When you are visiting Amsterdam for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2023 in April, I hope you will also have some time to stroll around our beautiful city. And if you do, check out these places that are amongst my personal favourites! This list features a lot of craft beer, arcade games, hidden food gems and a few special museums. Hit me up on Twitter when you are in town!
If you are looking for a place to unwind from the conference with a drink and some snacks, there are multiple great options within walking distance from the RAI convention center.
Tap Zuid, which is less than 10 minutes away from the RAI by foot, has 25 different beers on tap and they serve beers from almost all of the 30+ Amsterdam craft beer breweries. They also have a nice dinner menu with burgers, flammkuchen & other options.
You are lucky, because in April StrandZuid opens their terrace again. This restaurant / bar has an amazing floating terrace and especially on Friday afternoons there is a great vibe with all the locals who are celebrating the start of their weekend. Obviously, they serve a wide range of snacks, including bitterballen! And the best part? It’s actually connected to the RAI so if your legs are tired from roaming around the conference all day, this is the place for you.
Located in the middle of the famous Vondelpark, you will find Proeflokaal het Blauwe Theehuis from Brouwerij ‘t IJ - one of Amsterdam’s finest craft beer breweries. On their large terrace they serve a selection of their beers from the tap, sandwiches, pizzas and other snacks. A perfect place to hang out after you’ve strolled through the park. You can also play table tennis or “jeu de boules” there.
They also have a taproom underneath Amsterdam’s largest windmill, where their first brewery is also located. When the weather is nice, they have large tables outside where people can mingle and enjoy their beers in the sun.
Looking for a typical Amsterdam “brown cafe”? There are many, but one of my absolute favorites is Cafe de Poort. It has been located on this spot on the Haarlemmerdijk since 1899, and this street has been named the best shopping street in Amsterdam! It is just 10 minutes from the Amsterdam Centraal train station.
Another institution when it comes to brown cafes is Cafe Hoppe. This all-day cafe serves breakfast, sandwiches and is located in the heart of the city center. The Dam square with the Royal Palace and Amsterdam’s biggest shopping street Kalverstraat are just a few minutes away. Cafe Hoppe attracts a very diverse crowd and is bustling just about every day!
Amsterdam has a lot of different kitchens to choose from, because of all the varying cultures living in the city. For the very best lahmacun (also known as Turkish pizza) in town: you have to go to Effendy on the Rozengracht. This long-time family owned business serves a perfect lahmacun with crispy dough and they have multiple options for the filling. The original with kebab is great, but also give the vegetarian one with spinach and feta cheese a try!
Located in the “Old-West” part of Amsterdam, indoor food valhalla Foodhallen has a big bar in the middle surrounded by more than 20 different stands that serve food. From sushi to Dutch meatballs, pizza to Vietnamese streetfood and many many more. The Foodhallen is located in a building called “de Hallen” - which used to be where trams were serviced, there is also a movie theater and art studio.
Located in the beautiful Westerpark, make sure to pay a visit to TonTon Club to get your fix of arcade & board games. Their arcade section has Mario Kart, 4-player Pacman, Game of Thrones, Dance Dance and multiple (not so standard) air hockey tables. Add in their big selection of board games, a lot of different beers and a very nice selection of Japanese snacks and you will have the time of your life.
While you’re in Westerpark, do NOT, I repeat do NOT, just walk past Dumplings without ordering at least one of their plates of freshly made Dim Sum or Jianbing (“Peking crêpes”) . It is just a small kiosk but don’t let the looks of the place fool you: their food is a-ma-zing!
Amsterdam has a world-famous museum district, home to three of the most iconic museums in the country: Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum. However… you may want to check out these other modern hotspots as well.
Our House This modern museum celebrates our rich history in the world of electronic music. Located in the heart of the city center, near the Rembrandtplein with a lot of bars and cafes in the area. Our House is a modern museum about electronic music culture. Discover the evolution of electronic dance music through this high-tech, audio-visual exhibition, told in numerous interactive installations. "Our House" takes you on a 75-minute digital journey through the music genre by means of a range of interactive exhibitions, shows, and performances, telling the story of how it evolved from a rebellious underground community to a global cultural phenomenon. If you are a lover of electronic music, this is the place to be!
https://www.our-house.com/
Looking for a thrill? AMAZE is a 1 hour audiovisual immersive walk-through experience. In 7 separate stages, they take you on a journey that stimulates all senses and takes you to a deeper layer of consciousness. You’re in for quite a ride!
Info & tickets: https://amaze-amsterdam.nl/
On the other side of the IJ river, on the NDSM Wharf there is STRAAT - a museum dedicated to street art and graffiti. Located in an old shipyard, they currently show an exhibition focused on women in street art. You can take the free ferry to NDSM from behind Amsterdam Central Station, which is a nice 15 minute ride with great views of the city and the A’dam Tower and EYE Filmmuseum. For more info and tickets go to https://straatmuseum.com/en/equalopportunities.