Comfort Food With a Long Memory
Some dishes survive because they’re clever; others because they’re comforting.
Wentelteefjes, the Dutch take on French toast, survive because they’re both; a golden, cinnamon-scented way to turn old bread into something irresistible.
What began as a practical trick in ancient kitchens has since travelled the world, adopting new names, new stories and new styles. But here in Amsterdam, wentelteefjes have a personality of their own, warm, simple, nostalgic, and very hard to resist.
Today, one café in particular keeps that story alive in the most delicious way imaginable.
A Dish Older Than Most Cities: Where French Toast Really Comes From
The earliest form of French toast shows up not in France but in ancient Rome. In Apicius’ cookbook, a dish called Aliter Dulcia describes bread soaked in milk and egg, fried and finished with honey, a clever way to save stale bread.
Throughout medieval Europe, the dish evolved:
- France called it pain perdu (“lost bread”)
- Germany made Arme Ritter
- England stuck with “eggy bread”
Different names, same idea: transform yesterday’s bread into today’s comfort.
So Why Do the Dutch Call It Wentelteefjes?
The Dutch name sounds playful, but the origins are surprisingly practical.
- Wentel means to turn, dip or roll, exactly what you do when coating the bread.
- Teefje was historically a word for certain soft, sweet baked goods, long before modern meanings arrived.
Put them together and you get a name that’s quirky, old-fashioned, and unmistakably Dutch, a linguistic heirloom as comforting as the dish itself.
How the Dish Landed in Amsterdam and Stayed
Amsterdam has always loved dishes with heritage, the kind you smell before you see, the kind that make cold mornings feel softer. Wentelteefjes fit right in: simple ingredients, ancient origins, and a flavour that somehow tastes like childhood even if you didn’t grow up with it.
But while many cafés serve it, only a few treat it like a story worth preserving.
Which brings us to one special spot….
The Heemelrijck Way; Warmth, Wood, Butter and Belonging
Walk into Heemelrijck aan de Singel and you immediately feel it: the intimacy, the warmth, the quiet confidence of a place that knows who it is. Soft light on wooden paneling, small tables dressed in Persian-Dutch patterned cloths, and along the walls, a charming row of Old Dutch porcelain plates that give the café a touch of timeless character.
And then there’s the scent, the one that reaches you before your seat does.
Butter. Cinnamon. Caramelising sugar. Bread turning golden in the pan.
Heemelrijck’s wentelteefjes aren’t just a menu item; they’re a family tradition, made from a recipe passed down from (grand) father to son. No written measurements, no formal guidelines, just memory, technique and care passed down through generations.
The result is Dutch-style French toast at its most honest: soft at the centre, crisp around the edges, warm with spice, quietly generous.
And because heritage tastes best when shared, Heemelrijck took things one step further:
They created their own wentelteefjes liqueur, inspired by the flavours of the original family recipe; a bottle of nostalgia, sweetness and Amsterdam humour in liquid form.
This is comfort food with roots and personality.
How a Literal Translation Became a Legendary Nickname
Here’s the charming twist.
If you translate wentelteefje far too literally into English, you’ll land on the unintentionally hilarious phrase:
“flipping bitch.”
Most cafés would laugh and leave it at that.
Heemelrijck didn’t.
With full Amsterdam playfulness, they turned the mistranslation into a light-hearted house nickname; a wink to regulars, a moment of shared humour, and a reminder that classic dishes can carry both history and personality.
Why This Dish Still Matters (And Why Theirs Stands Out)
Some foods fade as trends change.
Others stay because they speak a universal language, warmth, memory, simplicity, sweetness.
Wentelteefjes belong to the second category.
And at Heemelrijck, they’re more than breakfast: they’re a story told on a plate, backed by generations, served with humour, and paired with a liqueur that captures that same nostalgic flavour in a glass.
If you want to taste Dutch comfort food at its most heartfelt, this is where you go.
A Slice of History in Every Bite
From ancient Rome to French kitchens to a cosy café on the Singel, wentelteefjes have travelled further than most dishes ever will. But here in Amsterdam, they’ve found a home where history, heritage and hospitality meet.
If you want to taste where all those centuries come together…
you already know where to find it.