H. P. de Vreng en Zonen

Very happy with this place. We were looking for a very specific kind of Dutch apéritif, and our bartender suggested we try this place. I’m so glad we did. We bought a tiny bottle, sampled it there, decided it was what we wanted, and then bought more. The woman who runs the place could not have been nicer or more helpful. I was so happy to finally find what I was looking for. It’s a large place with a lot of stock– more than we had seen in our search of several stores (at least 10). It’s at the end of the alley right behind the Victoria hotel– you can’t miss it.

I have walked by this liquor store a handful of times. Turns out, it’s more than just any old liquor store. It’s one for the ages, dating back centuries. Every time I can’t help but to notice the uniquely shaped bottles of liquor in the shape of a shoe, car or gun on display. The bottles aren’t exactly the typical brands but they have those also.
Inside is warm and inviting. The wooden shelves that hold the bottles and handful of kegs of liquor give the old world touch, it reminds me of the charm of much of Amsterdam’s old pubs. I am just looking around but I already know what I want. The lady who is managing the store is talking on the phone but when she saw me come in, she got off and took the time to address my inquiries. She was so pleasant. I apologized for intruding on her conversation and with a smile she said no problem. She explained the different versions of Absinthe, as that was I was in the market for here. Grabbed a bottle for 20euros as a gift. There are larger bottles that are pricier. Packaging is just paper, nothing fancy. For this business in term of it’s age, friendly staff and uniqueness, I walked away with something I can give that is not run of the mill.