At some point every South African in the Netherlands hits the wall. Maybe it’s a braai without proper boerewors, a cup of rooibos without a rusk, or a Sunday that really needs some Mrs Balls. The good news: you don’t have to wait for someone to fly in with a suitcase full of biltong. There are a handful of places in the Netherlands that sell the real stuff.
The foods I miss the most are biltong, droëwors and Iwisa mielie meal for pap, basically. You can find all of it here, it’s just more expensive. So whenever family or friends visit, I ask them to bring things like Iwisa and other dry goods in their luggage. The biltong, sadly, I have to buy here (more on why below).
Short answer: for a proper South African shop, go to KuierKos in Bloemendaal or Die Spens in Amersfoort. For boerewors, biltong and droëwors delivered, try Boerewors.nl.
KuierKos, Bloemendaal
If you live anywhere near Haarlem, Zandvoort or Amsterdam, KuierKos is the one. It’s a small South African shop on the Bloemendaalseweg in Bloemendaal, known among South Africans in the Netherlands for its handmade boerewors, biltong and droëwors. You’ll also find rusks, koeksisters, South African drinks and snacks, and frozen comfort food like bobotie and malva pudding.
They also deliver, so you don’t have to live around the corner. Check their opening hours before you go, as the shop isn’t open every day.
Where: Bloemendaalseweg 104, Bloemendaal
Die Spens, Amersfoort
Die Spens is the big one. It’s a South African shop in Amersfoort, right next to the A1, with more than 550 South African products. Think Mrs Balls chutney, Ouma rusks, NikNaks, Simba chips, Iwisa maize meal, Koo tins, Robertsons spices and Sparletta Creme Soda.
They have a physical shop and a webshop, and they post to all EU countries, so it works even if you don’t feel like driving to Amersfoort.
Boerewors.nl
Boerewors.nl is an online-only option for boerewors, biltong and droëwors. There’s no shop: you sign up to their mailing list, order when a new round opens and collect from a pick-up point. I covered them in more detail in my boerewors guide, along with a few other boerewors makers.
More places worth knowing
- Beskuitblik: homemade South African rusks, for when Ouma just isn’t the same.
- Onsgaanbraai.nl: not food, but everything around it: braais, potjies, tongs and even kameeldoring firewood. Based in Ede.
- The boerewors makers in my boerewors guide, including Die Padstal in Ter Aar.
What’s worth stocking up on
- Biltong and droëwors (obviously)
- Boerewors for the braai (freeze a few packs)
- Rusks for your morning coffee
- Mrs Balls chutney
- Maize meal for pap
- Rooibos, though you can find that in most Dutch supermarkets these days
- Chakalaka and Robertsons spices
Dutch supermarket substitutes (and traps)
- Beschuit is not a rusk. Dutch beschuit is a light, round crispbread that Dutch people eat with sprinkles. Lovely, but it won’t survive a dunk in your coffee.
- Braadworst is not boerewors. It’ll do in an emergency, but you’ll know.
- Polenta works for pap. It’s also made from maize, and Dutch supermarkets usually stock it.
Can I bring biltong from South Africa?
Probably not the way you’re hoping. EU rules don’t allow travellers to bring meat and dairy products into the EU in their luggage from most non-EU countries, and South Africa is one of those countries. So that biltong in your suitcase could end up in a bin at Schiphol. Buying it here is the safer bet.
FAQ
Where can I buy biltong in the Netherlands?
At South African shops like KuierKos in Bloemendaal and Die Spens in Amersfoort, or online through Boerewors.nl.
Where can I buy Mrs Balls chutney in the Netherlands?
Die Spens in Amersfoort stocks it, both in the shop and online.
Is there a South African shop near Amsterdam?
Yes, KuierKos in Bloemendaal, next to Haarlem, is an easy trip from Amsterdam.
Opening hours and ranges change, so check before you make the trip. Know a shop I missed? Let me know via the contact page.
New to the Netherlands? Read my survival guide for South African expats.
