Café Hoppe

The basics

Café Hoppe is a versatile option when sightseeing in Amsterdam, as you can visit for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just drinks. Because of its legacy, some food and drinks tours visit the café to showcase an example of the city’s old-fashioned, pub-like brown cafés. It has a small outdoor seating area for when the weather is nice, and is often standing-room only during busy evenings. Pop in for a break from sightseeing between strolling along the Herengracht canal and visiting the nearby Begijnhof.

Things to know before you go

• Even though it has an extensive selection of bottled and tap beer, another traditional beverage is jenever, a juniper-flavored spirit similar to gin.

• Café Hoppe does not take reservations.

• Visitors with wheelchairs may prefer to sit outside as space inside is narrow and limited.

How to get there

Café Hoppe is located at the southern end of Binnenstad in the center of Amsterdam, and is an easy walk or bike ride from many popular attractions. To reach it from farther away, ride the 52 metro to Rokin station or board a tram to the Rokin or Koningsplein stops—all of which are a short walk away. Finding parking in the area is tricky, so it’s best to use public transportation if possible.

When to get there

Café Hoppe generally opens around 9am and closes an hour or two after 12pm. It usually gets busiest with locals in the late afternoons, but Friday evenings and Saturdays are especially crowded. Come for an early lunch or dinner during the rest of the week for a more relaxed experience of its cozy atmosphere.

Brown cafés in Amsterdam

Earning their name from their typical dark interior, brown cafés are generally old-fashioned in nature, and often have a limited food menu that you order at the bar. These local spots where people can come to socialize and unwind in a laid-back setting are a loose equivalent to pubs in the United Kingdom or beer cafés in Belgium, rather than somewhere to down lots of drinks.