I got acquainted with Mezrab the same way I found most of my favourite places in Amsterdam: a friend told me with insistence that “I HAD to go there, I’d absolutely love it”, until they eventually took me to the place. The storytelling nights at the Mezrab were everything I’d be hoping to find in a cultural venue, but didn’t know existed yet. At the time, a bunch of folks got together in a basement, and sat around a red carpet listening to people telling stories. In the meantime, you could get yourself a bowl of warm hearty soup, a beer, or a cup of tea. Or everything. And get cosy. 

Nowadays, the concept is still the same, but the venue is bigger. The soup is still delicious but you have to stand in a long line to get one before the show. Still, the wait is worth it. The Original Storytelling Night, every third Friday of the month, is always packed with people from all walks of life. If you find yourself in Amsterdam in any other week, don’t worry, there are storytelling nights in English every Wednesday and Friday. The entrance remains free of charge, but there’s a donation jar which pays the rent. Mezrab is such a gem that you almost don’t want to spread the word about it. But you do, because, after all, you can’t be greedy about special places where community is the soul of it all.