Eating out is a pleasure, unless you have a food allergy and can’t make yourself understood. The good news: Dutch restaurants are legally required to tell you about allergens, if you know how to ask. Here is the Dutch to state your allergy, the 14 allergens they must declare, and how to order safely.
Restaurants must inform you
As the NVWA explains informing customers about allergens, by law restaurants and food businesses must inform customers about 14 specified allergens in the food they serve.
They can do it in writing (menu, shelf cards) or orally, but, per guidance on allergen policy in horeca, there must be a clear way to ask, often a notice saying you can ask staff. So you’re entitled to ask and to get an answer.
The 14 allergens
The ones to recognise (and know yours in Dutch):
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| gluten | gluten |
| ei | egg |
| melk (incl. lactose) | milk |
| noten / pinda | tree nuts / peanut |
| vis / schaaldieren / weekdieren | fish / shellfish / molluscs |
| soja, selderij, mosterd, sesam, sulfiet, lupine | soy, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin |
How to ask, clearly
State it and check the dish:
- “Ik ben allergisch voor [noten].” (I’m allergic to nuts.)
- “Zit er [melk] in dit gerecht?” (Is there milk in this dish?)
- Coeliac: “glutenvrij”; lactose: “lactosevrij”.
If it’s serious, say so plainly. As the hospitality association explains the allergen rules, if staff can’t tell you they must find out, and if information is genuinely unavailable you can report it to the NVWA.
For a life-threatening allergy, go further than the words: name it as an allergie (not a mere intolerantie or voorkeur, which staff may weigh differently), warn about kruisbesmetting (cross-contamination) in the kitchen, and carry a written allergiekaartje (allergy card) in Dutch to hand over, removing any doubt at busy moments. Many glutenvrij-friendly places display this knowledge proudly, so it’s also worth choosing restaurants that advertise allergy awareness rather than testing your luck at a random spot.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| allergisch voor | allergic to |
| de allergie | the allergy |
| glutenvrij / lactosevrij | gluten-free / lactose-free |
| het gerecht | the dish |
| de ingrediënten | the ingredients |
| Zit er … in? | Does it contain…? |
Where it connects
Ordering safely is part of dining-out and food Dutch, alongside reading grocery labels, spotting hidden dairy as a vegan, the slagerij and toko, and the everyday asking for tap water.
The bottom line
Dutch restaurants must inform you about 14 allergens, in writing or orally, so you can always ask. State it clearly (“Ik ben allergisch voor…”), check the dish (“Zit er … in?”), and use glutenvrij/lactosevrij as needed; if it’s serious, stress it, and staff must find out. Learn allergisch, glutenvrij, gerecht and the names of your allergens, and you can eat out safely instead of anxiously.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the safety Dutch an allergy needs, allergisch, glutenvrij, lactosevrij, ingrediënten by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can order with confidence and stay safe instead of pointing nervously at a menu.
Frequently asked questions
Do Dutch restaurants have to tell me about allergens?
Yes. By EU law, restaurants and food businesses must inform customers about 14 specified allergens in the food they serve. They can do this in writing (on the menu or shelf cards) or orally, but there must be a clear way for you to get the information, often a notice saying you can ask staff. So you’re entitled to ask and to get an answer about what’s in a dish.
What are the 14 allergens I should know in Dutch?
Gluten (glutenbevattende granen), ei (egg), melk including lactose, noten (tree nuts), pinda (peanut), vis (fish), schaaldieren (shellfish/crustaceans), weekdieren (molluscs), soja (soy), selderij (celery), mosterd (mustard), sesamzaad (sesame), sulfiet (sulphites) and lupine. Knowing the Dutch words for the ones that affect you, and being able to say them clearly, is the key to ordering safely.
How do I tell a restaurant about my allergy in Dutch?
State it plainly and check the dish: ‘Ik ben allergisch voor [noten/gluten/…]’ (I’m allergic to…), and ‘Zit er [melk] in dit gerecht?’ (Is there milk in this dish?). For coeliac disease ask for ‘glutenvrij’, for lactose ‘lactosevrij’. If it’s serious, say so clearly. If staff can’t tell you, they must find out, and if information is genuinely unavailable, you can report it to the NVWA.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for allergies and eating out?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the safety Dutch an allergy needs, allergisch, glutenvrij, lactosevrij, ingrediënten, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can order with confidence and stay safe instead of pointing nervously at a menu.
