AMSTReview
photo credit: Laila Lopes
Hoppe
A visit to Mokum, a local nickname for Amsterdam, wouldn’t be complete without stopping by a bruin café. These watering holes are named after the plentiful use of dark brown wood inside and are where residents gather for a biertje or a kopstootje, a “headbutt” that consists of a tulip glass of jenever and a side of beer. While you can’t really go wrong choosing any bruin café, a visit to Café Hoppe ticks off a lot of boxes. They’re located on Spuistraat near many other fantastic pubs and cocktail bars in nearby Negen Straatjes or Leidseplein, and the place itself is part national monument that’s been open since the 1600s. The place should be one of your first stops in the city to wind down or warm up—just make sure you head there before 6pm, especially on weekends, to avoid the crowds.
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