The Dutch have always been among the world’s greatest coffee drinkers; filter coffee, drunk black being the beverage of choice in every Dutch household. It’s interesting that Dutch housewives were making cold drip coffee well before it became fashionable in recent times. Dutch coffee history is longer than in most other European countries and boasts both a traditional coffee culture and an impressive specialty coffee one.
Cafe V coffeeshop
Before you start drinking coffee in Amsterdam, you need to know the difference between a ‘cafe’ and a ‘coffee shop’. A cafe is a regular place to drink regular coffee, whereas a coffee shop is a place to buy and consume marijuana and other drugs. Coffee shops are seemingly safe for locals, but as a visitor you’re warned of the dangers of consuming marijuana in such places, as you hear of the occasional story of a tourist being doped and robbed.
You can take the safer option, as we did, and go on a coffee shop tour. Tickets are available from the tourist office opposite Central Station. With safety in numbers and a very informative guide, we learnt that while marijuana is a significant part of the city’s social fabric, it isn’t exactly legal but is ignored by the authorities, so long as their strict guidelines for use are adhered to. You can easily identify coffee shops by their quirky names.
Amstedam’s specialty cafes
We found the specialty cafes in Amsterdam very advanced on a world scale and visited many – with the help of local Moniek Smit, a well known coffee personality in Amsterdam who’d edited the Allegra Strategies guide to cafés in Belgium and The Netherlands.
Here are just a few of the best cafes in Amsterdam we visited in 2011 and 2012 – with an update of more recent cafes at the end …
Screaming Beans (Hartenstraat 12) was one of the first specialty cafes in Amsterdam. With coffee roasted by Bocca, our espressos were smooth. We also enjoyed a lovely salad for lunch. The owners Dick and Charlotte have recently renovated the original location and opened a second cafe at Runstraat 6. They also offer coffee training.
Two for Joy (Fredericksplein 29) is a cafe and roastery with the choice of seating in a cosy lounge area inside or a sunny spot out the front. Coffee and service are both exceptional and the barista made us some fine filter coffees made using a Chemex and coffee roasted in store. Two for Joy has another café at Haarlemmerdijk 182 and the original location is now called Frederick Roasting X Cafe.
Brug 34 (Utrechtsestraat 19) is a delightful cafe by day and bar by night. With minimalist design and a wide window facing the street, you can view the daily life of Amsterdam unfold while drinking a coffee or wine. Coffee is from Buscaglione and there’s a nice selection of homemade treats on display. The coffee may have hailed from Italy, but the atmosphere was definitely Dutch with fresh tulips throughout.
De Koffie Salon (Utrechtsestraat 130) has been around longer than most good cafes in Amsterdam and it offers coffee training as well. Also with coffee from Buscaglione, there’s a range of sweet and savoury snacks in the counter cabinet. You can prop yourself up at one of the stools near the window for a quick break or settle in for a while to read or work at the communal table towards the back. A quirky touch; the walls are lined with large black and white photos of celebrities sipping coffee. There are two more locations at Spuistraat 281 and Ten Katestraat 42.
Espresso Fabriek (Pazzanistraat 39) is run by leaders in Amsterdam’s coffee scene. It’s located at Westergasfrabrik, a series of historic buildings that were once a gasworks, but are now home to several artisan businesses, cultural activities and festivals. I enjoyed an iced cascara and Paul an espresso served by the friendly baristas keen to talk about the local coffee scene. There’s a cosy interior warmed by a roastery on the upper level. On a sunny day, tables are spread out the front. This space a very popular hub of coffee activity.
Il Tramezzino (Haarlemmerstraat 79A) is an Italian style cafe specialising in ‘tramezzini’, the beautiful layered sandwiches found in bars throughout Italy. They’re made using extra large slices of bread cut into two triangles to expose their ornately arranged fillings. Along with a good Italian style espresso or cappuccino, they’re the perfect breakfast or lunch. Since we took these photos, the owners have recently renovated the outside removing the grey paint to reveal the lovely timber facade.
Coffee Connection was close to our hotel, so we went there a few times. Dave, the barista welcomed his Aussie customers each morning and introduced us to Dutch apple cake to go with our coffees. Thereafter we were ‘hooked’! He also taught me to love cream in my coffee, something I now indulge in back home – just occasionally!
UPDATE: Since we were there, Dave has closed his cafe.
For something very quaint, since 2015 a very small cafe resides in the smallest house in Amsterdam. You can experience a high tea there but the room is so small it can only fit 5 people. Known as Het Kleinste Huis (Oude Hoogstraat 2) it’s a miniature version of a typical Amsterdam canal house, 2.02 meters wide and 5 meters deep. It has just one room on each of its 3 levels with memorabilia from times past on the walls. You’ll find it next to the gates to the Walloon Church.
For more information on cafes we visited, see our story in Cafe Culture magazine.
From Amsterdam you can purchase a copy of the Barista Bible and other books and barista training resources from Brandmeesters.
UPDATE on the best cafes in Amsterdam
Since we visited Amsterdam in 2011 and 2012, many more cafes have sprung up. Here’s a list of those we’d recommend within the areas you’re likely to visit as a tourist – and a few far away ones if you’d like to wander further afield. We’ve included addresses so you’ll know where to find good coffee in Amsterdam easily …
NORTH Amsterdam
Café Ceuval (Korte Papaverweg 4) is a sustainably planned cafe in a former shipyard. Much of the food is grown on site – including mushrooms in coffee grounds. Coffee is sourced by direct trade and roasted less than a kilometre away.
Café Keppler (Van der Pekstraat 1) is the brainchild of two veterans of hospitality and coffee. They’ve spared no detail in the setup and quality reigns supreme in both the food and coffee.
The Coffee Virus (Overhoeksplein 2) is on the ground floor lobby of A Lab, a space where some of Amsterdam’s most creative and successful entrepreneurs are – nurtured with great coffee and food.
SOUTH Amsterdam
Scandinavian Embassy (Sarphatipark 34) is a minimalist rustic space that offers Scandinavian style food. Clever pairing of coffee and food enhances the overall experience for customers.
A Beautiful Mess (H.J.E. Wenckebachweg 48) trains refugees from Africa and the Middle East in kitchen and bar work as well as barista training in collaboration with Bocca their roaster.
Coffee Sometime features a white minimalist design and is up to the minute in everything – including the coffee and food. It’s homely and tasteful with no expense spared.
EAST Amsterdam
Coffee Bru (Beukenplein 14) is the first specialty café in Oost Amsterdam and is owned by 4 young people who shared a dream. Their sister store, Rum Baba is a roastery and bakery.
Bedford-Stuyvesant (Javastraat 55) is named after a Brooklyn neighbourhood and brings a touch of New York to Amsterdam. There’s something for everyone with spaces for working on laptops and a corner with toys for kids.
Filter (Valkenburgerstraat 124) is in the lobby of Eco Mama Hostel where sustainability principles attract a certain kind of customer – to the hostel and the cafe. The café uses all kinds of reclaimed, repurposed and recycled materials too.
Rum Baba (Pretoriusstraat 33) is the sister café to Coffee Bru and offers one of the finest selections of cakes, cookies and pastries to go with a fine coffee. The atmosphere of this striking place is enhanced by the baking smells wafting out from the kitchen.
WEST Amsterdam
Bocca (Kerkstraat 96 – 98) was born out of a direct trade relationship with an Ethiopian farmer. It’s a café, roastery and barista training school with attention to detail when it comes to the coffee and food.
Trackteren Koffie (Jan Pieter Heijestraat 119) means ‘to treat’ in Dutch and customers are treated to some of the best latte art in Amsterdam and the best tasting coffee from the 2016 Dutch aeropress champion.
Back to Black (Weteringstraat 46, Van Hallstraat 268 and Poortland 6) has 3 cafes and a roastery. They’re owned by two women who met when still in primary school. Sustainability is important in every decision they make.
Monks Coffee Roastery (Bilderdijkstraat 46) was inspired by the cafe scene in Perth and Melbourne where the owner worked before returning to Amsterdam. The atmosphere, menu and coffee service are sleek and sophisticated.
Lot Sixty One Coffee (Kinkerstraat 112) is owned by two Australians, who also worked in some of New York’s best cafes. Beans are roasted and pastries baked in house.
Tazzina (Brouwersgracht 139) offers high teas every day – a smaller version and a larger one. It’s easily recognised by its striking red and white décor
White Label Coffee (Jan Evertsenstraat 136) is true to its name with white walls and pale timber floors. It’s a small but beautiful and sophisticated space with coffees that are certain to please.
Fuku (Bos en Lommerweg 136) is home to the two times Dutch barista champion and runner up in the 2018 World Barista Championships. The café is a combination of retro and modern design.
Centrum
Coffee and Such (Haarlemmerdijk 182) is a small cafe roastery on three levels with a choice of small and large tables. It’s funky, modern and innovative with great coffee and food.
Toki (Binnen Dommersstraat 15) was designed as a space where different kinds of people can ‘hangout’ and enjoy a coffee. It’s a beautiful space with large windows to let in the sun.
Sweet Cup Cafe (Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 101) is a café with a micro-roastery, good coffee, good service and a friendly basset hound that will welcome you on arrival.