P.S. Ramcharan's Slijterij: Paramaribo's Go-To Beverage & Party Stop
A local liquor shop where Surinamese rum, cold beer and party snacks come cheap and easy.
Why Go
Behind an unassuming shopfront on Commissaris Weytinghweg, this family-run slijterij is where Paramaribo locals actually stock their coolers before a river trip, a birthday, or a lazy Sunday on the porch ΓÇö and travelers are quietly welcome to do the same.
The Experience
A slijterij in Suriname is part off-license, part corner store, part neighborhood social hub, and Ramcharan's plays all three roles with quiet efficiency. You step in from the tropical heat into a cool, brightly lit room lined floor-to-ceiling with bottles: Surinamese Borgoe and Black Cat rums, Parbo Bier in green glass, imported whiskies, Guyanese El Dorado, wines, and mixers. Along the counter you'll find bags of pinda (peanuts), krupuk, chips, and quick party snacks. Staff switch fluidly between Dutch, Sranan Tongo, and English, and the vibe is transactional but friendly ΓÇö chat about what you're planning, and someone will usually nudge you toward the bottle locals actually drink.
What to Try
Grab a bottle of **Borgoe 8** or **Borgoe Extra** ΓÇö Suriname's signature aged rum, smoother than most travelers expect and a fraction of duty-free prices. Pick up a few tall cans of **Parbo Bier**, the national lager, ideally the 1-liter 'djogo' bottle if you're sharing. For something distinctly local, ask about **Black Cat rum** or a bottle of **Marienburg 90%**, an eyebrow-raising overproof that makes a legendary (and lethal) souvenir. Round it out with peanuts, krupuk, and a bottle of cold Fernandes soda in a flavor you can't get at home.
Insider Tip
Cash in SRD gets you the smoothest transaction ΓÇö cards work but small notes speed things up, and prices are already low so there's no haggling. If you're heading upriver or into the interior (Brownsberg, Bigi Pan, Commewijne), stop here first: shops get thin fast once you leave Paramaribo, and ice is easier to find in town. Saturdays close early at 2pm, so don't leave a Sunday BBQ run until the last minute.
The Practical Stuff
Located at Commissaris Weytinghweg 4 in central Paramaribo, a short taxi or 15-minute walk from the waterfront. Open Monday–Friday roughly 8:00–17:00 and Saturday 8:00–14:00; typically closed Sunday. Phone +597 492-829. Cash (SRD) preferred, some cards accepted. No seating — this is a shop, not a bar. A second branch, Ramcharan's Slijterij Noord, sits on Jozef Israëlstraat 51 if you're staying north of the center.
Pair It With
- Waterkant riverside stroll — Grab a cold Parbo here, then walk five minutes to the Suriname River promenade for sunset over the water.
- Fort Zeelandia — Pair a rum purchase with a visit to the colonial fort and its history museum, a short ride away in the historic center.
- Commewijne plantation day trip — Stock the cooler at Ramcharan's before catching the ferry across to the old coffee and cacao plantations ΓÇö shops thin out fast on the other side.
- Palmentuin park picnic — Buy snacks and a bottle of Fernandes here, then unwind under the royal palms in Paramaribo's leafy central park.