“A decade ago, you probably wouldn’t have wanted to hang around in this part of town.”
Our tour guide gestures all around him. It’s fairly hard to parse this part of Amsterdam with the neighbourhood that he’s describing, one that is downtrodden and dilapidated, plagued by crime, drugs and a multitude of social issues. I watch as scores of cheerful tourists hop off the ferry at Buiksloterveer and make their way over the IJpromenade to the artfully modern Amsterdam EYE museum or pose for joyous, cheesy photographs beside the Iamsterdam sign. Nearby, people sit for their morning coffee and brunch on the balcony of Tolhuistuin, overlooking the IJ towards Amsterdam central on the opposite bank. Amsterdam Noord has certainly changed in the last decade.
We’re stood outsideClinkNOORD, where I am spending the next few days, on one of the regular walking tours of the Amsterdam Noord neighbourhood that is organised by the hostel. Opening in 2015, our guide gives Clink some of the credit for Noord’s regeneration. “Obviously, with tourists comes money, which means new bars, restaurants and tourist attractions, a lot of them catering to the youthful customers that a hostel brings.”
Clink occupies the imposing 1920’s brick structure that was once the laboratory of the Shell corporation. It has been stylishly refurbished to create space for hundreds of guests, incorporating many of the buildings original design features to create bustling common areas, a relaxing atrium, and the vibrant, lively ZincBAR where the hostel puts on regular live music, DJs, performances and social events.
Shell’s laboratory isn’t the only building that used to belong to the corporation to have been given a new lease of life in Noord’s regeneration. Just across a footbridge, over the canal from the hostel’s entrance, is Tolhuistuin, the former Shell employee canteen that has been transformed into a cafe, restaurant, event space, and cultural centre, hosting frequent art shows and gigs. Behind the venue, the empty land has been converted into a community park and garden, while at the front, dozens of people sit on the canteen’s upstairs balcony, sipping beers and co*cktails with a view of Amsterdam’s Central Station on the other side of the IJ.
Next door to Clink, the 22-storey A’DAM Toren, opened in 1971 as home to Royal Dutch Shell, has had a multi-million euro refit and now boasts a rooftop observation deck, a swish boutique hotel, a nightclub and a selection of top-notch bars and eateries.
Separated from the rest of the city by the IJ river, Noord can feel a world away from the crooked, gabled buildings and ring of beautiful canals that define Amsterdam’s city centre. It’s an area filled with industrial warehouses and residential buildings owing to its maritime heritage that dates back to the 1600s. However, when shipbuilding and industry declined in the late part of the 20th century and much of Noord was left in a state of disrepair. Abandoned and tumbledown, Noord began to attract squatters and artists in the 1990s with the hipsters and creative industry soon following.
Now, decades later, Noord has been transformed into Amsterdam’s edgiest and coolest neighbourhood. It’s a place that is constantly evolving and where there’s always a new hotspot drawing in crowds from all over the city. No place epitomises this as much as NDSM, a former wharf and hub of the shipbuilding hub that has undergone a rapid transformation. We take the five-minute ferry back to Amsterdam Centraal Station and then hop another one over to NDSM. As soon as we hit land, it’s visible just how rapid the pace of change is here. Construction is going on all around us.
Originally settled by squatters, some of whom still reside here in an ‘artists village’ that is in the process of being moved to the far end of the wharf to make space for new buildings, although the artists that live here will be given land and a market in which to sell their art, it wasn’t long before hipsters and creatives moved in to utilise the cheap, abandoned buildings. Inside one NDSM hangar, you’ll find Kunststad (Art City), with studios for 200 artists and designers. Elsewhere, old office buildings have been converted into cafes and restaurants while even abandoned trams and old shipping containers have been modified to create venues – like Pllek, a restaurant with its own man-made beach that regularly hosts events on its outdoor terrace such as gigs, DJs and film nights – and in one case, a huge stack of them has been made into low-cost housing.
Throughout all the change and construction, the area’s artistic past remains. There is no better place in Amsterdam to see street art (the huge Anne Frank mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra being the most notable) and while the small one-story building in the middle of NDSM with a large, illuminated ‘SEXYLAND’ sign perched on its roof may seem like it is more at home in the city’s Red Light District, it is actually a community-owned art and event space. Sexyland is a members’ club that has 365 co-owners, each of whom puts on an annual event, a different one on every day of the year. This can range from art shows to ping-pong, swing dancing to club nights at a weekend. The public can attend any of the activities by buying a month-long membership.
As we walk around, we watch workers constructing marquees and stages for the DGTL Amsterdam festival. Our guide explains that, because of Amsterdammer’s love of Techno, partying and lax attitude to drugs, the city hosts around 300 dance music festivals per year, which is pretty impressive for a city with a population of 800,000. The wide-open spaces of NDSM make it the perfect venue for these kinds of events and as we stand on an empty expanse of the wharf, looking back to Amsterdam over the IJ our guide explains “This view is one of my favourites that the city has to offer. It brings back memories for most Amsterdammers of a misspent youth, recovering here at sunrise after an all-night party, or having the time of their lives dancing at a festival.”
The bohemian vibes of Noord continue as you head further east to the residential side of the neighbourhood. What was once, and still is to an extent, a working-class neighbourhood for shipbuilders, sailors and dockers is a pleasure to stroll around as it is much quieter and more peaceful than Amsterdam proper. Just a 10-minute walk from Clink, I manage to stumble upon Cafe de Cuevel, a former shipyard that is now home to a thriving community of entrepreneurs and artists. The aim of the owners is to revamp the contaminated land to create green working spaces for the neighbourhood’s creative businesses. The green, sustainable kitchen of Café de Ceuvel, built from salvaged maritime materials, is dedicated to clean technology and use of solar power and heat exchangers, as well as reuse its kitchen and toilet waste through treatment, composting and filtration. As well as providing delicious food, de Ceuvel also has an extensive programme of events such as recycling workshops, litter picking, pop-up shops, film screenings and parties.
Headings further still into Noord’s residential area, I find a group of industrial units that have been converted into a host of cool venues, sort of like a mini NDSM. Oedipus Brewing Co was the first to set up shop here and have gone on to produce some of the best craft beer that Amsterdam has to offer. Their converted warehouse taproom is one of the finest I’ve visited; spacious and brightly coloured with a suntrap terrace in the car park outside that quickly fills when the sun is shining. It isn’t the only brewery making waves in Noord though. Nearby, the smaller Walhalla brewery and taproom set up by local homebrewer Aart van Bergen, is one of the newest breweries to pop up inAmsterdam’s prolific beer scene. Another fantastic spot is SkateCafe, which opened its doors in 2017, featuring a mini skate ramp as well as a bar and dining area.
Feeling a little tipsy from my visits to Walhalla and Oedipus, I stumble back towards ClinkNOORD for the evening, stopping for a rest on the steps of the space-age looking Amsterdam EYE museum. The sun is just starting to set over the IJ and throngs of tourists are milling around the Iamsterdam on the waterfront or stopping for sundowner co*cktails on the balcony of Tolhuistuin. Amsterdam Noord seems to be thriving. While it’s true that just a decade ago I may not have wanted to hang out here, right now, its the best place to be in Amsterdam.
Where to Stay in Amsterdam Noord
ClinkNOORD
Set within an old 1920’s laboratory on the bank of the IJ River Clink Noord manages to straddle the line between a designer hostel and huge backpacker hub fairly effortlessly. As with much of Noord, creativity is the theme and there is gallery space, a cafe, a bar, as well as programmes for visiting artists, bands and writers (paint, play or write and stay for free) which means guests are often treated to a free gig or exhibition.
Unlike in many sterile mega hostels, ClinkNoord buts on a huge number of events that encourage a social atmosphere; There are daily walking tours, yoga and meditation sessions in the beautiful, astroturfed atrium, Dutch beer tasting sessions in the psychedelically decorated, glow in the dark Zinc Bar, as well as meet-ups for solo travellers.
On a practical side, the hostel offers minimalist-industrial style dorms that range from 4 – 16 beds in mixed and female-only varieties as well as private, double rooms with their own en-suite bathrooms.
Where to Eat and Drink in Amsterdam Noord
Café de Ceuvel
This Bohemian, eco-conscious, waterfront cafe is built on the site of a former shipyard from salvaged material, such as 80-year-old bollards from the port of Amsterdam and a lifeguard pavilion from Scheeveningen. The larger De Ceuval organisation that oversees the area aims to revamp the contaminated land to create green working spaces for the neighbourhood’s creative businesses. The green, sustainable kitchen of Café de Ceuvel serves local beers and delicious vegetarian food where many of the ingredients on the menu are grown in the on-site aquaponics greenhouse. Other examples of their dedication to clean technology are their use of solar power, heat exchangers, and reuse of its kitchen and toilet waste through treatment, composting and filtration. They hope to inspire everyone around them to go green. As well as providing delicious food, de Ceuvel also has an extensive programme of events such as recycling workshops, litter picking, pop-up shops, film screenings and parties, making it the perfect hangout in Amsterdam Noord.
Oedipus Brewing
Founded by four local friends with a passion for all things beer, Oedipus has managed to really shake up the Amsterdam beer scene since launching in 2010 and has gone on to become, in my beer-loving opinion, the city’s best brewery. As well as brewing the usual IPAs and sours, Oedipus has won over legions of craft beer fans thanks to serving to strange creations such as Thai Thai (a sweet, spicy beer tripel brewed using Thai ingredients) and Mannenliefde (lemongrass and Szechuan pepper Saison). Even if you aren’t a huge fan of beer, their bright and colourful taproom is worth a visit in itself. Hidden away in an industrial unit about 15-minute’s walk from Buiksloterveer ferry terminal, Oedipus’ headquarters is the perfect hangout, with plenty of outdoor seating and a kitchen throwing out juicy burgers from ‘The Beef Chief’.
Green Canteen
If you’re having a drink in Oedipus, it’s worth popping across the road to Green Canteen. The eatery is small and intimate with limited seating but their menu of hummus, falafel and middle eastern fare is a good alternative to the burgers served in the nearby brewery’s on-site kitchen. They’re also leading the way in eco-friendly cuisine: Not only is the veg seasonal, but it is also mostly stuff that suppliers have written off as surplus.
Walhalla
Set up by Aart van Bergen, a local homebrewer that has since made his passion into a business, Walhalla is one of the newest breweries to pop up in Amsterdam’s prolific beer scene. Drawing inspiration from all manner of ancient religions and mythologies, they have such divine offerings as Loki, a stunning golden IPA, and Osiris, a Belgian Saison. Their brewery taproom, a cosy little spot hidden away in the eastern side of Noord, is open Friday to Sunday.
Hanger
Located in an old, corrugated iron hangar near to Stichting Skatepark on the corner of a small, artificial peninsula in Amsterdam-Noord, Hanger has an impressive, industrial-chic dining room and terrace that overlooks Amsterdam’s southern harbour. With an interior designed by styling expert Stella Willing, you will find an unusual combination of rusting metal sheets, vintage chandeliers and mirrored walls, all with a slightly tropical flair. Apparently, they like to describe their design as ‘a beautiful mess’. The food is a little more expensive than most other places listed, but it may be worth stopping by for a co*cktail or two.
Tolhuistuin
Originally housing the Shell worker’s canteen between 1941 and 2011 when the company occupied the entire Overhoeks area, the Tolhuistuin is now a restaurant, bar and event space. There are gigs and concerts taking place most evenings and the upstairs is home to a huge cafe with a balcony that is perfect for sunset co*cktails while looking over the IJ towards central Amsterdam.
Pllek
Sitting right on the banks of the River IJ in NDSM, it’s possible that Pllek is one of the best-located drinking spots in Amsterdam. It may just look like a stack of shipping containers piled haphazardly on the edge of the shipyard because that is essentially what it is, but step inside and you’ll find an airy, industrial-chic interior with furniture made from salvaged shipping and maritime junk. Step out through its glass facade and you’ll find yourself on a man-made beach, complete with sun loungers and picnic benches, giving you the impression that you’re on the Costa Del Amsterdam. As well as serving food from morning until late, Pllek regularly hosts events on its outdoor terrace such as gigs, DJs and film nights. Even if you don’t plan on seeing much else in Amsterdam Noord, it is worth coming here to hang out on a sunny day, although the beach can get pretty full once summer hits.
Noorderlicht
One of Amsterdam’s more unusual cafes, even by NDSM standards, Noorderlicht (which translates into English as ‘the Northern Lights’) is essentially a huge greenhouse filled with colourful, mismatched thrift store furniture. They have a good selection of local beers and a range of vegan and vegetarian dishes, although the menu is pretty omnivorous. Upstairs you will find a cool hangout space with pool tables but the real attraction of Noorderlicht is its waterfront terrace. Noorderlicht also occasionally hosts live music on weekend evenings.
Things to See & Do in Amsterdam Noord
Eye Film Museum
The modernist design of the EYE Film Museum looks like an angular, futuristic spaceship that has landed on the banks of the IJ. Originally opening in 2012 directly across the water from Amsterdam Centraal, the iconic white structure is an attraction in itself, but step inside and you’ll find that it contains 4 cinemas, a permanent, interactive film museum on the bottom floor and a space for rotating exhibitions. As well as new releases, the museum’s archive has more than 37,000 titles, When I was there, the space was taken up a fascinating exhibition on film’s depictions of conflict zones titled A Tale of Hidden Histories (featuring work by Broomberg & Chanarin, Omer Fast, Chia-Wei Hsu, and Meiro Koizumi). The EYE’s restaurant and cafe are built on a stepped terrace with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that offer one of the best views in the entire city.
NDSM Wharf
NDSM Wharf is a fairly odd place. Arriving by ferry from Amsterdam Centraal, the first thing that you will probably notice is an abandoned submarine bobbing just off the shore, a Botel (that’s right, it’s a boat hotel) and a bunch of graffiti-covered, once abandoned all trams that are now people’s homes. Trams aren’t the only unusual accommodation in NDSM, there is also a crane that has been converted into the ultra-luxury three-room Faralda Hotel for anyone that loves heights and has money to burn, as well as student accommodation made from stacks of shipping containers. In fact, lots of things in NDSM are made from old shipping containers, including the bars and restaurants.
Dig a little deeper though and you will find some real gems in this once desolate, former industrial hub. Of all the areas in Amsterdam, this is possibly the most creative. You will find the city’s best street art dotted around the area (the world’s biggest street art gallery/museum is currently being built here) and inside one NDSM hangar, you’ll find Kunststad (Art City), with studios for 200 artists and designers. Festivals are regularly held in the huge outdoor spaces and many of the bars, such as Pllek and Noorderlicht host outdoor DJs and live music in summer.
A’DAM Lookout
Once the home of Royal Dutch Shell, the 22-storey A’DAM Tower has been restored and refurbished in recent years and now hosts restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and office space. Moon, on the 19th floor, serves up locally-sourced, seasonal food as it rotates to give a 360-degree view of the city. However, if you want to get even higher, the 13th-floor observation deck (€13 entry) includes Europe’s highest swing. Anyone that is feeling brave can strap themselves in, positioned at a terrifying height of nearly 100 metres above the ground, and swing over the edge of the building.
Nieuwendammerdijk
Although the industrial landscape of Amsterdam Noord may be a far cry from the pretty, gabled houses and canals of central Amsterdam, it does have Nieuwendammerdijk, a beautiful, long and narrow street of historic wooden Dutch houses, some dating back to the 1500s. The area was originally constructed when a new dyke and dam (hence Nieuwendam) were built on the site and fishermen, ferrymen, traders and shipbuilders decided to build their houses, warehouses and wharfs here.
Ij Hallen
Once a month, two of the huge, cavernous industrial buildings at NDSM Wharf hosts Europe’s biggest flea market. There are around 750 stalls selling second-hand clothes, shoes, antiquities, jewellery, books, and even furniture. Unfortunately, I was in the city at the wrong time of the month to see the market for myself, but I’ve heard that it’s perfect for bargain hunters. Entry costs €5 per person.
Noorderpark
Amsterdam is filled with a whole bunch of fantastic parks and green spaces, the most famous being the enormous Vondelpark near the city centre. It seems that the Dutch know how to do parks right, and whenever the sun comes out, you’ll find Amsterdammers heading straight there to catch some rays. Amsterdam Noord even has its own fantastic open space in Noorderpark. It was created by combining the area formerly taken up by two different parks (the Florapark and Volewijkspark) to form a green oasis as large as the Vondelpark. The park also hosts a number of events such as concerts and festivals.
How to Get to Amsterdam Noord
Free ferries run 24 hours a day every 10 minutes or so from behind Amsterdam Centraal station. For A’DAM Toren, Eye Film Institute, and Clink Noord, take the Buiksloterweg ferry (five-minute crossing). For NDSM, take the NDSM ferry (15-minutes).
This post is created in collaboration with Clink Hostels. I received a complimentary stay at ClinkNOORD, however, all views expressed are my own.
