Southern Canal Ring
During WWII, this stained-glass-trimmed bruin café (traditional Dutch pub) was a meeting place for artists who refused to toe the cultural line imposed by…
Must-see nightlife in Amsterdam
De Pijp
Reducing food waste was the inspiration behind Jacob's Juice. Its owners collect imperfect fruit and vegetables each day from the Albert Cuypmarkt that…
Jordaan & the West
The Jordaan's oldest bruin café (brown cafe; pub) dates from 1624: workers constructing the Westerkerk's bell tower collected their pay here. The interior…
Jordaan & the West
The small, authentic 'Two Swans' is at its hilarious best on Wednesday nights, when patrons and staff belt out classic Dutch tunes, and Thursday nights,…
Southern Canal Ring
In the former district courthouse, this appealingly gracious hang-out has triple-height ceilings, stained glass and chandeliers. It’s a cafe, bar and arts…
Southern Canal Ring
Bulldog's as corporate as a coffeeshop gets, with a chain of outlets, a hotel and merchandise, but it's one of the oldest and most famous in Amsterdam…
Amsterdam
Away from Nieuwmarkt's main cluster of coffeeshops, Bluebird does attract tourists but it has a more local vibe. The multiroom space has murals and local…
Amsterdam
A small but exceedingly sleek bar inside the stunning Conservatorium Hotel, Tunes has a long transparent bar and wow-factor flower displays. Admire them…
Amsterdam
A colourful mix of locals and tourists throng the tables to sip drinks – including beers by local breweries Oedipus and 2 Chefs – at this venerable cafe…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
It's a simple concept: craft beers plus arcade games in a neon-bathed room in the Red Light District. You can play retro games such as pinball (machines…
Jordaan & the West
Tucked under an oddball circular parking garage on the Jordaan's outskirts, this rollicking canal-side pub serves good brews (many local); for something…
Jordaan & the West
With overwhelming gezelligheid (cosiness, conviviality), this gorgeous bar is the kind of place where one beer soon turns to several – maybe it's the…
Southern Canal Ring
The 2nd floor of this cool gay-friendly coffeeshop is a great vantage point over the Reguliersdwarsstraat nightlife strip, and a popular place to hang out…
Amsterdam Noord
Sharing a co-working start-up space called A-Lab with the University of Arts, this cool cafe made from mostly recycled materials is a convenient coffee…
De Pijp
Opening to one of the liveliest terraces on plane-tree-shaded square Van der Helstplein, Café Ruis has a lounge-room-like interior with mismatched…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Amsterdam's oldest gay bar opened in 1927, then shut in 1982 when the Zeedijk grew too seedy. But its trinket-covered interior was lovingly dusted every…
Amsterdam
This stylish cafe-bar is not exactly the kind of dive Bukowski might have favoured, but it's a fine spot paying homage to the writer and the perfect place…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Even non-clubbers will love Winston Kingdom for its indie-alternative music beats, great DJs and live bands. No matter what's on – from 'dubstep mayhem'…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Dating from 1881, with soaring art-nouveau ceilings, this distinguished café (pub) in Centraal Station (upstairs by platform 2b) used to be the waiting…
Amsterdam
A jovial canal-side watering hole, ‘The Grape’ is one of Amsterdam’s oldest pubs and was once a distillery, evident in its gas chandeliers, carpet-lined…
Amsterdam
This rambling Swiss-chalet-style timber house has a gingerbread look about it, at the edge of the Vondelpark forest. It's actually a regular cafe with…
Amsterdam
In-the-know hop heads like to go straight to the source of cult brewers Butcher's Tears. The brewery's all-white clinical-feeling taproom is tucked at the…
Amsterdam
Located in the former Vondelpark pavilion at the northeastern end of the park, this stylish and comfortable cafe has a large terrace overlooking the pond …
De Pijp
Boca's (inspired by the Italian word for 'mouth') is the ultimate spot for borrel (drinks). Mezzanine seating overlooks the cushion-strewn interior, but…
Proeflokaal 't Blauwe Theehuis
Amsterdam
No, it's not a blue and white UFO cake stand landed in the park, this is the Vondelpark outpost of local brewery heroes Brouwerij ’t IJ. Opened in late…
Southern Canal Ring
The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam is an impressive 19th-century building right on the riverside, and its A Bar opens on to a huge sofa-lined terrace…
Western Canal Ring
Decades ago, Barney's became famous for its bargain all-day breakfasts, along with marijuana. In recent years the weed has vastly improved, but these days…
Amsterdam
Tucked away behind the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall), this wood-panelled well-worn lovely is a relaxed spot to sip a frothy, cold biertje (glass of beer)…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
A roode laars (red boot) on the facade above the stained-glass windows of this lamp-lit little brown cafe remains from its earlier incarnation as a…
Jordaan & the West
Only quality Italian wines by the glass and bottle are served at this wine bar, alongside charcuterie and cheese plates. The polished-wood bar, flickering…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Don't let the word 'cafe' in the name fool you – this is a hard-core (but very friendly) punk bar (Amsterdam's last remaining one) where the beer's cheap,…
Western Canal Ring
Is Café Tabac a bruin café, a designer bar, a fantastic place for Indonesian dishes or simply an idyllic place to while away a few blissful hours at the…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Once run by legendary drag queen Dusty, this beautifully decorated, old-world-style café (pub) has toned down a bit and the crowd is now mixed, with gay…
Southern Canal Ring
Up winding sets of stairs, Rembrandtplein's renovated grand café dates from 1898. It has dizzyingly high ceilings, armchairs to sink into and glittering…
Jordaan & the West
With a shimmering bovine mosaic on its facade, 'the Cow' is loved for its homey gezellig (cosy) atmosphere, with board games, movie nights and free gigs…
Jordaan & the West
If you prefer your beer with a background of hip-hop, breakbeats and soul, come to this graffitied split-level corner café (bar) with a spinning disco…
Amsterdam
Join creative types with laptops, locals having business chats and tourists looking to recharge their batteries at this small, hip cafe decked out in…
Amsterdam
On Het Sieraard’s waterfront, Edel has lots of waterside seating as it's at the sweet spot where two canals cross. Inside and out it's filled with…
Southern Canal Ring
Lion Noir hosts a glamorous crowd, here for excellent cocktails as well as superlative dining on creative French-inspired dishes with an Asian twist…
Jordaan & the West
A long-standing favourite, this mother-and-daughter-run coffeeshop has a greenhouse feel. You can sit outside by the Van Gogh–inspired murals, play some…
