The Papeneiland Café
Cafe · Jordaan
Prinsengracht 2, 1015 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Highlights
Historic Jordaan brown café famed for its cozy vibe, canal views, and the ultimate Dutch apple pie topped with fresh whipped cream.
Historic Jordaan brown café famed for its cozy vibe, canal views, and the ultimate Dutch apple pie topped with fresh whipped cream.
"Grabbing an appeltaartje (a Dutch apple tart) with whipped cream at a canal-side café is about as Dutch of an experience as it gets. The ones here are piled tall, with minimal sugar masking the slightly crisp apples. With views of intersecting canals, a cozy upper room for cooler days, and a slower pace, Café ‘t Papeneiland should be your pick when you need to escape the Noordermarkt crowds or you’re just wandering around the Jordaan and need a bite to eat. Standard bruincafé fare (beer and fried snacks) are also available, if you’d rather go in that direction later in the day." - paolo espanola
"Grabbing an appeltaartje (a Dutch apple tart) with whipped cream at a canal-side café is about as Dutch of an experience as it gets. The ones here are piled tall, with minimal sugar masking the slightly crisp apples. With views of intersecting canals, a cozy upper room for cooler days, and a slower pace, Café ‘t Papeneiland should be your pick when you need to escape the Noordermarkt crowds or you’re just wandering around the Jordaan and need a bite to eat. Standard bruincafé fare (beer and fried snacks) are also available, if you’d rather go in that direction later in the day." - Paolo Española
"On its surface, Cafe Papeneiland is the perfect example of the gezelligheid, or “coziness,” for which Dutch “brown cafes” are renowned. With its brown walls, chandeliers emitting soft light, and display of beautiful Delft plates and tiles, the eatery offers a warm, welcoming place for a hot drink or stellar slice of apple pie. But beneath its comfy exterior lurks a hidden history of religious resistance. During the Dutch Protestant Reformation of the 16th and 17th centuries, the government outlawed Catholicism. As a result, Catholics had to worship in secret. This led to the establishment of hidden churches, some of which still exist today. Our Lord in the Attic, for example, is a beautiful, 150-seat chapel, complete with pillars, a giant painting of Christ’s baptism, and a marble-and-gilt altar, all tucked away in (you guessed it) an attic. In Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighborhood, worshippers once secretly entered a church through a tunnel that ran beneath the canal. That tunnel opened at the building that houses Cafe Papeneiland, and it can still be seen today. The cafe’s very name is a nod to this history: Papeneiland means “papists’ island,” referencing how the building was a sanctuary for Roman Catholics, who were also known as “papists” due to their allegiance to the Pope. Today, the cafe is most well-known for its apple pie (or “tart,” depending on where you’re from). The fame is deserved: The pie has a flaky crust, the perfect balance of tart-sweet apples and cinnamon spice, and a light-yet-rich tuft of whipped cream on the side. Order a slice, then ask your server to point you in the direction of the tunnel’s entrance. It’s behind a green-barred gate along the stairs to the basement. Sometimes obscured by brooms and other cleaning supplies, this doorway to the past can be easy to miss." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a stop in one of the bruine kroeg , or brown cafés. These are the Dutch equivalent of Irish pubs, cozy spaces where people gather to relax over beers and comfort food. And Café Papeneiland is a classic. Stop in for a sip of jenever and a slice of Dutch apple pie."
"No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a stop in one of the bruine kroeg , or brown cafés. These are the Dutch equivalent of Irish pubs, cozy spaces where people gather to relax over beers and comfort food. And Café Papeneiland is a classic. Stop in for a sip of jenever and a slice of Dutch apple pie."
