Carmen's Personal Guidebook for Amsterdam
Drinks & Nightlife
Restaurants, bars and breweries
This is our backyard bar. The old marine officer's mess is turned into a spacious bar/restaurant that still has that cosy 70s feel. Lots of nooks and crannies to chill with coffee or a beer, play a game, chat on the waterside terrace or take a dive from it in between drinks.
34 Einheimische empfehlen
Pension Homeland
5 KattenburgerstraatThis is our backyard bar. The old marine officer's mess is turned into a spacious bar/restaurant that still has that cosy 70s feel. Lots of nooks and crannies to chill with coffee or a beer, play a game, chat on the waterside terrace or take a dive from it in between drinks.
**currently closed for renovations**City beach, late-night bonfires, dance, eat, drink and be merry: anything goes at Amsterdam Roest. Like the late 60s but better.
496 Einheimische empfehlen
Amsterdam Roest
1 Jacob Bontiusplaats**currently closed for renovations**City beach, late-night bonfires, dance, eat, drink and be merry: anything goes at Amsterdam Roest. Like the late 60s but better.
This is hippy haven. Squatted in 1973, now a sort of legalised colony. It's very far from the centre, but reachable by bus (Uber home in the early morning when there's no public transport). An independent arty community actually living on this small piece of land created their own sort of province and they organise excellent parties and events where people of all walks of life meet, dance, make music and be groovy ;) Getting there: from Amsterdam Sloterdijk take bus 82 direction IJmuiden and stop at Ruigoord.
15 Einheimische empfehlen
Ruigoord
This is hippy haven. Squatted in 1973, now a sort of legalised colony. It's very far from the centre, but reachable by bus (Uber home in the early morning when there's no public transport). An independent arty community actually living on this small piece of land created their own sort of province and they organise excellent parties and events where people of all walks of life meet, dance, make music and be groovy ;) Getting there: from Amsterdam Sloterdijk take bus 82 direction IJmuiden and stop at Ruigoord.
Brouwerij ‘t IJ has been brewing quality beers since 1985. Biggest wooden windmill of the Netherlands right next door as the ultimate landmark. Biggest and best known brewery of Amsterdam.
Lovely sunny terrace and cheap 20-minute English tours every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, afternoon (daytickets only available at the bar, 20 pers. max).
1100 Einheimische empfehlen
Brouwerij 't IJ
7 FunenkadeBrouwerij ‘t IJ has been brewing quality beers since 1985. Biggest wooden windmill of the Netherlands right next door as the ultimate landmark. Biggest and best known brewery of Amsterdam.
Lovely sunny terrace and cheap 20-minute English tours every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, afternoon (daytickets only available at the bar, 20 pers. max).
Food Scene
Classy restaurant that serves great food and exclusively German wines and beers!
74 Einheimische empfehlen
Scheepskameel
5 KattenburgerstraatClassy restaurant that serves great food and exclusively German wines and beers!
Great pizza! Also, organising platform for lively discussions and inspiring projects on art, democracy and technology. Much of the programme is in English.
37 Einheimische empfehlen
Pakhuis de Zwijger
179 Piet HeinkadeGreat pizza! Also, organising platform for lively discussions and inspiring projects on art, democracy and technology. Much of the programme is in English.
A stone's throw away from Homeland on the Marineterrein, Kanteen25 is your classy but laid back French restaurant. The fairly priced menu changes weekly and the food is just very, very good . Get a table near the open kitchen and don't skip dessert: their pastry chef is a genius. Oh! and they have a game room in the basement:D
Kanteen25
5 KattenburgerstraatA stone's throw away from Homeland on the Marineterrein, Kanteen25 is your classy but laid back French restaurant. The fairly priced menu changes weekly and the food is just very, very good . Get a table near the open kitchen and don't skip dessert: their pastry chef is a genius. Oh! and they have a game room in the basement:D
Café Kadijk
KadijkspleinHands down best Indonesian restaurant in the neighbourhood.
Parks & Nature
Skip the Vondelpark: come to the Marineterrein and take a dive in the IJ, visit one of the 3 restaurants, a brewery, a science museum and more green grass to chill out on than you could ever imagine in a busy city like Amsterdam.
16 Einheimische empfehlen
Marineterrein Amsterdam
5 KattenburgerstraatSkip the Vondelpark: come to the Marineterrein and take a dive in the IJ, visit one of the 3 restaurants, a brewery, a science museum and more green grass to chill out on than you could ever imagine in a busy city like Amsterdam.
Arts & Culture
Het Scheepvaartmuseum
1 KattenburgerpleinMaritime history at its finest.
Essentials
AH Kleine Wittenburgerstr
18 Kleine WittenburgerstraatFor all your grocery needs.
Entertainment & Activities
Bogortuinparkstrand
BogortuinSwimming!
Shopping
Some great thriftshops scattered over Amsterdam! Get your inner hoarder going at one of my personal favorites in...
South of Amsterdam:
Bij Allerlei-Maasstraat 174
Kringloopwinkel-Trompenburgstraat 22
Mevius&Italiaander: Havenstraat 3
West of Amsterdam:
Rataplan-Van Slingelandtstraat 39
North of Amsterdam:
Juttersdok-Papaverweg 17-19
De Lokatie-Distelweg 85
Kringloop-Slijperweg 18
East of Amsterdam:
't Hartje-Van Het Hofflaan 27
Gideon&Italiaander-Zeeburgerstraat 6
De Lokatie-Eerste Oosterparkstraat 236
City Centre:
Kringloop-Kerkstraat 354
Kiloshop-Waterlooplein 189
Everything's as good as new; only the pricetag gives away this shop's secondhand origine!
Bij Allerlei
174 MaasstraatEverything's as good as new; only the pricetag gives away this shop's secondhand origine!
Kringloopwinkel
22 TrompenburgstraatNice, messy and cheap; just how I like 'em. Lotsa vinyl, cd's and books!
Spend at least an hour or two rummaging through this huge hotchpotch of a warehouse. Enjoy the bargains and banter by the most upbeat store owner in the whole of Amsterdam.
Mevius
60 HavenstraatSpend at least an hour or two rummaging through this huge hotchpotch of a warehouse. Enjoy the bargains and banter by the most upbeat store owner in the whole of Amsterdam.
A bit out of the way, but worth your time. Something for everyone in here!
Kringloopwinkel RataPlan Van Slingelandtstraat
39 Van SlingelandtstraatA bit out of the way, but worth your time. Something for everyone in here!
3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is the smallest of all, but has plenty of cheap vinyl, books and small furniture/electronics.
Juttersdok
110 Laan van Parijs3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is the smallest of all, but has plenty of cheap vinyl, books and small furniture/electronics.
3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is part of "The Lokatie" chain of thriftshops, which slighty increases prices but this one makes up for size; two stories of excellent quality art, clothing, furniture and all sorts of quirky objects. Great little coffee corner, too.
9 Einheimische empfehlen
Thrift store De Lokatie
85 Distelweg3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is part of "The Lokatie" chain of thriftshops, which slighty increases prices but this one makes up for size; two stories of excellent quality art, clothing, furniture and all sorts of quirky objects. Great little coffee corner, too.
3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is the messiest, therefore the most diverse and interesting of all three. Get your digging tools out and leave with a hoard of stuff for next to nothing. For the owners, running this place is obviously a labour of love. Genuine, good hearted people who are happily running their rough-around-the-edges thrifty business, Amsterdam-style.
Slijperweg 18b
18b Slijperweg3 thriftshops, a stonethrow away from eachother in the North of Amsterdam. Take your bike on the ferry to Distelweg and visit all three; they all carry their own charm and specialize in different items. This one is the messiest, therefore the most diverse and interesting of all three. Get your digging tools out and leave with a hoard of stuff for next to nothing. For the owners, running this place is obviously a labour of love. Genuine, good hearted people who are happily running their rough-around-the-edges thrifty business, Amsterdam-style.
Tiniest thriftshop ever. Owners have an eye for the good quality stuff and tend to price accordingly. Great service though, and a truly omnifarious collection. Trinkets and antiques, clothing, boardgames, musical instruments, old cameras.. Come for the -sort of reasonably priced- vinyl and stay for a bargain deal on the -meticulously organised- English books!
Kringloop Kerkstraat
354 KerkstraatTiniest thriftshop ever. Owners have an eye for the good quality stuff and tend to price accordingly. Great service though, and a truly omnifarious collection. Trinkets and antiques, clothing, boardgames, musical instruments, old cameras.. Come for the -sort of reasonably priced- vinyl and stay for a bargain deal on the -meticulously organised- English books!
Endless row of market stalls on Monday through Saturday 09:00 – 17:00. A stroll over the Dappermarkt is definitely worth your time. Very "gezellig" all that real "Amsterdamse gein"!
673 Einheimische empfehlen
Dappermarkt
383 Eerste Van SwindenstraatEndless row of market stalls on Monday through Saturday 09:00 – 17:00. A stroll over the Dappermarkt is definitely worth your time. Very "gezellig" all that real "Amsterdamse gein"!