The cafés near Leidseplein range from traditional Dutch pubs to hotel bars and live-music venues. Choose Reynders for a daytime drink on the square, De Spuyt for beer or Maxim for an evening built around piano music. These six stops are in the square’s immediate neighbourhood.
Café Reynders for a traditional Dutch pub
Leidseplein 6. Reynders dates from 1896 and serves Dutch beers, jenever, whisky and other spirits. You can sit at the long bar, choose a table indoors or take a terrace seat overlooking the square.
It opens daily at 10:00, so it works as an early meeting point before other evening-only bars open. A Dutch bruin café, or brown café, refers to a traditional pub setting rather than a coffee shop. Reynders is a place for a pub drink, with the theatre and tram tracks outside.
See Café Reynders’ drinks and menu.
De Spuyt for specialist beers
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 86. De Spuyt focuses on speciality beer, including Dutch and Belgian breweries and Trappist styles. It is the choice here if the beer selection matters more than cocktails or a dance floor.
The side-street location keeps you close to the wider nightlife district. Leave yourself time to choose a beer instead of treating an extensive list as a rushed stop between clubs.
Bar Americain for cocktails
Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American, Leidsekade 97. Bar Americain combines an Art Deco setting with cocktails and snacks. Its terrace looks towards Leidseplein. Choose it when you want to sit down for a cocktail rather than head straight into a party pub.
The bar opens at 17:00 Monday to Wednesday, 16:00 Thursday and Friday, and 13:00 at weekends. Café Americain is the separate restaurant in the same hotel, so use that name when looking for breakfast or a meal.
Explore the hotel’s restaurant and bars.
La Bastille for a Dutch café evening
Lijnbaansgracht 244. La Bastille has been around since 1973 and has a long connection with Dutch performers and Ajax. Signed football shirts are part of the décor.
This is a choice for Dutch pub and music culture rather than the formality of a hotel bar. The café also takes enquiries for group drinks, useful if you are organising a birthday or larger get-together.
Visit Café La Bastille’s website.
Maxim for live piano music
Leidsekruisstraat 33. Pianobar Maxim has piano entertainers seven evenings a week, with requested songs part of the evening. It works as a destination in its own right if you want live music without planning a concert at a larger venue.
Doors open daily at 21:00. Closing is 03:00 Sunday to Thursday and 04:00 on Friday and Saturday. This is an evening stop, so pick another venue for a pre-dinner drink.
De Balie for drinks around a film or discussion
Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10. De Balie combines a café-restaurant with films and public discussions. You can visit for food or drinks without attending a programme.
Dinner is served from 17:00 to 20:00, while café opening hours extend later. It is a practical choice if you want to eat before an evening event in the building.
See De Balie’s café-restaurant.
Turn drinks into an evening out
For a student party pub, read our guide to Café de Gieter. For a dance floor, compare Leidseplein clubs and bars. Our Amsterdam whisky guide covers tasting-focused alternatives; the former L&B whisky café is currently closed.
Start with one of these nearby restaurants if you want dinner first. If you stay nearby, choose your hotel room with street noise in mind.