Wils Restaurant

My coworker Anna took her parents to Wils for their 35th wedding anniversary. Her dad, who is not easily impressed by restaurants, called her the next morning to talk about the food. He has since brought it up at every family dinner. That is Wils.

Wils is a Michelin-starred restaurant on Stadionplein in Oud-Zuid, and what makes it different from every other fine dining place in Amsterdam is the fire. Chef Joris Bijdendijk cooks almost everything over an open flame — a massive custom-built wood-fired grill that sits in the middle of an open kitchen. You can see everything happening. The flames, the smoke, the chefs working with this primal energy. My friend who is a food photographer said it was "the most photogenic kitchen in Amsterdam." She was not wrong.

The menu changes with the seasons, but the constant is the cooking technique. Vegetables that have been charred to bring out a sweetness you did not know they had. Meat with this deep, smoky flavor that you cannot get from a regular kitchen. Fish that is somehow simultaneously delicate and bold. My coworker's dad specifically will not stop talking about a piece of celery root that he says was "the best vegetable I have ever eaten." A vegetable. At a steakhouse-adjacent restaurant. That tells you everything.

The dining room is beautiful in an understated way. High ceilings, natural materials, big windows. It does not try to be flashy — it lets the kitchen be the star. The open kitchen concept means the energy of the cooking flows into the room, and there is this low hum of excitement that builds as courses arrive.

Now here is the thing about Wils that not enough people know: the bakery next door, Wils Bakery, is run by the same team. It opens in the morning for breakfast and lunch, and it is spectacular. My coworker Anna goes there for croissants on weekends and swears they are the best in Amsterdam. Sourdough bread, pastries, sandwiches — everything is baked with the same obsessive quality as the restaurant. If you cannot get a reservation at the restaurant (or if it is beyond your budget), the bakery gives you a taste of the Wils quality at a fraction of the price.

Practical stuff: you absolutely must reserve. Weeks in advance for weekends, at least a week for weekdays. The tasting menu is the way to go — it lets the kitchen show you what they do best. Expect to spend around 100-150 euros per person for the tasting menu with wine pairing. Yes, it is a splurge. But this is legitimately one of the best restaurants in the country, and the wine pairing is thoughtfully done — my friend who knows wine said the sommelier's picks were "annoyingly perfect."

One thing to manage expectations on: the portions are fine-dining sized, which means beautiful but not huge. My buddy who "eats a lot" was satisfied, but if you are coming from a Cafe de Klos-sized portion expectation, recalibrate. The bakery next door opens early, so you could do the restaurant for dinner and the bakery for breakfast the next morning. My coworker Anna calls this "the Wils double" and does it every time she has guests in town.

If you are going to have one truly special meal in Amsterdam, make it this one. The fire, the flavors, the craft — it is dining as an experience, not just a meal. And then go to the bakery the next morning. Trust me on that.