Yuan's Hot Pot

My roommate Lieke is obsessed with Yuan's Hot Pot. She went once with a Chinese colleague and came home that night saying "we are going back next week with everyone." She was not kidding. We have been going as a group every month since, and it has become this whole ritual.

Here is the deal with Yuan's: it is authentic Sichuan hot pot. Not a watered-down version for the European palate. Real deal. You pick your broth — they have multiple options ranging from mild to "my roommate's colleague laughed at us when we couldn't handle the spicy one." I recommend the half-and-half pot so you can do one spicy and one mild side. That way the people in your group who think they are tough can prove it, and the rest of you can eat comfortably.

The way it works is you get this bubbling pot of broth at your table, and then you order plates of raw ingredients to cook in it. Thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles, tofu, dumplings — the selection is huge. My friend Sander always orders the lamb and the mushroom platter. I go for the beef and the lotus root every single time. The sauces are self-serve from a station, and making your perfect dipping sauce is honestly half the fun. My roommate has her recipe memorized and guards it like a state secret.

This place is an experience. The steam, the noise, the communal cooking — it is genuinely one of the most fun dinners you can have in Amsterdam. My buddy who visited from New York said it reminded him of the hot pot spots in Flushing, and he meant it as the highest possible compliment. It is the kind of meal where you look up and realize three hours have passed.

They have multiple locations around Amsterdam. The one on Ferdinand Bolstraat in De Pijp is the one we usually go to because it is easy to get to and the vibe on the street adds to the whole experience. They also have locations in Zuidas and Buitenveldert, but De Pijp is the one that feels the most alive.

Practical stuff: go with a group. Minimum three people, ideally four to six. Hot pot is a communal thing and it is way better when you can try more variety. Booking ahead is smart, especially on weekends — my roommate tried to walk in on a Saturday last month and had to wait 45 minutes. Price-wise, expect to spend around 30-40 euros per person if you go all out, which you should.

One heads up: the spicy broth is genuinely spicy. Not "oh that has a little kick" spicy. My friend Alex, who puts hot sauce on everything, was sweating. Start with the half-and-half your first time and work your way up. Also, your clothes will smell like hot pot afterwards. My roommate considers this a feature, not a bug. Wear something you do not mind smelling delicious for a few hours.

If you are the kind of traveler who wants to do something different — not just another canal-side dinner — this is it. It is loud, it is steamy, it is interactive, and by the end of the meal your whole table will be laughing and full and probably a little bit sweaty. My roommate says that is how you know it was a good night.