Amsterdam Zuid is the city's polished side after dark, all skyline rooftops, hotel bars and after work drinks. My guide to a grown up night in the south. See NightFind.
The best thing Zuid offers after dark is height. The rooftop bars here sit above the low Amsterdam skyline, so a cocktail comes with a view of the whole city going gold at sunset. My move is to arrive before the light drops, order something proper, and watch the city switch on below. It is the kind of setting that turns a simple drink into an occasion, and it is a world away from the crowds of the centre.
The Zuidas is the glass and steel business district, and once the offices empty it fills with a different energy. This is where the city comes for after work drinks, the bars busy with people winding down over a wine or a beer before the evening properly begins. It is smart, it is social, and it moves earlier than the rest of the city, so it suits a night that starts at six rather than midnight.
Zuid is not all polish and skyline. Near the old Olympic Stadium you will find Tap Zuid, a relaxed taproom where the focus is good beer and an easy atmosphere. This is my reminder that the south has a neighbourhood side too, the sort of place to settle in with a local brew and no agenda. It balances the rooftops nicely, giving you somewhere down to earth to land.
Start early, because Zuid runs on evening hours rather than late night ones. Dress a little smarter than you would for the centre, since the rooftops and hotel bars lean refined. And treat the district as the first half of a bigger night if you want to keep going, because De Pijp and the clubs of the centre are a short tram ride away. Zuid is where I begin an elegant evening, then decide whether to stay calm or head north into the noise.
If your idea of a great evening involves a skyline, a well made drink and room to actually hear the person across the table, Amsterdam Zuid is your district. Browse the bars of Amsterdam Zuid on NightFind, pick a rooftop for sunset, and give yourself a night that feels a little more grown up.
