De Leeuw Amsterdamse Zuurhandel

De Leeuw Amsterdamse Zuurhandel has been part of Amsterdam’s culinary heritage since 1850. The family business is the city’s last surviving traditional Jewish pickle shop and continues to prepare Amsterdam-style tafelzuur using recipes passed down through generations.

Before refrigerators existed, pickling and fermenting were essential ways to preserve seasonal vegetables. Jewish families became closely associated with Amsterdam’s pickle trade, each developing their own combinations of vinegar, herbs, spices and sweetness. Members of the De Leeuw family originally travelled through the city with handcarts, selling their products directly to Amsterdam households.

Today, the shop on Vrijheidslaan still feels wonderfully old-fashioned. Large tubs filled with colourful pickles stand behind the counter, while orders are traditionally served by the scoop rather than carefully weighed. The vegetables are preserved using secret family recipes and an artisanal process that has remained largely unchanged.

The assortment includes sweet-and-sour cucumbers, traditional pickles, Amsterdam onions, shallots, piccalilli, sauerkraut, pickled herring and rollmops. The rare yellow pickled cucumber is a particularly important regional product and is included in Slow Food’s Ark of Taste. Availability can depend on the season and harvest.

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