I make no secret of the fact that half the time I can barely remember what I ate for dessert \u2013 or even if I ate dessert at all. My penchant for all things alcoholic replaces any kind of a sweet tooth I may once have had; and if I do indulge in something sweet, there\u2019s a good chance that the booze will completely obliterate the memory. Mr Foodie and I are collectively known as \u201cthe little couple who can drink\u201d, because while we\u2019re by far the smallest in stature among our friendship group, we are always the last ones standing at the bar. All this is background, though. My general point is: Looking for more than beer and cocktails in Amsterdam? <\/em><\/strong> Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n A decade or two ago, you could barely find more than a weak cosmopolitan or an overly sweet mojito in Amsterdam. Nowadays, however, all sorts of bars are doing cocktails \u2013 and doing them pretty well. These are my current favourites\u2026<\/p>\n Part of the gorgeous Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel<\/a> next to Oosterpark, Fitz\u2019s Bar<\/a> channels the roaring \u201920s with its dark wood pannelling and velvet-clad seating. Award-winning bartender Nick Vrielink is behind the extensive cocktail menu, which marries iconic cultural moments with modern ingredients and techniques (this is a little hard to explain and is better tasted than described!). I drank my way through a few different concoctions, but my favourite was the \u201cHarmony in Bloom\u201d: a perfectly balanced glass of smooth Hibiki Japanese whiskey, floral St. Germain (French elderflower liqueur) and an umami blend of Oolong tea and smoked soy. Good grief but this is perfection\u2026 Fitz\u2019s Bar also offers a few flights of three cocktails to taste, one of which included the Harmony in Bloom. I\u2019d be very tempted to try that next time!<\/p>\n Hiding in Plain Sight<\/a> is in the style of an old-school American speakeasy, but then with giant windows covering two walls \u2013 making it the most ill-concealed \u201csecret\u201d bar ever. But we\u2019re happy about that. The bar staff are extremely knowledgeable, and the drinks are all themed according to type. One of my absolute favourites and an Amsterdam classic.<\/p>\n Think vintage jazz bar meets literary meeting place meets mountain hunting lodge. Bar Oldenhof<\/a> is best summed up by the word \u201cold-fashioned\u201d. Old-fashioned drinks: a huge selection of Scottish whiskies is on offer, and several grown-up cocktails in the same vein. Old-fashioned armchairs that make you want to read a newspaper while sporting your best slippers. And old-fashioned service: they close the bar when more than 25 people show up to ensure they can give their full attention to all their guests.<\/p>\n This back-alley bar and restaurant serves some of the most creative cocktails in the city. I get Tales & Spirits\u2019<\/a> \u201cSmoke & Mirrors\u201d every time I visit: it comes on a shiny, silver-mirrored platter, topped with a glass dome filled with smoke. The waiter lifts the dome (\u201980s-restaurant style) and the smoke infuses both into the drink and right up your nose. It\u2019s a sipper of a cocktail and I can only really deal with one per evening, but it\u2019s totally worth it for the experience. Other favourites include the \u201cLittle Miss Troubles\u201d (because who can resist a name like that?) and the \u201cFallen Lady\u201d \u2013 in honour of the bar\u2019s red-light neighbours of the night.<\/p>\n The brainchild of award-winning mixologist Tess Posthumus, Flying Dutchmen<\/a> is a slightly hard-to-find cocktail bar in the Canal Belt. The menu is split according to drinks that require you to walk, run or fly (not literally), and the flavour matrix on the back plots each cocktail according to its sweetness, bitterness, and so on. As a result, my husband and I tried the Brandy Crusta and Santa Marta, both of which we loved for their bitter notes, smooth boozy vibes, and citrus kick.<\/p>\n Causing more than a stir (possibly a shake?) when it opened, Door 74<\/a> is Amsterdam\u2019s original hidden speakeasy. It\u2019s exclusive, but only in the sense that you have to know where it is, and you have to book. There\u2019s no entrance fee, but drinks aren\u2019t cheap. They are, however, bloody lovely. And this is one of the few bars in Amsterdam where you can get dressed up New-York style without feeling silly.<\/p>\n Right next door to Mexican restaurant Coba Taqueria in Amsterdam Noord you\u2019ll find Tula Cantina<\/a>, which I believe opened in 2024 as a way for diners to enjoy a cocktail (or a beer) before or after their dinner. The evening I visited, there were five signature cocktails on offer, from citrusy and spicy to sweet and creamy. I opted for a Mezcal, lime and chilli number that hit every spot for me, but the talented bar staff will mix whatever suits your personal tastes. If you\u2019re a fan of Tequila and\/or Mezcal, you\u2019re in for a treat: there are dozens of ultra-small-batch bottles of agave-based spirits on offer, which will challenge everything you thought you knew about tequila.<\/p>\n A hidden gem just off the Leidseplein, NJOY<\/a> has you doing what it says on the tin. The bar staff know their Lillet from their lychee syrup, and you feel like you\u2019ve discovered a funky little haven of cool among the Argentinian steakhouses and dodgy night spots. NJOY is also the longest-standing cocktail bar in Amsterdam \u2013 and with good reason. They make an absolutely killer cosmopolitan, which even comes with a warning: two is your max!<\/p>\n The Netherlands has always been known for its beer \u2013 big names like Heineken and Amstel all came from the Dutch capital. But in more recent years, the country\u2019s craft beer scene has come on in leaps and bounds as well.<\/p>\n Troost<\/a> brews its beers right there in the brewery (you can see all the huge metal vats behind the bar as you sip your beer) so you can\u2019t get any fresher. My personal favourite is the \u201cAmber Ale\u201d, but fans of a bitter IPA, a fresh white beer, or an autumnal bock beer won\u2019t be disappointed either. Oh, and they do burgers. And as we all know, beer and burgers are a match made in hoppy heaven. Currently with two locations in Amsterdam: in de Pijp and Westerpark respectively.<\/p>\n Classic never goes out of style. In de Wildeman<\/a> is a traditional biercafe<\/em> with an amazing selection of local and international beers. A haven for the real beer fan. They serve 18 beers on tap and a further assortment of 250 beers by the bottle.<\/p>\n Any visitor to Amsterdam should visit this temple to Dutch beers. They only have beers from the Netherlands at this tasting room but you\u2019ll be amazed at the variety. Proeflokaal Arendsnest<\/a> has around 50 beers on tap and more than 100 varieties in bottle. I love the uniformed staff and gleaming copper pipes at this elegant bar.<\/p>\n An innovative young brewery located in Amsterdam Noord, Oedipus Brewing<\/a> is the place to be on weekends and for their many special events. These folk combine their love for beer with their enthusiasm for music, food and fun. Although you can find their beers all over town, the brewery is the place to go for special seasonal beers you can\u2019t taste anywhere else.<\/p>\n Housed under an original windmill in Amsterdam Oost, Brouwerij \u2018t IJ<\/a> serves its own-brewed beers and various lekkere hapjes<\/em> (including IJwit beer and my favourite sheep\u2019s cheese from Dikhove in Ransdorp) in the afternoon and early evening.<\/p>\n In the heart of the Red Light District, de Prael brewery<\/a> was set up to employ people suffering from psychiatric problems. In the proeflokaal<\/em> (tasting room), you can taste the beers named after famous Dutch singers \u2013 there\u2019s one still in the Red Light District and another in de Pijp.<\/p>\n Dark and musty, this original beer bar down an alleyway off the Spuistraat demands that you drink out of one of those funny test-tube-shaped glasses in a wooden stand. The beer\u2019s called Kwak and you\u2019ll spill it everywhere, but it\u2019s just sort of tradition. You\u2019ll understand when you go there, I promise. Gollem<\/a> has several locations nowadays, but the oldest one on the Raamsteeg is my favourite.<\/p>\n This article is now available as a mobile app. To download it for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to\u00a0Walking Tours and Articles in Amsterdam<\/a>\u00a0on GPSmyCity.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Amsterdam-Restaurant-Guide-2023-banner.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n8 of the Best Cocktail Bars in Amsterdam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Fitz\u2019s Bar<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Fitzs-cocktail-bar-500x760.jpg\")
Hiding in Plain Sight<\/h3>\n
Bar Oldenhof<\/h3>\n
Tales & Spirits<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Amsterdam-cocktail-bars-500x624.jpg\")
<\/a>Flying Dutchmen Cocktails<\/h3>\n
Door 74<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tula Cantina<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Tula-Cantina-cocktail-bar-500x761.jpg\")
NJOY<\/h3>\n
Looking for more than cocktails in Amsterdam? <\/em><\/strong> Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/em><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n7 of the Best Breweries and Beer Caf\u00e9s in Amsterdam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Brouwerij Troost<\/h3>\n
In de Wildeman<\/h3>\n
Proeflokaal Arendsnest<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Brewery-amsterdam-500x759.jpg\")
<\/a>Oedipus Brewing<\/h3>\n
Brouwerij \u2018t IJ<\/h3>\n
Brouwerij de Prael<\/h3>\n
Gollem<\/h3>\n
Prefer wine? Download my Wine Lover\u2019s Guide to Amsterdam<\/a> instead!<\/h3>\n