Jugs of sangria, funky cocktails and the tastiest tapas at new skybar Cielo in Amsterdam

At newcomer skybar Cielo, 65 metres up, you have a stunning view over Amsterdam and can eat amazing Spanish tapas paired with absurdly delicious cocktails. A fantastic addition to the capital!

Our favourite rooftop bars are usually bars where we sit outside on a roof, but at the new skybar Cielo you sit indoors. Thanks to the stunning view, fantastic cocktails and delicious tapas, you won’t miss being outside at all.

At heavenly heights

Cielo, meaning ‘heaven’ in Spanish, is on the nineteenth floor of the INNSiDE by Meliá hotel near Amsterdam’s Zuidas district. Meliã—you may know it—is a Spanish chain, and INNSiDE is Meliá’s first offspring in the Netherlands. Cielo isn’t a restaurant; you come to this skybar to drink cocktails, eat modern Spanish tapas and, of course, enjoy the spectacular view!

Funky cocktails

And if you love cocktails, you’re in exactly the right place. Naturally, Sangria is on the menu! Or, as they call it themselves: “Healthy adult fruit salad” — I’ll have a jug, please!

The cocktail menu is surprising, but if you have trouble choosing, bar manager Filipe Braz shakes things up based on your taste preferences to create a personalised cocktail. Fun!

Another fun detail: from scrubs to bitters to garnishes, everything is made in-house. The Negroni with a twist is amazing: the tequila (so no gin, as you’re used to in a Negroni) is infused with fat from chorizo, and the vermouth is replaced by sherry. Bizarrely delicious! The Mule with Ketel One vodka, cacao, raspberry and ginger for an extra kick is irresistible—Filipe clearly wants to take you to even higher heights with his exciting cocktails!

That polpo!

The tapas come from the kitchen of Spanish chef Orianna Bellardi. And wow, they are delicious! The polpo is a favourite. In Spain, I’ve often eaten it as ‘Polpo gallego’, a typical regional dish from Galicia in which the whole octopus, head and tentacles included, disappears into the pan before being cut into pieces and served with potatoes, olive oil and paprika. Orianna has replaced the potatoes with purée, while the paprika returns as a decorative coral tuile—and, what’s more, in the shape of a peineta, the traditional comb worn in the hair in Spain. I love details like these, especially when everything also tastes fantastic—and it does!

Cauliflower tempura

Another world-class tapa is the Puerros Asados: buttered leeks with cauliflower tempura and spicy Spanish romesco sauce. It’s soft, crunchy, spicy and yet refined in flavour—so delicious!

So soft…

‘Ohhhh, so this is what they mean by a feast for the taste buds!’ I thought while eating the sublime Pimento Lamuyo Asado: roasted Lamuyo pepper, a Spanish pepper with a sweet, mild flavour, in balsamic vinegar that glides across your palate, so smooth.

More recommendations

The great thing about tapas is that you can keep ordering them throughout the evening, so here are a few more recommendations:

Killer view, killer desserts

Besides tapas, there are also a few fantastic desserts on the menu. Such as the chocolate mousse with olive oil and salt. But the showstopper of the evening is the cheesecake, made entirely in keeping with the theme from Spanish Manchego & Tetilla cheese. One big chunk of happiness!

The only way is up

Cielo is truly a fantastic addition to the ever-more enjoyable Zuidas district. So do yourself a favour and take the lift to the nineteenth floor. Be sure to empty your bank account beforehand, though, because the prices—as is often the case at a skybar—aren’t exactly modest. But the stunning view comes free of charge.

INNSiDE by Melia Hotel, Eduard van Beinumstraat 40, Amsterdam

Also read:

• Recipe: Aperol Spritz cheesecake
• Recipe: Aperol Spritz sorbet
• Recipe: cake with Aperol