Guidebook for Amsterdam
Drinks & Nightlife
Typical Dutch Bruin cafe (pub), with basic food (soup, toasties etc.)
Large sunny terrace next to the Sluis (canal lock).
Much loved by the well-to-do locals, so much so that they grouped together and bought it when it was put up for sale, to save it from becoming yet another €1 million house on this most beautiful stretch of the Nieuwendammerdijk
127 locals recommend
Café ‘t Sluisje
297 NieuwendammerdijkTypical Dutch Bruin cafe (pub), with basic food (soup, toasties etc.)
Large sunny terrace next to the Sluis (canal lock).
Much loved by the well-to-do locals, so much so that they grouped together and bought it when it was put up for sale, to save it from becoming yet another €1 million house on this most beautiful stretch of the Nieuwendammerdijk
Great selection of beers at the Oedipus brewery.
Also mind-blowing burgers made by The Beef Chief.
105 locals recommend
Oedipus Brewing Taproom
85 Gedempt HamerkanaalGreat selection of beers at the Oedipus brewery.
Also mind-blowing burgers made by The Beef Chief.
Grungy underground bar & restaurant. Hip kids of all ages. Great food, after 10-11pm the tables get cleared away, the lights go down and it turns into more of a late night bar / club.
Try one of the punches. Also good for skateboarding during the day - has a 3 sided pool ramp.
112 locals recommend
Skatecafe
42 Gedempt HamerkanaalGrungy underground bar & restaurant. Hip kids of all ages. Great food, after 10-11pm the tables get cleared away, the lights go down and it turns into more of a late night bar / club.
Try one of the punches. Also good for skateboarding during the day - has a 3 sided pool ramp.
Underground club (lieterally, small entrance which goes down into a bunker-like space). Good local & international DJ's.
78 locals recommend
Shelter
3 OverhoekspleinUnderground club (lieterally, small entrance which goes down into a bunker-like space). Good local & international DJ's.
Spacious bar & restaurant built into stacks of shipping containers. Has a 'beach'which goes right down to the river, with stunning views. Great for sunny days, long lunches, late drinks.
1052 locals recommend
Pllek
59 T.T. NeveritawegSpacious bar & restaurant built into stacks of shipping containers. Has a 'beach'which goes right down to the river, with stunning views. Great for sunny days, long lunches, late drinks.
Bar & restaurant in a temporary structure . Good for coffee, cakes and lunch or dinner. DJ's in the evening, outdoors in the warmer months.
489 locals recommend
Noorderlicht Café
102 NDSM-PleinBar & restaurant in a temporary structure . Good for coffee, cakes and lunch or dinner. DJ's in the evening, outdoors in the warmer months.
Food Scene
Fantastic, authentic wood-oven pizzas, made by young and friendly Sardinians.
Other Sardinian goodies also for sale.
Mainly take-away, but there are a couple of basic tables to eat if you can't wait until you get home.
9 locals recommend
Italiaanse Delicatessen Nuraghe
6 PurmerpleinFantastic, authentic wood-oven pizzas, made by young and friendly Sardinians.
Other Sardinian goodies also for sale.
Mainly take-away, but there are a couple of basic tables to eat if you can't wait until you get home.
Landmarkt is a farmer's market style supermarket with a wide selection of great food, all local when possible.
But it also has it's own cafe / restaurant which makes delicious food from the produce in the supermarket.
It's no-frills (you're in a supermarket!), but cosy and with good service.
You can also buy dishes made in the kitchen to have at home. The octopus and the quiche are both recommended!
159 locals recommend
Landmarkt
339 SchellingwouderdijkLandmarkt is a farmer's market style supermarket with a wide selection of great food, all local when possible.
But it also has it's own cafe / restaurant which makes delicious food from the produce in the supermarket.
It's no-frills (you're in a supermarket!), but cosy and with good service.
You can also buy dishes made in the kitchen to have at home. The octopus and the quiche are both recommended!
Great restaurant in a large industrial space. Were the pioneers in making a forgotten industrial wasteland hip 12 years ago. Now the area has multiple pop-up bars and restaurants and gentrification is in full swing, but this continues to serve good food in an exciting setting.
410 locals recommend
Hotel De Goudfazant
30 AambeeldstraatGreat restaurant in a large industrial space. Were the pioneers in making a forgotten industrial wasteland hip 12 years ago. Now the area has multiple pop-up bars and restaurants and gentrification is in full swing, but this continues to serve good food in an exciting setting.
Good Mexican Restaurant Taqueria and Mezcaleria, in a rough & ready setting.
Dishes are delicious but quite small - the idea is to order a few.
61 locals recommend
Coba
4 SchaafstraatGood Mexican Restaurant Taqueria and Mezcaleria, in a rough & ready setting.
Dishes are delicious but quite small - the idea is to order a few.
In our opinion, the best (wood oven) pizzas in Amsterdam!
Starter and side dishes are really good too, plus a selection of natural wines.
Great restaurant in a big old industrial space, with spaces for pool & ping pong tables and occasional art shows - perfect for families too.
Open Wednesday - Monday (6 nights a week)
** LOCATION CHANGED - NOW AT PAPAVERWEG 25 **
33 locals recommend
Klaproos Amsterdam
39 PapaverwegIn our opinion, the best (wood oven) pizzas in Amsterdam!
Starter and side dishes are really good too, plus a selection of natural wines.
Great restaurant in a big old industrial space, with spaces for pool & ping pong tables and occasional art shows - perfect for families too.
Open Wednesday - Monday (6 nights a week)
** LOCATION CHANGED - NOW AT PAPAVERWEG 25 **
Stylish restaurant in an old hangar with (for the warmer months) a large terrace of wooden decking with large sandpit for kids.
Great for lunch or dinner, or just a fancy drink.
87 locals recommend
Hangar Amsterdam
36 AambeeldstraatStylish restaurant in an old hangar with (for the warmer months) a large terrace of wooden decking with large sandpit for kids.
Great for lunch or dinner, or just a fancy drink.
Currently the best coffee in Amsterdam Noord!
Close to A'dam tower / Eye Film Museum and the Pont (ferry) to Central Station. Good homemade cakes etc. too.
19 locals recommend
The Coffee Virus - A Lab
2 OverhoekspleinCurrently the best coffee in Amsterdam Noord!
Close to A'dam tower / Eye Film Museum and the Pont (ferry) to Central Station. Good homemade cakes etc. too.
Pretty good Italian coffee here, right next to the IJplien pont (ferry) to Central Station.
19 locals recommend
Al Ponte - Caffe' Italiano
1 PontpleinPretty good Italian coffee here, right next to the IJplien pont (ferry) to Central Station.
Pont Neuf
5B BuiksloterwegBest friet (french fries) in Amsterdam Noord!
Close to the pont (ferry) to Central Station
Fantastic restaurant. Set 3 course menu which differs each night (you can say what you don't eat / are allergic to).
Good natural wines too.
131 locals recommend
Café Modern
2 MeidoornwegFantastic restaurant. Set 3 course menu which differs each night (you can say what you don't eat / are allergic to).
Good natural wines too.
Good pizzas from a wood fired oven. Mainly takeaway as there's only one or two tables!
16 locals recommend
Kebec corner
12 Tt. MelaniawegGood pizzas from a wood fired oven. Mainly takeaway as there's only one or two tables!
Parks & Nature
Beautiful wild park surrounding a large lake, originally created when the local dyke broke in 1570.
Schellingwouderbreek
Beautiful wild park surrounding a large lake, originally created when the local dyke broke in 1570.
W.H. Vliegenbos
W.H. VliegenbosBeautiful wild park, great for walks / peace & quiet.
Beautiful traditional Dutch Dike village. We cycle here to go swimming in the river on hot days (just past the yacht club on the Ijdoorn polder).
91 locals recommend
Durgerdam
Beautiful traditional Dutch Dike village. We cycle here to go swimming in the river on hot days (just past the yacht club on the Ijdoorn polder).
Essentials
Great selection in this large branch of Holland's biggest supermarket chain.
11 locals recommend
AH Waterlandplein
255 WaterlandpleinGreat selection in this large branch of Holland's biggest supermarket chain.
De Lekkere Dingen Bakker
Basic local bakery of good quality
Entertainment & Activities
Temporary cinema in an old industrial building. Good selection of recent films, including kid's films.
Done by the owners of Hotel de Goudfazant (a restaurant a few doors down), so there's also a restaurant here which serves great small dishes mainly cooked in the huge wood-fired oven. There's an interesting selection of wine (unfiltered etc.)
We love it here.
82 locals recommend
FC Hyena
24 AambeeldstraatTemporary cinema in an old industrial building. Good selection of recent films, including kid's films.
Done by the owners of Hotel de Goudfazant (a restaurant a few doors down), so there's also a restaurant here which serves great small dishes mainly cooked in the huge wood-fired oven. There's an interesting selection of wine (unfiltered etc.)
We love it here.
Awesome indoor skatepark, for skaters of all ages.
Nice bar / place to hang out for parents, serving teas / coffee / beers / fries / toasties etc. and with great music.
Skatepark NOORD
12 AambeeldstraatAwesome indoor skatepark, for skaters of all ages.
Nice bar / place to hang out for parents, serving teas / coffee / beers / fries / toasties etc. and with great music.
Arts & Culture
Amsterdam's film museum housed in an amazing futuristic building on the bank of the river Ij opposite Central Station.
Fantastic exhibitions covering covering a director's whole oeuvre, or contemporary film-based art.
Plus a full programme of films both classic and new for young & old.
There's also a great bar / restaurant with an outside terrace overlooking the river.
1109 locals recommend
Eye Film Museum
1 IJpromenadeAmsterdam's film museum housed in an amazing futuristic building on the bank of the river Ij opposite Central Station.
Fantastic exhibitions covering covering a director's whole oeuvre, or contemporary film-based art.
Plus a full programme of films both classic and new for young & old.
There's also a great bar / restaurant with an outside terrace overlooking the river.
Getting Around
Tweewieler Johan
265 WaterlandpleinGood bike shop / bike rental - the nearest to our house!
Metro station Noord - gets you to Central Station in 4 mins, Rokin (The Dam, centre of the city) is 6 mins.
Take the 37 bus from the Volendammerweg bustop (confusingly, this is actually around the corner on the IJdoornlaan) and you're there in 6 minutes.
Amsterdam, Station Noord
Metro station Noord - gets you to Central Station in 4 mins, Rokin (The Dam, centre of the city) is 6 mins.
Take the 37 bus from the Volendammerweg bustop (confusingly, this is actually around the corner on the IJdoornlaan) and you're there in 6 minutes.
Metro station Noorderpark - gets you to Central Station in 2 mins, Rokin (The Dam, centre of the city) is 4 mins. Take the 35 bus from the bustop on the Werengouw just round the corner and you're there in 10 minutes.
21 locals recommend
Amsterdam, Noorderpark station
Metro station Noorderpark - gets you to Central Station in 2 mins, Rokin (The Dam, centre of the city) is 4 mins. Take the 35 bus from the bustop on the Werengouw just round the corner and you're there in 10 minutes.
IJplein
IJpleinPont (ferry) to Central Station.
It's free and you can ride your bike onto it!
Pont (ferry) to Central Station.
It's free and you can ride your bike onto it!
7 locals recommend
Amsterdam, Veer Buiksloterweg station
Centraal Station - BuiksloterwegPont (ferry) to Central Station.
It's free and you can ride your bike onto it!
NDSM-Pier
NDSM-PierPont (ferry) to Central Station. It's free and you can ride your bike onto it!