Rotterdam

Rotterdam is well-known for its raw, straightforward and unapologetic character, which is also evident in its bars, breweries and beers. Rotterdam is a major port city in the Dutch province of South Holland. The Maritime Museum's vintage ships and exhibits trace the city's seafaring history. The 17th-century Delfshaven neighbourhood is home to canal side shopping and Pilgrim Fathers Church, where pilgrims worshiped before sailing to America. After being almost completely reconstructed following WWII, the city is now known for bold, modern architecture. Rotterdammers are proud of their city and not always keen on sharing their best secrets. But the city has started opening up more, although the best places aren’t necessarily the most crowded ones. Here’s my low down on the breweries (18 as of Oct 2025) and bars to grab a beer in this interesting city.

Brewpub Reijngoud, Vijverhofstraat 10

What an amazing hidden gem in Rotterdam! This hofbrouwerij opened in 2020 by the famous Reijngoud pub which already claimed it's place in Rotterdam. The location is great and the interior is awesome. The staff will do there utmost to give you a good time (and especially sell you a lot of beer) Inside a cool big poster with the Euromast and a view on the Holland Amerika Boat. They serve 40 beers on tap and over 100 bottled, wood-fired pizzas, delicious dishes from the smoker, and freshly baked sourdough bread. A must visit for any beer geek 🥴

Kaapse Brouwers, Veerlaan 19D

Located slightly off the beaten track, generally to be visited by Metro and a 10 minute walk along the pier, it's in a cool old warehouse in some dock in Rotterdam, away from city centre, among some food stands, this is a nice place to hang out. This is a micro / brewpub the ambiance is nice and industrial. If the weather allows, outside seating with terraces at the waterfront is really nice. A bit of a hipster (or is that hamster?), with lots of seating inside the big room and the brew kit at the rear, but most of their stuff is brewed at De Molen Brouwerij. They have 30 taps, mostly Kaapse but some other guests. Note the line for ordering seems never to be interrupted, many waiters though, so you don´t have to wait too long. Only one pour size available but they do a flight or tasters. The staff are friendly and competent, but beware as they only accepted payment by Chip Card, NO cash. Plus there is a bottle shop attached 😃.

Stadshaven Brouwerij & Gastropub, Galileistraat 24

A very nice location in an impressive building with a harbour views, indoor dining area plus bar seating, outdoor patio terrace, plus a shop. They do interesting and educational brewery tours. The food is delicious, and the selection of beers is outstanding. A must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy great craft beer in a fantastic atmosphere. Just 20 mins from the centre of Rotterdam, easily accessible by tram.

Brouwerij Noordt, Zaagmolenkade 46

A peculiar location, and hard to find? Horribly situated in the middle of ugly 80s flats. But the building it's self is very characteristic, the interior is light and industrial. The brewery space is very spacious, with enough room for expansion it seems? The tap room is very modern with lots of cool wood and steel. They offer only their own beer on tap, albeit 20 of them, so plenty to choose from so great for ticking and beer geeks. They also have a little bottle and swag shop to take stuff home. A great relaxed place to enjoy a good beer, certainly worth the journey if you’re ticking off local beers (not that I ever would🤪).

Vet & Lazy Bierkaai, Rhijnspoorkade, 3063

Great craft beer with a view of Rotterdam's skyline. A quirky but cosy spot with a great selection of tap and bottled beers. You can tell the guys working there love their job and their beers. The beers here are special and delicious and so well-made. The service is always fast and kind, and the atmosphere, just next to the Maas river with the view on Rotterdam, is priceless.

Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim, Aelbrechtskolk 12, Delfshaven

This is a quant and cosy little brewpub with lots of wooden interior, located in the heart of Delshaven, an area everyone should visit when in Rotterdam. In the summer, it is possible to sit outside on the patio that watches over the old Delfshaven harbour and the old buildings in the street, or in the cobbled courtyard. There are six of their beers are on tap, accompanied by a few bottles. For around €5 you can order a tasting plank with five of their tap beers (be aware that the glasses are just shot glasses though), while it is possible to order their beers in three different sizes. The staff are quite friendly the prices are average, even though the beers are brewed over there. The quality of the beers is decent but this place is more about really cool atmosphere a must do visit 🍻.

V11, Wijnhaven 101

A brewpub / restaurant and concert space on a huge red la lightship that was in service in the Irish Sea between 1951 and 1988 and is now permanently docked in the Rotterdam harbour. Awesome! Easy to find as only two metro stops away from central station. Mostly a restaurant feel. They do have seats at the two bars but only a few. A nice mix between a classic English pub but with a more modern fancy décor. The food menu is interesting and fairly priced. They have 5 of their own beers some on cask, mostly UK style, though the quality of the beers needs improvement. A nice welcoming atmosphere, nice ambiance, especially on the deck, is fantastic. Good to come for the cool venue and to tick the beers.

De Gele Kanarie, Goudsesingel 284

The Yellow Canary is a really nice informal spacious café/bar. A very modern interior with lots of pine tables and chairs, a large covered patio at the front to sit and enjoy a beer while people watching in the summer. There is a window in the floor to see through to the brewery in the basement beneath. The stainless steel kit is a small 3 to 4 hectolitre brewery. The staff are nice and attentive. A nice place to have drinks and something to eat at very affordable prices even though it's always very busy but too big to be really cozy there is still a nice atmosphere.

De Hoevebrugsche Bierbrouwerij, Walenburgerweg 62b

Fantastic tasty beers from the smallest fully operational brewery in the Netherlands located in the stately Provenierswijk district on the Spoorsingel. The Brouwers are 2 nice guys who have managed to come up with good recipes for their Blonde, Tripel, Weizen and Hop Special over a number of years.

BrewDog Outpost Rotterdam, 1 Halvemaanpassage

Opened as an outpost in 2020 that houses a 5HL brewhouse, 10 fermenters and 10 serving tanks. The brew kit is used to make small-batch exclusives for Outpost Rotterdam customers. Also it features an awesome selection of craft beers from 18 taps of local and international brews. Like all BrewDog bars they serve food. Located in a glass-fronted corner spot behind Rotterdam's City Hall, just a stone's throw from the river. Inside it's the typical industrial feel with a large outdoor terrace and further tables down the side. Friendly staff. Typical expensive prices that you tend to find in all BD bars (so much for the "Punk" ethos).

BrewDog Rotterdam Witte de Withstraat, Witte de Withstraat 83

A new location more of the same standard overpriced industrial chic décor. Features 16 taps of craft beer, BrewPuppy headliners!and of course, the best part guest breweries from across the Netherlands. The bar, spread over two floors on Witte de Withstraat, features arcade machines, shuffleboard, and an open-air terrace out front.

Boudewijn (Belgisch Biercafé), Nieuwe Binnenweg 53 a-b, 3014 GD

Situated in an area with a few other bars and opposite Coop. A nice traditional Bruin Café with quite a big bar in the center. Inside it's mostly a wooden interior and split over 3 levels. The décor is pretty decent and has a nice ambiance. The beer range is a split between Belgian and Dutch Belgian styles in bottles and on tap. For each beer, there is a matching glass. The bar is surrounded by hundreds of glasses. Quite imposing really. The beer menu is very organized. The beers are sorted by type. This makes it easy to choose a beer for your mood. Most of the time the crazy names of the local beers don’t tell what kind of beer it is. The service is good and friendly, and the food menu is good a nice place, worth a visit.

Kaapse Maria, Mauritsweg 52, 3012 JB

An "L" shaped venue on a wide main road, it sits on Mauritsweg which is one of the main routes from Rotterdam Central station when heading south towards the river, it's a 13 minute walk and about a km from the station. It's a rather elegant looking white building with large windows. The décor is very smart and modern  but still warm and cosy with a good atmosphere, with the bar facing the entrance, with a lovely original wooden floor, a nice curly wurly staircase, some black and white floor tiles near the bar and a nice spacious feel to the place the kitchen is at the rear. Plenty of seating available both inside and out. The beer range is great with plenty from Kaapse beers plus some other interesting Dutch guest beers. The service is super friendly, the food is a version of tapas and is good. A recommend a stop.

Bierlokaal Locus Publicus, Oostzeedijk 364

Located smack opposite the Oostplein tram stop, is easy to get to. This is a spacious brown café' full of character in this big square room with nice wooden interior, and even an open fire! I must say the place looks amazing. Mostly older people frequent this place, and the beer selection reflects that. Lots of Belgian classics and sweet high abv beers. They have 20 taps of mostly Belgian, Dutch and German brews. The beer list is helpfully put on large chalkboards behind the bar. The place could easily be one of the best in Rotterdam if only they put more energy in the beer selection? Overall; Good and friendly service with a cool vibe.

Sijf, Oude Binnenweg 115

A nice bar located on a corner, easy to spot with the murals around the upper stories, it's deceptively big place, with a big patio that is full even in the winter. Inside it's on split level's with seats at the bar. Lovely antique place with Jugendstil/Art Deco design elements. Wooden floors throughout and more comfy seating towards the rear the décor is nice and traditional. The vibe is old timey brown café with a cosy feel. A solid tap list with some generic Belgians and other unusual Dutch beers, with average to high prices. It gets very busy in the evening's. Not particularly a ticker friendly bat, but a solid place.

Bokaal Rotterdam, Nieuwemarkt 11

Located quite close to Blaak station about a 6-8 mins walk away, it is situated in a mainly residential area, there are shops but it’s surrounded by apartments. Inside it's a large square shaped one room place with a large centrally located bar, there are recycled wooden tables and bench seats in the window with cushions as back rests and with lots of seating outside. There are twelve taps, with a special blackboard on which the “local heroes” are listed.  The beers on tap are displayed on boards above the bar. A nice place to visit if you are beer hunting in Rotterdam.

(At) Weena, Weena 202

Located on, of course, the Weena. It's not the most beautiful spot in Rotterdam, so if you're looking for a terrace, I'd recommend choosing something else. Inside, it's nicely decorated with plenty of space between tables for quiet conversation.. Very smiling, quick and efficient service. Great place to share time with friends .

Biergarten, Schiestraat 18

A lively seasonal venue, that reminds me a bit of Budapest style ruin bars? With burgers and bar bites, plus a robust selection of craft and draft beers. It has been around for around 15 years, good music, friendly staff, mellow vibes, good selection of beers. Recommend

Westkop, Museumpark 35

This bar offers a great variety of craft beers alongside delicious pizza, all to be enjoyed on the pleasant outdoor terrace. The staff are friendly and helpful in choosing craft beers. The selection of beers is impressive, making it a great spot for beer geeks. Combining this with the inviting atmosphere and pleasant outdoor seating, it's an overall enjoyable experience. 🍻

Proeflokaal Reijngoud, Schiedamse Vest 148, 3012 BG

Quite a big modern bar in lively area. They have 16 taps of joy, with lots of classics and a few local/new Dutch craft beers. A two stories corner pub with an outdoor patio, the first floor has a spacious interior balcony with seating. It’s rather spartan/modern/industrial like inside but there’s a nice black and white photo on one wall of a boy on a fairground swing over the Maas. The place gets quite full on weekend nights. Another Rotterdam bar that seems like a social hotspot. The staff are nice, but they don’t give the impression that they know beer?

Haagse Bluf, Haagseveer 90

Haagse Bluf is located about 3-4 mins walk from the Rotterdam World Trade Centre on street called Haagseever and backing onto a canal called Delftsevaart. You can sit outside on the canal side. The bar itself is no looker either being a rather plain brick building with apartments above. But inside its quite cosy with a local's feel to it The beer choice is pretty good Beer list is by no means overwhelming, but solid and beats hell out of most of the other local cafes. A good place for a quiet dinner on the canal and some quality beers.

Café De Oude Sluis, Havenstraat 7

A lovely brown café in the scarce historical part of town, by the main road bridge in Delfshaven. There are some interesting carved wooden pictures on the walls and is full of interesting local characters, history and some curious such as the strange glass fronted picture on the wall with a black and white head of a creature with a large tongue, there is a button underneath which when pressed illuminates his eye red and mechanisms then move his jaw to open and close. The terrace lounge (which doubles as the smoking room) with views on the water and old buildings that is a sun trap. A small tap list, but usually at least one interesting beer. Belgian classics their feature is having all trappiest beers. A nice bottle selection too, but you have to ask... No kitchen, just snacks. Good friendly staff and bit of a little gen of a beer place.

Station Bergweg, Bergweg 335

Station Bergweg is a really cool foodcourt, set in an old train station. Especially the rooftop terrace is nice. The foodcourt is vibrant and has a wide variety of food options. There are many tables and there are even boardgames and cool pinball machines you can play to amp up the energy. Plus some cans and bottles and a few draft beers.

Verdins Bierwinkel - Craft Beer Store, Mauritsweg 60

Probably the best beer shop in Rotterdam and a true beer heaven. These guys are serious about beer, offering a wide selection of local, national and international beers. They mixevery day beers to some rare or limited release beers, serving both those who just want to sip a cold one and the geeks that are chasing some hyped release. The owner is very well informed and is always willing to help you to find whatever you want.

Bierboutique, Witte de Withstraat 40B

A narrow bar which have very clean interior and serves a good amount of beer and food. They have good choices to make with clear descriptions. The hosts are very friendly and very quick with their service. They have a unique sip and taste menu where they combine beers of different types with spirits. It's such an interesting experience and would recommend to give it a try!

Eurotrash Brewery, Rotterdam

Taken from the old to brew something new. They create beers based on historic traditions. For the love of malts and hops. Located under an old train track in the “De Hofbogen”, Eurotrash United is a unique combination of craft beer bar, live music venue, and exotic cuisine all in a cosy vintage setting.

Monarch Brewery at Trots Bier Rotterdam, Mauritsweg 60

There brewpub is to have a unique formula they want to offer up to 700+ independently owned craft beers. They aim to donate 10% of their annual profit to preserve natural reserves around the globe. Check their website of updates.

Brouwerij Apenrots, Rotterdam

Founded in 2022 the monkey rock. That's where you meet up with friends. That's where you can be yourself, have fun together, and toast with beer. The beers are developed using a 65-liter pilot plant {Visit not possible}. The large batches are then brewed at BeerSelect (Belgium).

De Machine Bier, Lloydkade 741, 3024 WZ Rotterdam

Nothing known at the moment?

R.I.P.

KoBar, Bergweg 333

A great little bar inside of Station Bergweg. They have a great selection of beers.

Drift Brouwers Rotterdam. Brugwachter 5

Dertien, Schiedamse Vest 30

This was a modern gastro style restaurant with a huge wood fired oven. The food is top notch, especially the chocolate and cheese plate! The tables are polished concrete with standard wooden chairs and set in spacious semi industrial interior over two levels. It's a good place to eat but the staff are quite happy you to sit and just have a drink. Nice selection of beers, mainly bottles, but also a few on taps. Super friendly service. The Beurs Metro station is a short walk away. It's worth the trip to Rotterdam to eat here 🤪

Cafe Proost, Hoogstraat 73A

Great pub when in Rotterdam highly recommended.