Before my most recent trip to Amsterdam, I asked the Travel Office to arrange a food tour for my traveling companion and me. We spent a fantastic afternoon with two locals, sampling Dutch specialties in cozy bars and artisan shops in Jordaan, a charming neighborhood of narrow canals, ivy-draped façades and cobblestoned lanes that borders the Canal District. Once a working-class enclave, gentrified Jordaan now buzzes with trendy boutiques, lively restaurants and high-end art galleries, with a vibe reminiscent of the Marais in Paris.

Thank goodness we started this tour on an empty stomach and had no evening plans; the many snacks were all so delicious that we gave no thought to moderation. We began at Café ’t Papeneiland, a traditional brown café dating to the 1640s, decked out in dark wood paneling, Delft tiling and vintage chandeliers. Things kicked off well with slices of homemade apple pie and frothy pints of Amstel Lager, a combination that felt at once authentic and indulgent.

Next, we visited an artisanal butcher and a shop selling cheese, meat and condiments. Our guides introduced us to the owners and assembled a selection for a tasting in a private room at a newly opened spot specializing in Dutch wines from the Netherlands’ roughly 200 vintners. We paired our finds, including slightly smoked ox sausage, fennel-dotted pork sausage, a layered meat-and-gelatin pie, Delft blue cheese and cumin-spiked gouda, with a flight of local bottlings.