Trippin in the Dam.
Another quick scoot over to the Dam for Vi.no.so, now well established in Noord, on the north bank of the Amstel. The event takes over two adjacent venues — FC Hyena and Hotel De Goudfazant (goudfazant being pheasant in Dutch). It lands close to midsummer, lending itself to a nice summery atmosphere regardless of the weather. The winemakers are well looked after here. Most of the wines are showcased by importers based in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Sunday, the public day, was apparently extremely busy — with quite a bit of wine sold.
Cul Sec — The Non-Alcoholic Find of the Day
Cul Sec is not a wine, and that is precisely the point. It is a non-alcoholic alternative built on the same intellectual framework as natural wine: maceration, wild herbs, wine grapes, and fermentation — just without the alcohol. Born in the Netherlands from a restaurant team who spent years experimenting before bottling, Cul Sec drinks like a discovery rather than a compromise.
The base is a fermented blend — kefir or kombucha — infused with various botanicals and built around real wine grapes. The result is category-defying: complex, savoury, and structured enough to sit at a dinner table without apology.
Balade Minérale was the hit of the day. A white built on organic Müller-Thurgau and Bacchus grapes, infused with oyster shells, dulse seaweed, lacto-fermented rhubarb, verjus, and Douglas fir. It is crisp, saline, and mineral — a briny sea breeze in a glass — with a subtle effervescence and a dry, food-friendly finish. The oyster shells lend a genuine maritime tang, the rhubarb provides bright acidity, and the Douglas fir adds a whisper of resinous forest. It is, quite simply, delightful — the kind of zero-proof drink that makes you forget you are not drinking wine.
Magdalena "Maggie" Modersohn — First Vintage, Castiglione di Sicilia
Magdalena Modersohn — Maggie to those who know her — is a Berlin-born natural winemaker now based in Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of Etna. Her first vintage has just landed, and the results are remarkably assured for a debut: 4,000 bottles in total, all from a new vineyard in one of Sicily's most dramatic wine landscapes.
The standout is Tommaso I, a Bianco from the Catarratto grape. It pours with a wonderful colour — golden, alive, and sun-drenched — and drinks with the kind of balance and poise that suggests a winemaker already in command of her material. For a first vintage, it is an impressive statement: light, textured, and unmistakably Sicilian. If this is the beginning, the next chapter will be worth watching.
Amsterdam Underground
A concise guide to natural wine bars, restaurants, bottle shops, and consciousness retailers across the city.
GlouGlou
Amsterdam's OG natural wine bar. Tiny, loud, and always packed. Pet-nats, orange wines, and an annual Beaujolais Nouveau party that breaks the street.
No reservations Pet-nat heavenBar Centraal
The grown-up sibling to GlouGlou. Low-intervention list with surprises like Jacquère from Savoie. The peas-and-potatoes plate is deceptively simple and perfect.
Lunch quiet Dinner slammedBottleshop
Ultra-modern black-and-white striped bar. Rare bottles from Ganevat, Labet, Overnoy. Beef short rib and chicken yakitori on the food menu.
Rare bottles WibautstraatCafé Twee Prinsen
A classic bruincafé turned natural wine bar. Low-intervention but never dogmatic. Warm, unpretentious, fairly priced. Arrive early.
Jordaan vibes UnpretentiousFabus
Women-led bar with underrepresented regions and excellent Levantine food. The roasted cauliflower with tahini is the move. Younger, edgier crowd.
Levantine food Women-ledOocker
400+ bottles, 60+ by the glass. Elegant skinny space with a sun-trap terrace. Cacio e pepe croquettes by day; larger dishes after 17:30.
400 bottles TerracePaskamer
Wine Bar of the Year 2022. ~50 wines by the glass with precise food pairings—smoked pulpo with Grauburgunder. Romantic and chic.
Awarded Food pairings4850
Scandinavian all-day hangout. Coffee and cinnamon buns by day; wine bar by night with 700+ wines including Ganevat, Labet, Bruyère-Houillon.
All-day Scandi vibesBar Babar
Tight, cozy spot with a living-room feel. Natural wines sourced from local shops like Pieksman and Vleck. Sourdough bread from Mater bakery.
Living room feel Loire focusCafé Remouillage
Candlelight, creaky wooden tables, living-room vibes. Small, clever seasonal menu with wines from Anders Frederik Steen, Christian Tschida, and Domaine Disco.
Candlelight ZuidLa Dilettante
Quirky, rustic spot with mismatched furniture and a lengthy natural wine list. Standout: natural Sicilian reds with earthy, yeast-like undertones. Very affordable.
Sicilian reds AffordableChoux
East of Centraal. Outstanding natural wine by the glass. Seafood is the play. Ingredients come from their own 60m² urban garden. Bottles to go.
Urban garden SeafoodBAK
Top-floor restaurant in a repurposed shipping warehouse. Owner pours and will open selections by the glass if you ask nicely. €65 dinner—incredible value.
Docklands view €65 dinnerDe Kas
Greenhouse restaurant in the park. Seasonal, farm-to-table cooking. Lunch is a steal at 3 courses €35.50. Wander the gardens after.
Greenhouse Lunch dealOficina
You don't find it—you stumble in. Warm wood, Japanese tranquillity, natural wines from Matassa, Saurigny, Robinot, Strohmeier. A still life with soul.
Hidden Japanese moodTurbo Amsterdam
Franco-Asian neo-bistro reimagining French techniques with Asian influences. Natural wine program integrated into the tasting menu.
Franco-Asian Neo-bistroBistro Numero Zero
Local, seasonal, organic food with a tight natural wine list. Unfussy execution, serious product sourcing.
Organic SeasonalLevain et le Vin
Smells like fresh bread and good magazines. Funky natural wines to fine Burgundies from Bastian Wolber. A Sunday morning in retail form.
Bread + winePieksman Wijnwinkel
The first natural wine importer in the Netherlands, established in the 1960s. A cornerstone of the scene.
Since 1960s ImporterWijnbar Vindict
50+ wines by the glass (Coravin). Wednesday "Bottle Madness" (4–7pm): buy a bottle from the shop and drink it at the bar for retail + €10.
Bottle madness WednesdaysDe Kaaf
Compact wine shop with a curated natural selection. Staff know their growers and can navigate by taste rather than region.
Curated Taste-drivenChateau Amsterdam
Europe's biggest urban winery. Offers tours, tastings, and dinner-and-wine pairing packages. A different angle on local wine culture.
Urban winery ToursRayleigh & Ramsay
Self-service wine machines with around 100 open wines. Load a card and pour your own tasting, half, or full glass. Great for groups.
Self-serve 100 winesMagic Mushroom Gallery
One of the oldest and most respected chains. Less crowded than Red Light District shops, so staff have time to talk dosage, strain, and set/setting. Two central locations.
Knowledgeable staff 2 locationsKokopelli
Beautifully decorated, atmospheric shop near Centraal. Happy to answer questions even if you're just browsing. Also stocks herbs, seeds, and vaporizers.
Atmospheric Near CentraalTatanka
Large, well-established smart shop on the Leidseplein. Competitive prices, wide selection, and an online store shipping within Europe.
Leidseplein Wide selectionAzarius
Long-standing Amsterdam institution with a bigger-brand mentality. Also has a strong online presence and detailed product education.
Established Education-focusedHeadshop / Shroomshop
One of the oldest magic truffle stores in the city. Discreet shipping, lab-tested products, and decades of institutional knowledge.
Lab-tested DiscreetDrop this map into your phone and wander. Amsterdam rewards the lost.
