet — which give the selection more of a Spanish tapas feel.
Even Schiphol Airport Serves Tasty Food
In the morning, we check out of our hotel, leave our luggage in storage, and head back into the city.
Breakfast is a must, so we stop at a terrace near Museumplein to enjoy some mint tea and sandwiches – both classic Dutch snacks. The sun is already beating down with near-summer intensity.
Cold drinks are the best remedy for the heat, and after a bit of sightseeing, we find ourselves on another terrace.
Tanja opts for a piccolo bottle of chilled sparkling wine, while I go for a beer.
I don’t usually drink Heineken, but with the company’s headquarters visible just down the street, it somehow feels appropriate.
This time, our dinner venue is Schiphol Airport. We take a taxi from the hotel and, within an hour of departure, we’re already through security.
Schiphol is undoubtedly one of the best airports in the world and offers excellent – and reasonably priced – dining options.
This time, we don’t eat at Grand Café Het Paleis, a brilliant replica of an old Amsterdam restaurant that has since been demolished, which also serves borrelhapjes.
Instead, we’ve found a great burger restaurant at Schiphol where we also stop by during layovers in Amsterdam.
It’s definitely not a run-of-the-mill burger chain. The burgers are large and high-quality, and served on porcelain plates.
If you prefer wine instead of beer with your burger, you may choose from a rather extensive and well-curated wine list.
At the Dam airport, you don’t have to settle for Burger King.
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