Discover Benelux | Top Food, Drink & Sleep Spots | Museum Quarter
The art of Cobra TEXT: DEMELZA STADHOUDERS | PHOTOS: JUSTIN MICHEL
Amsterdam is a busy, lively city that has a great deal to offer when it comes to culture and art. While taking all that in, every now and then it is nice to sit down and take a break. Cobra Café, situated at the renowned Museumplein between three famous museums, is the perfect place to do so. Have a coffee, some lunch or try their delicious apple pie. You will be pleasantly surprised when you visit this family-run establishment: it is completely decorated in the style of the 1948 avant-garde CoBrA movement, hence the café’s name. “There are different artworks by Dutch CoBrA artists in the café. Their art can also be found on our plates, the cups, menus, and even on the floor,” explain the Michel family. So while 46 | Issue 32 | August 2016
you enjoy a nice lunch or some typical Dutch snacks, such as bitterballen or poffertjes, you will find art everywhere. The café is a place where everyone will feel at home. “Young or old, tourist or local…everyone is welcome,” says the owners. The café is situated at the lively Museumplein. “It is within walking distance of the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.” It is the perfect place to take a break from visiting one museum, before moving onto the next. And while you are there, you will have an exciting view over the fun square. “Our café and terrace overlook the Museumplein and a pond. There is a playground for kids and sports sites including a basketball court and a skateboard area,” say the owners.
So if you find yourself in Amsterdam during the summer, be sure to visit Cobra Café’s lovely terrace to enjoy the view and their delicious meals and Dutch snacks. If you think you are missing out when you are visiting in winter: you are most certainly not! The pond is turned into an ice skating rink and the terrace is the perfect place to enjoy a hot chocolate. Also worth knowing: the café is open until 8pm in the summer and 7pm during the winter. In the evenings it can be booked for parties and weddings. The public restrooms of the café have been awarded the nicest in the Benelux. Visiting them will give you a discount on anything you order. More information: www.cobracafe.nl