Het Ballonnetje

An old-school Roetersstraat coffeeshop with warm vintage character, sit-down space and a neighbourhood feel near Artis and the Plantage.

Het Ballonnetje feels more like an old Amsterdam neighbourhood coffeeshop than a centre-city attraction. It has been on Roetersstraat since the late 1970s, with a warm, slightly vintage interior, a glass-panelled seating area and additional space upstairs. The room is intimate rather than huge, but the whole setup encourages you to stay.

Its position near the University of Amsterdam, Artis and Hortus Botanicus gives it a different crowd and pace from the shops around Dam Square. Staff actively try to protect the relaxed atmosphere — it is first-come-first-served, and laptops are not allowed at the tables. This is a particularly good choice for someone who wants a calmer sit-down smoke before or after exploring Plantage, rather than another stop on a frantic coffeeshop crawl.