Our 5 Favorite Cocktail Bars In Amsterdam By Suitcase Magazine
It’s impossible not to fall in love with the “Venice of the North” after a few days spent careening your bicycle over picturesque bridges in search of your next glass of wine. For those who feel they have matured beyond canalside drinking, these modish cocktail bars are just the ticket.
1. Miss Moneypenny
There’s a temptation to opt for your tried-and-tested favourite when it comes to cocktails, but at Miss Moneypenny you’ll want to cast aside pre-formed opinions in favour of house stirs. Our favourite? The Man’s Not Hot, not only for its on-point cultural referencing, but also for the composition of ingredients that include velvet-falernum-spiced, citrus-sweet syrup, Belzasar rose vermouth, Ango Reyes Chile liqueur, watercress, red pepper and lemon. Sound familiar? Us neither – but it’s extremely tasty.
2. Apt
This chic speakeasy is tucked away in the historical Odeon building, making it a popular choice for in-the-know night owls. Stop by for pre-dinner cocktails with inventive drinks mixed up by resident mixologist Vincent Nouws. After midnight, the atmosphere cranks up a notch and the space becomes an intimate club ideal for low-key partying.
3. Kanarie Club
A sunny café doused in its signature shade of canary yellow, the Kanarie Club epitomises playful yet structured Dutch design. Minimalist furnishings and exposed-brick walls juxtapose the wrought-iron structures overhead. Upstairs, the pool bar (open every evening but serving cocktails on Friday and Saturday only) centres on a drained, aquamarine-tiled swimming pool, complete with yellow velvet cushions fashioned as rubber rings. Definitely worth dipping in and out of.
4. Bar Botanique
A palette of pistachio and emerald complements the overhanging botany at Bar Botanique, tucked on the corner of First Van Swindenstraa. A mix of comfort and opulence, it’s great for a quick coffee, or something stronger. Pull up a stool at the bar and clock the taxidermy stork guarding the top-shelf stock overhead.
Eerste Van Swindenstraat 581, 1093 LC Amsterdam, Netherlands
5. Café de Pijp
For something a little more relaxed, head to Café de Pijp – a chilled out, well-priced offering in-keeping with practical Dutch demand. Located in of-the-moment De Pijp neighbourhood, start your evening off sampling mezze plates on the terrace before moving inside for a little bit of jazz later in the evening.
Words: Gilly Hopper, Deputy Digital Editor at SUITCASE Magazine
