Amsterdam

Ooh, Lots & Lots :-)

De Wildeman (3 Kolksteeg) is a classic - superb place, but a bit on the expensive side. The Gollum (4 Raamsteeg) is good too, but get there early - it always seems to get very full, very quickly. Ditto, the Cafe Belgique (2 Gravenstraat. Very small, and more than about a dozen customers and it's full. The t'Ij brewery is worth a visit, but it's a little out of the centre - turn left out of Centraal station, go past the maritime museum and keep going till you get to the big windmill. It's in there.

For a bit of character (and some very odd characters :-) ) try the Trapvreugd (sp?) on Oud Hoogstraat (off Dam square). It looks a bit intimidating (but nowhere near as bad as the Free A'dam, next door) at first, and it has a limited selection, Duvel, Palm, export Guinness (8%!), Kriek etc. but it is open very, very, very late. I have been there till 03:30 and they were still serving!!

There is also a relatively new bar, whose Dutch name escapes me. In English it's called the Little Thumb. It specialises in Dutch microbrewery brews and is well worth looking out for.

Get hold of Tim Webb's Beer Guide to Belgium & Holland before you go - should be lots more in there.

Food in Dutch bars seems to consist of snacks only, cheese, sausage, meat plates, that sort of thing. There are plenty of restaurants in the centre - only one rule of thumb is avoid any on Damrak - they tend to be poor quality, catering for hungry tourist getting of the train at the station. Avoid also the FEBO's until you are very drunk/desperate. They sell deep fried, generic slop from coin operated hatches. For a good post drinking session game try biting into their 'croquettes' and guessing what's in them - ugh!

Definitely get Tim Webb's guide though - you won't go too far wrong!

Not the latest one, though - it's Belgium only.

"Kev Crocombe" ha scritto nel messaggio news: snipped-for-privacy@crocombe.co.uk...

If you would like to sample Dutch craft beers do not miss the "Arendsnest" (Eagle's Nest) in Herengracht 90 who stocks at lest one beer from every Dutch brewery!

"In De Wildeman" in Kolksteeg 3 is one of the best pub in the world.

"'t IJ brewery" in Funenkade 7 is not to be missed

I personally like "'t Loosje" in Nieuwmarkt 32-34 more than "De Bekerde Suster" (The conveted nun) at twalking distance in Kloveniersburgwal 6-8 (Red Light District) who however woth a visit for the decent homemade wheat beer

don't go to Amsterdam before having seen (and eventually printed) the excellent website pages of Ron Pattison

another great source of infos is the wonderful webiste of my dear friend John White covering the Arendsnest

have a nice tour

Lorenzo

This is the most reliable guide I have seen - and I have enjoyed many a beer as a result of listening to Roger's advice ....

cheers

andy

hic ..."Ron's advice" I meant .....

Many thanks to everyone that replied - I'll try and give as many as I can a go :)

Cheers

In article , Andy writes

hi

These are the best 10 in amsterdam. Well, what I mean is after four years of holidays with the lads, this the list we most rely on and none of the pubs have ever let us down. 't Loosje is my personal favourite and 'Ij and Arendsnest run a very close second.

In De Wildeman, Kolksteeg 3,

Café Gollem, Raamsteeg 4, 1012 VZ Amsterdam.http://www.cafegollem.nl

Café `t Arendsnest, Herengracht 90, 1015 BS Amsterdam.

Het Elfde Gebod, Zeedijk 5,1012 AN Amsterdam.

't Loosje, Nieuwmarkt 32-34, 1012 CS Amsterdam.

Wijnand Fockink, Proeverij Pijlsteeg 37, 1012 HH Amsterdam.http://www.wynand-fockink.nl/

De II Prinsen, Prinsenstraat 27, 1015 DB Amsterdam.

Hesp Weesperzijde 130-131, 1091 ER Amsterdam.Homepage:

Het Ij Proeflokaal, Funenkade 7, 1018 AL Amsterdam.( Beware odd opening hours - Wed - Sun 15:00-20:00 Mon - Tue closed)

Café Belgique, Gravenstraat 2, 1012 NM Amsterdam.

cheers

andy

Oops! I was confusing the microbrewery with the bar I was drinking in. In my defence, I was possibly drunk at the time :-)

The bar is called the Arendsnest

Out of interest, how is that name pronounced, and what does it mean? I can imagine it being popular with anglophones.

Arthur Figgis a écrit :

Well, it's pronounced close enough to "wine and f*cking" to keep you Brits happy. ;o)

Anyway, next door (Pijlsteeg 33) to it, don't miss the excellent Janssens distillery, which makes an incedible gin according to a 17th C recipe, numerous Jenevers, neat or with fruit (I found the blackcurrant very nice, dry, sharp and fruity), and some bitters, including an unsweetened "Amsterdamer Bitter", thats in a class of its own, very complex, dry, and erm, well, bitter... The lot's brewed, fermented and distilled on the premises, and his equipment features some exceedingly nice late-19th C gear. Open Monday to Saturday 2PM to 6PM, according to their website :

Close by, there is a nice beer shop (Bierkoning ?) on the left of the royal palace (seen from the Dam Square), which stocks quite a few beers from Dutch micros.

Cheers !

Laurent