When the first rays of spring sun hit Amsterdam the city’s cafés offering outdoor serving become hotter than hot. We guide you the best places in Amsterdam for sun seekers who want to wine and dine al fresco.
All sun spots are picked from our Amsterdam city guide app, momondo places – download for free to your iPhone.
Café de Ceuvel
Don’t miss out on Café de Ceuvel when you visit Amsterdam
Cafe de Ceuvel is part of one of Amsterdam’s – perhaps even the world’s – best sustainable city projects, the rejuvenation of polluted former ship wharf De Ceuvel in the industrial and inspiring Northern part of town. Forget about hipster. This place is full blown hippie. From its vegan flatbreads to its sustainable waste system, and from its easy-going hammocks to its swimming tubes, de Ceuvel feels like an eco-hostel somewhere in South America, albeit a little less tropical. But the healthy and honest smiles behind the bar more than make up for the occasional Dutch rain.
Where: Korte Papaverweg 4
Tel: +31 20 229 62 10
Nearest station: Mosplein
Pllek
Needless to say that Pllek is a hit when it’s summer in Amsterdam
Pllek is a refreshing fifteen-minute ferry ride out of the centre. If the breeze on the way over doesn’t clear your head, this uber-relaxed hangout surely will. Built from colourful ocean containers, Pllek’s U-shaped restaurant is like a pleasure dome for adults, offering more than just food. Drop by early for some yoga and breakfast, or arrive late for a three-course dinner and an all-round funky time, with outdoor cinema, frequent club nights and live music. Pllek’s waterside view of the city is impossible to beat. In summer, a good-looking beach crowd will make the temperature rise considerably. Remember to bring your trunks. In winter, roaring campfires provide shelter from the waves beating against the quay.
Where: TT Neveritaweg 59
Tel: +31 20 290 00 20
Nearest station: Ferry NDSM Werf
Il Pecorino
Where to eat in Amsterdam on a summer day? Look no further than Il Pecorino
Who knew Amsterdam’s best Italian food could be found just across the water? Even Central Amsterdammers flock to this wonderful waterfront terrace for its paninis, pastas and calzones. Everything except Il Pecorino’s cola, tea and mozzarella is imported straight from the Holy Boot. Expect authentic and affordable fare – from ‘burrata con spinaci’ to sweet ‘semifreddo’ – and friendly service. It hardly gets more familiar than this, and sitting here feels like being in an Italian village rather than a European capital. This is a thing that should be shared with the whole ‘famiglia’.
Where: Noordwal 1
Tel: +31 737 15 11
Nearest station: Ferry IJPlein
Café Noorderlicht
Chilling and enjoying life at Café Noorderlicht.
Magical Noorderlicht is good at winding down the pace, even though its surroundings – the swiftly up-and-coming NDSM wharf – are rapidly changing. Time dwindles here. Arrive by early ferry and proceed to stare across the water from the sunny lawn of Noorderlicht for an hour or so; read a book or two; order organic rhubarb soda and sandwiches from the colourful, relaxed staff. Go back to gazing. If today is your lucky day there may be a mini-festival on, or at least some live music by the bonfire. Maybe board games near the fireplace, rain drumming on the roof. That thing in the distance is only the rest of the world passing by.
Where: NDSM Plein 102
Tel: +31 20 492 2770
Nearest station: Ferry NDSM wharf
Mandela Huisje
Enjoy the breeze and the view at Mandela Huisje
Not sure if you can afford a drink with a view this grand? Don’t worry. The owners of the cute former harbourmaster’s house smack opposite Central Station are idealists, and their ‘Mandela cottage’ is all about being friendly – so their prices are too. Enjoy the breeze and a lovely selection of drinks and homemade pies at the inn, but there is more. Great ideas take flight under these humble surroundings. Inspired by the Ubuntu philosophy, the Mandela cottage is part of a new project by the same people behind MasterPeace and Dance4Life. Doubling as a mediation centre for conflict matters during the day and a celebratory suite in the evenings, the inn is a shelter for travelers and dreamers alike.
Where: Sixhavenweg 27
Tel: +31 625084319
Nearest station: Ferry Buiksloterweg
Hanneke’s Boom
Summer in Amsterdam – Hanneke’s Boom is the perfect hangout spot
Hanneke’s Boom is one of Amsterdam’s most relaxed hangouts. A stone’s throw away from Central Station, looking out over Science Centre NEMO’s green rooftop, this urban oasis feels as if you are far away from the city. The main shack is made entirely out of recycled material. The surrounding trees and artfully designed wooden tables make for an ambient setting. Hanneke’s can get overcrowded in summer, with every boat in town setting sail for its waterside terrace. Spending a winter’s afternoon here can be surprisingly romantic – as the indoor fireplace lights up the faces of the eclectic young crowd. Throw in some live music and simple, honest food and you will not want to leave.
Where: Dijksgracht 4
Tel: +31 20 419 98 20
Nearest station: Centraal Station
Piet de Gruyter
Things are happening under the red umbrellas at Piet de Gruyter
Piet de Gruyter has all the ingredients for local café stardom. A sun-filled terrace overlooking one of the sparse picturesque squares in Amsterdam-West? Check. Cosy, minimalist interior? Check. Exhibitions showcasing young local talent? Check. On top of that, Piet has a stack of books to flip through as you sip your wine, which secretly happens to be above par for a regular bar – or eat your lunch or dinner – which also outshines standard pub fare. Add a dash of chirpy, relaxed service, a little personal attention, some good music and the fact that Westerpark is only a minute’s walk away and you will have high hopes for this place.
Where: Van Limburg Stirumstraat 4-6
Tel: +31 20 682 35 97
Nearest station: Van Limburg Stirumstraat
De Ysbreeker
De Ysbreeker is a hot spot once it’s spring in Amsterdam
In the shadow of the Intercontinental Amstel Hotel – and the impressive giant oak trees on the banks of the river – De Ysbreeker’s terrace is one of the prettiest in town. Always packed, this is where actors, intellectuals and business folk on their lunch break sip their cappuccinos. Inside you are entertained by brass pipes, mirrors and a steady hum of people, and the Ysbreeker looks and feels like a stylish Parisian restaurant. It is like a tradition you instantly become a part of. Make this your first stop on the banks of the Amstel, and once you are finished, remember that there is still more to see upstream.
Where: Weesperzijde 23
Tel: +31 20 468 18 08
Nearest station: Amsteldijk
Mossel & Gin
When the temperature in Amsterdam goes up the tables at Mossel & Gin are in high demand
Champagne and oysters; milk and cookies; Thai food and beer; mussels and gin…wait, mussels and gin? According to the guys behind this happening little restaurant, Mossel & Gin, the bearded shellfish and the juniper berry spirit are a golden combination. Mossel & Gin serve five kinds of steamed Dutch mussels – and other scrumptious seafood – and no less than nine infused gin tonics in bowls so big you are well advised to order half glasses if you want to try them all. A simple but classy place, with a romantic, leafy patio next to Westerpark that is perfect for summer evenings.
Where: Gosschalklaan 12
Tel: +31 20 486 58 69
Nearest station: Van Hallstraat
