Amsterdam’s casual, convivial neighbourhood ‘brown cafes’ can be found across the city, some of the oldest are located in the Red-Light District. Many brown cafes in the Canal Ring and Jordaan also sport lovely canalfront terraces in the warmer months. Good restaurants and eetcafes are also scattered around the canals and central district.
The Nine Streets have many small, quality cafes and restaurants, where you can sit on the street and watch the world go by. The same is true of the Jordaan district, home to the city’s most characterful brown cafés.
If you’re after ethnic eats, head to East Amsterdam and the culturally diverse Indische Buurt district. On and around Javastraat, its main artery, are all manner of foodstuffs, including Surinamese, Indonesian, and Indian, restaurants, Asian supermarkets, and Turkish bakeries and takeaway joints.
For a lively night out, head for Leidseplein, which has the biggest concentration of bars and nightclubs in Amsterdam – including famous, multi-purpose venues the Melkweg and Paradiso.