The wine bar is great. For me one of the best discoveries of the past five-hundred years, together with gel nail polish and the wheel. I mean what’s better than a place where you can sit down, order good wine by the glass from someone who knows the wine better than you do, where they often have great charcuterie platters on the menu. I’m also a fan of oysters, croquettes and good bread. What more could you ask for?
In Amsterdam I love to go to the wine bar. I’ll share a few of my favorites with you where the amount of hipsters is still bearable (welcome to Amsterdam) and there isn’t only petnat on the wine list (nothing against petnat – read my article about this fun wine here).
Wine bar Paulus
When you’re looking for a wine bar where cosy is the word, this is the place to be. Paul has reconstructed a lovely living room and you imagine yourself in the sixties.
Wine bar Paulus has a nice selection of classic wines by the bottle, Burgundy, Rhône and Loire are well represented, also Italy, Spain and Germany. The offer per glass distinguishes Paul from the average wine bar, in the good sense of the word. Drink Assyrtiko from Santorini (one of my favorite wines), Catarratto from chestnut barrels from Sicily, Aglianico from Campania and “bull’s blood” from Hungary. Not your random selection, so to speak.
This is also a great bar for the foodie because with the wines delicious cheeses, meats (Iberico Pata Negra ham!), nuts, olives and flammkuchen can be ordered.
Wine bar Paskamer
Pleasant wine restaurant just around the corner from the chaotic area De Pijp.
Delicious dishes – to share- for example roasted pork belly with hoisin, bokchoi and coriander. Classic range of wines, fine Pinot Noir, Riesling, or Picoul de Pinet. Nice place with not too much fuss. Great go to for a bite to eat but also just for a glass of wine. Very knowledgeable staff. In summer the spacious terrace is an absolute pro.
Wine bar Shiraz
Around the corner of the Leidseplein you would not expect a decent wine bar. A few years ago wine bar Shiraz opened in this touristy area of Amsterdam. Today Shiraz has been named wine bar of the year more than once, also in 2019.
I like to go there for a good glass of wine. The selection is interesting, you can order wines per glass from South Africa, Portugal, Argentina but also from France, Spain or Austria. In addition, with the Coravin all sorts of fun wines are poured.
The public is a mixture of locals and tourists and that gives it a cool vibe. The food is also recommended. Think of a bao bun with soft shell crab or miso soup with pulled chicken. The mixed platters are also very okay.
Rayleigh and Ramsay
A wine bar with more than 100 wines per glass, that’s every wine lover’s wet dream, isn’t it? When Rayleigh and Ramsay first opened, I imagined myself in a wine walhalla.
The concept is simple. At the bar you upload some money on a card, with that card you can manage the machines that hold the wines. You can order a sip, half a glass or a full glass and the choice is huge.
What I like about the concept is that, as a wine fanatic, you can stroll through the store and taste a whole bunch of wines, useful for a tasting exam for example. In addition, you can also just sit down, tap a glass and leave the machines for what they are.
Since June there are three locations in Amsterdam, one near the overtoom, the other two in the Pijp area and Westerpark. I always find the atmosphere very comfy and you can have a nice meal there too.
A great wine discovery is the Nino Negri, from the Valtellina valley. Blend of Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay and Nebbiolo.
