The Best Things To Do In Amsterdam's Oud-West

Amsterdam’s Oud-West neighbourhood trails southward alongside Vondelpark and contains three of the longest thoroughfares in the city – namely Overtoom, Kinkerstraat and de Clerqstraat – which run parallel to one another towards Rembrantdpark. The district features more than its fair share of cultural hotspots and has a distinctive laid-back, neighbourly atmosphere which matches perfectly with its charming, early 20th-century architecture.

Check out de Hallen

De Hallen is a large, cultural centre located midway down Kinkerstraat, housed inside a former, municipal tram depot. This historic building contains many different creative ventures, including boutique stores, an exclusive design hotel, the largest artisanal food court in Amsterdam and an awesome, nine screen arthouse cinema which features stunning art deco wall hangings (and ample foot room!). De Hallen also hosts social events throughout the month such as secondhand book markets, photo exhibitions and live concerts.
De Hallen, Hannie Dankbaarpassage 47, Amsterdam +31 20 705 8164

Enjoy some of the best coffee in Amsterdam

The Oud-West is easily among the best places in the city to relax with an excellent cup of java and has an impressive number of chilled out coffee bars. Kinkerstraat, for example, features the Coffee Room, which has plenty of room for small groups, couples or solo customers, and Lot Sixty One, which has its own, onsite roastery. There are many other coffee hotspots spread around the neighbourhood including Koffie Academie on Overtoom and Berry on Bilderdijkkade.
Coffee Room, Kinkerstraat 110, Amsterdam +31 20 612 4527

Koffie Academie, Overtoom 95, Amsterdam +31 20 370 7981

Berry Amsterdam, Bilderdijkkade 27, Amsterdam +31 20 370 7300

Ten Kate Market

Like most other neighbourhoods in Amsterdam, the Oud-West has a local market which runs every day, apart from Sunday. This cosy market takes place on a long, central street called Ten Katestraat which lies a few metres away from de Hallen. There’s always a huge number of products available at the market ranging from fresh vegetables to Dutch style fries.
Ten Kate Market, Ten Katestraat 97-99, Amsterdam

Catch a show at OT301

OT301 is a former squat on Overtoom that was founded by a group of artists and activists in the late 1990s as an alternative cultural centre. The project has since been legalised by the government and currently houses several initiatives including ateliers, a vegan restaurant, and concert venue. OT301’s weekly calendar always features a remarkable variety of events ranging from club nights to avant-garde dance performances. It also hosts a very popular ping pong night every Tuesday.
OT301, Overtoom 301, Amsterdam +31 20 412 2954

Watch a movie at LAB111

LAB111 is one of the newest members of Amsterdam’s long list of excellent arthouse cinemas and launched in 2016. As its name suggests, the movie theatre (and restaurant) is housed inside a former pathological laboratory that’s been fitted with several modern cinema screens. Aside from screening the latest indie films, LAB111 also regularly shows cult classics and hosts monthly programs that are dedicated to a specific facet of film history.
LAB111, Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam +31 20 616 9994

Discover the neighbourhood’s laid-back nightlife

Aside from larger hangouts like OT301 and de Hallen, the Oud-West also contains dozens of smaller bars, beer cafés and cocktail lounges. The area’s watering holes are usually pretty down-to-earth and have friendly, communal atmospheres. For instance, there’s Scrapyard on Kinksterstraat, which serves a large selection of well-balanced, innovative cocktails and has a cavernous, seating area with comfy sofas, or Café Panache on Ten Katemarkt whose kitchen stays open until around midnight every day of the week. Looking for some local or craft beer? Make sure to check out de Gollem or Craft & Draft on Overtoom, both of which stock over 100 different beers from around the world.
Café Scrapyard, Kinkerstraat 24, Amsterdam

Café Panache, Ten Katestraat 117, Amsterdam +31 20 221 1736

Gollem’s Proeflokaal, Overtoom 160-162, Amsterdam +31 20 612 9444

Craft & Draft, Overtoom 417, Amsterdam +31 20 223 0725

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