Amsterdam is known around the world specifically for a couple of things, the legal marijuana, and its red light district. I won’t be talking about either of those things, but rather its fantastic beer and brunch. Two things that are talked about way less than they should because Amsterdam really knows beer and they are really really good at brunch! With all of the amazing craft beer and places to brunch in Amsterdam, I think it is a perfect destination for a guys’ trip!

Beers & Brunch in Amsterdam

As you know me and two of my closest friends recently spent nine days touring around Europe. We stayed in the best hotel in Amsterdam, walked the streets of Prague, and drank in our lederhosen in Munich, but our time in Amsterdam was easily the most fun part of the trip! The three of us are fans of good craft beer and delicious food! With pancake shops on every other corner, you immediately get the idea that the Dutch take breakfast seriously and that is something the three of us could get behind!

5 Best Places for Brunch in Amsterdam

Now I’m not sure if the brunch culture is because the nightclubs are open until 4 AM (I’m not about that life), or if people get breakfast and brunch, but every breakfast or brunch we had while we were in Amsterdam on our guys’ trip was phenomenal. Here are some of my favorite places we ate at and a couple we didn’t have a chance to try but were intrigued by their menus.

Coffee & Coconuts

The entrance and bar of CT Coffee & Coconuts

Billed as the “Most Instagramable Cafe in Amsterdam” we were curious to see if it lived up to the hype, and it did! They have fresh pressed juice and some delicious cold brew. The food was also fantastic. Marc and I went with avocado toast, and Thad took a less traditional route and went with a noodle soup. This was our first morning in Amsterdam, and we knew we were going to have a great guys’ trip if all of our brunches were this good!

The Lobby Nesplein

I think this one is seriously under the radar good. The reason we decided to try The Lobby was because of what may go down in history as the best yelp review of all time. It also helped that it was right across the canal from our hotel.

As you can see this person takes brunch and Yelp very seriously

The vibe inside was relaxed and kind of speakeasy-ish, and The Lobby had the best Bloody Mary’s we had all trip, and the food lived up to that yelp review above!

The best bloody mary we had all trip was at The Lobby at Hotel Nesplein

The Avocado Show

We didn’t have a chance to try this brunch spot, but if you take a look at their Instagram, it’s pretty obvious why there is always a long wait here. They make some stunning avocado-based dishes. I wish we had a chance to eat here because the food photos would have been ?!!

Bakers & Roasters

Another place we didn’t have time to eat at but looked like an amazing place to eat brunch in Amsterdam is Bakers & Roasters. This Kiwi Cafe has two locations in Amsterdam and came highly recommended by several of our Uber drivers over our short stay in Amsterdam.

G’s Really Nice Place

Another spot we, unfortunately, didn’t have a chance to try for brunch in Amsterdam is G’s Really Nice Place. Self-described as an eclectic hot mess of love, lust, hunger & thirst this Amsterdam staple has two locations and a brunch boat. The only downside here is their hours. The two brick and mortar locations are opened Thursday-Sunday 10-4, and the brunch boat only operates on Saturdays and Sundays at 10, 12, and 2. G’s is known for their bloody marys and have more than a dozen varieties to try!

5 Best Places to Grab a Beer in Amsterdam

The Home of Heineken

One of the three free beers you get with the Heineken Experience

You can’t visit Amsterdam as a beer lover without checking out the Heineken Experience. This brewery tour is different than most I have been on as you get a more interactive experience checking out the difference between the various stages of the brewing process and you get three beers instead of 1! My Amsterdam vlog takes you inside the experience along with the rest of our time in Amsterdam!

Delirium Cafe Amsterdam

There were so many beers to try at the Delirium Cafe Amsterdam beer festival that we didn’t even come close! Great beer, fun atmosphere, and surprisingly good food!

If you are a beer fanatic like me, then you have likely heard of Delirium Tremens or Delirium Nocturnum the strong beers that come in ceramic bottles with pink elephants! Lucky for us the Delirium Cafe in Amsterdam was having a beer festival while we were there. The festival featured live music, food, and beer tastings from a number of different breweries from around Europe not to mention every beer that the cafe typically has on tap! I would highly recommend the Delirium cafe for anyone visiting Amsterdam, and they get bonus points for their sweet location right on the river.

Brouwerij ‘T Ij

The cheese and sausage plate. The only thing is I wished we had more!

This great brewery is located inside a huge old windmill brews their beers in-house and offers flights and local snacks. We tried all of their classic beers and had a cheese and sausage plate both hit the spot. I, unfortunately, was trying a different lens on my camera when we went to grab a beer at Brouwerij ‘T Ij so I wasn’t able to get a shot I really liked here. On the left side of the brewery when you enter is a room with skylights, so the natural light in there is terrific for photos of your food and beer! ?

Cut Throat

Bitterballen and Fries a perfect Dutch combo!

Cut Throat can make the list of brunch spots above as well, but we just had drinks and snacks here. This interestingly enough is a barber shop, bar, and restaurant all in one perfect hipstery space. The room felt like an old subway station with a large round bar in the middle and tables along the perimeter. The bar staff was attentive and made a killer Manhattan. They also have a pretty extensive beer list full of beers from local breweries! It was here where we tried the Dutch delicacy “Bitterballen” for the first time, and they did not disappoint! You can brunch, get your haircut and have a drink all in the same place – why isn’t this a thing everywhere?!

Oedipus Brewing

While we didn’t have a chance to visit the brewery and tasting room, we did get to try several of Oedipus Brewing’s beers. The taproom is in Amsterdam Noord on the other side of the river from the city center and is open Thursday-Sunday afternoons. The taproom also has food from the Beef Cheif Kitchen which makes this a great place to grab a beer and pass the time with some friends!

Why Amsterdam is perfect for a Guys’ trip

Inside this windmill you find Brouwerij ‘T Ij the brewery mentioned above!

Sure there are the taboo activities that Amsterdam is known for, but Amsterdam has so much more to offer! The food and a culture that seems to revolve around my favorite meal – Brunch along with loads of cafes, bars, and breweries Amsterdam is a perfect place to visit for a guys’ trip! Plus who can forget all of the art, history and other activities that Amsterdam has to offer! So next time you and your buddies are planning a guys’ trip why not choose Amsterdam?

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