Old center – Local tips (bars & cafes)

The menu here isn’t big. And it doesn’t need to be. The only thing you need to order is cheese fondue, entrecote, salad, and finally chocolatemousse as a dessert. I’m a great lover of cheese so this place is really one of my favorites.

The cheese fondue is great and you get plenty of bread to go with it. Any of the different salads will do great for a bit of a fresh taste cause the fondue is quite heavy and obviously cheesy!

The entrecôte comes on a plate which is on a flame where you can further fry the meat in a very tasty sauce. Maybe this is not the place for a romantic first date though. All of the cheese and garlic doesn’t leave your mouth smelling very fresh…

It is busy here every night and this is probably why they have squeezed a lot of tables into the space. You will probably sit close to the other guests but I usually only concentrate on the cheese so it doesn’t bother me!

It is important to know that a reservation is required if you don’t want to eat too late. As soon as your there you will find it easy to spend the rest of the evening there with your cheese fondue and a nice bottle of wine. I can’t wait till the next time! and the next! and the next!

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Bern | Bars, Restaurants | Main meal € 15.00
Nieuwmarkt 9 | Old center | +31206220034
15:00 – 01:00 daily

Café Crea is located on the grounds of some of the most beautiful buildings of the University of Amsterdam, and it is a haven for students looking for a break. As the place is divided into three smaller parts, the conversations of the guests do not bounce around against the walls, but fill the rooms with a pleasant humming.

Crea is one of my favorite places to go to when I need to study or write, want to drink coffee and read a newspaper, or drink a beer with fellow students. Located in a quieter part, but right the middle of the centre, it is a perfect base of operations to plan your explorations in.

In the meantime you can enjoy a delicious coffee, French toast, a sandwich or a bowl of soup, or even a decent and decently priced dinner between five and eight-thirty. With a different atmosphere in each of the rooms and a small patio on the canal side, you can be sure to find a spot that fits your mood.

The view from the patio is picturesque in a way that is typical for Amsterdam. Since I have been studying at the UvA, I have found the surroundings of Crea very inspiring. You feel very close to the history of the city and the university. When you are there, take the time to enjoy the atmosphere and stroll around between the university-buildings.

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Café Crea | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Theaters, Restaurants (intern.) | Beer € 2.00
Turfdraagsterpad 17 | Old center | +31205251423
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 11:00 – 19:00

This is a well-known place in Amsterdam right next to Hotel de L’Europe. A nice looking place from the inside, especially because of the extremely high ceilings.
In the summer this is one of the best outdoor cafes to sit with loads of boats passing by.The beer company Grolsch still owns this building. In the summer you can enjoy your beer on one of the most beautiful terraces of Amsterdam.

In the winter, loads of magazines are there to get you through a rainy or snowy day. You can sit here for hours with one drink without waiters looking at you like “go away or order something else”. Maybe this is because they do not notice you either if you want to order something.

The sandwiches are fine, but personally I would stick to the beverages only, although the chocolate pie is very good.

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Café de Jaren | Bars, Coffee & tea | Coffee € 2.00
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20/22 | Old center | +31206255771
10:00 – 00:00 daily

Café Katoen is a really popular place amongst students. (Katoen means ‘cotton’ but to be honest I don’t no why the cafe has this name.) It is located in the city centre very close to the University of Amsterdam. This is why lots of students find their way to it.

The cafe isn’t very big but it doesn’t seem cramped thanks to all the windows. The room isn’t packed full with tables and chairs. This is a good thing because this makes it feel spacious and relaxed.

On the other hand a lot of times there aren’t any places to sit. This can be a disappointment. There are also a couple of seats at the bar but for the rest it isn’t the kind of place where you can stand with your drink. So whenever I go there and spot an empty table I’m very happy.

As I said the place is mostly visited by students. It opens quite early so in the morning it is a good place for breakfast. As it gets later it gets busier and during the day it is often filled with girls chatting and drinking coffee or having lunch.

In the evening they don’t serve dinner but they do serve small snacks to accompany your drinks. The evening is the busiest time, and the later it gets you have to find yourself lucky to find a seat. At evening time the cafe is filled with guys as well as girls. And lots of groups of students having a drink after a whole day of studying!

I like this cafe very much. The interior is a bit outdated but I guess this has its charm. Also if you aren’t a student it is a nice place for a drink. Right in the city centre but filled with locals.

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Cafe Katoen | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Wine € 2.50
Oude Turfmarkt 153 | Old center | +310206262635
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 01:00, Sun 10:00 – 01:00

I don’t have lots of spectacular things to say about this spot so I’ll just keep it simple. It is simply a really good spot.

The good things are to begin with the location, right on the Nieuwmarkt with views of De Waag. Secondly the reading chairs by the window, very nice! Check out the lunch menu during the day which is tasty and affordable. And last but not least the different kinds of Belgian beers and the nice housewine are worth a try.

Don’t forget to order some bitterballen to go with your drinks and just enjoy!

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Cafe Stevens | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants | lunch € 5.00
Geldersekade 123 | Old center
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Looking for something original, classy and exciting? Door 74 is where you should be! This bar is hidden in the centre of Amsterdam and only known by those who know what’s hot and new in town.

The owners describe Door 74 as a place for those that have a taste for fine cocktails and classy surroundings. Go to Door 74 for a long night with your closest friends and enjoy the fine drinks. I once read an article that it was said to be Amsterdam’s ultra-cool 1920s- style bar!

The minute you step into the fancy world of Door 74, you will treated like a VIP all night long. Your coat will be taken to the wardrobe, you’ll be personally brought to your table by one of the gentleman waiters, water and nuts/olives will be on your table and every now and then the waiter will come up to your table to check if you need anything else: no waiting at the bar to place an order! Could you wish for anything else?!

Door 74 is an all-seated bar and it never gets too crowded as no more than 40 guests are allowed to get in. No entrance fee is asked, it’s free to use the toilet and wardrobe and there is no door policy; just bring the classy, relaxed, good-mooded you!

Probably the most special thing about Door 74 is that you actually have to make a reservation to get  in (to make sure you can seated at the table/ boot of your preference). Make a call or send a text to the mobile number and your reservation will be confirmed within a day!

You can check the cockail menu at the website. I can recomment the Summer Sling and Playmate Cocktail (the very first cocktail ever to be descibed in Playboy magazine in 1954). Here no regular Bacardi mixes, Cosmopolitans or Breezers but instead, the most classic cocktails ever! I had never heard of any of the cocktails on the menu….and I’m a huge cocktail fan! The menu is updated a few times a year and even has different themes.

It’s hard to find so be sure to have the right address when you ring the bell at the unmarked door… Door 74 is by far one the best hidden gems of Amsterdam!

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Door 74 | Bars | Cocktail € 10.00
Reguliersdwarsstraat 74 | Old center | +31634045122
Tue – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

This brown colored pub on the Kloveniersburgwal was here when my father was studying in Amsterdam. It is supposed to be a literary café, a place where you can read a book or newspaper in peace, but I usually find it quite lively.

It has a layout that is typical for Amsterdam: quite narrow and deep. There is only sunlight in the front, but bars like these are not supposed to be bathing in light. The crowd is usually positioned in the narrow space in front of the bar, in the smoke free area back you can sit down in relative peace; take a look at the photos that are exhibited, or play a board game.

This place has an atmosphere that you will not find in newer bars, but what is more, they serve beers that you will not find anywhere else in Amsterdam. It is not a beer café per se, but the beers they have on tap are exquisite. I would not know where to find a tastier beer in this city.

During the day you can have a tasty lunch, served on proper, thick slices of bread. After five in the afternoon you can pick your dinner from the small menu written on a chalkboard in front of the bar. The food is tasty and far from expensive; the meal of the day will set you back about Euro 8.50. It is no haute cuisine, but it is good and healthy and you can flush it away with a delicious drink.

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Engelbewaarder | Bars, Restaurants (Lunch and dinner) | Beer € 2.20
Kloveniersburgwal 59 | Old center | +31206253772
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00, Sun 14:00 – 01:00

Besides the Amstel Hotel, this is one of the most beautiful and prestigious hotels in Amsterdam!The Grand is filled with heritage listed examples of the city’s history dating back to 1578. In its origin this building was a monastery. Napoleon directed the City Hall on Dam Square in 1808 to Hotel The Grand, because he needed the building to become The Royal Palace.

Created in 1926 by Chris Lebeau, the First Class Marriage Chamber of Amsterdam’s City Hall is a work of art, with its figures and scenes depicting married life. The hotel is centered around the former council chamber, in which Her Majesty Queen Beatrix was married.

The council chamber is the largest convention room in the hotel itself. Robust wooden furniture, carpets, chandeleers all handmade. Bear in mind that the entire building is a historical monument and can not be changed without a legislation.

A small detail is the painting in the restaurant of Karel Appel, a famous painter in the Netherlands. The story about this painting is that after a previous renovation a wall was broken down and this painted wall was behind. After taxation it happened to be of great value.

Right now a part of the hotel is being renovated, but still open.

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Hotel The Grand | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (French)
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197 | Old center | +31205553111
24 hours daily

In my quest for an authentic pub experience I’ve been stopping by a small pub called “The Minds” quite often lately.

It is small, brown, and what’s more, smoky! Yes, despite the ban on smoking in public places, the clientele is still steadily puffing away over here. It doesn’t matter whether they’d be sucking on a joint or on a cigarette, them smokers do provide this dark and shady atmosphere that even I as a non-smoker have been missing since the ban.

For the health freaks this is obviously not a strong selling point. The alternative, relaxed crowd might be however, just as the stone solid rock music that is constantly being played. From The Doors to Queens of the Stone Age and everything in between. The bartender, who’s been the owner of The Minds as long as anybody can remember, obviously plays just what he likes.

I happen to think that this is the perfect way to attract the people to your establishment that fit in. If you like rock in all its different shapes, tasty, cheap beer and smoking, you should go to The Minds. Don’t mind the interior, it’s all rough edges, but the atmosphere is better than in most other pubs.

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The Minds | Bars | Beer € 1.60
Spuistraat 245 | Old center
Sun – Thu 21:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 21:00 – 04:00