You don’t have to be a sommelier to appreciate wine. After all, you can’t beat a nice glass of wine and good company, especially after a week in the office. Wine bars are not the exclusive domain of those who know their merlots from their malbecs.
On the contrary, if you know nothing about wine but love it then a good wine bar is the place for you. The best wine bars will be able to direct you to the perfect drop of red, white or rose and you can learn a lot.
There are plenty of wine bars in Amsterdam but some are better than others and these ten wine spots represent the very best of the best in the city, so give them a try and see what you think.
1. Five Brothers Fat
There are four Five Brothers Fat locations in Amsterdam so you’re never too far from one of these tapas bars, serving delicious cava and champagne. You might think that a bottle of cava would be expensive in a central Amsterdam restaurant but you can actually order a bottle of Can Paixano Selecte Semi-Sec for just €17.50, alongside a good selection of wines from Catalonia and beyond.
2. Blend Coffee & Wine
📍Oranje-Vrijstaatplein 40, 1093 NG Amsterdam
At Blend Coffee & Wine you’ll find a variety of Mediterranean style or inspired dishes, like moussaka and paella but it’s also a lovely spot for some evening drinks. The way to experience delicious food and wine there is to go for the ‘High Wine’, where they will pair the perfect wines with the dishes served. This way you can experience several different wines and decide which you’d like to order from the menu next time without the confusion of just staring at a wine list.
3. Wine Bar DiVino
📍Boomstraat 41A, 1015 LB Amsterdam
If you like Italian wines then you’re in for a treat at Wine Bar DiVino because the wine list is full of bottles from Sicily and mainland Italy. There are also a couple of dessert wines to choose from, so you can justify having another glass because it’s ‘dessert’. The food at Wine Bar DiVino changes regularly because fresh, seasonal products are used but you can count on this place to serve you something delicious every time.
4. GlouGlou
📍Tweede van der Helststraat 3, 1073 AE Amsterdam
Located in De Pijp, GlouGlou is the perfect place to stop for a glass of wine and a charcuterie platter when you’re out and about in the city. You’ll find a large selection of natural wines alongside other, mostly French wines. Plus, the food is delicious. You can expect escargots, French cheeses and plenty of traditional French dishes. In the summer you can enjoy it all on the sunny terrace.
5. Bar Centraal
📍Ten Katestraat 16, 1053 CE Amsterdam
If you’d prefer something spicy with your wine then just head next door from Glou Glou to Bar Centraal where you’ll now find delicious Asian food. Plus, there are tons of natural wines to try and plenty of vegetarian dishes on offer. If you don’t know which wine to go with then just ask the waiters who will be able to direct you to something you’ll love.
6. Wijnbar Paulus
📍Ceintuurbaan 348, 1072 GP Amsterdam
This lovely little wine bar has the most attentive owner who you’re sure to see whenever you go. He’s always more than willing to advise customers on what wines they might like to try and the food is fresh with a menu that changes every day. If you’d prefer to pick at something rather than eat a whole meal you can always opt for the cheeseboard.
7. Bubbles & Wines
📍Nes 37, 1012 KC Amsterdam
Bubbles & Wines is run by two men who love wine and know a lot about it. They will introduce you to wines you didn’t even know existed, including a huge selection of champagne and Italian wines. The food is delicious and feels just as luxurious and rich as the wines, for which the restaurant won the title of ‘Best Wine Bar List In The World 2021‘.
8. Wijnbar Boelen
📍Eerste van der Helststraat 50, 1072 NV Amsterdam
The lovely Wijnbar Boelen is only open from Thursdays until Sundays but it’s well worth visiting. The place is absolutely packed with delicious wine to try alongside tasty dishes, expertly cooked. Sit on the terrace in the summer and you’ll feel like you’re in the Mediterranean, watching the world go by.
9. Bar Parry
📍Eerste Looiersdwarsstraat 15, 1016 VL Amsterdam
At Bar Parry, you’ll find vibrant food from across Europe but the dishes mostly feature Mediterranean flavours and ingredients like octopus and porchetta. On Sundays, they do a 3-course set menu lunch and if you’re up for a bit of booze midday then you should try some of the wines while you’re at it. The wine comes from De Wijnkwinkel in 9 streets and the wine list is huge, incorporating wines from Italy, France, Spain and even countries such as Germany.
10. Winehouse Somm
📍Baffinstraat 1, 1057 SV Amsterdam
In the lovely Amsterdam West, you’ll find Winehouse Somm, where the food is just as vibrant as the wine and the service always comes with a smile. The menu changes often due to the restaurant’s commitment to using fresh products but you can always order a degustation menu including 3, 4 or 5 courses and the waiters are always on hand to advise you about the perfect wine pairings.