I will be in Amsterdam next week with my wife and I would like some recommendation on “normal” bars/café in the “touristic” area where it is possible to find a couple of craft beers (even only bottle is fine).
It will not be a beery trip, but I would like to drink some nice beer and not crap Heineken or Grolsch.
Can you also recommend some nice restaurant with a decent beer selecion? (I have already checked the Place section, but looking for first hand, local recommendations).
Does she drink at all, or would she prefer to have tea or coffee? If she goes to a bar, what kind of atmosphere does she like? There are plenty of good bars, ranging from old brown café to English pub-style bars and modern craft places. Not so many lunch rooms with a great selection, if that’s what you’re after. Most places (bars, restaurants) stock at least a handful of craft beers though. And then there’s always Duvel, La Chouffe and Westmalle
I can recommend Café Brecht, but you being from/living in Germany this wouldn’t be the most exciting option. It’s focused on tea with apple pie in a cosy livingroom setting, with good German craft and traditionals.
Hofje van Wijs is an OK place for tea and coffee (and a sandwich iirc), it has no beer-vibe whatsoever though.
Bekeerde Suster is liaised with Brabantse Aap (or at least they were), they serve food as well.
For food, Cannibale Royale (3 different locations, grungy look) has good meat, but is busy and you have to make a reservation to be served, and you have to finish within a certain time frame (e.g. from 20-21:30)
Brabantse Aap and Bekeerde Suster serve decent pub food, so does Zotte (Belgian beer, make a reservation if you want to eat here or go upon opening. Spent many hours here in the past, need to revisit )
If you venture a bit out of the center, you might want to go to Tap Zuid. Lots of local craft and decent food. Troost - De Pijp, for a good burger and their own beers. Very hipster-ish though. Or for dinner, go to Happy Happy Joy Joy (3 locations, not on RB), great Asian style street food with some nice beers specially made for them.
Or is it anything more specific you’re after? Something more specific food wise or atmosphere wise, or perhaps a bit more luxurious? Most of what I’ve mentioned is (decent to good) pub food in a pub setting.
She is more into wine and, if it must be beer, kriek/berliner weiss with syrup
Your recommendations are amazing. At the moment for dinner I have noted done Platage and Seafood Bar, if I add to the list Happy Happy Joy Joy I should be done.
Thanks a lot!
btw, I checked on UT and seems like Hofje van Wijs still has its “own” beers. I think that could be the perfect “middle ground”
Arendsnest is the must hit.
Cafe Gollem on Amstelstraat was a worthy stop, at least as a tourist.
De Bierkoning is a beer store right near Dam Square, and will have quite a few beers you could just scoop up for later or do some street drinking. The prices are a tad inflated, but that seems the norm for European beer stores. 't IJ is definitely worth a stop as well.
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Amsterdam is expensive but don’t expect to pay that much for IJ beers elsewhere in town.
