Café 't Mandje
Bet van Beeren took over her uncle's café on the Zeedijk in 1927 and ran it for forty years. She was openly lesbian, and everyone was welcome in her bar. It has become a landmark of Amsterdam's gay history, and its walls are still covered with the things her customers left behind.
- What it is
- Bar
- Opened
- 1927
- Area
- Zeedijk
- Nearest museum
- Our Lord in the Attic, 100 m
Amsterdam this week
What Café 't Mandje is known for
Bet van Beeren
The daughter of a Jordaan street paver, she renamed the café 't Mandje, the little basket, after the basket of food her mother brought her every day.
The ties
From time to time she cut the tie off a customer and pinned it to the ceiling, where souvenirs left by guests still hang.
Reopened
After years with its door shut, the café reopened in 2008, keeping as much as it could of Bet's interior.
What to know
- Bet van Beeren ran it from 1927 until her death in 1967
- Before her it was called Café Amstelstroom
- It reopened in 2008
Where Café 't Mandje is
Address
Zeedijk 631012 BJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nearest station
Centraal, on metro lines 51, 52, 53 and 54, about four minutes away
Museums and sights nearby
- Our Lord in the Attic100 m
- Rembrandt House Museum600 m
- National Maritime Museum1.0 km
- A'DAM Lookout1.0 km
- Rijksmuseum2.0 km
Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
Bet's café
In 1927 Bet van Beeren took over Café Amstelstroom on the Zeedijk from her uncle and renamed it 't Mandje. She ran it until she died in 1967, and made it a place where everyone was welcome, whatever their sexuality.
She liked her guests to leave a souvenir, and the walls and ceiling filled with them, along with photographs of the royal family. The café reopened in 2008.
Café 't Mandje: common questions
- Where is Café 't Mandje?
- At Zeedijk 63, in the Centrum district of Amsterdam. The nearest station is Centraal, on metro lines 51, 52, 53 and 54, about four minutes away.
- Which museums and sights are near Café 't Mandje?
- Our Lord in the Attic is 100 m away, Rembrandt House Museum is 600 m away, National Maritime Museum is 1.0 km away. Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
- What is Café 't Mandje known for?
- Bet van Beeren, The ties, Reopened. The bar on the Zeedijk that Bet van Beeren ran from 1927 to 1967, open to all, a place where gay men and women could be themselves.
- When did Café 't Mandje open?
- In 1927. Bet van Beeren ran it from 1927 until her death in 1967.
What visitors say about Café 't Mandje
Rating from Google
Tickets and tours near Café 't Mandje
Things to do near Café 't Mandje
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 8Climb to the hidden church in a canal house100 m awayMuseum, 1 to 1.5 hours, ticket
- 13Visit the Oude Kerk and walk the old red-light quarter200 m awayChurch, 1 to 2 hours, free to walk, a ticket for the church
- 17Ride through the city as the Amsterdammers do450 m awayWalk, 2 to 4 hours, bike hire or a tour
- 7Visit the house where Rembrandt lived and painted600 m awayMuseum, 1 to 2 hours, ticket
Artists to see near Café 't Mandje
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Rembrandt House Museum, 600 m away
Rijksmuseum, 2.0 km away
Hotels near Café 't Mandje
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Amsterdam. Distances are in a straight line.
- Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky4.6Five-star hotel, Dam Square500 m away
- Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam4.7Five-star hotel, Oudezijds Voorburgwal550 m away
- Pulitzer Amsterdam4.6Five-star hotel, Prinsengracht1.2 km away
- Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht4.7Five-star hotel, Prinsengracht1.4 km away
Where to eat near Café 't Mandje
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Amsterdam. Distances are in a straight line.
- Wynand Fockink4.7Tasting room, Dam Square500 m away
- Café Karpershoek4.0Brown café, Centraal Station500 m away
- Café De Sluyswacht4.4Café, Oudeschans550 m away