Just to say: De Basis is one of my fav spots in Amsterdam – It was a love-at-first-sight encounter – and if you are following my blog you know the kind of places I like. So freshly improvised, it looks like they had something like 500 Euros left and asked the guy with the screwdriver to build them an interior. Unvarnished triplex. And instead of throwing the waste material to the garbage he used it to build a giant tree that extends from the basement floor (some 60′s chairs and a vintage table) to the ceiling of the main floor.

Nice people, good music – bit more up-beat than my other spots, refreshingly energetic, less alternative, and so is the crowd: you feel the beat of the city, and you can’t help to get that Berlin feeling. Even though the guys behind the bar pretend not to be claiming that feeling, actually claiming the opposite: this is Amsterdam, not Berlin. Right so, who wants to always be identified in comparison with someone else? As if that co-existence is your only right to exist at all.

No, I am sure this place will be home for the young and hip, the artistic avantgarde, for some time to come.

Ad: bring your own food. That means literally: order on-site from a delivery service or just head across the street, get something from Albert Heijn, and heat it up in one of their microwave ovens… You are cordially invited to supply your own dinner!

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Basis Amsterdam | Bars, Restaurants (Delivery!) | Beer € 2
Vijzelstraat 66 | Center
Sun – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 03:00

THE SUMMERSEASON opened on 28th of April entry is free, but they want you to bring your own log (of wood – probably for a campfire)

I am sitting on the quay wall, my feet dangle over the water. The little movements of the water surface of the bay reflect the late afternoon sunlight. Behind me there is a sandy beach and old industrial buildings. Run-down. Rusty. Roest. That’s the Dutch word for rust. And it resembles the atmosphere of this place. The melancholic feeling of transitoriness.

If the weather is good and and I need to calm down from a stressful day at work I come here, enjoying the peaceful timelesness of this place. And like me, many other young, creative, hip and alternative people are attracted, probably for the same reason.

But Roest is not only a beach bar, it lends it terrain for all kinds of synergetic activities. So you could bump into the Sunday market, an alternative food and art market or the Unity festival, an afternoon dance festival with ‘open minded information on the use of drugs and alcohol’. The huge industrial hall used to be part of Roest with club nights by ‘De Club’. Unfortunately a concession disagreement stopped the club activities.

A good combination: when the sun slowly fades away and the first cold autmn winds creep under your t-shirt, go and have dinner at Rosa en Rita, which also resides on the terrain…

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Amsterdam Roest | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Appetizers € 4
Czaar Peterstraat 213 | East | +31203080283
Thu 16:00 – 01:00, Fri 16:00 – 03:00, Sat 12:00 – 03:00, Sun 16:00 – 01:00

In Holland it’s not as popular to drink whisky as it is in many other countries. I can safely say Jim Morrison would have never written the Alabama Song if he would have lived in Amsterdam. But I’m sure he would have found this amazing place just off Leidseplein.

According to the owner the place holds more than 1401 kinds of whisky (I haven’t counted them, so I guess I have to take his word for it) from Scotch to Canadian and from Single Malts till Bourbon. Be aware that it only has a limited offer of other (alcoholic) beverages. The place has two different entrance doors and the liquor cabinet is placed in between, creating a u-shape sitting area with a small amount of bar stools and, against the walls, little seats and snug areas. Because of the confined surface everything is placed almost on top of each other. A lot of bottles are mounted along the walls, thus the visitors are literally sitting between the merchandise. But all of this gives the spot a real living room feeling (in Dutch: huiskamergevoel).

When you’re looking for a bar near Leidseplein and you wanna go to something else then the blatant bars in the area, this is the place to go to. Take in account that it’s a popular spot for many Amsterdam whisky drinkers/lovers. Especially in the weekend the place is packed.

For groups of 10 and more the bar offers tastings, also during the day (bookings are necessary).

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Whisky bar L&B | Bars
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 82-84 | Center | +31206252387
Sun – Thu 20:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 04:00

I was planning to go to Pakhuis Wilhelmina for quite some time… and as soon as I was there for my ‘initiation’ I regretted waiting that long.

Hardrock karaoke is hilariously fun. What is it about? Well, it’s quite simple and both similar to and different from regular karaoke: a live (backing) band plays the songs while visitors sing. Of course the band is limited by the songs they can play, but all famous sing-alongs are present. On one of the walls you can see big posters with about fifty songs, varying from Lenny Kravitz to Mötorhead and Steppenwolf to The White Stripes.

There are a couple of things which make this karaoke a zillion times better than the regular version. First of all, the band and its front-man put on a terrific show. They play pretty good and loud, sing along and joke around with the visiting singers. The lyrics are written on big posters and held up in the air by a member of staff (primitive, but nevertheless part of the show). Furthermore, the public sings, jumps and head-bangs along, giving the brave singers on stage the real ‘live’ experience. And every participant has to finish the song with a final jump (often on the final chords of the band/song) to earn the promised Tequila shot for their bravery.

For both singers and audience this evening is rocking! Go check it out and get on stage, if you dare!

P.S. they sell bottled beer (€ 2.25), always an advantage in my opinion.

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Hardrockkaraoke @ Pakhuis Wilhelmina | Bars, Music, Festivals & events | Entrance fee € 5.00
Veemkade 576 | Center | +31204193368
1st Thu of the month 22:00 – 01:00

Have you ever been to a Berlin living room cafe? Vintage furniture, a bit run-down, Cafe Brecht is all about “Gemütlichkeit” – coziness, the translation is an approach at best. One of the ancestors of your German grandmother could have lived here, nothing would have changed, only time would have eroded the walls since then, and a bar and more lazy chairs would have been added.

Tea is being served in a teapot that looks like being taken right out of your grandmothers cupboard, there is freshly made cake, also a thing that you might be familiar with if you know a typical Berlin living room cafe. A selection of several German beers complete the menu.

It is very relaxed inside, time doesn’t seem to play a role, you can tell by the knitting gear that decorates the tables and invites you to just continue knitting, just like you grandmother would have done. Since its opening three years ago, Brecht became a rather popular spot – the closer the weekend the more crowded the evenings – this is the reason they gave up on the poetry readings and live performances they used to have: lack of space.

Actually what I like most about Brecht is that they sell my favorite brand of German beer – which is the original black forest beer “Tannenzäpfle”, and it’s the only place where you can get it in Amsterdam (correct me if I am wrong).

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Cafe Brecht | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Tannenzäpfle € 3
Weteringschans 157 | Center | +31206272211
12:00 – 01:00 daily

Across the canal from the cultural centre of the University of Amsterdam and around the corner of its Law faculty, this bar was really one of my favorite spots when I was a student. A bit old-fashioned, but snugly decorated, the place still breaths some genuine Amsterdamnes. This is even more reinforced by the owners and the residential cat (Kasper, almost 17 years old).

Check out their hamburger for lunch! It can, in my humble opinion, compete with the hamburgers at the more famous burger bars: unknown in its simplicity but très delicious. It’s also on the menu as a main dish and then comes with fries and a little side salad. The rest of the menu is a bit plain, with chicken kebab, spareribs and steak, but here the same device is at place: simple, but good.

Next month, from the 8th of June till the 1st of July, the bar will show both inside as on their terrace football matches of the European Championships. As advertising they came up with a cool lottery. The TV screen they’ve specially purchased for this will be raffled, with a lot of other stuff (a bike, shirts etc), at a party at the end of the championships. You’ll get a lottery ticket with every € 10 you spend.

If you wanna try something other than the trendy bars or lunchrooms I suggest you to hop in a place like ‘t Gasthuys.. and please don’t forget to pet the old cat.

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‘t Gasthuys | Bars, Restaurants (Diner) | Medium hamburger € 5.75
Grimburgwal 7 | Center | +31206248230
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Just having celebrated their first anniversary, the CC Café is looking back on a year full of live music of all possible styles. We’ve seen singer/song writers, the Amsterdam Songwriters Guild, blues and jazz, latin and world music, and a variety of individual styles on the open mic evenings. The man behind the bar is René, and he does not hesitate to make you feel personally involved with CC café. Chances are that he still remembers your name when drop by next time.

The pup is more stylish than the other venues I have written about. (it’s not a venue, it’s a pub). A bit more designed, dimmed light, a velvet curtain behind the stage and black lights, it’s certainly not a rock’n roll bar. You enter the bar at street level, in the back it splits up into two floors, downstairs you will find a quiet area, the smoker’s lounge. The top floor offers a small stage, fully equipped with a drum kit, PA, microphone, a keyboard etc.

The programming does undergo some changes once in a while, and is not too easy to memorize, but you’ll find all info on the website. 3 Euros contribution required. You pay at the bar, but they give you the chance to leave after your first beer if you don’t like the show.

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CC Muziekcafé | Bars, Music | Beer € 2.50
Rustenburgerstraat 384 | South
Sun – Thu 20:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

If you don’t feel like going for some drinks to the city centre, try Zola in West. Here they serve some nice sandwiches for a good lunch when you drop by after checking out the shopping street ‘Kinkerstraat’ and the ‘Ten Kate market’.

When the weather allows it is very comfortable at the terrace which is conveniently situated to the waterside. The furniture inside looks fresh with the wood and typical light purple color on the walls.

Dinner is pure and simple, I like to go for one of the salads or the spicy Thai fish cakes. They serve some good cocktails at the bar and on Friday night you can enjoy yourself till late with the special night: Drink & Dance. It could get pretty busy on the Friday nights. 

When it gets busy the service can be a bit chaotic, but other than that this place is an all-rounder, its suitable for pre-dinner or after work drinks, lunch and dinner!

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Café Zola | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Fusion) | Main Course € 15
Kinkerstraat 87 | West | +31206183858
Mon – Thu 15:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

This place was formerly known as Boom Chicago, named after the American comedy club that is housed here with edgy sketches on actual themes and a lot of funny improvisation.

Since March they changed their name from BC12 to Chicago Social Club. Besides comedy you will find a lot of good house/techno parties on the agenda! I like this place because it is not a massive club, rather intimate with only one dance floor that attracts a cool, mixed crowd of people looking for a good night out.

When you enter the venue you can first have a drink at the large bar, but if you can’t wait to party, walk a little further where the deep house, techno or sometimes hip hop will welcome you. Just check out the agenda on their site to see if there is a party of your taste. On weekdays the bar is open till late, and I can recommend the nice apple martini’s they serve here.

On Friday and Saturday you have to pay for entrance, the rest of the week the bar is free of charge. More in for a night full of American humor?, check their calendar.

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Chicago Social Club | Bars, Music, Theaters | Club entrance € 12.50
Leidseplein 12 | Center
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 04:00

Why should one visit an Irish bar in Amsterdam when he or she can experience something better instead? Cause… when in Rome, do as the Romans do!

During your stay you should really try out a typical ‘Mokum’* bar just once. Throughout the city you have a couple of local pubs where they still have little carpets on the table and all kinds of kitsch on the wall (this was very popular in the Netherlands in the 60′s and 70′s). And I’m not talking about The Old Sailor or café Nol, which became a sort of sad joke by trying too hard to be authentic.

One of the best bars in this field is Ruk & Pluk (the name is even for the Dutch a little bit awkward, but most probably has a valid meaning for the intimates), a jolly place with regulars from all walks of life. The manageress is a lovely woman, always up for a chat and the place is often decorated with a theme: at the moment it’s obviously ‘Holland’, regarding the Dutch soccer team and the Olympic athletes this summer. The music is best to be described as a mix of Dutch tear-jerkers and international sing-alongs. Don’t be surprised if at a given moment the crowd does start to sing along as loud as possible.

Ps. take in account that a lot of visitors, despite the prohibition, still smoke inside. You yourself will smell like a chimney after a while.

* Mokum is the Yiddish word for “home town” or ‘safe haven”.

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Ruk & Pluk | Bars
Linnaeusstraat 48 | East | +31206653248
Sun – Thu 15:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 15:00 – 03:00

There is something about the Linnaeusstraat between the Mauritskade and the intersection on the other side of the Oosterpark. On not even half a mile you’ll find six totally different bars, with their own atmosphere and audience. If you like the variation it’s definitely worth a pubcrawl.

First in line is East of Eden (Linnaeusstraat 11-A), a neighbourhood bar opposite the Tropenmuseum. The different sitting areas are ideal for small groups. When it’s crowded it can take a while before they take your order.

Next is café Museum (Linnaeusstraat 29), an old fashioned “bruincafé”. On Saturday between 15:30 and 18:30 they host a Jazz jam session. The place is nothing fancy, but enjoyable enough for a couple of drinks.

The third bar is the trendy Spargo (Linnaeusstraat 37-A), a spot where a lot of yuppies hang out. They serve both a huge lunch and dinner menu. Decent quality, decent prices… and there’s always crowd there.

Next you’ll find Pata Negra (Reinwardtstraat 1hs), a Spanish tapas place. It can be very crowdy and noisy, especially in the weekends, but that’s what gives it this typically Southern temperament.

The fifth place is called Boom (Linnaeusstraat 63), a small place which focusses more on dining. This spot is a bit more considerate than the rest, making it  perfect for a serious chat and a good glass of wine.

The final spot located at the intersection is caffe Milo (Linnaeusstraat 71hs). This bar is especially known as a lunch place, but they serve a good dinner as well. And you’re always welcome for drinks too.

Six places, six different experiences!

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Linnaeusstraat | Bars, Restaurants
Linnaeusstraat | East
09:00/10:00 – 01:00/03:00 daily

I discovered this small Mexican Restaurant in the Jordaan a while ago. A friend of mine told me that this was one of the best Mexican restaurants and I do agree! Good food, nice ambiance, affordable prices and delicious margaritas!

Especially the fresh mango margarita is a must, I already added it to my list of cocktail favorites. Although I’ve never been to Mexico I did get a taste of what Mexico might be like, due to the bright yellow bar, the warm loud colors on the wall and the music!

The restaurant is a bit small and could fill up quickly, to make a reservation can be a smart idea or show up late like we did. The menu is simple and offers soft tacos, enchiladas and salads in different varieties of beef, pork, chicken or shrimp. Every meal comes with rice, a salad or the traditional black beans. I tried the beef taco which was nice with the guacamole and the portions were more than enough!

They have a variety of good Mexican beers, and many tequila’s! I had a good time here and because of its location it’s a great start for a night out to discover the many bars the Jordaan has to offer.

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Los Pilones | Bars, Restaurants (Mexican) | Taco dish € 15.50
1e Anjeliersdwarsstraat 6 | Center | +31206200323
16:00 – 00:00 daily

If you want to take your girlfriend out in style, a pretty good spot to go would be Bo Cinq: stylish interior, and, if you are a smoker – they have definitely the most beautiful smokers lounge in whole Amsterdam. If you are on a budget, they have a couple of good wines between € 20.00 and € 30.00 per bottle, but if you are in for something special, prices range up to something around € 400.00.

Bo Cinq is a restaurant, a bar and, this is why I pay a visit to it once in while, a beautiful and stylish lounge. Well dressed people, so don’t show up in your leisure suite, you wouldn’t feel comfortable. A good thing to do, especially if you haven’t reserved a table, get a bottle of wine, order some oysters at the bar and look for a good spot on one of the couches in the lounge.

The bar/lounge entrance is not quite prominent, so look for a small sign Bo5, that’s all it says. It’s nice and stylish inside: I only feel sorry for the large tree in the smokers lounge, suffering quite a miserable existence. An interior designers choice for refreshing the air probably – at the expense of his life…

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Bo Cinq | Bars, Music, Restaurants (French-Arabic) | Wine bottle +/- € 19.95
Prinsengracht 494 | Center | +31206220682
Mon – Thu 17:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 03:00, Sun 16:00 – 01:00

A bit off the center, with a bit of Mediterranean touch, Hesp blinks out with one of the nicest terraces Amsterdam has to offer, right at the river Amstel. Strolling down the Weesperzijde along the water on a hot summer night, and then ending up there for one of the at least 40 brands of beer they have (half of them tapped), great.

The same is true, of course, for the afternoon, and I am especially fond of the live music events on Sunday afternoon (not always – check first, if that’s what you are looking for). It can be a fantastic way to swing out the weekend…

On Friday nights it is less crowded, but still a place to have good time. The bar tenders are doing their best to entertain, and you can tell they love their job.

But Hesp is not only a bar to have a good time on a Friday night, Hesp also accommodates a full restaurant with a variety of international dishes for a reasonable price.

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Cafe Hesp | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Intern.) | Dinner +/- € 16.50
Weesperzijde 130-131 | East | +31206651202
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

De Nieuwe Anita is actually THE underground place in the west. A bar like a living room in the front area. Vintage, second hand, looks like a squatted place – only the negative attitude is missing. Mostly good music, it’s a good place to hang out, BUT:

The real thing is going on in the back, down under – The Nieuwe Anita is also a venue for alternative music, underground films and dance parties. And again: I usually drop by on the Subbacultcha events because they pretty much rock, and the guys at Subbacultcha know how to get the good bands just right before they become famous.

On Mondays De Nieuwe Anita houses a hand selected film program (entry 3 Euros) far from the mainstream.

Tuesday nights there is live music behind the bar, and that can be quite good, but what can I say – a matter of taste of course, but worth a try-out. On other days De Nieuwe Anita feels like a family hangout.

The pub quiz virus hasn’t passed its cozy living room, and once in a month (first Sunday) the Anita folks gather to guess the answer of impossible to answer questions. That is fun – but you got to know the dutch language to take part. One good alternative spot to visit.

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De Nieuwe Anita | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Beer € 2,20
Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 | West
Mon – Tue & Thu 20:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 02:00

Flamingo is one of many many many bars in ‘The Pijp’. I generally try to avoid this area at nighttime because it’s way too busy with drunk students and other unpleasant people. But then I discovered Flamingo and was pleasantly surprised! This is mainly because of the friendly staff and fantastic music. I’ve spent many evenings here starting of with a quiet drink and ending the evening dancing like crazy till closing time. 

The dancing till closing time mostly happens on Fridays and Saturdays. During the week Flamingo is more laid back and a perfect place for a quiet drink and chat. 

So if you happen to find yourself in ‘The Pijp’ don’t be put off too quickly. There are a couple of nice bars here and Flamingo is one of them. 

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Flamingo | Bars, Coffee & tea
Eerste van der Helststraat 39 | South
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 03:00

Pacific Parc is a great place on the ‘Westergasfabriekterrein’. Its open during the day for drinks and lunch as well as in the evening for dinner, drinking and/or dancing.

In the wintertime its very cosy inside with a great looking real fireplace which is nice and warm. But now that the weather is starting to get better the great attraction of Pacific Parc is the terrace which gets the sunshine all day long!

Pacific Parc is open day and night and at night they sometimes have some really busy parties, although they aren’t really my cup of tea.

For lunch/breakfast/snack you should definetely try the “tosti” (croque monsieur / toasted ham/cheese sandwich). It’s delicious with lots of cheese and ham, pineapple or tomato. The great thing is that you get 1,5 tosti, which is exactly the right amount!

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Pacific Parc | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Main meal € 15.00
polonceaukade 23 | West | +31204887778
11:00 – 02:00 daily (kitchen open till 22:00)

Canvas (which resides at the seventh floor of the former Volkskrant building) is an easy going restaurant, club and cocktail bar with a little alternative attitude. You enter the building through the main hall, pass the guards, then on the left-hand side you’ll find the elevators to the seventh floor.

The interior is a little alternative, self-made, food is being served at foldable beer tables. There is graffiti and secondhand lampshades, and there are chesterfield benches to hang out before or after dinner. Food and service is better than the interior suggests.

DJ´s, singer-songwriters, theme/parties or cocktail nights (5 EUR a cocktail), you can have it all @ canvas. But whatever takes place at Canvas, nothing can beat the view: I think it’s one of the best Amsterdam has to offer. In the summer there are two terraces open, one is part of the restaurant, the other is a surfer style beach bar – they are unfortunately closed now, let’s wait for spring. The cocktail nights are hosted by Marcel Barlag, the cycling DJ. He comes with his bicycle fully equipped with his dj set and his records, playing 70′s sounds.

Next to exhibiting hip photography they also host events like a cloth exchange market: bring the cloths that you’ve had enough of, find someone who likes them, and trade them in for items that you like of his/her collection. Very nice idea!

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Canvas op de 7de | Bars, Music, Restaurants (International) | Canvasburger € 13
Wibautstraat 150 | East | +31207163817
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sun 11:00 – 03:00

A Californian bass guitar player coming to Amsterdam for love and music. He opens this little spot in the Amsterdam area Westerpark: Mark Hodson. He didn’t want to give me his full name in the first place ’cause I have a shady past, you know…’ I will leave this up to himself. Anyway, he looks like rock’n roll and that’s the spirit of the bar – it only needs a couple of more years to look as run-down as you’d expect a rock’n roll bar to look like.

Well, about the Jet Lounge itself: It’s a nice little spot with a good reputation among the singer/song writers in Amsterdam. The open mic sessions on Tuesday are nice, and again: it’s not a neighborhood open mic event, I think the standard of the people you come across at such occasions is high (with variations, of course), and you can enjoy good music in an intimate setting – it’s like they are performing in your living room.

Mark likes cocktails and he enjoys preparing them (he is a bit of a one-man-show). It seems for Mark cocktails are an integral part of rock’n roll live (awarded cocktail bar of the year in 2009 by Time Out magazine Amsterdam).

If you get the chance, check out his own band, called “The Sex Dolls” – once in a while Mark is not behind the bar, and leaves the cocktails for the bass…

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Jet Lounge | Bars, Music | Cocktail € 6
Groen van Prinstererstraat 41 | West
Tue – Thu 18:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

When do you deserve to be called a regular? Do you need hang out somewhere more than three times a month for at least 5 years? Should you have spent mornings, afternoons and evenings there, or whole days for that matter? Should you have taken tiny power naps on their couch without anyone noticing? Too often have been asked to leave when everyone else has gone? Would you have written on their bathroom doors, laughed there, fought there, even cried there? 

If that be so, Kriterion would be high on my list. One of the city’s best arthouse cinemas opened its doors as far back as 1945. It was started by wartime students tired of having to depend on their parents’ wages and has been run by students ever since. This means the bartenders might need some training at times, but it also means there are few other places in town as lively, relaxed and fun as Kriterion. The crowd, thankfully, does not consist solely of students, as the theatre has one of the nicest spaces and the best new independent releases, specials and festivals in town.

One of the reasons why I come here weekly is the Sneak Preview on Tuesdays, during which the audience is shown a surprise film that hasn’t been released yet (cue booing, walkouts or ecstatic enthusiasm). In April they also host Imagine, a wonderful fantasy film festival that organizes the infamous Night of Terror, where the entire room invariably ends up getting tee-peed. 

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Kriterion Movie Theatre | Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events | Sneak Preview € 5
Roetersstraat 170 | Center | +31206231708
Mon – Thu & Sun 10:30 – 01:00, Fri 10:30 – 03:00, Sat 12:30 – 03:00

It took a while, but Amsterdam finally has a cinema museum again. I have to admit I was a little skeptical of the move because the old film museum was so pretty and it’s seats were tattered, and that’s how I like watching my movies. But the first time I set foot in EYE (let’s not get started on the name, and let’s definitely not get started on the whole ownership-thing) I was blown out of my ruby slippers.

Could it be Amsterdam is finally playing with the big boys? The museum – right opposite Central Station, easily accessible by ferry – exudes international flair. It’s big, it’s white and it’s nondescript (is it a crocodile? is it a whale? is it a wink? who cares) and I like it. The banks along the IJ are finally throwing off their casts and revealing the bigger plan.

Inside, EYE offers something for everybody – you can have food and drinks on the huge terrace overlooking the water and wave at the cruise ships or visit their exhibitions and extensive library. They also have four screening rooms (with brand new chairs!) that show classics, specials and new releases besides hosting cinema concerts and cult evenings. Or you could just run up and down their grand staircases endlessly. The main hall is so exuberantly big you’ll want to play.

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EYE | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Theaters
IJpromenade 1 | North | +31205891400
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00 (exhibitions open till 17:00)

Let me start by pointing out that Spanjer & van Twist is a respectable but not outstanding restaurant, foodwise. In the city you can easily find more spots with the same price-quality ratio. There are three things which makes this place different from the rest.

First of all, when you’re hungry before 17:30 on a weekday you’ll get a discount on your main meal. This is of course a clever way of them to attract business on quiet days, but ideal for you when you had an early lunch (or skipped lunch entirely). 

Next to this, S&vT has one of the most beautiful terraces of Amsterdam. From April till October you’ll find their seats alongside the Leliegracht. Although I feel a bit sorry for the staff when I sit outside (it’s pretty narrow and uneven), it’s nice to see the canal boats appear from under the bridge.

Furthermore, the place is set up really nicely. It’s both spacious, but at the same time pretty intimate. From the first floor you have a nice view on the counter and behind it you can see the half-open kitchen. You would expect to hear a lot of noise, but surprisingly you don’t hear that many sounds coming from the kitchen.

In short, S&vT is a nice place for an intimate dinner or some drinks with a date… or when you wanna have a serious chat with a close friend.

One final thing, they have a well-priced (read: low-priced) beer menu (with one of my favorite beers for an absolute basic price).

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Spanjer & van Twist | Bars, Restaurants (French/Dutch) | Main meal € 15.00
Leliegracht 60 | Center | +31206390109
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Picture this: Little round tables covered with fluffy table cloths, the fabric girls nowadays make maxi skirts out of. Bottles of coffee creamer on each, that might have been around as long as the tablecloths have. Colored glass windows, stained in more ways than one, that let in just enough daylight to illuminate the big old clock in the smoky back room, which chimes every thirty minutes – perhaps to let you know it’s time for your next kopstoot, or to remind you that time is indeed passing, no matter how easy it is to forget about it here.

De Hegeraad is another one of those old pubs that are great to get lost in, quite similar to De Pilsener Club, except that besides its obvious pale ale throwback, it’s a black-coffee-morning-paper kind of place as well (even if they open at 12:00).

Perhaps, if I’d been born way back when, I would have been selling under-the-counter ointments in the apothecary this pretty Jordanese building used to house. Or I would have been one of the fun gals being boozed up by the bartender in the off-license it held afterwards.

With a pretty terrace under the trees on the picturesque Noordermarkt, De Hegeraad can get a little crowded on weekends but somehow retains its time traveling appeal. Buy yourself a fitting top hat or even one of those carpet skirts at the vintage market on Monday mornings, and take the leap.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Hegeraad | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Kopstoot € 6
Noordermarkt 34 | Center | +31206245565
Mon – Thu & Sun 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

I love discovering places in Amsterdam that have been around for ages without my knowing about them. Recently, I found myself in De Pilsener Club, hidden right next to the horrible shopping strip de Kalverstraat. To locals the pub is better known as ‘De Engelse Reet’ (roughly translated as ‘The English Arse’, but don’t let that put you off!)

This beer café is one of Amsterdam’s oldest, and it’s as ‘brown’ (as the Dutch like calling their local pubs) as they come. Four generations of traditionally clad bartenders have made sure everything looks and feels like you’ve just traveled 125 years back in time – from the original sandy floor boards to the yellowed pictures on the wall. The stories that undoubtedly went down here over the years are almost tangible – they even have little name plates adorning the seats of their regulars through the years.

What I love most about places like this is that they make you want to act as the atmosphere suggests. You want to sit down in their creaky chairs, turn off your mobile phone, order three portions of ossenworst and Dutch cheese (they also sell eggs for 50 cents, because who would let the alcoholics go home to their wives on an empty stomach?) and talk about books all night, whilst trying at least six of the great array of special beers and jenever they have on offer.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Pilsener Club | Bars, Snacks | Boiled egg € 0.50
Begijnensteeg 4 | Center
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00

Melkweg (dutch for milky way) – do I need to say anything about it? All the major cities have one, or maybe a few, temples of pop culture, and here in Amsterdam it’s the Paradiso and the Melkweg. Needless to say more, it’s not a secret tip, but still it’s a good place. Concerts of internationally renowned bands, independent or cult cinema, dance parties, festivals, exhibitions, just about anything cool happens in the Melkweg.

I went to the Melkweg when I moved to Amsterdam more than one and a half decades ago, and still the programming is good enough to drag me in once in a while, be it for the stage events, be it for the film selection, exhibition, dance event, you name it.

There is a cafe/restaurant (entry on the backside of the complex, in the Marnixstraat) if you are passing by during the day and only want to sniff some air of pop culture, or check out on the exhibition space (also from that side).

To make it short: the Melkweg is THE cultural center in Amsterdam. But probably you know that already, because you won’t find any tourist guide that doesn’t tell you the same.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Melkweg | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Music | Party & membership € 14
Lijnbaansgracht 234a | Center | +31205318181
Ticket offlice from 16:30 daily (check website for program)