History

Henri J.J.A. Thijs was an energetic merchant who started at a young age a fish shop in Amsterdam with oysters, turbot, pike, perch, caviar, lobster and many more. He was also very interested in kitchen craft and went to Switzerland to learn about patisserie and rotisserie, and tried to establish a cookie fatory in South Africa. But most important for his culinary career was that he worked as an assistant to the famous French cuisinier Auguste Escoffier in the Savoy Hotel in Londen, the Ritz Hotel in Parijs and the Carlton Hotel in Londen.

Henri Thijs became a partner with F.W. Dikker in 1915 . They opened their first shop in the Kalverstraat and in 1921 the majestic building situated on the corner of the Prinsengracht & Leidsestraat became the new address of Dikker & Thijs. Here they became famous for selling oysters, lobsters, and caviar and the operation of a  fancy restaurant for the elite. It was rewarded with a Michelin-star in 1957 and was famous for many years untill it had to close his doors in 1994.

F.W. Dikker 

The first Dikker & Co Shop was founded in 1895 in Amsterdam by Fredrik Wilhelm Dikker and soon became famous in the rest of Holland for its high quality. Henri Thijs became a partner in 1915 after being the assistant to the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier. They opened their first shop in the Kalverstraat and in 1921 the majestic building situated on the corner of the Prinsengracht & Leidsestraat became the new address of Dikker & Thijs. Here they became famous for selling oysters, lobsters, and caviar.

Together with his business partner Henri Thijs they were the first to introduce the French cuisine in he Netherlands. The shop was extended with a 'restaurant de luxe' and 't Oesterhuis (the Oyster house) became restaurant Bagatelle, a place with an excellent and abundant choice of delicacies. In 1957 restaurant Dikker & Thijs was awarded with a Michelin Star as one of the first three restaurants in The Netherlands.

The present owners of Dikker & Thijs took over of the hotel in 1995 from the Bilderberg Group.

Many famous chefs worked at Dikker & Thijs: Wynand Vogel, Cees Helder, Sjef Schets, Peter Lute, Hans Bakx, Alain Alders.

Jef Schets at the age of only 27 and his team started in 1974 to renew the kitchen. of Dikker & Thijs and introduced the nouvelle cuisine. He decides to produce everything himself like patés, ragouts and changes the menu every three months. The Dikker & Thijs shop was rigorously renovated and re-opened bij the famous French chef Paul Bocuse.

In 2015 the book Primeurs en delicatessen. Hoe Nederland leerde eten was published to celebrate the 100-year anniversary.

1915 : F.W. Dikker and Henri Thijs establish their shop with oysters and delicacies and open restaurant Bagatelle in the Kalverstraat.
1921 : Opening of restaurant Dikker & Thijs at the first floor at Leidsestraat nr 82
1934 : Next to the shop another restaurant is opened: De Zeeuwsche Hoek.
1945 : In the souterrain of the warehouse on the Prinsengracht restaurant De Oesterput is opened.
1952 : De Oesterput is renamed in restaurant De Prinsenkelder
1965 : De Zeeuwsche Hoek is renamed in Café du Centre.
1970 : The start of the Alexander Hotel in the main building on the corner.
1990 : The Hotel is renamed in Dikker & Thijs hotel, Café du Centre becomes Brasserie Dikker & Thijs
1994 : Closure of the hotel and all the restaurants by the operator Bilderberg Group.
1995 : Reopening of the hotel under the name Dikker & Thijs Fenice Hotel and reopening of restaurant De Prinsenkelder.
2008 : Closure of restaurant De Prinsenkelder
2011 : Opening of Restaurant Thijs in the former Prinsenkelder.
2018: Closure of Restaurant Thijs. The hotel with 42 rooms is still going strong
2021: Refurbishing of the hotel

The rooms of our hotel are located behind a historic facade, directly on the Prinsengracht, in the heart of the beautiful center of Amsterdam. A perfect starting point to visit Amsterdam and discover what the city has to offer.

The hotel is 150 meters from Leideseplein where numerous restaurants and cafes can be found, and connects directly to the shopping area of ​​the city center and the Spiegelkwartier, where more than 70 art and antiques shops are located.