Gollem at the Water

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At the Entrepotdok, just behind Artis, lies Gollem aan het Water – a local café with a big heart for craft beer. This part of Amsterdam has a rich history: in the 18th century, the Entrepotdok was an innovative customs area where goods were stored temporarily without tax. The long quay was built up with warehouses that still bear the names of cities from the former Low Countries, such as Liège, Ghent, and Middelburg. These were the destinations of the stored goods.

In that historic setting, the first Gollem opened in 1974. Its founder was a beer lover with a fondness for Lord of the Rings and Belgian brews. He used to drive to Belgium himself to collect crates, thus starting one of Amsterdam’s first craft beer cafés. There are now six locations, but the love for beer remains unchanged.

Gollem aan het Water serves six beers on tap and offers a rotating selection of about 100 bottled beers. The Gollem Blond was the first house beer, but the favorite is the Precious IPA – a fresh, hoppy beer brewed in Belgium to their own recipe. It pairs perfectly with their Precious Gin in a fruity beer cocktail.

Still, Gollem is not just about beer. It’s a true neighborhood café, where locals gather on Friday afternoons and where you’re welcome on any weekday for coffee, a good chat, or a discounted “neighborhood wine.” On the terrace, you can hear the animals from Artis, and in summer, you can jump straight into the water.