Casa di David — Restaurant in Amsterdam

My team and I have made it a last night ritual to visit this place...it never disappoints...more of a neighborfoody place than a tourist destination...I see that several reviews call this place a tourist trap...maybe in June and July when they get a bit overwhelmed with travelers but I have been to Amsterdam every month of the year and while I have occasionally encountered semi unfriendly waiters there I have never felt rushed or pressured in this place...and I have found that most of the patrons with whom I have engaged with are locals...

BTW, when you reserve there they do state that your dining window is two hours max...but my team and I routinely blow that time frame out of the water without a staff complaint...

This trip:

Joakim was quite the convivial and engaging server...a heads up and as mentioned before not all of the servers are...

Food was excellent...only complaint would be that the Spaghetti alla carbonara was a bit over done but the Pappardelle al ragu di cinghiale e rosmarino may be one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had...the Branzino in guazetto con cozze (mussels) was also a star...the Scaloppina di vitella in salsa di limone o al vino bianco was okay...past dishes I recommend over it are the Ossobuco di vitella con risotto allo zafferano and the Filetto con funghi porcini e tartufo as well...

MUST START with Pizza (be creative) and Bruschette...desserts are all top rate...

Our bill was 100+eu each only because we went crazy on the wines this trip..food prices are quite reasonable...I've gotten out of there for...

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.

Let me quickly list the good points before explaining why I’ve dropped 2 stars.

Great building, it’s beautiful. Stunning interior too!

Food options are great with a nice healthy variety of dishes!

Real wood pizza oven!

When food came it was amazing, can’t knock it at all! The food was 5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

But…

Unfortunately our experience with the service was not great, we made reservations and rushed around up and down restaurant before we were seated, this was stressful as it was rather busy while people who didn’t make reservations had to wait.

Fine.

But then when they were seated, about 10 mins after us, they got served before us and had finished their main course by the time we got our drinks order.

We felt a bit ignored and had to get a bit pushy to just get some service while tables all around us seemed to be waited on hands and feet. This made us feel sad and as if we’d done something to upset them.

We decided we wanted to go and asked for the bill and the manager said yes sure and asked someone else to do it and that someone else just stood around not doing anything and we had to ask him again for it.

Real shame. They missed out on a tip as we love to tip quality service!

On the plus side other tables seemed to be waited just fine and other reviews don’t really seem to have problems with service. Maybe we’re just a quiet couple and we needed to be a bit pushy in the first place...

Casa di David is a wonderful example of how traditional Italian food and truly exceptional service can come together for a memorable dining experience. Our waiter, Tomas, was nothing short of amazing—incredibly attentive, even with a full restaurant. It felt like he had eyes on every table and somehow knew exactly what we needed before we even asked. He wasn’t just doing a job—his passion for hospitality was clear in every interaction.

We started with the Vitello Tonnato, which was beautifully presented and full of authentic flavour. Being quite familiar with Italian cuisine and its regional nuances, I was impressed—this dish was true to its roots, yet with a refined, modern touch. I followed with ricotta and truffle ravioli in a butter sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. The dough was delicate, the filling juicy and flavourful, and the butter sauce was perfectly executed—rich but not overpowering, tying everything together beautifully. My friend had another pasta dish, possibly the Casa di David specialty. I had a few bites for the taste, but I definitely preferred my own dish. We also asked for Franciacorta, which wasn’t listed on the menu. Tomas told us they had a few bottles left in the cellar, and of course we said yes—and what a fantastic bottle it was. Elegant, with a soft perlage and complex flavour—a real treat. Pre-booking is absolutely necessary, as the restaurant fills up quickly—and for...