10 x brown pubs

In the centre of Groningen you will find pubs with character: brown pubs with a good barman or woman, lots of wood and old-fashioned carpets on the tables. Anyone can drop in for a drink, and the pubs in the suburbs are worth a visit too. From nostalgic interiors to extensive beer menus and regulars. These are ten brown pubs in Groningen.

Café Der Witz | Binnenstad-Zuid

Grote Markt 47 - Café Der Witz is Groningen's narrowest café, but don't underestimate it. Behind the ornate red façade hides a characteristic brown café, with walls full of memorabilia and vintage posters. Here you can enjoy a freshly tapped beer while looking out over d'Olle Grieze. At the bar, senior citizens and their newspaper are just as welcome as students discovering the city.

The Singelier | Helpman

Coendersweg 44 - De Singelier is a typical neighbourhood pub, a brown pub full of quirks such as the old smoking room converted into a small distillery. Beer lovers are in the right place, as owner Felix Huisken is a beer sommelier, one of the highest degrees in beer knowledge and handling, and can tell like no other which beer suits the moment or occasion. Inside and on the terrace, you can bon vivant with a beer in your hand.

Café De Koffer | Schildersbuurt

Nieuwe Blekerstraat 1 - Bierlokaal Café de Koffer takes you on a trip around the world without leaving Groningen. With 250 different beers on the menu, you'll taste Dutch, Belgian, English, Scottish, American and even Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian beers. For game lovers, there is a cupboard full of board games at the back of the café. Those looking for something special can attend a beer tasting from two people upwards, accompanied by an experienced beer connoisseur.

De Minnaar | Hortusbuurt

Kleine Rozenstraat 64 - There has been a pub on this spot for over 100 years, the last 30 years being Café De Minnaar. A real neighbourhood pub for city dwellers and students, with a games cabinet that will keep you busy for hours, staff that know you immediately and a nice terrace. The owners love Groningen and work with local products as much as possible. This café is located under the trees of one of the city's loveliest streets, just five minutes from the city centre. There is more than enough to love here.

The Klikspaan | Rivierenbuurt

Rabenhauptstraat 78 - Café de Klikspaan is a real brown neighbourhood pub where young and old, students and families come together. Known in the Rivierenbuurt neighbourhood for its 40 kinds of special beer, drinks, pub quizzes, live music and other parties. Groningen is quirky, just like this pub. Don't feel like cooking? You can have your own food delivered here. You can organise your own party at their second pub, Kleintje Klikspaan on the Vishoek, for private parties and get-togethers.

Kroeg van Klaas | Oosterpoortbuurt

Oosterweg 26 - Kroeg van Klaas has been a household name in the Oosterpoort neighbourhood for 50 years. An old-fashioned brown pub, known for its many (musical) activities. Pensioners and students gather here for drinks while a live band fills the space with music. On the terrace, enjoy a beer or a game among the flowers and grape plants lining the walls.

Café De Toeter | Turfsingel

Turfsingel 6 - De Toeter has been a household name in Groningen for over 35 years. Old horns and musical instruments adorn the walls. What once started as a music pub has grown into a whiskey and special beer pub with 19 taps, more than 200 bottled beers and 350 single malts. Pub quiz lovers test their knowledge here twice a week, and you can also taste beers from the in-house microbrewery Rockin' Ludina Brewery or rent a boat yourself.

The Bald Jonker | Binnenstad-Zuid

Gedempte Zuiderdiep 148 - De Kale Jonker is, apart from a thistle, an old-fashioned brown café on Zuiderdiep, in the backyard of Art Academy Minerva. It is a place for artists of all kinds, from painters and poets to writers and sculptors. You can enjoy a coffee or a drink under the recognisable blue awning. Quiz lovers should not miss the Kale Jonker Quiznight.

Café Wolthoorn & Co | Binnenstad-Noord

Turftorenstraat 6 - Café Wolthoorn & Co has been around for over 100 years and is an old-fashioned brown pub. There are paintings, poems and works of art everywhere, and then there's the 'table of Jo', by Jo van Dijk of the Groninger Ploeg. The billiard table is always at the centre, the antique furniture has lasted for decades and the mirrors make sure you don't miss a thing. Posters, banners and old furniture all have their own story. What once started as a sausage factory and furniture workshop eventually became Café Wolthoorn.

De Pintelier | Binnenstad-Noord

Kleine kromme Elleboog 9 - In one of Groningen's oldest catering districts, you'll find Belgisch Café de Pintelier. If you don't know it, you'll have to take a while to find this hidden gem via cosy alleys and narrow streets. This brown café welcomes you with Flemish hospitality and an impressive drinks menu: 23 changing taps and more than 80 beers by the bottle. De Pintelier is a member of the Alliance of Beer Taprooms (A.B.T.) and has been a household name in Groningen for years.