Eat and rest in Utrecht, the Netherlands

We shall begin with an old reliable that just so happens to be one of the most popular choices for light food in all of Europe, the Netherlands not being an exception. Croissants are beloved by many, which is completely understandable due to the consistency, diversity, and universally satisfying nature of the dish. Everyone can eat a croissant and feel that light puffy feeling of consuming something resembling a cloud with a filling of choice ranging from syrup to chocolate.

Bakkerswinkel Utrecht offers some of the best locally made croissants.

This Italian alternative to regular ice cream has won over many European hearts ever since the process of mutual integration of cuisines of different countries began. Gelato usually contains just the right amount of frozen flavouring and butterfat to go down as smooth as it appears to be, especially while it's melting. Of course, the trick is in the preparation, and decent gelato should be sought out in big cities. Luckily, a hub of transport and culture like Utrecht is just the right place.

The name Roberto Gelato is pretty obvious. You can pick your gelato of choice here.

Another offering that shows just how important cultural exchange is. Risotto was invented as a dish when rice from Southern Italy finally drew the attention of people preparing food and ingredients for it. The dish is cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency, which makes it a perfect choice to follow up on a meal with something like croissants being the starter. Add some white wine, a bit of butter, or even some sensibly mixed or sliced meat or seafood, and you can have a grand experience.

Piatto Utrecht is a good Italian place to enjoy some risotto.

Spices and sauces have become inseparable from food preparation over the centuries, and curiously enough, some of the sauces used as condiments for tacos and other Mexican and Mexican-American foods have found their way into European restaurants to become highly demanded. Salsa is best used with meat, naturally, and Utrecht have no shortage of that product. The best way to try European-style salsa is with a thick steak or a mix of different meats of your choice.

Miyagi & Jones Utrecht will offer just the right experience.

If salsa is too spicy and steaks are too heavy for your taste, have a soft drink or enjoy a quick bite in one of the many cafes and restaurants Utrecht has to offer while enjoying a bit of carpaccio. This Italian appetizer is particularly suitable for the busy life of a big city, because eating thin slices of beef, veal, venison, salmon or tuna served raw is quick but classy and requires a lot less preparation in the short term. That's why carpaccio has become a go-to food locally, it seems.

Restaurant Dengh is just the place for this kind of food experience.

This time we have a Greek treat on the menu. Halva has been known for a long time and has become such a common product that in some countries it can even be found in stores as a packaged product. But the real strength of halva is in careful preparation, so hand-made varieties are preferable, and a curious visitor in the mood for something sweet and less commonplace than ice cream or candy can check out the restaurants that offer this rather exquisite dessert.

Restaurant Blij has good halva and something to drink with it.

If we're done with lighter treats and small bites, let's go straight to something really serious. Tenderloin is one of the most popular and tastiest fillets of pork or beef known to modern cuisine, regardless of the region and preparation traditions. Since Europe has perfected the art of the cut, meat in the Netherlands is as good as can be, and with the minimal amount of searching, you can find a restaurant serving the nicest tenderloin steaks and mixes along with different suitable side dishes.

In this regard, don't let the name Broadway American Steakhouse fool you. The place has an abundance of steaks of European quality.

It's not really that surprising that a famous American dish made it into our list. It's pretty obvious that the popular dishes in Utrecht are pretty international, and coleslaw is yet another proof of that. However, what few people realize is that coleslaw has many variations that people invented around the world. Also, coleslaw goes pretty well with some of the meat mentioned previously, as it is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly either vinaigrette or mayonnaise. 

Firma Pickles Burgers & Wines offers great coleslaw.

It's quite a generic list if it describes the food scene in the Netherlands and features next to zero native dishes. But we've saved the best for last. Bitterballen is a meat-based snack, made by making a very thick stew thickened with roux and beef stock and generously loaded with meat. Bitterballen are very similar to the more common croquettes but differ in shape and sometimes in taste, since the stew can be played with to create a little bit of uniqueness in the taste.

Eetcafé De Vingerhoed has great bitterballen.

The final offering of the list is a real mixed bag, but not in the bad sense. Halo-halo has a cute name and a cuter origin, it's a popular cold dessert in the Philippines made up of crushed ice, evaporated milk or coconut milk. Why is it a mixed bag then? Because the term "halo-halo" translates to "mixed" in English, since the dessert is meant to be mixed before being consumed. The mixed nature results in no set combination of ingredients being the canonical one, so you can go wild reinventing the dessert.

Restaurant Concours is probably the best place to find some halo-halo.

Utrecht is a city full of life, a real representation of the modern Netherlands. Enjoy its atmosphere and have fun checking out the food!