Café Zeepost (Schele Greet), also listed as Café de Zeepost, is a small neighbourhood café-bar at Prins Hendrikkade 88, where the Zeedijk meets the waterfront. It sits a few steps from the Schreierstoren and about five minutes’ walk east of Amsterdam Centraal. People come for beer or coffee, a window seat or a spot on the terrace, and the late weekend hours: it stays open until 3 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.
| Address | Prins Hendrikkade 88, 1012 AE Amsterdam (Centrum) |
| Phone | +31 20 622 0450 |
| Closing time | 1 AM Sunday to Thursday; 3 AM Friday and Saturday |
| Opening time | Late morning or early afternoon (listings vary, so call if you plan to arrive before 1 PM) |
| Busiest time | Friday around 9 PM |
| Nearest station | Amsterdam Centraal (train, tram and metro), about 5 minutes on foot |
| Good for | Beer, coffee, people-watching and late drinks |
| Food | Bar snacks, not full meals |
Café Zeepost at a glance. Hours can change, so check before a late or early visit.
What Café Zeepost is like
Café Zeepost is the kind of place you might wander into during a stroll and end up staying for hours. I’ve done exactly that, and no regrets!
It’s on the corner of the old harbour front, next to the Schreierstoren (Weeping Tower), the only surviving defence tower from Amsterdam’s medieval city wall. Inside, it’s a small, old-Amsterdam neighbourhood café. Warm lighting and a lot of chatter make it feel more like a living room than a tourist stop, and the big front windows are good for watching the street.
Beer is the main draw, and there’s a broad enough selection to keep a beer drinker busy. Not much of a beer drinker? They serve coffee too, which makes it a good option for a quieter daytime stop.
In reviews, people mostly talk about the staff and the atmosphere: bartenders who joke with newcomers and treat them like regulars. The flip side is the size. It’s a small room, it gets loud when full, and a few reviewers say service slows down at busy times.
Opening hours and the best time to visit
Every listing agrees on closing time: 1 AM from Sunday to Thursday and 3 AM on Friday and Saturday. Opening time is less clear. Some listings say 11 AM and others say 1 PM, so phone ahead if you’re planning a late-morning coffee. Here’s when I’d stop by:
- Weekday afternoons: This is the quietest time. Grab a window seat and take your time over a drink.
- Early evening: There’s no official happy hour, but between about 5 and 7 PM the after-work crowd starts arriving and the room fills up.
- Friday and Saturday nights: This is the liveliest time, and the café is usually at its busiest around 9 PM on Fridays. With a 3 AM closing time, it’s also a handy late option near the station.
- Sunday afternoon: A slow Sunday suits the place. Come for a coffee, stay for a beer if you fancy one, and watch the street go by.
How to get to Café Zeepost
Café Zeepost is at Prins Hendrikkade 88, on the stretch between Amsterdam Centraal and the Schreierstoren. From anywhere in the centre, the easiest way to get there is on foot.
- From Amsterdam Centraal: Leave by the front of the station (the city side) and turn left along Prins Hendrikkade with the water on your left. Keep walking for about five minutes. The café is on your right, just before the Schreierstoren.
- From Dam Square: Walk up Damrak towards the station and turn right onto Prins Hendrikkade. It takes about 10 minutes. You can also cut through the Zeedijk, which comes out right beside the café.
- From Nieuwmarkt: Walk north along the Zeedijk or the Geldersekade until you reach the tower and the waterfront.
- By tram: Trams 2, 4, 12, 13, 17 and 26 all end at Centraal Station, and the café is a short walk from there.
- By metro: Lines 51, 52, 53 and 54 stop at Centraal Station. Follow the signs for the city-side exit.
- By bike: The ride through the centre is easy. Lock your bike securely to a rack, because theft is common around the station.
- By car: Honestly, don’t. Parking in the old centre is scarce and expensive, and the narrow streets take some getting used to. Park at a P+R on the edge of the city and take public transport in.
Tips for visiting
- Ask for a Dutch beer: They serve international beers too, but ask the bartender to recommend something local. You might find a new favourite.
- Don’t rush: This isn’t a quick pit stop. Take your time with your drink and enjoy the atmosphere.
- Pay by card, keep a little cash: Cards are accepted, but a few euros in cash is a sensible backup if the card machine has an off day.
- Try a little Dutch: The staff speak English, but they’ll appreciate a few words in Dutch. Start with “Proost!” (Cheers!).
- Eat before or after: There are bar snacks, not full meals. The Zeedijk right behind the café is lined with places to eat, including Little Saigon’s Vietnamese street food.
- Go early for the terrace: On a nice day, the outdoor seats go quickly. If you like sitting outside, browse more Amsterdam places with outdoor seating.
- Pace yourself: With plenty of beers to choose from, it’s tempting to try a few. Keep tomorrow in mind.
- Plan your ride home: Most tram lines from Centraal stop running at around midnight. If you’re staying until closing, check the GVB or 9292 app for a night bus before you order the last round.
- Respect the neighbours: People live above and around these bars. Keep your voice down when you leave late at night.
Nearby places to pair with a visit
Café Zeepost is at the harbour end of the Zeedijk, one of Amsterdam’s oldest streets. That makes it easy to combine with a short walk:
- The Weeping Tower (Schreierstoren): the medieval tower next door. You can see it from the street for free at any hour.
- Dutch Courage: a cocktail bar at Zeedijk 12, also open until 3 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Café Dijk 120: a bar further along the Zeedijk that opens at 10 AM daily and is cash only.
- Historic brown cafés in Amsterdam: our list of wood-panelled bruine kroegen around the city.
