Top Restaurants in IJmuiden 2026
The best places to eat in IJmuiden, chosen by locals. From artisan smokehouses and fresh harbour fish to Argentine grills and cosy brown cafés — these are the places we eat ourselves in 2026 — including our own brasserie, honest as we are.
You don't taste IJmuiden from a brochure. You taste it on the quay, in the smoke from the smokehouse, in restaurants with the door open where the conversation starts by itself. At Brasserie Het Dok we eat locally ourselves — which is why we share our personal selection of the best restaurants in IJmuiden in 2026.
Brasserie Het Dok
Dokweg 2, 1976 CA IJmuiden
We put ourselves at number one, of course — with all the humility the harbour folk deserve. Our brasserie serves daily fish from the catch, croquettes with mustard mayonnaise, Dutch chicken satay and quay-side classics. Everything freshly prepared from a menu that changes each season. The kitchen runs 12:00 to 16:00 for lunch and 17:00 to 21:30 for dinner; the bar carries on longer. With around fifty seats and a harbour-side terrace, it's either quiet or lively here — depending on the tide.
Best for: lunch after a morning at the beach, or a drink with a sea view before the town fills up.
Get directionsRokerij Smeding
Trawlerkade 12, 1976 CB IJmuiden
THE smokehouse of IJmuiden, right in the harbour district, where salmon and eel have been smoked the traditional way for generations. You smell it from the street: sweet oak smoke, salty sea air and fresh bread. Behind the counter hang whole salmon next to slabs of eel, and there is always something to taste. Grab a wedge of smoked salmon to go, or sit down and eat it on the spot with a glass of wine. Here you smell the smoke first and the sea second.
Best for: takeaway or eating on the spot. The smell alone is worth the trip.
Get directionsRestaurant De Meerplaats
Dokweg 34, 1976 CA IJmuiden
For those who want to eat proper fish, this is the address. The menu reads like a love letter to the North Sea: daily dishes of what the trawlers landed that morning, mussels several ways, and classics like salmon filet or a plate of scampi, prepared with craft and no gimmicks. The staff know the day's catch and advise without pushing. Classic, well-crafted and with a view of the harbour — a place to dine in peace.
Best for: a business dinner or a celebratory fish meal.
Get directionsKaasmarkt Kaptein
Kennemerlaan 116, 1972 EP IJmuiden
A true specialty shop where taste matters more than speed. The range runs from young to long-aged Dutch cheeses, from French classics to surprising farmhouse cheeses from small makers — plus nuts, chutneys, olives and delicacies to fill the perfect board. The staff advise sincerely: they'll keep you tasting until you have that moment. Pair it with wine from the same harbour and your evening is made. Always something new to discover.
Best for: a cheese board to go with wine, or a gift from IJmuiden.
Get directionsHokkai Kitchen
Trawlerkade 100, 1976 CB IJmuiden
Japanese with an IJmuiden twist, right on the trawler quay. Its strength lies in the combination: centuries-old sushi craft plus fish that was still swimming in the North Sea this morning. From nigiri with the local catch and umami bombs off the grill to bowls of ramen on a winter afternoon. The menu is compact and right; portions are honest and the atmosphere relaxed. Proof for sushi lovers that you don't need Amsterdam for better fish — it's simply here.
Best for: sushi lovers who want to taste fresh harbour fish.
Get directionsParilla Grande
Kennemerlaan 130, 1972 EP IJmuiden
Argentine grill restaurant where fire runs the show. Steak, chorizo and vacio come off the charcoal grill with smoke and fireworks on the plate. Flavours are bold, portions generous and the wine list is southern in the best way. The atmosphere is warm and loud in the right way — here you sit at the table late into the evening, animated conversation rising over a last glass of Malbec. If you're not in the mood for fish, choose here without hesitation.
Best for: anyone not in the mood for fish — meat, fire and cosiness.
Get directionsBY Henc
Vissersingelstraat 40, 1976 DB IJmuiden
Small plates, great hospitality. BY Henc is one of those places where everything is right: a cork on the wine, a bite on the table and an owner who remembers your name. The menu is short and ever-changing — think griddle bites, good cheese and surprising combinations — all meant for sharing, or simply for staying long. On top of the fine wine list sits a beautiful Dutch brown café: wood, leather, newspapers and chatter. Ideal after a day at the beach.
Best for: a drink with character after a day at the beach.
Get directionsOn the map
All the flavours of IJmuiden in one place
Eat at Het Dok first?
Our own brasserie serves daily fish, croquettes and quay-side classics. Check out the new October 2026 menu.