Amsterdam’s a pretty achingly cool city - fact. So how do you make it even more epic? Find a bar that concocts its own crazy homemade infusions, has a monthly rotating cocktail list, and likes to project Bond movies onto the back bar. Welcome to Vesper.

Most of the great barmen you talk to in the city will have done some time at this neighbourhood hang out. These days there might be a bunch of New York speakeasy-style bars crammed into Amsterdam, but before all that Vesper was flying for the flag for awesome cocktails, and is still one of the best. It’s low-key, intimate and just swish enough. Take a stool at the bar - it's the place to hang, and means you get to take advice from the in-the-know guys who are mixing up some seriously decent drinks. It gets fun and frivolous come Friday with the trendy Jordaan crowd, so expect spirits to be high. 

One of the things that seriously impresses us about Vesper is their approach to sustainability and community. See if you can join for one their guest bartender sessions (named Trash The Place, awesome), and their monthly concept called Ring Drinks. These bar & restaurant collaborations create a hyper-locavore drinks menu using ingredients only sourced from within the A10 ring road that circles Amsterdam. Now that's local lovin'. 

If you’re struggling to choose, the menu also has a handy flavour map to guide you through the list. Homemade infusions can range from fig flambé to beef jerky as garnishes. If you're offered to try a shot of something, always say yes. With minimal tables and a handful of bar stools, you’re going to have to pack in with the crowd on weekends, but it makes it all the easier to mix it up with the locals. Vesper is undoubtedly the place to be.