The best thing in Alkmaar
Of the major cities in North Holland (Amsterdam, Haarlem (and Alkmaar) it was Alkmaar that we hadn't given enough love to until now. It's incomprehensible, really, because Alkmaar is so much more than just that one cheese market. It's cozy, urban, creative, and green. It strikes the perfect balance between a city that's vibrant, yet also gives you room to breathe. So, under the guise of better late than neverThe best things to do in Alkmaar. In no particular order, but all places where you can truly capture that wonderful Alkmaar feeling.
In the city center, or d'Oudestad, the rich history is palpable. Canals lined with historic facades, ivy-covered streets packed with charming coffee shops, lunch spots, restaurants, and boutiques. Every season has its own charm here.
Take a tour around Alkmaar and you will see that it is actually like an open-air museum.
The city boasts no fewer than 399 national monuments, including the centuries-old town hall and the Grote Kerk (Great Church), which boasts the largest window in Europe. Discover hidden courtyards like Wildemanshof on the Oude Gracht canal and shop till you drop in our favorite streets: 't Fnidsen, Hekelstraat, and Sint Jacobstraat.
After a day of exploring and experiencing culture, there's not much left to wish for. Except maybe a piece of cheese from the market to take home, because, well, you're a customer too... hum, it remains Alkmaar.
Speaking of authentic: what a fantastic place this is! Kowalski is right in the heart of Alkmaar, on one of the nicest streets ('t Fnidsen). And the location is a real win-win, because the canal is on the other side, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace (or small terrace) when the weather is nice.
But enough about the location, here it's all about the atmosphere. And the atmosphere is warm, vibrant, and above all, very creative. Owner Sabine's signature style is evident everywhere. A cheerful retro medley of art, design, and candles (which are also for sale, by the way). Perfect for a coffee or lunch date. Oh, and the matcha with mango and freshly baked apple pie...you have to try it.
You can sleep there, eat cake and drink coffee and you can shop there seven days a week. Boutique hotel Luttik is at home in all markets. Let's start with the sleep part. The hotel has six spacious and bright rooms, five of which have a free-standing bath (nice after a day of exploring the city) and all six have walk-in rain showers and wonderful beds. All rooms have a view over the canal, the cheese market or the city center. At the coffee bar Below the hotel you can enjoy coffee and sweet and savory snacks from 09:00 AM to 18:00 PM. In the concept store you can buy all (really all) nice items that you have spotted in your hotel room or in the coffee bar, supplemented with clothing, jewelry bags and more. Win-win-win!
Another favorite! At Soepp, the vibe—just like at Kowalski's—is retro, cozy, and the opposite of minimalist. Everywhere you look, there are lights, frames, and bits and bobs. And that's precisely what makes it so inviting. Upon arrival, the place is (usually) packed, and that speaks volumes.
On the menu? What's in a name: tons of delicious soups, but also plenty of other tasty treats. And yes, everything is vegetarian, and you can go there for breakfast, lunch, drinks, and dinner.
Tip from Flip for those who cannot choose well (guilty!): Go for the Soup Brunch. Several soups, snacks, and sweet treats – you're sure to leave with a full stomach.
Psst... if you still want to score something: there are also cool vintage items for sale.
Immerse yourself in art at the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar. The building is beautiful, and in addition to the permanent collection of old and modern art, there are always changing exhibitions.
You wouldn't guess it's one of the oldest museums in the Netherlands just by looking at it. The building is incredibly tall, bright, and modernized – a beautiful contrast to some of the centuries-old works. Take a closer look at the art, alone or with the whole family. They also regularly organize fun workshops for children of all ages, and you can enjoy a delicious lunch or a good cup of coffee in the café.
It was for years Calibration building a thorn in the side of the city of Alkmaar: a unique location in a beautiful park and also on the water, but no operator could be found who turned it into something beautiful. Until May 2016, when the new IJkgebouw opened, which for so long was reserved for graffiti artists and underground parties. The graffiti remained, albeit in a controlled form, and the industrial building was transformed into an industrial gem with a conservatory, almost a greenhouse. From that conservatory you look out over the park. A bit stuffy in the summer, but hey, there's the large terrace. At restaurant The Unity, which has recently been established in the IJK building, you can sit down on this lovely terrace (and inside) all day long and classic order brasserie dishes.
Jonas Bistro Bar is a vibrant restaurant that feels a bit like a cozy Irish pub. Because yes: lots of wood, floating candles (yes, really!), sturdy tiles on the floor, countless glistening bottles at the bar, and a truly great atmosphere.
The cuisine? Well, it's anything but Irish. At Jonas Bistro Bar, you'll find Mediterranean dishes with a twist. We swear by the spicy shrimp and fried scallops, and the gnocchi with kale and roasted tomatoes is also absolutely delicious.
And this can't go unmentioned: the warmth and cheerfulness that radiates from the hosts – two young, true Alkmaar residents – is infectious. You'll definitely want to return.
With a cozy building in the center, where you can enjoy the terrace in the summer, with a view over the private flower barge on the water. At Anne&Max it is, the name alone is inviting to come and chill; Don't you immediately think of a good cup of coffee and chill lounge chairs where you can catch up with your friends? At least we do and that is exactly the case here. A good go-to place for breakfast, lunch, cakes or drinks. All products are pure, as much organic as possible, honest, freshly prepared and tailored to the season. Both good for you and the planet. We like! Enough space to sit down for a while, but also nice for a nice coffee-to-go with something tasty of course.
As we said, there's plenty to see. As you enter the city, it's worth stopping by the Wildemanshofje courtyard. Then, you can walk along the Oudegracht canal or the Kwerenpad, along the water, towards Piet's Mill.
From here, you have a beautiful view and can continue walking to Kanisstraat, where a beautiful 16th-century house stands. Once you're there, you can easily walk back into the city center, past the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk (Great St. Lawrence Church).
At ECHT this is the place to go for really good coffee, juices and... healthy lunch but also for delicious ones – less healthy – tarts. Almost everything is homemade. Preferably from local products and organic ingredients and always without artificial nutrients. They have a sunny terrace that is perfect for a pit stop while shopping. Open seven days a week and they don't take reservations, so you just have to walk by. Everything is also possible to take to-go (for example, go to the Victorie Park!).
If we don't go to Naples, Naples will simply come to us. At Pizza Beppe, you'll eat authentic Neapolitan pizzas: handmade dough, San Marzano tomatoes straight from the Vesuvius region, and Fior di Latte that's truly exceptional.
The atmosphere? 'Cool & fine dining'. Culture, music, lifestyle, and pizza from top-notch brick ovens. Add a generous dose of craftsmanship and passion, and you're good to go. It's no wonder they were the first in the Netherlands to officially receive the designation. Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) quality mark – no concessions, only authentic.
At Pizza Beppe, you eat pizza the way it's meant to be. With 25 locations across the country, there's always a place to sit down, and in Alkmaar, you can find it at De Mient. Buon appetito!
You say good Indonesian food, then you say Javanese Girls. The Indo fine dining & street food The restaurant's terrace is located right on the always pleasant Waagplein, in the heart of Alkmaar, where you can people-watch from behind the tall plants, perfectly unseen. You will also find many of those plants indoors, combined with cozy rattan details. The menu features traditional and modern Indonesian dishes, streetfood, rice tables and four different – all equally tasty – types of satay. Sounds like chef Ron Blaauw has visited here, and that's true. The menu of Javanese Girls was put together by Ron Blaauw and inspired by the concept of Ron Gastrobar.
On the other side of the shopping street, near the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk, you can go to the salad bar Harvest go for your daily portion of healthy food. Just say it 'Sla' from Alkmaar, but without your wallet bleeding dry from a few leaves of lettuce. You can put together your own salad or choose from one of the existing combinations, such as the goat cheese salad with beets, quinoa, cherry tomato, dried figs, walnut and honey mustard dressing. Everything that Margot and her partner Sietse bring into their home comes from the neighborhood and is healthy. Just healthy, without superfoods and that kind of frills. There is apple pie from Bakkerij Raat, free-range chicken from Poelier Ackermann, all nuts come from nut farmer Robert Weerman and the coffee comes from Amsterdam's Bocca.
There is also the same area around the Grote Sint-Laurenskerk, on Kerkplein City cafe Laurens. The perfect place to sit down at the end of the afternoon for bitterballen and a drink - such as one of the nine tap beers - with a view of the church from the terrace. In addition to snacks, Laurens serves breakfast, lunch (tip: the burrata salad) and dinner. And if it's too cold for the terrace, you can also sit inside!
Also within the category of good drinks places, but slightly outside the center (five minutes walk from Alkmaar train station), TAproom The Scrapyard from the Alkmaar beer brewery De Moerkey. What you can expect there is a rugged terrace of 1500 square meters and beer, lots of beer. You can taste the different beers from De Moerkey, but also well-known and lesser-known beers from other breweries. For non-beer drinkers, there is of course also plenty of choice of wine and soft drinks, although the choice is somewhat more limited than beer.
Restaurant Abbies is an old, trusted spot on the Ritsevoort, close to the famous Piet Mill. At Abby's you are always in the right place, both inside and outside (with a view of the mill) and for both lunch and dinner and certainly also for a good glass of wine with a snack board. In August they have a special 'sea month', where the menu focuses extra on fish. You can enjoy the fruits de mer platters, mussels, lobster and pasta vongole, but there are also plenty of options for meat lovers and vegetarians.
You have to go for a terrace on the water The Turfmarkt are. A great place for lunch, drinks or dinner, with varying meat and fish dishes - or combined à la surf & turf – from the charcoal grill and a wide choice of starters. You will find De Turfmarkt on the street of the same name, located on the edge of the center of Alkmaar.
Another favorite place is on the water From Kadé, where you can walk through the sand with your bare feet as if you were on the beach, but in the city. The city beach is in Alkmaar Overstad, within walking distance down town Alkmaar. Fancy tropical atmospheres, relaxed music, cocktails and... c with a view of the North Holland Canal? Then De Kade is the right place for you! Oh yes, in the evening the wood is lit in the fire bowl, so you can linger extra long.
“Cooking with what nature offers us, instead of what we expect from nature.” That is the aim of the Dutch restaurant in Alkmaar. Just a Dutch snack, a real tasty bite. Every ingredient Neder works with really comes from Dutch soil. From herbs from wild nature to sea salt from the Oosterschelde. The wines and other drinks also come from the Netherlands. Oh, yes, and the restaurant also looks really nice, so highly recommended.
Would you rather go to a real beach? You are a fifteen-minute drive from Alkmaar Bergen aan Zee of Egmond aan Zee and if you drive another ten minutes you will be on the beach Castricum by the Sea.
More tips
-
Ode to the Landscape 4: time to put North Holland in the spotlight
-
The best of Castricum and Egmond aan Zee
-
New (and not to be missed) in Haarlem
-
The most beautiful terraces in Amsterdam (with a touch of allure) with a view over the water
-
THE RUITERHUYS Castricum
-
Brand new campsites & glampings in greenery, pop-up restaurants and other outdoor accommodations