Not surprisingly, the Jordaan, the most authentic of Amsterdam neighborhoods, is full of eetcafes and bruin cafes. And Cafe De Reiger – Dutch for the heron – is a great option for spending a typical Amsterdam evening.

Start by strolling through the narrow Jordaan alleys, look at the small boutiques and galleries and discover the hidden ornaments and court yards of the 17th century houses. Then check into Cafe De Reiger for steak and fries. And hang around for a few typically Dutch biertjes and mingle with the locals.

The vibe is busy and informal. The dining room is usually packed and tables are close to each other. The decor is simple with basic chairs and tables and a wooden floor that has survived many busy nights. You will be served bread and beer quickly and can choose your dishes from a large board. Next to classics like steak and spareribs, De Reiger has some daily specials, a fish and vegetarian dish as well as some salads.

De Reiger is an eetcafe. I go there when I’m up for meat, fries and beer and usually stay away from the other options.

Cafe De Reiger is located on Nieuwe Leliestraat 34, near the Westerkerk and Anne Frank House. Food is served daily from 6pm to 10:30pm. They do not have a web site, so you might want to call at (020) 624 74 26 to make a reservation.

The authenticity and tried and true formula at Loetje is both bane and boon.

The steak and french fries are good. But the selection is extremely limited. Loetje only serves steak, saté chicken and a few other dishes. So don’t hold your breath for a vegetarian option. There actually is only one kind of steak, a tenderloin, served in a very buttery sauce.

The prices are decent and Loetje has a nice large terrace and also a winter garden. But beware that the wait for a table can be long.

Another great thing about Loetje is its location, near the van Gogh and Rijksmuseum, but off the beaten path. You won’t see many tourists and the simple, brown-cafe style interior will make you feel like a local. The service is, however, is as brash and slow as in many other Amsterdam restaurants. Don’t be surprised if you get an annoyed look from the waitress for wanting to order food or drinks.

Overall, there are no surprises at Café Loetje Amsterdam. The steaks have been consistently good for years, the menu hasn’t changed and the service won’t improve anytime soon.

Its selection of beers on tap, including Weihenstephaner Weissbier and several Belgian beers, has always been one of the strong points of Hesp. It’s nice that they have added Columbus, a strong and hopsy amber brewed by neighbor Brouwerij ‘t IJ.

Columbus is far from a summer-y beer and probably not the greatest choice for a warm August evening on the terrace by the Amstel. But I am sure a good occasion will present itself soon for having a Columbus at Heps!

Its selection of beers on tap, including Weihenstephaner Weissbier and several Belgian beers, has always been one of the strong points of Hesp. It’s nice that they have added Columbus, a strong and hopsy amber brewed by neighbor Brouwerij ‘t IJ.

Columbus is far from a summer-y beer and probably not the greatest choice for a warm August evening on the terrace by the Amstel. But I am sure a good occasion will present itself soon for having a Columbus at Heps!

I have heard of a few vacations including De Witte Uyl, one of dutchgrub’s Best Amsterdam Restaurants, and Yam Yam, makers of one of dutchgrub’s Best Amsterdam Pizzas. Both will be closed until 16 August 2009. During the same period recently opened Italian l’Ozio will be closed for lunch, but remain open for dinner.

Omnipresent bikes and closed for vacation signs in Amsterdam

]]> http://www.dutchgrub.com/2009/08/02/amsterdam-closed-for-vacation/feed/ 0 http://www.dutchgrub.com/2009/07/07/best-amsterdam-terraces/ http://www.dutchgrub.com/2009/07/07/best-amsterdam-terraces/#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:43:48 +0000 dutchgrub http://www.dutchgrub.com/?p=696 Note: This is an old version of dutchgrub’s best Amsterdam terraces. For the up to date version with a map, please see http://www.dutchgrub.com/best-amsterdam-terraces/

Amsterdam is a different city when the sun comes out. The locals know all too well that sunny days are precious and head for the parks, terraces and boats in masses. It’s quite amazing how everyday life just stops, everybody drops whatever they have been doing, and heads out for that perfect spot in the sun.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of terraces and finding the right one is not easy. Having seen the standard recommendations in the recent TimeOut and the local NL20 magazine, I decided to publish my own list. Their recommendations seem to focus mostly on trendy places and ignore some of the intricacies of Amsterdam including weather, crowds and the ubiquitous lack of service.

So here are my picks for best terraces in Amsterdam where you can enjoy great drinks and a few snacks. All of them have great location, mostly off the beaten path and situated in such a way that you can actually sit in the sun if it decides to shine. Beware, many of the terraces around the canals will be in the shade from the late afternoon on. And all terraces provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, service with a personal touch rather than unpleasant crowds, plastic chairs and overwhelmed staff.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ

At micro brewery Brouwerij ‘t IJ you can sip a range of home brewed Belgian-style beers on a great terrace under an old Dutch windmill. What more can you ask for? Its simplicity and quirkiness has made the brewery very popular. On sunny weekend afternoons the terrace literally spills over as the thirsty crowd claims each and every inch of the brewery’s pub, the terrace and the pavement of the nearby streets. There is an interesting mix of regulars, locals, families, beer enthusiasts and tourists. You have to walk to the counter to pick up your own beer, choosing from a pilsner, three trappist, a wheat and two specialty beers.

www.brouwerijhetij.nl
Funenkade 7
1018 AL Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 622 83 25

Gent aan de Schinkel

Gent is a mix of restaurant, local bar around the corner and lovely outdoors cafe in the summer. It’s located in an old building next to a drawbridge over the Schinkel canal by the western exit of Vondelpark. The restaurant has a monthly changing organic menu. The regulars enjoy sitting on the high bar stools and drinking Affligem, Chouffe, Palm or one of the other Belgian beers on tap. And on a sunny day it seems as if anybody who lives west or south of Vondelpark gathers around one of the outside tables on the sidewalk or in the small beer garden right by the Schinkel. In case you are looking for a place to stay, there is a great bed and breakfast in one of the small houses next to Gent with an equally great view of the canal.

www.gentaandeschinkel.nl
Theophile de Bockstraat 1
1058 TV Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 388 28 51

Cafe Hesp

Cafe Hesp is a typical Amsterdam-style brown cafe with a large terrace directly by the Amstel, down near Amstel Station. Most people head to the Amstelhaven or De IJsbreker to enjoy a few drinks and snacks next to the Amstel. I prefer to head further upstream to Hesp, which has two large terraces with sunlight until late in the evening and a great selection of 20 types of beer on tap. Hesp serves decent bitterballen and sate with fries and draws a large after-work crowd, especially on Friday. It’s fun to watch the mostly business crowd gather around the beer garden style tables and get rowdier and rowdier as another large round of Weihenstephan or Palm arrives and is downed to much cheers and merriment.

www.cafehesp.nl
Weesperzijde 130-131
1091 ER Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 665 12 02

Cafe de Jaren

Cafe de Jaren, like Cafe Walem, is an Amsterdam institution. De Jaren has been around for years and every Amsterdammer has been there at least a few times. It’s almost as chic as its neighbor, classy Hotel de l’Europe. It’s spacious, with high ceilings, and boasts a classic chic that makes it a great destination for either fun or business. De Jaren actually has two terraces, both hidden in the back of the building, overlooking the water across from the Stopera. One terrace is on the first floor, the other downstairs, tucked away in a corner, with a dock that some guests use to arrive at De Jaren by boat. There is somewhat of an intellectual feel because of newspapers available on large tables. It’s a terrace where you would have a trendy caffe latte or a good glass of white wine or champagne.

www.cafedejaren.nl
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20
1012 CP Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 6255771

Cafe ‘t Sluisje

‘t Sluisje is like a village tavern, far off the beaten path on the other side of het IJ behind Central Station. You get there by ferry and will feel great about leaving the hectic city behind. The Nieuwendammerdijk is a former dyke, lined by century old small Dutch houses. ‘t Sluisje is located in one of them, built in 1565 next to the boat lock. The same family has been running the cafe for over 100 years with a few interruptions. Everything at the cafe is simple – there is a small menu of snacks and people come to enjoy a traditional beer or jenever and not fancy drinks. It’s a great destination for a bike tour beyond city limits. Alternatively you could opt for Klein Kalfje, another great terrace out in the countryside, a few miles up the Amstel, heading south of Amsterdam towards Ouderkerk.

www.hetsluisje.nl
Nieuwendammerdijk 297
1025 LM Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 636 17 12?

Cafe Walem

Cafe Walem, run by the same owners as Cafe de Jaren, is somewhat of an institution and has been in its Keizersgracht location for over 20 years. The food at Walem is not great and the service can be erratic. The chic terrace, however, is great. It’s one of the few sunny locations around the canals, by the Leidsestraat bridge over Keizersgracht. The crowd, like the retro-modern interior design, is very stylish and wants to be seen. You may spot a local celebrity and Cafe Walem is also very popular by the gay scene.

www.cafewalem.nl
Keizersgracht 449
1017 DK Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)20 6255771?

Against better judgement, we went to Knus last Friday after a company BBQ, thinking that it would be the perfect place to continue drinking and to enjoy some snacks later on. We quickly noticed that this was a mistake as we were the only guests that evening. The food was mediocre and while the staff tried to explain that the emptiness was unusual we could not help but think that Knus will soon make room for a new concept.

While I still think that Knus is one of the better restaurants of its kind, there are two important lessons that foodies should remember: Avoid the Leidseplein area, which is touristy, over-priced and laden with poor quality restaurants. And don’t bother with “restobars” or “gastropubs” that promise to be a one-stop-shop for a whole night out, aim high with fancy fusion or bistro menus and ultimately fail miserably.

The weather in Amsterdam has been great throughout April and May. And Sunday was one of those perfect, lazy afternoons at Brouwerij ‘t IJ: Sitting on their terrace in the sun, enjoying home-brewed beer, spending time with friends amidst the friendly and laid-back crowd, right under a typical historic Dutch windmill. What else can you ask for?

Brouwerij ‘t IJ – or The Brewery by the IJ River – is different. It’s a Dutch microbrewery making Belgian style beer. It’s located close to the city center, just a few tram stops to the east, but will make you feel as if you were out in the countryside. The brewery and pub are located in a historic bath house and wind mill with a large terrace. The decoration is minimal, mostly a collection of beer bottles from all over the world. Guests sit on simple beer benches and happily stand in line to get their own beer.

Its simplicity and quirkiness has made the brewery very popular. On sunny weekend afternoons the terrace literally spills over as the thirsty crowd claims each and every inch of the brewery’s pub, the terrace and the pavement of the nearby streets. There is an interesting mix of regulars, locals, families, beer enthusiasts and tourists. Most of the staff have worked at the brewery for many years. And somehow, what must look like utter chaos from the outside, gels to an incredibly friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Brouwerij 't IJ Amsterdam - Terrace

The secret behind Brouwerij ‘t IJ is its beer. Owner and brew master Kaspar Peterson started the brewery in the 80s and has managed to give the beer a very distinct and individual character. All beer types are yeasty – drinking them is almost like eating a loaf of bread. In general, they also are strong flavored with a very present hopsy bitterness.

My favorite kind at this time of the year is the IJwit, a very smooth and drinkable wheat beer that is slightly cloudy and deceivingly strong for a wheat beer at 7% alcohol. The name is a pun. The name of the river IJ sounds like ei, Dutch for egg. And eiwit – or egg white – is Dutch for protein.

The most popular beer is the Plzen, a light and bitter blond with 5% alcohol. Then there are the two Trappist beers – a bittersweet Trappist dubbel called Natte (wet one) at 6.5% and the 8% strong fruity brownish triple Trappist Zatte (full one). Completing the lineup are two 9% strong, take no prisoners ales – the Struis (ostrich) with dark color and winter flavors and the amber and bitter Columbus (the one with the egg – you get it…).

Brouwerij ‘t IJ only serves the simplest of snacks – cheese (single kind), salami, egg, and peanuts. So be warned. The excellent beer, quirky vibe, friendly crowd and sunshine on a bright day can get to your head!

Brouwerij “Het Ij”
Funenkade 7
1018 AL Amsterdam

The weather in Amsterdam has been great throughout April and May. And Sunday was one of those perfect, lazy afternoons at Brouwerij ‘t IJ: Sitting on their terrace in the sun, enjoying home-brewed beer, spending time with friends amidst the friendly and laid-back crowd, right under a typical historic Dutch windmill. What else can you ask for?

Brouwerij ‘t IJ – or The Brewery by the IJ River – is different. It’s a Dutch microbrewery making Belgian style beer. It’s located close to the city center, just a few tram stops to the east, but will make you feel as if you were out in the countryside. The brewery and pub are located in a historic bath house and wind mill with a large terrace. The decoration is minimal, mostly a collection of beer bottles from all over the world. Guests sit on simple beer benches and happily stand in line to get their own beer.

Its simplicity and quirkiness has made the brewery very popular. On sunny weekend afternoons the terrace literally spills over as the thirsty crowd claims each and every inch of the brewery’s pub, the terrace and the pavement of the nearby streets. There is an interesting mix of regulars, locals, families, beer enthusiasts and tourists. Most of the staff have worked at the brewery for many years. And somehow, what must look like utter chaos from the outside, gels to an incredibly friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Brouwerij 't IJ Amsterdam - Terrace

The secret behind Brouwerij ‘t IJ is its beer. Owner and brew master Kaspar Peterson started the brewery in the 80s and has managed to give the beer a very distinct and individual character. All beer types are yeasty – drinking them is almost like eating a loaf of bread. In general, they also are strong flavored with a very present hopsy bitterness.

My favorite kind at this time of the year is the IJwit, a very smooth and drinkable wheat beer that is slightly cloudy and deceivingly strong for a wheat beer at 7% alcohol. The name is a pun. The name of the river IJ sounds like ei, Dutch for egg. And eiwit – or egg white – is Dutch for protein.

The most popular beer is the Plzen, a light and bitter blond with 5% alcohol. Then there are the two Trappist beers – a bittersweet Trappist dubbel called Natte (wet one) at 6.5% and the 8% strong fruity brownish triple Trappist Zatte (full one). Completing the lineup are two 9% strong, take no prisoners ales – the Struis (ostrich) with dark color and winter flavors and the amber and bitter Columbus (the one with the egg – you get it…).

Brouwerij ‘t IJ only serves the simplest of snacks – cheese (single kind), salami, egg, and peanuts. So be warned. The excellent beer, quirky vibe, friendly crowd and sunshine on a bright day can get to your head!

Brouwerij “Het Ij”
Funenkade 7
1018 AL Amsterdam

Wondering where Amsterdammers who want to watch the event should head on Tuesday at 6pm? Here are a few options.

My plan is to follow the inauguration festivities at cultural center Felix Meritis on Keizersgracht.  Doors will open at 4pm for a “Yes, We Watch” party. The event will be shown live on a big screen and there are no reservations necessary. I would expect an interesting mix of people from the culturally literate regulars to canal belt expats looking for a venue last minute.

Then there is an inauguration special party and show at improvisation theater Boom Chicago on Leidseplein. It’s a much bigger event starting with a live screening from 5:30 pm, then dinner, a re-run of the “Bye-Bye Bush” comedy and finally a big band playing from 10pm onwards.

Association Democrats Abroad is organizing another big inauguration event in the Hard Rock Cafe on Max Euwe Plein. This event requires tickets and might be sold out.

If you would rather stay home and watch CNN, here is a minute-by-minute schedule with all details of Obama’s inauguration.

UPDATE: Just found out about another live screening event. The American Book Center’s Treehouse organizes a celebration with give-aways, live music and bubbles.