It's not hard to find a pub in Amsterdam.
However, you can't just push open the door of any establishment.
Today I'm giving you tips on the best pubs in town!
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Pub in Amsterdam: the Café Belgique
Café Belgique is a small pub behind the Nieuwe Kerk. Carved wooden countertops, glass shelves and gleaming brass faucets lend a turn-of-the-century air that attracts many passers-by.
The decoration focuses on beer, and consists mainly of old enamel advertising signs. that once adorned the outside of Belgian pubs.
The small size of the bar and the prominent staircases lead many to assume that there must be rooms upstairs. Indeed, the venue also houses a small hotel.
There are only two beds upstairs, one for men and one for women. During the summer months, there are a few tables on the sidewalk outside.
The beer selection, fairly predictable given its name, is mainly Belgian. Among the draught beers, there are rarely two of the same type.
In particular, it's the only regular outlet for Vlo, a beer specially produced by local brewery 't Ij for beer store De Bierkoning. This is one of the few original Dutch beers I highly recommend you try it.
The Schuim
Schuim is a decent-sized pub in a rather bland new building not far from Dam Square.
The style of the interior is decidedly modern, but with enough effort and thought, you'll realize that the place is attractive and comfortable. The furniture is a slightly discordant mix of brightly colored armchairs and heavy wooden tables and chairs.
With part of the university directly opposite, the pub unsurprisingly attracts a large number of students.
Very little has changed at Schuim, with the exception of the paintings. So you can be sure that this pub will be the same the next time you visit Amsterdam.
Pub in Amsterdam: De Wildeman
Halfway between the Central Station and the dam, De Wideman is located in a small alley with the pedestrian Nieuwedijk street at one end and Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal at the other.
For those with a sense of aesthetics, I'd recommend access from the Nieuwedijk. Otherwise, you'll have to put up with the sight of the inept and inappropriate green glass office building that disfigures the corner with the Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal.
Originally the tasting room of a former distillery, the transformation of the premises into a beer bar has been remarkably tastefully executed. The atmosphere of the distillery rooms has been successfully preserved, including thanks to the use of the brand's green woodwork.
The building's old look is illustrated by a lovely frame celebrating the distillery's 250th anniversary in 1940. In the main room, one wall is almost entirely taken up by a carved wooden bar.
On the premises, you'll find yourself with Belgian beer and a few German, Czech or even French beers for variety. From time to time, a cask of real British cask ale arrives at the bar.
Beer Temple
Peter Van der Arend's latest venture, Beer Temple, presents itself as an American pub. But it's more than that. There's plenty of beer from Europe, too.
The interior is elegant and modern, the row of faucets surprisingly similar to what you might see in New York. The tramways rumbling outside take you quickly back to Amsterdam.
It's a place where you can relax and enjoy a beer with friends after a long day walking around town.
Pub in Amsterdam: Café Gollem
Just off Spuistraat, Gollem is another pub with an incredible range of beers.
It's a little dark inside. At the front is a counter surrounded by bar stools, and at the back is a small seating area with a few tables. The decor is decent, with various pieces of memorabilia scattered on the walls.
Gollem was the first specialist beer bar in Amsterdam. It has been on the premises since the 1970s.
The establishment offers a fairly comprehensive range of bottled beers, mainly Belgian and Dutch, but with some German, Czech and British beers.
Amsterdam is a city full of pubs. As you wander through its alleyways, you'll quickly find establishments that will be the perfect way to spend your evenings.
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