Brouwerij 't IJ

A brewery. In a windmill. I know it sounds like a parody of Amsterdam, but Brouwerij 't IJ is completely real and genuinely excellent. My friend Sara has brought every single visitor here for the past four years and none of them have been disappointed.

The windmill is the De Gooyer windmill, one of the last remaining wooden windmills in Amsterdam. The brewery operates in the old bathhouse next to it. From the outside, it looks like something off a postcard. From the inside, it is a working brewery with a tiny, always-packed tasting room.

The beer is the point and it is genuinely good. The IJwit is my go-to — a light, refreshing wheat beer that is perfect on a sunny afternoon. The Zatte is a tripel that my neighbor says "sneaks up on you," which is his polite way of saying it is stronger than you think. They rotate seasonal specials that are usually worth trying.

The outdoor terrace is where the magic happens. On any decent weather day, it is packed with locals sitting in the sun, drinking beer, eating cheese from the bar. My friend Sara considers this her "I love Amsterdam" spot — the place she goes when she needs a reminder of why she moved here. The view of the windmill from the terrace with a beer in your hand is pure Amsterdam.

It is a bit off the beaten tourist path, which is part of the charm. About a 20-minute walk east from Centraal Station, or you can take a tram. The neighborhood around it is residential and quiet, which means you are drinking with locals, not tour groups. My coworker Thomas comes here after work sometimes and says it feels like a different city compared to the tourist areas.

They close at 8 PM, which catches people off guard. This is a daytime and early evening spot, not a late-night destination. My suggestion: come around 3-4 PM on a sunny afternoon, grab a table outside, and settle in for a couple of hours. No rush.

The beer is also available at most Albert Heijn supermarkets if you fall in love with it (you will). My roommate keeps a permanent supply of IJwit in our fridge and considers it a household essential.

Free brewery tours run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 3:30 PM. They last about 30 minutes and include a tasting. Worth doing once for the history, but honestly, the best experience here is just sitting outside with a beer and watching the windmill.

Pro tip: bring cash. They accept cards now but the line moves faster with cash. And grab a tray of bitterballen (fried meat ragout balls) from the bar — they pair perfectly with the IJwit. My friend Jake from New York tried them here and immediately asked why America does not have these.