The most beautiful terraces in Amsterdam (with a touch of allure) with a view over the water
The combination of summer weather and terraces is already doing very well as far as we are concerned. The combination of summer weather and terraces on the Amsterdam canals or at least with a view over the water is even better. That view over the water always feels a bit like you are on holiday. Here is a list of the most beautiful terraces in Amsterdam (with a touch of allure) with a view over the water.
If you don't really need to spend some time in the water, we have it here a few more 'normal' nice terraces.
Our best Amsterdam tips? We tell you about them in our Amsterdam guide!
In Amsterdam North you will find between water, ships and steel Slope 7. A fierce restaurant with refined food. Well, as they call it 'none fine dining but not very casual either'. In an old steel shipyard canteen – a slipway actually, hench the name – you eat dishes prepared over real fire and served on white table linen. A restaurant with a rough edge, a great view and a tasty menu. That is a very good idea all year round, because the view remains stunning, but in the summer months, when the weather is nice, you sit ON that slope, an iron scaffolding, above the water. And He saw that it was good. Read more about Slope7
Nowadays, you can find Bolenius in Rembrandtpark. Cozy name, rock-solid spot. It couldn't be otherwise, as the restaurant was opened by Luc Kusters (yes, the one from the Michelins) and Oos Kesbeke (you know, the one with the pickles). Indeed, they moved from the Zuidas to Amsterdam-West. First, they quickly received a Green Michelin Star (for sustainability), then the well-known 'regular' Michelin star – and now? Keep innovating, changing, improving. It takes some impressive if they still manage that with such a lovely location, food from their own vegetable garden – which tastes fantastic – and a great wine list.
Café KANIS is a cozy eatery right in the middle of the cool KNSM Island. Settle down on the terrace, where you have sun all day with, of course, a view of the water and the passing sailboats. “Just enjoy yourself by the water,” as the staff puts it. You can also take a dip from the swimming jetty or even moor a boat. So, beach vibes in the city (YesFor lunch, you eat classics like soup or a toasted sandwich, but if you're feeling a bit more rebellious, there are also options like a roll. pulled beefFor dinner, you preferably order three courses – with multiple options to choose from per course. For everything in between, there are bites en drinks From cocktails to coffee. The menu changes regularly, so you never get bored at Café KANIS, and the friendly service and cozy atmosphere make your day complete.
Joe, we're going out of town! No, not really: on to Durgerdam, just like Amsterdam and one of the most beautiful parts of North Holland, less than a fifteen-minute drive from the center of Amsterdam. An amazing hotel opened here: De Durgerdam. What's in a name. Since March 2023, a boutique hotel has been housed on the banks of the IJmeer (so you can sit wonderfully among the reed plumes and gable houses on the water). The location went from inn to hotel to café-restaurant and back to hotel again. Enjoy peace and quiet at De Durgerdam, with its culinary centerpiece restaurant De Mark.
Of course you are in good hands everywhere along the Amsterdam canals, although we are particularly charmed by the new Little BonfireAnd not just from the waterfront terrace: a fantastic spot in the heart of the city (next to Morlang, a classic) on Keizersgracht, around the corner from Leidsestraat. 10 points for that terrace and 10 points for the snack/drinks menu: we'll definitely be back soon for the delicious patatas bravas with chorizo and pulpo. So, so good. We also really enjoyed the melon with ham (never underestimate the power (a simple classic) and the clams. Anyway. Yes to Little Bonfire.
Okay, okay, okay, it's really not Amsterdam, but we genuinely think renting a boat in Amsterdam and cruising down the Amstel to the beautiful Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (and maybe even taking a dip now and then – it's perfectly doable) is one of the nicest things to do on a hot day in the city. Especially when restaurant SAAM is the final destination. Do spruce yourself up though, because SAAM deserves it. Read more about SAAM restaurant.
Yes, there on the Amstel you will find the still and always wonderful option, the nice terrace of Het Amstel Hotel. If you want to treat yourself (but honestly it's not even that expensive). Bonus: the Amstel continues to have a high threshold - a shame, but not because there is (almost) always room. A glass of champagne here always tastes a little more international, worldly and chic and that is sometimes quite nice. Looking out over the boats of the Amstel (enjoy). The service is passable. It feels like escaping from the city, while you're actually in the heart of the city, ha!
You can make a reservation at Het Amstel here.
Located in the heart of the center on the water Marie. The restaurant of hotel L'Europe has a lovely terrace. In terms of atmosphere, a bit of the French Riviera with the view downtown Amsterdam. Think of oysters, delicious fish and salads and you have the picture complete. Even in bad weather it is wonderful to stay here, because there are transparent screens so that you do not get wet and when it is a bit colder, they turn on the heater for you.
If you go to the toilet, be sure to walk past the reception and into the hallway. This hallway has been beautifully decorated by the Amsterdam interior design studio Nicemakers. The duo Joyce Urbanus and Dax Roll are known from, among others, the Hoxton Hotel, SLA and Hotel Le Grand Quartier in Paris. The old style has been respectfully preserved. As if it had always been decorated that way, but new. They call the hallway 'the living room' and that's what it feels like – you immediately want to sit down somewhere and read a book. Anyway, we want to go back to those oysters on the terrace.
Or perhaps get lost in the hotel a little longer, after all, there is so much to experience… Italian restaurant Trattoria Graziella is one of the lovely places you can come across. This restaurant is named after a vintage Italian bicycle brand and thus makes the link between Amsterdam as a cycling city, with the playful character of the bicycle brand and the vintage, Italian style.
One of the better fish restaurants in the country: The Harbor Club in Amsterdam East. The entrepreneurs of that club are always looking for locations (with international allure). Granted, the Harbor Club is a thing posh But every now and then, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. People watch and enjoy the best, freshest products that are used. A lot sea foodPlatters of sushi and oysters are placed in front of you at one of the tables on the terrace (or, if the weather gets colder, nice and cozy inside the dark, atmospheric restaurant).
Back to that terrace, because it is perfect for a sunny day when you want to escape a bit the city. You will find several summer proof places. Large round tables with leather-look sofas, smaller tables covered with white linen, parasols and all overlooking the water. It doesn't get much more summery than that. Cheers.
Ok, ok, we're smuggling a bit here. The Bar Lounge of The Pavilions Amsterdam – The Tower on the Keizersgracht does not have a terrace, but you are still right on the water. The windows are high and wide, so a little imagination can go a long way. And hey, those Dutch springs aren't that warm, so not being able to sit on the terrace is often not that bad.
In your satin chair, which would not look out of place in the palace of Luis XVI, you can gaze away at the evening. It certainly helps that they have a very nice wine selection (and very nice Gin & Tonics). The interior is an excess shiny oak wood, draped curtains and shiny fabrics, but in a luxurious way. Like we said, Louis XVI could easily be sitting in the corner, allure enough.
The people at TestTafel prove that good things can still come out of the whole corona mess. Next to the well-known Hanneke's Boom, you will find this place, so a fantastic view over the water where the Oosterdok and Dijksgracht meet. All the food on the menu is plant-based (you won't feel it) and they cook with the seasons. Lovely by the water, good and honest food: what more could you ask for? Well, we saved the best for last – you eat in a mini greenhouse! It does give it a rustic feel. chicness, but is secretly also really romantic.
At perhaps one of the most beautiful locations in Amsterdam, on the quay of the IJ in Amsterdam North, with a stunning view of the Amsterdam canals, you can pull up a chair at Hangar Amsterdam from Wednesday to Sunday all year round for everything from a late breakfast and an extensive lunch to pleasant drinks (with a partner or a large group!) and an intimate (or large-scale) dinner. And that is exactly why Hangar Amsterdam North has stolen our hearts since its opening in 2016: it is *the* no brainer of the city. For with kids, for with colleagues, for with friends and for a lazy Sunday date. And everything not mentioned. You could call him a everyone's friend with taste, and so do we praise Hangar around it.
On the Marineterrein, the area next to the National Maritime Museum reached by a beautiful little bridge, basically from behind Hanneke's Boom. It is the kind of place where you actually want to spend your entire summer, and with Scheepskameel added, it is a massive destination for various reasons: water everywhere, a superb terrace overlooking the water, and the aforementioned Hanneke's Boom and restaurant Scheepskameel in a former office building. What to expect? Similar to what you'd expect at Lille, from the people at Rijsel together with the former chef of Marius, but just a little different. As the owners told Het Parool: “We serve rustic cuisine; we don’t focus on presentation. No fancy art, no mousses. We love the product itself. And we are going to do a lot of raw: raw meat, raw fish, raw vegetables.” That, and homemade sausage. Oh, and not to forget: the German wine. Yes, it really is delicious.
Our beloved Pont 13 is no more... Although we have to be honest: we mainly came there in the summer months, when the cafe-restaurant on the old ferry was one of the best (in the know) was home to the city's terraces. In Amsterdam's Houthaven lies the ferry, which from now on (April 2024) bears a new name: Ferry. Ferry Amsterdam. Old ferry, new name, same terrace, new owners. So make a reservation if the weather looks promising and pedal all the way to Houthaven. Or better yet: moor up with a boat. Incidentally, there is also plenty of parking available there.
Long before the Amsterdam Houthavens were going on Slash were going to be (because that is now!), the red and white REM Eiland restaurant was already there, located in a former broadcast tower, where TROS, among others, broadcast commercial TV and radio programs from 1964. At the time, the tower was located off the coast of Noordwijk, but in 2011 it was moved to Amsterdam. Since then you can go there for a good meal and since 2021 the restaurant has been taken over and completely renovated into the current mega super fun REM. And REM owes that jubilation mainly to its roof terrace: the best in Amsterdam if you ask us, certainly when it comes to the combination of comfortable seating, great food, great sightseeing, and just plain fun for everyone. A bar, restaurant, and rooftop terrace all in one place—what more could you want? Highly recommended.
On this large terrace overlooking the IJ, you can actually enjoy the sun all day long. A plus (if it isn't too cold) is that there is always a nice breeze blowing, making it a very pleasant place to spend time. Meneer Nieges used to be located here, and that was nice, but nowadays the same terrace bears the name Vooges. That's right, named after the people who used to run the beach bar. A top-notch terrace during the summer months. Should you happen to stop by in the winter, it is still nice and cozy inside.
De Ceuvel, a little bit grunge but still good!
George Marina, because we like the harbor here so much!
Cafe Restaurant Amsterdam, forever love, also the small restaurant on the very small bit of water (but hey, water is water)
plek, Amsterdam favorite city beach.
Deck, part of Yotel and once you sit on the terrace, you forget that you are in Amsterdam (North).
