Hi! As some of you know, I´m born and raised in Amsterdam and on this page, I will tell you all about little N/A jewels here. Places that I find that sell nice non-alcoholic drinks! It can be restaurants, bars or shops – anything that offers interesting options for us non-drinkers I will post here 🙂
I´ll add new destinations as I encounter them, the newest findings on top of the list…
Café Nieuw Amsterdam
Address: Haarlemmerstraat 75, Amsterdam Centre
Instagram: @cafenieuwamsterdam
The other day I went here for lunch with my lovely husband and daughter and oh man, what a gorgeous establishment! Very stylish interior with a large patio in the back, which is great to sit in the summer. I ordered one of my favourite things to eat when I´m in Amsterdam: Shrimp croquettes on bread – and they were só good.
Then, always an exciting moment, the opening of the cocktail menu. That did not disappoint: three lovely Virgin Cocktails, from which I tried the Virgin Mule, consisting of Ginger Ale and Kever Jenever 0.0% – Yum!!! Can highly recommend going here if you´re looking for a delicious alcohol-free cocktail – with or without njoying their lovely food as well!
Kokusai – Restaurant
Address: Stadstuinen 2, 1181 VT Amstelveen
Phone: +31 20 640 7200
I was one night in Amsterdam just now (I had to cut the trip short due to the current Corona Virus) and I had some delicious food at a Japanese restaurant: Kokusai. My best and oldest friend (we were like 4 yrs old when we met) took me here as she lives nearby. They offer a very nice tasting menu —> For €28 you can pick 4 little food items (like Japanese tapas) in 5 different rounds. So that’s 20 ‘tapas’ for €28!! Unfortunately we were completely full after 2,5 rounds but great value nevertheless.
Then the Cocktail Menu… They had 2 non-alcoholic cocktails on offer from which I picked one that comes ready in a bottle and I always wanted to try: the FINLEY Mojito. It was really tasty!! Served as a proper cocktail and really fresh and flavourful! Also mention-worthy, it only cost €3,50 ánd contains just 19 cal per 100ml – Whoop whoop!
The food was really good, non-alcoholic options great and this all in a beautiful setting – If you´re ever in the Amstelveen area I´d definitely recommend to visit this restaurant.
Toscanini – Restaurant
Address: Lindengracht 75, 1015 KD Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 623 2813
Yesterday I had lunch with my family at the, locally quite famous, Italian restaurant ´Toscanini´. In 1985 Caffè Toscanini started as a tiny Italian restaurant in the Jordaan, a typical quarter of Amsterdam. Soon it became known for its authentic Italian dishes, which were, and are, prepared with great care and served in a relaxed atmosphere. Home-made Italian bread comes out of Toscanini’s own bakery. The fresh plates of pasta are all home-made. It’s really good food and great service, I really recommend a visit if you’re ever in town. Warning though: Don’t forget to make a reservation beforehand, and a while ahead as well, as it’s a popular place!
Non-alcoholic drinks wise… They had alcohol free beers on offer but no non-alcoholic (sparkling) wines, unfortunately. However, they did offer to make me a nice little alcohol-free concoction. This is what arrived at my table:
[MBP_AA_LINK “MBP_AA_LINK_CRODINO”] mixed with tonic, a touch of bergamot and lots of ice cubes. It was a nice, fresh ‘n bitter drink, I really enjoyed it!!
* [MBP_AA_LINK “MBP_AA_LINK_CRODINO”] is the non-alcoholic aperitif by definition in Italy. Crodino takes its name from Crodo, a small town located in the North West of Italy, where it has been produced and bottled since 1964.
I had a delicious lunch accompanied by a lovely non-alcoholic drink! And if you like authentic Italian food as well I highly recommend visiting this establishment.
Pop-Up Bar 0.020
Address: Nieuwe Zijdsekolk 25, Amsterdam
Phone: +31 646 338 777
Date open: 3rd-31st January 2020
In January this year (2020) I went to the opening party of the first alcohol-free popup bar in the Netherlands: Pop Up Bar 0.020 in Amsterdam… It was so cool! There were doormen, there was a cloakroom, a fully stocked bar with non-alcoholic éverything: beers, ciders, (sparkling) wines, G&T’s & cocktails, a dance floor, photo booth, the whole shebang.
My friend and I tried some new drinkies and had a dance, the atmosphere was great. It felt like a normal night club but then without alcoholic drinks. Mariska Leising and Niels Krommenhoek opened this popup bar for a month, during Dry January only, but I for one am secretly hoping they will give this great success a follow-up… If they do I´ll surely let you all know!!
STERK – Convenience Store
Address: Clercqstraat 7, 1053 AA Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 618 1727
Today I visited a Dutch convenience store: STERK. It´s like one of those ´evening´ shops that are open till really late (opening at 9am and it closes at 1am during the week and 3am on Fri & Sat). Walking in you think it´s a normal store but IT IS ACTUALLY EPIC!! They have a ginormous selection of awesome drinks including lóts of alcohol free options —> see pic! A must visit if you’re in the area…
Morgan & Mees – Restaurant
Address: 2e Hugo de Grootstraat 2-6, 1052 LC Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 233 4930
Last night I enjoyed a delícious dinner at Morgan & Mees – A beautiful hotel-bar-restaurant in Amsterdam Oud-West. It’s stylishly decorated and the food is always impeccable, so my husband, daughter and I eat here regularly and álways on New Year’s Eve. Last year we had a bottle of Champagne during our NYE dinner but not this year obvs as I now consider myself a non-drinker, and I was very curious what they’d have on offer, alcohol-free wise.
They did not have any non-alcoholic (sparkling) wines on the menu, unfortunately – perhaps next year?? – but they díd offer to make a nice alcohol free cocktail. The barman asked whether I prefer sweet, sour and/or fresh and came back with a truly delicious little cocktail!! It was a bit of a sour/sweet mix, very fresh and it looked beautiful!
The ingredients were: [MBP_AA_LINK “MBP_AA_LINK_SEEDLIP108”], cherry soda, a hint of vanilla & a squeeze of lemon. Truly yum, thank you Morgan & Mees!
*UPDATE* 06.08.2021 Today I visited Morgan & Mees again, with a sober friend, and they added alcohol-free bubbles to their menu, whoop whoop! So we had a glass of alcohol-free Mimosa with our delicious pancakes, way to gooo Morgan & Mees 🙂