Jussi's Personal Recommendations - Amsterdam Guides Collective

Jussi's Recommendations

Below are the things & places I enjoy. I hope you’ll like them, too.

I’ve limited them to 3-4 options per category to avoid option paralysis.

Eating in Amsterdam

Restaurant 't Zwaantje

For traditional Dutch meals. Make sure to reserve.

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Cannibale Royale

Meat lovers, unite! Cozy place to eat so much you can barely walk. Try the spareribs.

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Café Kadijk: Indonesian

Delicious Indonesian food in a cozy place, doesn't take reservations!

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Restaurant Van Kerkwijk

Daily changing menu, no reservations, right in the heart of Amsterdam.

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Drinking in Amsterdam

Wynand Fockink

1-minute from Dam Square, a cozy, authentic, century-old "Jenever" bar. Sip a traditional jenever and imagine the people that drank here for hundreds of years.

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Brewery 't IJ

It's a brewery inside a windmill. Need I say more?

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Waterkant

This is where the cool kids hang out. Right next to the water. Lovely place. Always busy, though.

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Hanneke's Boom

Great on a sunny day. Dockside place with food & drinks.

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Literally any place along the canals that has a free spot.

Often the best times happen spontaneously. Be open and follow your intuition.

Theatre, Music & Comedy

Mezrab

Almost every night of the week: Storytelling, stand-up comedy, music. Raw. Authentic. Lovely.

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MONDAY: Paleis van de Weemoed

Is it Monday? You're in luck. A great Monday-night stand-up comedy bar.

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TUESDAY: Café Parck Open-Mic AKA Ping-Pong Bar

Tuesday nights, cozy open-mic with usually great music performances. Feel free to grab the mic. Or play ping-pong.

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SUNDAY: Jazz at De Engelbewaarder

Lovely place for Jazz on Sunday starting 4pm.

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Jazz Café Alto

Amsterdam is a hub for Jazz. Cafe Alto is a real hit or miss place with nightly sessions.

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Museums

Rijksmuseum

Rembrandt, Vermeer and the old Dutch Masters. My favorite museum and a "must" in Amsterdam.

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Our Dear Lord in the Attic

A hidden church in the Red Light District. I particularly loved the 17th century kitchen. Brought me right back.

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Rembrandt House

The house where Rembrandt used to live before he went bankrupt. I particularly enjoyed the room where he collected items from all over the world, showing how Amsterdam in the 17th century brought in goods from around the globe.

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Straat Museum

Amazing street art in the North of Amsterdam. Take the free ferry next to the central station. Combine it with a drink at Pllek.

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Parks

Westerpark

More quiet than Vondelpark, great place to sit down for a picknick. Also a couple of nice bars in the park.

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Vondelpark

Amsterdam’s most famous park. Beautiful, but can get crowded.

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Amsterdamse Bos

If you want some peace and quiet.

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Coffeeshops (weed)

Other gems

Cinema Tuschinski

Beautiful 100-year old cinema.

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Café Ceuvel

Lovely spot for food & drinks on a sunny day in Amsterdam North.

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Pllek

Trendy waterfront restaurant/bar with a great view of the IJ river. Often live music and events. Take the free ferry to NDSM. Combine with Straat Museum.

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Scala Foodbar & Theatre

Great place that combines food & drinks with short-form theatre performances. Make sure to book.

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The Papeneiland Café

Century-old canalside cafe in the Jordaan neighborhood. Try the traditional Dutch “appelgebak” (apple pie).

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I wish you a great time in the city. If you could leave a review that would be greatly appreciated.