De Neef van Fred is an all-day neighborhood café, bistro and bar at Jan Evertsenstraat 41H in De Baarsjes, Amsterdam-West. It sits on the corner of the Admiralengracht, and its main draw is a sunny terrace right on the water, with lunch, dinner and borrel snacks served from 11:00 every day.
The short version
- Address: Jan Evertsenstraat 41H, 1057 BM Amsterdam, on the corner of the Admiralengracht (De Baarsjes, Amsterdam-West)
- What it is: A modern take on the Amsterdam brown café, with a French-bistro-inspired kitchen
- Best for: A long lunch or late-afternoon drinks on the canal-side terrace
- Hours: Opens at 11:00 daily; closes at 22:00 on Monday and as late as 01:00 on Friday and Saturday
- Contact: +31 20 235 71 75, [email protected], official website
- Getting there: Tram 13 from Centraal Station toward Admiraal de Ruijterweg, then a short walk, or cycle out from the center
What De Neef van Fred is (and who Fred is)
The name means “Fred’s nephew,” and there is no real Fred. The café describes him as the relative everyone has: a bit mad, but someone who puts good food, good drinks and gezelligheid first, and who answers “I’ve got everything!” when you ask what’s on offer. The nephew is the newer generation carrying that feeling forward in a more contemporary way.
De Neef van Fred opened in June 2021 in the corner building that previously housed Restaurant Radijs. Entrepreneur Zinzi Rullens launched it within 3WO (Drie Wijzen uit Oost), the Amsterdam hospitality group whose “Goudvisch family” of cafés also includes Arie, Bonnie and Moos.
Inside, the café presents itself as an ode to the classic Amsterdam brown café. Interior studio Studio Modijefsky redesigned the front bar and created a more intimate “garden room” at the back, using brass, textured glass, wood paneling and leather sofas with turned wooden legs.
The terrace on the Admiralengracht
The terrace is the reason most people make the trip. There is seating in front of the café on the street side and a second terrace down on the quay, close enough to the Admiralengracht that boats pass within arm’s reach. Part of the outdoor seating is heated, which makes it usable outside the summer months.
A small bar next to the waterside terrace lets passing boats moor for a drink, so you can arrive by water if you are out on a rental boat. House sangria is the terrace favorite.
Food and drinks
The kitchen takes its cue from French bistros, and it serves seven days a week. At opening, the café highlighted a burger, chicken in jus and a classic steak tartare, with a wide choice of vegetarian dishes. More recent day menus list Fred’s lunch combo (a sandwich with a small salad and fries from Frites uit Zuyd) and Biefstuk Fred, a tournedos with jus de veau or pepper sauce.
For a borrel, expect Dutch bar snacks such as bitterballen, vegetarian bitterballen, cheese sticks and mini frikandellen, plus nachos and fries. The drinks list leans on Dutch craft breweries, including Brouwerij ‘t IJ, Uiltje, Two Chefs Brewing and Gebrouwen door Vrouwen, and ‘t IJ brewed a witbier called Witte de With especially for the café.
Dishes, beers and prices rotate, so check the current menus and allergen cards before you go.
Opening hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11:00–22:00 |
| Tuesday | 11:00–23:00 |
| Wednesday | 11:00–23:00 |
| Thursday | 11:00–00:00 |
| Friday | 11:00–01:00 |
| Saturday | 11:00–01:00 |
| Sunday | 11:00–23:00 |
Monday to Saturday hours are from the café’s official website. The official page does not list Sunday, and the Sunday hours shown come from a restaurant directory, so confirm before a Sunday visit.
When to go
Because the doors open at 11:00, De Neef van Fred works best for lunch onward rather than an early breakfast. On warm, sunny days the waterside tables are the first to go, so arriving around opening time or mid-afternoon gives you the best chance of a spot by the canal.
Thursday to Saturday are the evenings to choose if you want to stay late, since closing moves to midnight on Thursday and 01:00 on Friday and Saturday. In colder months, head for the heated section of the terrace or the brown-café-style garden room at the back.
How to get there
De Neef van Fred is in De Baarsjes, west of the canal ring and outside the Jordaan, so plan it as a destination rather than a detour on a canal-ring walk. For more to do nearby, see our Amsterdam-West neighborhood guide.
- Tram: Tram 13 runs from Centraal Station to the Admiraal de Ruijterweg area. Trams 7, 17 and 19 also stop within walking distance of the Admiralengracht.
- Bus: Line 18 stops on Jan Evertsenstraat.
- Bike: Cycling is usually the most direct option from the center, and the café is on a corner that is easy to spot from the bridge over the Admiralengracht.
- Boat: If you are on a rental boat, you can moor at the small waterside bar.
Lines and stops change during roadworks, so enter “Jan Evertsenstraat 41” into 9292 or the GVB app for the current route.
Tips for your visit
- Bring a layer if you plan to sit by the water in the evening. Canal-side seating cools down quickly after sunset, even in summer.
- Follow @deneefvanfred on Instagram for updates on the menu and opening times.
- Make an evening of De Baarsjes by pairing a terrace drink here with dinner or cocktails at Kevin Bacon Bar on Witte de Withstraat.
- If you like the brown-café mood but want the historic original, compare it with Café Hoppe on Spui, which has been pouring since 1670.
Frequently asked questions
Is De Neef van Fred open on Sunday?
Yes, the café says it is open seven days a week. Restaurant directories list Sunday hours of 11:00 to 23:00, but the official website does not currently show Sunday hours, so check before you go.
Can you book De Neef van Fred for a group?
Yes. The café hosts drinks groups of up to 50 people and offers drinks packages from €12.95 per person per hour. For parties of more than eight, use the group request form on the official website.
Does De Neef van Fred have vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes. The menu includes a wide choice of vegetarian dishes and marks vegetarian and vegan items. Vegetarian bitterballen have appeared on the borrel menu.
