Must-see nightlife in Rotterdam

  • Top Choice
    Aloha

    Sustainable, innovative and funky as anything, this bar-cafe in the former Tropicana baths has a large terrace boasting views across the Nieuwe Maas river…

  • Top Choice
    Man Met Bril

    Rotterdam's first artisanal coffee roastery (there are now 12), Man Met Bril sources direct-trade, 90% organic beans from across the globe and then roasts…

  • Top Choice
    Eurotrash United

    This excellent brewery is the brainchild of Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam, the artists responsible for the enormous Cornucopia work on the inside of…

  • Top Choice
    Verward

    Beer is a more common tipple than wine in Rotterdam, so many bars here have less-than-stellar selections of wine by the glass or bottle. That's not the…

  • Top Choice
    Bokaal

    In a bokaal (trophy) location at the heart of the enclave around pedestrian Nieuwemarkt and Pannekoekstraat, Bokaal has an indoor bar and a huge all-day…

  • Top Choice
    Suicide Club

    Situated on the top floor of the iconic and monolithic Groothandelsgebouw building, this rooftop bar is where the beau monde comes to mingle. Expect…

  • Top Choice
    Biergarten

    A sun-bleached labyrinth of wooden tables, brightly painted stairs, exotic foliage and low-slung festoon lighting, the Biergarten throngs with thirsty…

  • COPPI

    Rotterdammers love both coffee and cycling, and this clever business caters to both passions. As well as repairing bikes and running a cafe (breakfast…

  • nhow Bar

    If Rotterdam had a ‘best view from a cocktail bar’ award, this bar on the 7th floor of the De Rotterdam building would be the clear winner. Action unfolds…

  • Dr Rotterdam

    Reminiscent of Prohibition-era speakeasies, Dr Rotterdam only opens its doors to those in the know. Located in the Scheepvaartkwartier quarter, drinkers…

  • Stirr

    One of the city's best cocktail bars, Stirr offers an exhilarating package of crazy decor, funky beats and the undivided attention of the bar's legendary…

  • Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim

    The sight of bubbling copper vats and the heady scent of hops greets you at this vintage brewery abutting the Oude Kerk. Here you can take a voyage…

  • Ballroom

    Here’s the maths: with over 160 types of gin and 12 different kinds of tonic, Ballroom can mix up nearly 2000 different combinations of G&T. But who’s…

  • Noah

    There’s not a grass skirt in sight, but Europe’s oldest skyscraper, the Witte Huis, now has a distinctly Hawaiian flavour thanks to the excellent…

  • Maassilo

    With exposed pipes, graffiti-scrawled concrete pillars and metal railings, this former grain store from the early 20th century is now Rotterdam’s biggest…

  • Korenbeurs

    Set in an internal courtyard and on the front terrace of a listed 18th-century building (now a branch of the Schiedam library system), this lovely cafe…

  • Kaapse Brouwers

    Beloved for its live-jazz nights on Fridays from 8pm, this craft brewery in the Fenix Food Factory brews a bitter, ale, IPAs and stout. Its on-site Kaapse…

  • Hotel NY Terrace Bar

    A truly marvellous location on the western point of Wilhelminapier, the terrace bar/cafe at Hotel New York offers a casual vibe and marvellous views of…

  • Lokaal

    Local Rotterdam products(bread, cheese, beer…) are at the heart of Lokaal but its speciality is brewing Rotterdam-roasted espresso and filter blends from…

  • De Oude Sluis

    The view up the canal from the terrace tables stretches as far as Delfshaven's windmill at this bruin café, which has been a popular neighbourhood spot…