Café ’t Smalle

Café ’t Smalle sits on Egelantiersgracht in the Jordaan, a walk from the Anne Frank House. Its own history reaches back to Pieter Hoppe, a German merchant who took over a wine shop on this street around 1780 and later established spirits businesses. That account gives the old café context without requiring every object inside to have survived two centuries unchanged. Today, its canal-side terrace and close-set interior offer a place to pause after walking the district; the mood varies with the hour and the weather.

The café advertises coffee, sandwiches, bitterballen and drinks. It is not an early breakfast stop: the updated hours on its website begin at two in the afternoon Monday to Friday and one on Saturday and Sunday. It therefore suits a pause after a daytime museum visit, not a morning meal before entry. The address is 12H Egelantiersgracht and the phone number +31 20 786 7748. If your group needs a full meal or has an allergy, read the menu and confirm that day’s kitchen service.

Customer accounts praise the canal setting, atmosphere and hospitality, alongside occasional complaints about waiting or finding every table taken. The terrace is a genuine attraction but depends on weather and availability. On leaving the Anne Frank House, it may be better to walk first and sit later: the museum deserves attention rather than a bar itinerary timed to the minute. For a drink and something light in the Jordaan, ’t Smalle offers a pause with a history of its own.