These are the 6 coolest new cocktail bars in the Netherlands
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: these are the six coolest new cocktail bars in the Netherlands.
Every year, a jury of hospitality professionals evaluates the sixty most distinctive new restaurant-bars, hotels, cocktail bars, and hospitality concepts in the Netherlands for the Entree Awards. Here are the six nominees in the category of new cocktail bars.
The best new cocktail bar distinguishes itself through the perfect balance between unique, professional service, hospitality, bartenders, and cocktails in exactly the right atmosphere and suitable decor, according to the jury.
Dutch Courage in Amsterdam
World-renowned bartenders Tess Posthumus and Timo Janse opened the cocktail bar Dutch Courage last year on the historic Zeedijk in Amsterdam. At Dutch Courage, genever and old Dutch liqueurs take center stage. The cocktail menu mainly consists of genever and old Dutch liqueurs, but foreign spirits with stories that trace back to the Netherlands are also available. Premiere: in this Amsterdam cocktail bar, you will also find the world's first kopstootjes vending machine.
Botanero in Rotterdam
A Botanero is a Latin American mix of a bar, restaurant, cantina, and tasting room in one. This vibrant mix has been brought to Rotterdam. So said, so done. In the heart of Rotterdam, at the corner of Vogelenzang and Mariniersweg to be precise. You can go there for cool beers, a dangerously delicious Paloma, and a range of dishes to share, including tacos and really good chicken, because at Botanero everything is fresh and homemade. The cocktail menu features popular classics alongside the Paloma with original, homemade twists such as lemon sorbet, rhubarb ice, or porcini-infused bourbon.
The Rumah in Rotterdam
Rumah means ‘house’ in Indonesian. A house where a lot of rum is consumed, as every cocktail on the menu is made with rum. The Rumah can be found at Oude Binnenweg, number 110C to be precise, where the eponymous café De Oude Binnenweg was located for almost a hundred years. The brown pub has now been transformed into a ‘cocktail pub’, with rum taking the lead role. According to Daryl Lieuw-On (who has been awarded Best Bartender), The Rumah is nothing elitist: ‘De Oude Binnenweg is a street of pubs, our concept has to fit in there.’
Bar Mokum in Amsterdam
At Bar Mokum, the interior radiates an old Amsterdam street scene, a shopping street from earlier times in the Pijp. With a barber, a liquor store, and windows with red light like on the Ruysdaelkade. The bar itself is based on a pagoda that used to stand in Vondelpark. The bar's offerings consist of Dutch – preferably Amsterdam – spirits and products. No less than 90 percent of the bottles on the back bar are Dutch, with genever taking a starring role. The beers, wines, and snacks are also local. And – how could it be otherwise – the cocktails have quintessential Amsterdam names like the Ginnegapper (funny guy) and the Gleuvenglijder (tram driver). The latter is a Dutch twist on the Espresso Martini, with stroopwafel-infused Bols Corenwyn, espresso, coffee liqueur, and salted caramel syrup.
Law & Order in Amsterdam
Cocktail virtuosos Vitaly Alekseyev and Sergei Platonov opened cocktail bar Law & Order last year in the heart of Amsterdam, on Voetboogstraat. The name Law & Order refers to the history of Voetboogstraat; this was once the location of Amsterdam's and the Netherlands‘ first prison. Law & Order is a BZB: a bar without bullshit, according to Vitaly. ’We offer the best service and cocktails in a classic setting with a laid-back vibe. Relaxed 90s hip-hop blares from the speakers. Our cocktails are never trend-sensitive, but primarily simple, elegant, and timeless with a classic DNA.’ The stylish dark interior, drenched in a cozy sauce, feels like a classic bar. The furniture, decoration, and even the statue of Lady Justice come from the IJ-Hallen (the largest flea market in Amsterdam, ed.). The cocktail workstations are designed and made by professionals in Latvia.
George Cocktails & Food in Rotterdam
George Cocktails & Food is inspired by speakeasy bars, but with a new twist. This means the mystery, hospitality, and craftsmanship of the past, but the accessibility and entertainment of today, both behind the bar and in the musical realm. The cocktails flow abundantly and the jazzy atmosphere breathes the nostalgia of the classic 1920s. On the menu, you will find delicious chicken dishes, including the Kipsalon (because hello: it can't get more Rotterdam than this) and Rotisserie Chicken, but you will also find pasta with prawns and garlic and small bites to share.
Image: @botanerorotterdam
