Amsterdam Guide » Nightlife » Brown Cafés
Amsterdam NightlifeBrown Cafés
Unpretentious and comfortable, brown cafes (or "bruine kroeg" in the original Dutch) are essentially neighborhood watering holes, filled with locals and accommodating to visitors. Their name comes from both the dark woodwork they customarily have and from decades of tobacco smoke, which has colored the interior. Brown cafes typically have a traditional feel and serve beer, liquor, and light snacks.
-- Kelly Sigmon, Senior Editor
Address: Nieuwmarkt 32-34, Amsterdam 1012 CS
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In former days, this brown cafe served as a tram waiting-room, and the decorative tilework it featured then still greets visitors. These days, 't Loosje is a comfortable place to meet up with friends, have a Heineken, and relax in unpretentious surroundings. A favorite with market traders during the day; students are...
Address: Egelantiersgracht 12, Amsterdam 1015 RL
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A neighborhood favorite, this absolutely charming split-level brown café is almost always well-populated, and you'll likely be hard-pressed to find a seat. Since its opening in the late 18th century, 't Smalle has made sure that locals and other folks are well-supplied with alcohol and camaraderie. The selection of...
Address: Overtoom 50-52, Amsterdam 1054 HK
This versatile brown café (once a bank) pulls in patrons throughout the day, thanks to an inviting ambience, good beer, and tasty food. Lunch and dinner menus are both available in the separate dining room, and the bar sports a pool table and sofas to lounge on. Come evening, bartenders play a variety of hip music,...
Address: Raamsteeg 4, Amsterdam 1012 VZ
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Albeit small in size, this inviting brown bar is a big player in the game of beer selection. With hundreds of bottled beers and a number of on-tap options, the place appeals to those who appreciate the heady, rich flavor of good brews. A good proportion of the beers are Belgian in origin, although you'll find samples...
Address: Spui 18-20, Amsterdam 1012 XA
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Hoppe's reputation as an after-work hangout is legendary, and you'll often find it packed with patrons, most of whom must stand and many of whom spill out onto the sidewalk. The elegant, Old World interior is a terrific place to sample a rich local beer or perhaps some traditional Dutch gin. Hoppe, which has been...
Address: Jodenbreestraat 1, Amsterdam 1011 NG
Just across the road from the Waterlooplein Flea Market, this bar was built in 1695 as a lock-keeper's house and still retains its charming character, including wooden-beam ceilings. Its most distinctive feature, however, is that it leans! Rembrandt even sketched it from his house opposite (now Het Rembrandthuis...
Address: Prinsenstraat 30, Amsterdam 1015 DD
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Regular patrons find plenty of reasons to applaud this fashionable brown café. For starters, it's got an inviting ambience that appeals to folks who want to pass some time with friends and a drink or two. If the munchies hit, a range of light fare can help ward off hunger pangs. By all accounts, though, the outside...
Address: Leidseplein 6, Amsterdam 1017 PT
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A familiar presence in the city, this cozy brown bar has been an Amsterdam mainstay since the late 19th century. Dark woods and subtle lighting impart a pub-like feel that patrons find particularly appealing when it's cold outside. When the weather warms, a glass-enclosed area towards the front lets folks take in...
Address: Elandsstraat 119, Amsterdam 1016 RX
Amsterdam's infamous women's bar – a traditional split-level brown bar – opened in the quiet Jordaan district in 1978, but these days enjoys an incarnation as a mixed gay bar, although it still attracts a predominantly lesbian clientèle. Popular with both young and older women during the week, it gets especially...
