Hoppe

Hitting a bruin café is a must when visiting Amsterdam. Residents gather in these watering holes, named after their plentiful use of dark brown wood, for a biertje or a kopstootje. Also known as a “headbutt,” a kopstootje consists of a tulip glass filled to the brim with genever (the Dutch-invented predecessor to gin), served alongside a beer—and the rule is you must tilt your head to take the first sip, hands free.

You can’t really go wrong when choosing a bruin café, but Café Hoppe ticks a lot of boxes, and you should make it one of your first stops in the city. Just make sure you head there before 6pm, especially on weekends, to avoid the crowds. It's located on Spuistraat near many other fantastic pubs, and cocktail bars in nearby Negen Straatjes or Leidseplein. And part of the place itself is a national monument, open since the 1600s.