The Best Bars in De Pijp, Amsterdam

The De Pijp outpost of Amsterdam's most established craft brewery, running twenty-plus house beers in a converted warehouse space that holds a serious crowd. The beer quality is consistent and the food programme supports a full evening rather than just drinks. The seasonal specials — particularly the autumn and winter releases — are where the brewing team does its most interesting work. Arrive early on weekends.

Order: The current seasonal special — it changes every eight weeks and is always the reason to visit

Named for the playwright, Café Brecht has the eclectic, slightly chaotic energy of a bar that has been accumulating its personality over years. The beer list skews German — Pils, Weizen, dark lagers — and there is always something interesting on the specials board. The furniture looks collected rather than chosen, which is exactly how it should feel. Board games available, which tells you something about the pace of the place.

Order: A Weizen and whatever Schnapps they have behind the bar that you have not tried before

Covered in prints and references to the painter it is named for, Bar Basquiat runs a cocktail menu that takes the art world aesthetic seriously in the glass rather than just on the walls. The drinks are built around bold, unexpected combinations — a recent beet and mezcal sour was as good as anything in the neighbourhood — and the bar staff are confident enough to argue for their choices. Stays open until 2am on weekends.

Order: The house signature cocktail — it changes monthly and reflects whatever the bar manager is thinking about

Eighteen rotating taps covering Dutch, Belgian, and international craft breweries, with a focus on styles that do not get enough attention in Amsterdam — dry stouts, session IPAs, farmhouse ales. The bottle selection runs to over 100 labels. The bar staff know the list in detail and will give you a taste before you commit. Closes at 1am on weekdays, 2am on weekends.

Order: Ask for a tasting of whatever farmhouse ales they have open — this is the bar's strength

Positioned on the Weesperzijde with a terrace overlooking the Amstel river, Café Hesp is one of those Amsterdam bars that functions perfectly as a brown café and separately as one of the city's best terrace experiences. The beer is cheap, the jenever is good, and the view from the terrace in the late afternoon is one of those Amsterdam moments that makes you stay longer than planned. Open from noon every day.

Order: A cold pils on the terrace — the classic Amstel riverbank combination

One of De Pijp's most reliably satisfying hidden finds — a small bar on a side street that most visitors walk past. The beer list is carefully chosen, the room seats thirty at most, and the atmosphere is exactly what you want from a neighbourhood bar that is not trying to be discovered. The bar manager has been here long enough that the regulars know them by name, which is always the right sign.

Order: Whatever the bar manager recommends from the bottle list — they will not steer you wrong

Bar Ramona sits on Marie Heinekenplein and benefits from being on one of the neighbourhood's most pleasant squares. The terrace fills quickly on warm evenings. Inside, the cocktail list is short and competent, the wine list is better than the price suggests, and the crowd is the mixed De Pijp crowd that makes the neighbourhood more interesting than anywhere else in Amsterdam on a Friday evening.

Order: A glass of orange wine on the square — the house selection by the glass is reliable

Katsu works as a coffee bar by day and transitions into a proper bar by 5pm — a format that sounds like it should not work but does, because the space is designed for it and the staff adapt the atmosphere naturally. The evening drink menu is short but well-chosen. The crowd here reflects the neighbourhood's diversity better than almost any other bar in De Pijp. Open until 1am on weeknights.

Order: A natural wine by the glass in the evening — the list changes regularly

The Green Butterfly has been serving De Pijp residents since the neighbourhood was working-class and the beers were cheaper. The character of the place has survived the gentrification wave, which is a genuine achievement. The bar is dark, the drinks are affordable, and the weekend evening crowd is the kind of authentic mix that makes Amsterdam's neighbourhoods worth exploring. Open until 3am on weekends.

Order: A Dutch beer and a jenever — unchanged since the bar opened and that is exactly right

The neighbourhood's best late-night music option — a bar that takes its DJ programme seriously and manages the volume correctly, which is rarer than it should be. The cocktail list is limited but the drinks are made well, and the crowd from around 11pm onwards is the most interesting in De Pijp. Open until 4am on weekends, which makes it the last stop for people who want to extend a De Pijp evening properly.

Order: A spirit and mixer — keep it simple late at night and focus on the music