Amsterdam has its own rhythm. It unfolds in bicycle lanes and canal-side cafés, in afternoons that seem to stretch without urgency and evenings that gradually pull the city toward dimly lit bars and chilled glasses. Among the latest arrivals is Shakerato, the European venture from the group behind Handshake Speakeasy, the Mexico City bar that has become one of the defining names in contemporary cocktail culture. The opening carries a personal significance. Shakerato was launched in Eric van Beek’s hometown, bringing one of Handshake’s key figures back to familiar ground with a project designed for a broader audience than the secretive format that made the Mexican venue famous.
The Mixology Style of Shakerato Amsterdam
Set inside the NH Amsterdam Leidseplein, at Stadhouderskade 7, the bar takes its cue from the Italian shaken coffee cocktail that lends it its name: accessible, clean, instantly appealing. That same philosophy shapes the drinks list. A house bitter, produced by one of van Beek’s business partners Marcos Di Battista as a tribute to his great-grandfather, anchors part of the offering and reinforces the project’s personal narrative. The cocktails move between European sensibilities, Mediterranean references, and the technical discipline honed by the team in Mexico, yet avoid the overt showmanship that has come to define parts of the global bar scene. Instead, the focus is clarity. Bitters, amari, citrus, herbs, and aromatic ingredients are used with restraint, resulting in drinks that feel deliberate rather than decorative. These are cocktails built for pleasure rather than performance: polished, balanced, and easy to return to.
The Food Offering
The room follows the same logic. Large windows pull daylight deep into the space, softening the transition from afternoon coffee crowd to evening aperitivo energy. It is the kind of bar that invites lingering rather than spectacle. Food has become part of that equation as well. Shakerato has partnered with Dorus Floris, chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Showw, to develop a menu of small plates that holds its own alongside the drinks. The approach leans toward comfort food viewed through a more refined lens, with technical precision and a format designed for sharing. In a city where hospitality often succeeds through understatement, Shakerato understands the appeal of restraint.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
In partnership with Shakerato
Images courtesy Shakerato
