10 brown cafés in Amsterdam to visit

When you first hear that something you have to do in Amsterdam is visit a ‘brown café’, you can easily mistake this for something else. You might immediately envisage dingy places with tourists and locals higher than the Empire State Building. But this isn’t the case…

Brown cafés are traditional Dutch pubs that, in some cases, date back to the 17th century. Dotted throughout the city, they are frequented mainly by locals rather than tourists, meaning they’re the perfect place to unwind and see the city the way the locals see it.

1. Café Hoppe, Spui 18-20, Centrum

Image courtesty of MollySVH.

Opened in 1670 and located on one of Amsterdam’s more intimate squares, Café Hoppe has been a favourite among the locals for years. In the summer time the outside tables are particularly enticing while in winter the sawdust on the floor of the old bar makes it equally cosy.

2. Café Chris, Bloemstraat 42, Jordaan

Image courtesy of Chris.

Deep in the Jordaan district is Café Chris, the brown café that is said to be the oldest in the city after opening in 1624. If it’s a quiet glass of Amstel you’re after, you’ll be able to enjoy that here. While if you'd rather challenge your host to a game of pool you’ll be able to do that here too.

3. Café In ‘t Aepjen, Zeedijk 1, Centrum

Image courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra.

Just minutes from the city’s central station, this bar is one of the city’s newer brown cafés having opened in 1990. The reason it qualifies for one is that it is steeped in history because it’s housed in a building that dates back to 1475. The dark wood in this café is particularly unmistakable.

4. Café ‘t Smalle, Egelantiersgracht 12, Jordaan

Image courtesy of Yorick_R.

While this bar oozes character on the inside, the reason I like it so much is because of the outside. Its location on one of Jordaan’s many canals makes it one of the most pleasurable places for a beer or a coffee in the Dutch capital. It’s a good place for a bite to eat too.

5. De Pilsener Club, Begijnensteeg 4, Centrum

As you walk through the doors of this bar in the centre of the city a few things quickly dawn upon you. It’s small, it’s bursting with character and it’s extremely ornate. It’s also extremely easy to forget you’re in the centre of a bustling city when dining at your candlelit table.

6. Café Heuvel, Prinsengracht 568, Centrum

Image courtesy of Raymond Klaassen.

Of all the cafés I’m listing in this post, this is my favourite. It’s close to Leidseplein, the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are only around the corner, while the locals are a chatty bunch as I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of them here over the years.

7. De Twee Zwaantjes, Prinsengracht 114, Jordaan

Similar to Café ‘t Smalle, this brown café is in the Jordaan and is located on the canal. If you like live music as well as relaxing by the canal, this is the bar for you. Make your way here on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays for an evening with local entertainment.

8. Café de Dokter, Rozenboomsteeg 4, Centrum

Just a stone’s throw from Spui is Café de Dokter, the smallest brown café in Amsterdam. Popular with whiskey and wine connoisseurs as well as those in search of a cold beer, the relaxed vibe here ensures those who visit tend to return again and again.

9. Café de Wetering, Weteringstraat 37, Centrum

Another brown café tucked down one of Amsterdam’s hidden streets, Café de Wetering is an extremely cosy place, making it the perfect place for a wintery nightcap.

10. Café Het Molenpad, Prinsengracht 653, Centrum

If you fancy something a little bit more contemporary on a night out in Amsterdam, but still want some of characteristics of a traditional brown café, this is the spot for you. Having had a facelift in 2008, it now represents both a youthful and historic Dutch capital.

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Cover image courtesy of Tim Lucas.