Café Chris

Café Chris is a tiny, timeworn brown café tucked away on the Bloemstraat in the Jordaan. The café traces its history back to 1624, when it is said to have opened as a beer house for the workers building the nearby Westerkerk. According to local legend, the builders even collected their wages here. Although the precise details of its earliest history are difficult to document, Café Chris is widely regarded as the oldest café in the Jordaan.

Inside, very little appears to have changed. Dark wooden panelling, old photographs, softly glowing lamps and a traditional billiard table create the unmistakable atmosphere of an authentic Amsterdam neighbourhood pub. The café is small and intimate, with most of the experience centred around the bar, where regulars, bartenders and curious visitors naturally strike up conversations.

Come here for a draught beer, a glass of jenever and a glimpse of old Amsterdam rather than an elaborate drinks menu or polished hospitality. Café Chris remains wonderfully unpretentious and full of character. A living piece of Jordaan history where the atmosphere matters far more than appearances.

‍