The Best Cocktail Bars in Amsterdam
Amsterdam's cocktail scene is on the come up, and I've scouted out the best places to enjoy a fine tipple or two.
Amsterdam is a destination that encourages discovery. I’ve spent nearly a month in this majestic city within the past year for both work and pleasure, and each time I visit I find something new that I love: a perfect bench with scenic canal-side views that I can sit on while I watch the world go by, a new pastry shop (Saint-Jean serves vegan pastries that are some of the best I’ve had anywhere) and, of course, cocktail bars that are worth popping into for a round or three.
After New York City and London, Amsterdam is the city that I have the most intel on in the world, so this list is undoubtedly one of the most reputable guides you’ll find. With that, here are the best cocktail bars in Amsterdam and why they’re worth visiting.
Pulitzer’s Bar
The Vibe:
I’ve been to hundreds of cocktail bars around the world, but Pulitzer’s Bar is easily one of my top five favorites. I often tell friends that the space is like a multi-millionaire’s study; an almost timeless space that is as contemplative as it is comforting.
There are little nooks with elegant chairs and furnishings, bookcases for walls, and tasteful paintings that decorate spaces that are otherwise subtle. The real highlight is the stately art deco-designed bar that is undoubtedly the centerpiece of Pulitzer’s. It’s a hotel bar that can’t exist anywhere else in the world, other than the 17th century townhouse—built in 1615, to be precise—where it currently resides. Even if the cocktails were average—which they are not—it’d still be worth the trip.
What to order:
From the current menu, the Peperbael Paloma made with pink peppercorn Patrón tequila, grapefruit and soda is an overall crowdpleaser, but the Chocolate Factory Martini made with Tanqueray gin, dry vermouth, white chocolate and lavender is silky, lush and simply brilliant. No matter what you do, make sure to order their bitterballen (i.e Dutch croquettes). They’re mouthwateringly delicious.
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Vesper
The Vibe:
This quaint neighborhood cocktail bar named after James Bond’s Vesper martini is one of Amsterdam’s OG cocktail bars. It’s been around for over a decade, and is known for its clever cocktails, seasoned bar team and genuine hospitality. Speak with any local bartender, and Vesper will likely be one of the first bars they recommend visiting. The only kicker is, at the moment, they’re only open 3 days a week (Thu-Sat), so plan accordingly if you’d like to get in, and expect to wait if you go at the height of service.
What to order:
Since the bar’s menu is constantly rotating, expect to encounter something different when you arrive; but just know that whatever you order will be on point. The bartenders are knowledgable and can easily guide you towards a signature drink that fits your preferences, and they can also mix you up a kick-ass classic if that’s your vibe.
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Bar The Tailor
The Vibe:
This hotel bar honors the old craft of its founder A.W. Krasnapolsky who was a tailor before becoming a hotelier. The art of tailoring runs like a thread through the cocktails, design, and decor. It’s the perfect, sexy spot to nip into for a pre‑dinner round (or two) of sophisticated cocktails (as I did while in town), or for a long night of innovative serves. I like sitting at the bar where the action is happening, but do you.
What to order:
The current menu matches cocktails to various cuts of suits: Italian, English and American. The savory Manhattan-style cocktail made with Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey, portobello and shiitake mushroom-infused Antica Formula vermouth, Fernet Branca, black garlic tincture and olive brine is a peculiar tipple fit for a nightcap, but that’s just a taste of the creative serves you can expect from this hotel bar.
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Super Lyan
The Vibe:
Super Lyan is housed within a modernized 17th century Dutch townhouse adjoined by the Kimpton De Witt hotel where it operates. Like its award-winning sister bar in London, Lyaness, it is a hotel bar that has an independent feel to it.
It’s one of the most vibrant, and bulbous (you’ll get what I mean when you visit or see more photos) I’ve been to. The neon letters above the bar top that spell “Super Lyan” illuminate the space, with electric blues and magentas dominating the rest of the color scheme. The talented bartenders are hospitable and attentive (traits that shouldn’t be taken for granted in Amsterdam, as it’s an area where many other bars are lacking); and I always recommend sitting at the bar if you can. If you’re looking for Amsterdam’s most Instagrammable cocktail bar, you’ve found it in Super Lyan.
What to order:
Currently, Super Lyan has a menu of innovative twists on classic cocktails from The Savoy Cocktail Book; all of which flaunt that signature “Lyan” style of cocktail: layered and complex, but cohesive and approachable. The Mary Pickford made with Bacardi Carta blanca and Rum-bar silver, pineapple, “cherry” spices and a wine float is a banger, but it’s the Mayaimi Vice featured on their “Lyan All-Stars” section of the menu which is built to blow minds and capture hearts. It’s a reimagined version of the Miami Vice—half piña colada and half strawberry daiquiri—made with Cocchi Rosa strawberry colada and coconut daiquiri foam. It’s actually one of my favorite cocktails that I’ve ever had; and I’ve consumed thousands.
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Door 74
The Vibe:
Enter Door 74 via an unassuming green door marked by a round lantern, and you’ll find yourself in what I’d like to call a sexy cocktail den. The vibe is very much that of an 2010s New York “speakeasy” bar, with dim lighting, chic wallpaper and an array of seating options, including some leather-upholstered booths where you can drink the night away with some friends. It’s open until late most nights, including until 4AM on Saturdays. Since the change in ownership during COVID, this bar has reestablished itself as one of the city’s best bars.
What to order:
There’s something for everyone on this menu, but the red-hued Magpie Melody is the fan favorite. The mixture of rum, Campari, strawberry tepache, coconut and foam is the tropical dry daiquiri twist you never knew you needed. It also photographs nicely for my drinkstagrammers out there.
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Sins of Sal
The Vibe:
Latin-influenced Sins of Sal, which opened in spring 2022, is serving up agave spirit-focused cocktails in a space built for sinners. The concrete and rigid space is edgy in the best way, with altars for the agave reapers built into the walls in the hallway. A séance could take place at any second, but luckily the only spirit the ceremony would summon is mezcal. If your company just isn’t cutting it, the Mortal Kombat arcade game in the back room offers some gory entertainment that’s nostalgic for ‘80s and ‘90s babies. Sins is one of the most exciting cocktail bars in Amsterdam, and I’m personally looking forward to watching it evolve.
What to order:
It’s more like what not to order, to be honest. All of the cocktails are very well done, but the Bobby is Burning is a particular standout. It’s made with pasilla honey, sesame butter, Johnnie Walter black label and the smoked-chili-flavored Empirical Ayuuk. It is one of the best drinks I’ve had in the city. And, if you come with an appetite, the food sounds and looks incredible. Birria tacos with the option to add bone marrow? I mean, I’m not sure that filthy food gets much better than that.
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Tales & Spirits
The Vibe:
Although not as cutting edge as it used to be in its heyday, this bar remains one of the city’s hottest cocktail destinations for spirited travelers, and bar industry folk. Tons of talented bartenders have passed through this establishment, and it shows in the refined cocktails — both the classics, and original serves. The space is intimate and historical, with the two floors of little nooks and crannies to cozy up in. It’s always busy, and right in the heart of Amsterdam.
What to order:
I’m going to be honest here: some of the drinks are hit or miss, so choose wisely. Going the classic route is the safe play if you fancy a daiquiri or margarita, but the menu of six old fashioneds on offer are a fine choice if you typically prefer something stiff and boozy. Overall, the simpler, the better.
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Law & Order
The Vibe:
Depending on the time of day, or night, Law & Order can either be laidback and vibey with its hip-hop and rap tracks driving the mood, or it can be a straight-up rager (the latter being the case later in the evening). It’s become a local bar industry haunt and is making a name of itself in the European cocktail bar as well. Since it only opened in 2020, it’s still youthful; but it’s the perfect place to go if you’re looking for good drinks in a no-frills environment. Just be warned: it can get rowdy, so maybe don’t bring your parents late night unless they’re down to get after it.
What to order:
The menu is filled with subtle twists on classics, including a section that’s currently dedicated to gimlets and highballs (although the menu is changing imminently). The Pine Noir, however, a house favorite, won’t be going anywhere. It’s made with gin, blackberry wine, maraschino liqueur and ginger beer, and is garnished with a cooked, honey-preserved pine cone. It’s worth ordering for the garnish alone.
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Dutch Courage
The Vibe:
If you are eager to learn about genever—the National spirit of the Netherlands—then Dutch Courage is the bar to visit. It was opened by two local bar industry legends, and is focused on championing Dutch genevers—there are around 150 to choose from—along with serving creative craft cocktails. The bar also features the first 'kopstootjes-automatiek' in the world, a traditional Dutch vending machine customized to serve three types of genever, paired together with a cold beer on the side. Booze out of a vending machine? Get your cameras ready.
What to order:
Well, the kopstootje—the traditional Dutch beer-genever pairing—from the vending machine is a no-brainer. As for cocktails, you can’t go wrong with classic Martinez made with genever instead of gin. It’s the best way to showcase the national spirit, in my opinion, and is perfect if you like a boozy drink. But if that’s not your cup of tea, so to say, then a genever-based Bee’s Knees—typically a shaken mixture of gin, honey syrup and lemon juice— is the move. But don’t worry, the bartender will sort you out.
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