Amsterdam Pub Guide (all 9 parts!)
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Amsterdam
Pub Guide (Part Five)
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Amsterdam
East
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| Introduction | |
 Amsterdam
EastThe East is another of the Amsterdam suburbs whose origins lie in the 19th century. Though you would be hard put to spot much evidence of this. The council has been particularly rigorous in demolishing anything more than 5 minutes old. The replacement flats, constructed piecemeal and in conflicting styles, don't exactly have a pleasing effect on the eye. "Total" and "mess" are two words which come to mind. As well as being an architectural disaster, Oost (as it's called in Dutch) isn't great for pubs. (The train, tram and bus connections are excellent, no doubt to help people escape from it.) What Oost does have is Amsterdam's oldest brewery, Het Ij (OK, it is technically just in the centre). It's one place every beer-orientated visitor must go and see. Just watch out for the restricted opening times. |
Index
Practical Stuff Where do I find Pubs? Dutch breweries (large) Dutch breweries (small) Belgian breweries Amsterdam breweries Bockbier Tasting 2004 Bokbierfestival Amsterdam Pubs Overview Map Nieuwezijd (Dam) Oudezijd (Nieuwmarkt) De Jordaan De Pijp Amsterdam East Amsterdam South Amsterdam West Utrechtsestraat Rivierenbuurt Buying Bottled Beer |
| Map Index | ||
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| For more about Dutch breweries & beers: | |
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Every Dutch breweries and all their beers.
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Detailed tasting notes of many Dutch beers.
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Amsterdam
East
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| Het Ij Proeflokaal | |
| Funenkade 7, 1018 AL Amsterdam. Tel. 020-622 8325 |
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| Opening hours: Mon - Sun 14:00-20:00 | |
| Number of draught beers: 5 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-5 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks. | |
 The
wonderfully simple brewery tap of the Ij brewery,
in a picturesque windmill on a canalside, is most definitely worth the trip
out of the city centre. The quickest way to get there is a number 22 bus from Centraal Station. It takes about 7 minutes and stops right outside. The slightly inconvenient location helps prevent it being overrun with tourists and, no doubt, keep the prices down. It's very basic inside, with an incredible collection of beer bottles plus a couple of old signs from the buildings previous life (as a public baths) forming about the only decoration. Through a set of double doors you can see through into the brewery itself, but as this is a small brewery with a tasting room attached rather than a pub brewery, the equipment is purely functional rather than having a dual decorative purpose. In the Summer, there's a small garden area outside. But be warned that the number of seats is quite small, so if you want to soak up some sun with your alcohol, get there very early. At the weekend in can get very full very soon after opening time, with a fairly diverse crowd. The draught beer range varies slightly with the season - in Easter there's Paasij, in Autumn a Bokbier - but you'll always find four or five on tap. Given the limited availability of their beers on draught elsewhere (they can't supply demand), this is your best bet for finding Ij products. Oh, yes, it's also amazingly cheap, with the strongest beers only costing €2.50 for 30cl. Note that no alcohol is sold other than their own products, except for wine. Read more about the brewery and its plans. |
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| Rating: ***** |
Public transport: Tram 7, 10. Bus 22. |
| De Biertuin | |
Linnaeusstraat 29 |
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| Opening hours: | |
| Number of draught beers: 15 | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €, meals €. Beer € for 0.5l. | |
 Another weekend, another new Amsterdam beer venue. At least for me. I've become out of touch with the scene here. Biertuin is further proof of that."Do you fancy a beer in the East, Dolores." She thought about it a while. "Linaeus straat, opposite the park" Continued thought. "They've got De Koninck." That swung it. The part of Linaeus straat facing Oosterpark is lined by attractive late 19th-century houses, with, for Amsterdam, huge front gardens. It's been a while since I last ambled along this part of the street. One thing is obvious. It's got trendier. That's before we've even reached Biertuin. Dolores, seeing a decent beer selection advertised outside another pub almost goes into it by mistake. Biertuin lives up to its name by having a packed front garden (biertuin = beer garden). It's not that warm so we sit inside instead. Plenty of room here. Other than at the tables occupied by eight raucous male students. And the other by a more restrained mixed group of just-about-twentysomethings. Oh, and the group of female German tourists in their fifties who seem to have randomly wandered in. Good Germans that they are, all have a half litre in front of them. I already know what Dolores wants. But what for me? Ah, there's a beer breed for them by Emelisse. A 4.9% IPA called Bier Tuig. That'll do. Emelisse on draught in a pub full of young things? What is the world coming to. I suppose you want to know what it looks like inside. Bar at the back bristling with beer taps. Bare brick walls, bare wooden tables. Fairly minimalist, in not too austere a way. Dolores likes it and she's far fussier than me. My minimum requirements are a seat and one beer I'm happy to drink. Everything else is a bonus. My Bier Tuig demolished, I wonder what to have next. I make some enwuiries of or friendly but terribly young waitress. She suggests an Oedipus beer, whose name I don't quite catch. Mama Liefde, or something like that. "What type of beer is it?" "It's sort of like an Ale." I realise further discussion isn't going to get me anywhere. I just order one. Dolores opts for a De Prael Johnny. "It better not be a Porter or a Stout." "Why not, Ronald?" "Because they're both BEERS. At least if you go by 18th-century definitions. Which I do. Anything more modern is too scary." Dolores has to put up with a lot of stuff like this. I'm amazed she's ever up for a pint. The waitress returns with my beer. The name is actually Mannen Liefde (Man Love) and it has a pink label. Mmm... Why was the waitress so keen to suggest it? Was she trying to tell me something? It's a bit disappointing, but drinkable. At least it wasn't a Stout. I haven't really told you about the beer list. It's a bit of a rum one. Both draught and bottled. Draught there are stalwarts like De Koninck, Brugse Zot and La Chouffe, the established beers of Het Ij, but also beers from newer breweries some of which, dare I say it, is a bit "craft". Bottled, it's the same story: Duvel, Westmalle and Guinness (they get extra points from me for stocking the delicious Guinness Special Export); stuff from older small breweries like Het Ij and De Prael; but also beers from Amsterdam's newest wave of breweries Oedipus, 2 Chefs and Butcher's Tears; finally out and out "craft" things like Flying Dog. Much like the current range of Het Ij, it's a combination of two different beer cultures, one from the past, the other from the present; one inspired by Belgium, the other by America and Denmark. Is this a transitional phase? Will the new replace the old or complement it? Us and the German ladies aside, the customers are all under 30. A very different age profile from Wildeman, Arends Nest or Gollem. They do food as well. An eclectic mix, I think you'd call it: fish and chips, pulled pork and Schweinshaxe. At a, for Amsterdam, very reasonable price of €14-16. Overall, not bad at all. Except for all those young people. Bit depressing, those toned bodies and exuberance. What it needs are a few more miserable old gits like me to cheer the place up. Sideways. maybe. Cheer it sideways. May not be up, but it isn't down. Oh, one bad point: totally inadequate female toilet capacity. At least that's what Dolores tells me. Just one toilet. |
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| Rating: *** | Public transport: |
| Cafe Dorst | |
| Zeeburgerdijk 3, 1093 SJ Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 668 5797 http://www.cafedorst.nl/ |
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| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 12:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 12:00-03:00 |
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| Number of draught beers: 5 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 6 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks. | |
Serendipity isn't just a beautiful word. The concept rocks, too. It's what
lead me to one of the most unexepectedly womderful afternoon' s drinking
I've experienced in quite some timeI was leading a group of Aussies around some of Amsterdam's more far-flung beery attractions. Sitiing outside het Ij they noticed it was 5 o' clock and Germany vs Argentina was a bout to kick off. "Where can we watch the game?" (The minmalist brewery tap is frree of anything as modern and intrusive as a TV.) As leader I had to take charge. Luckily for me, I could see a pub just over the canal: "How about over there?" I said trying to instill my voice with confidence. With time running out a decision was quickly made. And we headed "over there". "Over there" was Eve-naar. Though the windmill is listed on this Amsterdam East page it's technically in Amsterdam Centre. Singelgracht, virtually at the brewery tap's front door, forms the border. And what a border. Sroll across those few metres of water and you pass from yuppie to proletarian in an instant. For a working-class local, Eve-naar has a pretty decent beer selection, so we soon settled down to watch the game. The Ajax memorabilia dotted a round the walls completed the atmosphere perfectly. We weren't going to be moving any time soon.  Now
the Aussies, impressed by the support the locals had given the Socceroos
in the World Cup (they had been to several games) were rooting for the Germans.
They didn't quite believe me when I told them that this wasn't likely to
endear us to our fellow customers. (A Dutchman supporting Germany is rarer
than a Scot cheering for England.) Fortunately Argentina scored first, much
to the delight of the Dutch section of the bar. "We're going to make
it out alive" was my immediate thought. Then the Germans went and equalised
and my companions burst into cheers. If looks could kill, admirably sums
up the reponse of everyone else. I had hoped to make it to fifty. Or avoid
a dip in the canal. Human beings are a fickle bunch. Full of surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant. This was a day they demonstrated their better side. Rather than glasses or blows, it was questions that came our way. When the Aussies explained the positive impression the Germans had made on them and their hatred of "cheating shits" like Argentia and Italy, the tension was gone in an instant. The friendly chat and banter wasn't even spoiled by a predictable German victory in the penalty shootout. A great afternoon in a wonderfully warm and open atmosphere. If only every day could be like this. The pub has recently undergone a complete makeove and its name has been changed. It's now rather modern and stylish. |
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| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 7, 10. Bus 22. |
| Ponteneur | |
| 1e Van Swindenstraat 581, 1093 LC Amsterdam. Tel. 020 - 668 0680 Fax: 020 - 663 3832 Email: ponteneur2002@yahoo.co.uk Homepage: http://www.ponteneur.nl/ |
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| Opening hours: Mon - Thu 11:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 11:00-02:00, Sun 11:00-01:00 |
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| Number of draught beers: 6 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-15 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
 I first spotted Ponteneur from the railway line, many years before I ever got around to visiting. But don't be under any illusions: it wasn't an outbreak of dilligence. One of my mates lives just around the corner. I'm not completely sure what function the building used to fulfill, but it certainly wasn't residential. Whatever it was, it makes a very nice pub. The photo to the left should give an impression of the light and airy interior. It's more than decent for the town of tiny pubs. I've got less that half the bar counter in my photo. In the Summer there is seating outside. What else do they have to offer? Reasonably-priced (well, what passes for reasonable in today's Amsterdam) food, three internet PC's (€1 for 30 minutes) and a beer list that reaches somewhat further into the interesting corners of Belgium's great beer cellar. A look at the prices confirms the East as a less fashionable part of Amsterdam - strong beers are €2.80 and a pint of lager €3. |
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| Rating: **** | Public transport: |
| East of Eden | |
| Linnaeusstraat 11, 1093 EC Amsterdam. Tel. 020 - 665 0743 |
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| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 11:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 11:00-02:00, |
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| Number of draught beers: 6 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-10 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks. | |
You're no doubt beginning to twig that, whilst on trams, I pass the time
thinking "That looks a nice pub, I must drop by sometime". As
we all know sometime is the lazy man's never. And I've always been bone
idle.Sometime finally did come around and I wasn't disappointed. Let's see if you can guess which 1950's film star is plastered all over the walls? That's right, Marlon Brando. No, it's Rock Hudson. Or is it Montgomery Clift? Just as well the ceilings are high to make those murals more than life-size. He was a bit of a short arse, after all. East of Eden, is sort-of young and trendy, but in a slightly down-at-heel way that I find totally disarming. (You know, I really should invest in a Thesaurus one day.) I realise that some of you are more cultured than wot I am, so it's worth observing that this bar is about exactly opposite the Tropen Museum (the name was changed from Colonial Museum around the dawn of political correctness). I've only ever been in it once, myself. The museum, I mean. Not the pub. Me and the pub are best mates, we are. |
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| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 7, 10. |
| De Groene Olifant | |
| Sarphatistraat 510, 1018 AV Amsterdam. Tel. 020 - 620 4904 Fax: 020 - 320 7227 Email: info@degroeneolifant.demon.nl https://www.degroeneolifant.nl |
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| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 11:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 11:00-02:00 |
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| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-10 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks €4.50 - 8.00, meals €10-16.50. | |
 Here's a place that I never did spot from a tram. Just when I was feeling pleased with myself for having found it (OK, Mikey led me there, but it felt like a voyage of discovery), I noticed that everyone and their aunty suggests it as a destination when you get kicked out of Het Ij. Personally, I'm impressed with anyone who's up for more beer after a visit to the windmill. I think I'm doing well if I can find the bus stop. So for the two people out there who don't already know, Groene Olifant (Green Elephant) is tucked away in a backwater between Singelgracht and Artis. We're in familiar brown café territory, which by now needs no further definition from me. The highlight is a graceful carved wood and leaded glass bar back (see photo). No great choice of beers, but it does make a change to have Leeuw rather than Dommelsch, Heinken or Amstel. Not that I think the Leeuw beers are any better, they just add variety. |
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| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 7, 10. |
| Boulevard | |
| Cruquiusweg 3, 1019 AT Amsterdam. Tel: 693 3299 http://www.boulevardcafe.nl/ |
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| Opening hours: | |
| Number of draught beers: 9 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 40 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
 I don't just look wistfully at pubs from trams. I also keep my eyes open while on the train. Which is how I spotted Boulevard. Why else would I have been passing through this part of Amsterdam? What were the eastern docks are rapidly being transformed into our own Yuppieville. Better all the masterpieces of contemporary architecture be out here, in a part of town I don't need to visit, than have them mess up views in the real city. Where was? Ranting against puerile architecture again. Some things never change, do they? Boulevard is a lonley old building adrift in a sea of mediocrity. It's a rare reminder of the harbour, having been used by dock workers. The dockers are long gone and the building has been converted into a stylish bar café sort of affair. Opening it up right to the roof - combined with the tall windows - make for a very light and airy interior. It's what all the young 'uns want nowadays.  The
bar counter is a simple affair from pale wood. Rather neatly, the chrome
and glass bar back merges into the handrail of the mezzanine seating area.
Nice touch, that. There are numerous items of beer memorabilia, but not
so many as to spoil the clean lines of the décor.I seem to remember having some theme to these pages. What was it? Beer, that's it. Why else would I have traipsed all the way out to this wasteland? They make a considerable effort on the beer front. It's not just about the numbers. The quality and variety of the beers counts, too. On my visit the guest taps had Paasij and Jopen Lentebier - not bad at all. The bottled beers have a few interesting ones amongst them. - Volen Zeebonk and Lion Stout are two examples. Really, Boulevard has only one thing spoiling it: the dreary flats which surround it. |
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| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 7, 10. |
| La Vallade | |
| Ringdijk 23, 1097 Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 665 2025 |
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| Opening hours: Sun - Thur 12:00 - 01:00, Fri-Sat 12:00 - 02:00 |
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| Number of draught beers: 3 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 5 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks, meals. Five-course meal €27.50. | |
| You would expect a description of a canal-side pub to include
phrases like "view of the water". Due to the peculiar topography
of this part of Amsterdam (the Watergraafsmeer side of the Ringvaart is
a couple of metres below the waterlevel) all you can see is the bottom of
the bank. Most of the interior of this long thin pub/restaurant is painted dark blue or turquoise. Not exactly light and airy, but it grows on you, especially after the second Chouffe. An coal range begs for self-cooking, but is, unfortunately, for heating purposes only. A poster with the catchy title "8/ Repas en Famille, a wonderfully reactionary portrayal of family life, is my second favourite bit of decoration. No, my third. Right, I've sorted it out now. Here's my top three:
The food smelled rather good, but I daren't eat out lest my anatomy gets re-arranged when I get home. You'll have to dip your own hands into your pockets if you want more details. |
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| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 9. |
| 't Nwe Diep | |
| Flevopark 13,
1095 KE Amsterdam. Tel: 06 40100909 http://www.nwediep.nl email: info@nwediep.nl |
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| Opening hours: Summer: Tue-Fri 15:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 12:00-20:00;
Winter: Tue-Fri 15:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 12:00-18:00 Closed Monday |
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| Number of draught beers: 2 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 2 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks €2.50 - 4.00. Beer €3.50 for 0.5l. | |
 "Do you mean to say you haven't been there?""No, I haven't." "The most beautiful terrace in Amsterdam. You should be ashamed of yourself." After that harrangue from one of the barmaids in Wildeman, I just had to visit het Gemaal ASAP. I don't want to be shown up in front of my friends again. The tricky bit is finding it. The pub being in the middle of Flevo Park. I suggest taking the tram 14 or 7 to the terminus. Then take the path leading into the park. After a couple of hundred metres you should be able to glimpse het Nwe Diep through the trees. It's not a huge building. Just a single room, really. But then there's the terrace. It really does have a beautiful view, out over a small lake. Next to the pub a small orchard has been planted . Should look lovely in a year or two. You might have noticed that the beer selection is rather limited. Only four options in all. But all rare sightings in Amsterdam. I've never seen Konrad beers anywhere else in the city. Or anywhere else at all. The come from the Pivovary Vratislavice in the Czech Republic. They have a bottled Polotmavý Ležák. That's an Amber Lagerbier to the unititiated. One of the many Czech beer styles that manage to escape the notice of style nazis. They can't be looking very hard. (Of course they aren't. No further than the last Charlie Papazian work of fiction.) But, for once, it's neither the beer nor the ambience that's dragged me out here. It's the jenever. Because het Nwe Diep is a pub distillery. You can take a tour of the distillery at 16:00 every day. They sell their own range of contract distilled jenevers. Including a three-year old Rogge (rye) jenever. Very nice it is. It almost made me forget the sad passing of Jansens Rogge, the stock of which I finally exhausted last month. Het Nwe Diep is well worth the ride out from the city centre. And the park seemed much less infested with junkies and alcies than I'd feared. |
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| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 14 or 7 to Flevo Park |
| Restaurant Blijburg | |
| Muiderlaan 1001, 1087 VA Amsterdam. tel: 020 416 0330 Email: blij@blijburg.nl http://www.blijburg.nl/ |
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| Opening hours: Summer & Autumn: Mon-Fri 10:00
- 01:00, Sat-Sun 12:00 - 01:00; Winter & Spring: Thur - Fri 14.00 - 01:00, Sat 12.00 - 01:00, Sun 10.00 - 01:00 |
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| Number of draught beers: 3 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 6 | |
Regular draught beers:
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| Food: Snacks €4-8, meals €10-15. Westmalle Tripel €3.80. | |
 I'd
promised the kids a day at the outdoor swimming pool. But the weather god
was having bladder problems. Must be his age. What to do on a crappy summer
day in Amsterdam? Let's go to the beach!Amsterdam has a beach? Yes. Despite the sea being moved several kilometres away in a Dutch poldering rage, Amsterdam does still posess a beach. As much by accident as design (apologies for the lack of a verb in this sentence). I'm losing the thread again. Amsterdam beach, that's it. (Takes a slug of Guinness SES.) I feel revitalised. With an "s". It stands for Stout. Where are my notes? Oh yes, over there. I'll just fetch them ... . . . . ... . . . ... Damn. I wasn't at my best on Saturday. I would apologise again, but you would start to despise me, not consciously, but deep indside. So, no apologies. Just bear in mind I was having a bad day. (That's an explanation, not an excuse.) The flats may be incomplete in Amsterdam's newest borough, but the beach is up and running (in a non diarrhea sense). You expect a description, don't you? Go there yourself and have a look! That was the angry me. Ignore him. Just don't complain if my mastery of words is insufficient to whatsit, whatsit thingy the thing. I'll come back to that sentence later. I hope. If I forget, fill in the blanks yourself. Let's return to Restaurant Blijburg. Mr. Pattinson and his family, after a long and arduous journey (the 26 tram) approach . . . "I'm not going any further." Andrew eyeballs the loose bulldog next to the approach ramp. "I'll offer my left leg, if it turns nasty. Come on! Or you'll be eating grass for tea." You have to know how to talk to kids. I flipflop between extreme lenience and pure fascism. It keeps them alert.  Beer.
That's supposed to be the theme. Not "How to confuse your children". Maybe
if i just quote my notes I won't wander off-message so much. Here goes:
How would you describe Restaurant Blijburg? That's a good question. You
expect an answer, don't you? I'm tempted to just throw questions back and
leave the answers till later. This isn't working too well. Stick to the
notes. The notes. The notes . . .How do you describe Restaurant Blijdurg? Like a hippy squat on the North Jamaican coast. Negril. That's what it's like. Especially with the reggae pounding out of the sound system. Everything is genuinely ramshackle. The bar counter and the cupboards behind it are all constructed from old crates. Very green. It looks good, too. Great views over Het Ij (the lump of water, not the brewery, sadly). The sun has come out (thank you benevolent weather god) and the kids are off for a paddle. It's hard to believe I'm still in Amsterdam - sun, reggae, Westmalle Tripel. The last isn't so unusual. I wonder what it's like out here on a sunny day. It's been threatening to piss it down all day and I still have to wait 30 seconds to get served at the bar. Thank you rain god. Blijburg is sooooo Amsterdam. Cool, but without pretention. Trendy, yet full of families. And they have Westmalle Dubbel, Tripel and Duvel. I could stay all day. It isn't easy to find Restaurant Blijburg. That could account for much of its charm. Should you make it out there, you deserve to enjoy its unique atmosphere. My wife Dolores said: "Don't mention it in your blog! It will get overrun by tourists." "Naaay." I replied "They won't be able to find it." Let's make it a bit easier. Take the 26 tram to the terminus. Carry on walking. Ignore the sign that says "Strand ->" That just points at a building site. |
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| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 26 to the terminus. |
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The Amsterdam Pub
Guide Continues:
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| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part One | Dam Square - Leidseplein |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Two | Zeedijk/Nieuwmarkt |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Three | De Jordaan |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Four | De Pijp |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Five | Amsterdam East |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Six | Amsterdam South |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Seven | Amsterdam West |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Eight | Utrechtsestraat |
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| Amsterdam Pub Guide | |
| Rotterdam Pub Guide | |
| Haarlem Pub Guide | |
| The Hague (Den Haag) Pub Guide | |
| Utrecht Pub Guide | |
| Pub Guides to Other Dutch Towns | |
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