The Chinese-Indonesian restaurant culture is a unique Dutch culinary culture that combines three influences: Chinese, Indonesian (Indonesian) and Dutch. Since 2021, it has been officially listed on the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands.
Early 20th century: The first Chinese people came to Rotterdam and Amsterdam around 1911 as dockworkers.
In the 1920s, the first Chinese eateries opened (such as Cheung Kwok Low in Rotterdam, 1920), primarily for the local community.
After WWII: Due to the independence of Indonesia, many Indo-Dutch people and soldiers came to the Netherlands who missed Indo-Dutch food.
Chinese restaurateurs hired Indo-Dutch 'cooks' and expanded the menu with dishes such as nasi goreng, satay, and gado-gado.
1960s-1980s: Heyday with thousands of restaurants (peak around 2,300).
They became the go-to place for “dining out” for ordinary Dutch people: affordable, spacious, and accessible.
Characteristics: Fusion cuisine: Chinese base (babi pangang, foe yong hai, spring rolls) + Indonesian influences, adapted to Dutch taste: less spicy, larger portions, fattier, and with Dutch additions (fries, croquettes for kids).
Iconic dishes like bami and nasi balls are purely Dutch.
Restaurant experience: Chinoiserie interior (red lanterns, Chinese paintings, often a fishbowl), menus with hundreds of items, takeaway option, and family business (often with a hatch to the kitchen).
Cultural role: For many Dutch people, it was their first introduction to “exotic” food.
Every neighborhood or village often got one (“every church and a Chinese restaurant”).
Today, classic restaurants are declining due to competition from more authentic Asian cuisines and healthier food, but the culture remains a typical Dutch heritage.
It is a beautiful example of how migration and adaptation have created a kitchen all its own.
