Where to drink excellent coffee in Amsterdam

As you may well know, Amsterdam’s coffee shops are known for something distinctly different from a quality brew. But, if you are searching for a great cup of coffee, there’s no better place than the city’s thriving artisan cafés, coffee bars, micro roasteries and bakeries, many of which are also excellent co-working spots.

Amsterdam was one of the global coffee trading capitals of the world in the early 18th century, and the Netherlands’ coffee affinity has continued to this day with the Dutch throwing back an average of four cups per day, making them one of the biggest coffee consumers in the world.

Much like its excellent array of restaurants and banging bars, Amsterdam’s contemporary coffee culture is focused on sustainable sourcing. Expect cross cultural blends with vibrant flavours and unique stories with several micro roasters to try out across the city. Whether you like your cup dripped, steamed or aeropressed, these are the best places in Amsterdam for coffee.

Coffee in Centrum

Bocca Coffee

Best for: Conscious coffee and pioneering flavours near the Rijksmuseum
Address: Kerkstraat 96H, 1017 GP Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bocca began as a coffee roaster and wholesaler, supplying its blends to some of Amsterdam’s best cafes, gaining recognition across Europe as one of the leading specialty roasters. It later opened its own space just a short walk from Vondelpark and the Rijksmuseum, which operates as both a café and a training ground for future baristas (check out its courses and workshops in tasting, brewing and latte art).

A certified B-Corp, Bocca was among the first specialty coffee producers in the Netherlands to establish a fully sustainable supply chain, sourcing beans directly from farmers at fair prices. It has also published a “true price report” to increase transparency for consumers.

Its coffee range is structured across three flavour levels: Discoverer (green) for newcomers, Adventurer (red) for those open to experimenting, and Pioneer (gold) for truly boundary-pushing flavours.

Haku Specialty Coffee

Best for: Japanese cafe for single origin coffee and ceramics
Address: Rozengracht 69, 1016 LT Amsterdam, Netherlands

As its name suggests, Haku Specialty Coffee is a family-run cafe with a Japanese sensibility. Beans are lightly roasted in-house to preserve their distinct flavour, served alongside high-grade matcha. The plant-lined, minimalist space instils calm, with handcrafted ceramics available to browse.

Alpha Coffee

Best for: Greek baking and precise espresso
Address: Amstel 47, 1011 PW Amsterdam, Netherlands

Alpha’s sunny yellow interior reflects its warm Mediterranean disposition. Modbar taps accent the counter, serving coffee from Lot61 (listed below). Pair drinks with Greek sweet dishes such as spiced Greek honey cookies and walnut and carob cake topped with preserved chestnut. For something savoury, the spinach and feta pies don’t disappoint.

Back to Black

Best for: A canal-side café with in-house roasting
Address: Weteringstraat 48, 1017 SP Amsterdam, Netherlands

An early force in Amsterdam’s third wave coffee movement, Back to Black operates two cafés alongside a separate roastery in the city’s west. Its original outpost sits on a quiet canal-side street within easy reach of the Rijksmuseum and Heineken Museum.

While the name may evoke Amy Winehouse’s soulful voice, it instead refers to a focus on small-scale roasting and coffee best served black. Notes range from the chocolate and cherry of a Brazilian roast to the subtle tobacco tones of an Indian anaerobic natural. A cup in hand, guests are often joined by Binkie, the resident house cat.

Bakkerij Wolf

Best for: Freshly baked everything in Jordaan’s nine streets
Address: Wolvenstraat 22, 1016 EP Amsterdam, Netherlands

Located in the Jordaan’s famous nine streets, stop by Bakkerij Wolf for a jolt of caffeine and sugar. Opened by boutique hotel Morgan & Mees in 2021, excellent coffee is accompanied by a daily rotation of breads, croissants, pain au chocolat, tarts and cookies, as well as traditional kaneel buns.

In addition to its bakery offering, the space also serves lunch and dinner from the Morgan & Mees kitchen, alongside a selection of artisan cocktails.

Black Gold Amsterdam

Best for: Coffee and vinyl
Address: Korte Koningsstraat 13 H, 1011 EX Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hidden from the chaos of the stumbling Red Light district tourists and the Nieuwmarkt hagglers, Black Gold Amsterdam part cafe, part vinyl store and part mini music venue. Your hit by the smell of an artisan roast as soon as you arrive, met by the scratch of a fresh record on the turntable. Come here during the day to dig for bootleg treasures, or catch an in-store concert, exhibit or DJ set on the weekend.

Coffee is treated with the same care as the music selection, with blends supplied by local roaster White Label Coffee (listed below), alongside a curated range of sustainable single-origin beans and brewing equipment.

Coffee in West

Friedhats FUKU Cafe

Best for: Funky flavours and rare blends
Address: Bos en Lommerweg 136 HS, 1055 ED Amsterdam, Netherlands

Friedhats began as a wholesale micro roastery before opening its FUKU cafe in Amsterdam’s Bos en Lommer neighbourhood. The brand’s bold visual language – popping colours and psychedelic imagery across its pill bottle-shaped packaging counter – reflect a menu of funky, experimental flavours.

Co-founder Lex Wenneker runs the coffee bar more like a wine bar, pairing a selection of familiar blends alongside rarer, more unusual offerings for serious coffee drinkers.
The rarest (and most expensive) on the menu is an aerobic Panama Gesha 90 plus, priced at 12 EUR a cup.

Wenneker is a two-time winner of the Netherlands’ top barista award, so you know you’re in reliable hands.

Lot61

Best for: A defining force in Amsterdam’s specialty coffee scene
Address: Kinkerstraat 112, 1053 ED Amsterdam, Netherlands

Born in Sydney, Adam Craig spent 15 years in New York running a trio of successful coffee bars before bringing his expertise to Amsterdam. Lot61 was instrumental in spearheading the city’s wave of artisanal espresso bars and now operates several locations across Amsterdam, with its original café in Amsterdam West.

A Kees Van Der Westen Spirit coffee machine sits at the heart of the action, while the space often features rotating local art exhibitions. Try a vegan take on the Aussie-born Mont Blanc coffee, topping orange-infused cold brew with a silky plant-based foam.

Lot61 is committed to ethical sourcing, down to detailed assessments of water usage on partner farms. If you’re heading to Amsterdam’s Foodhallen, Lot61 is just around the corner.

White Label Coffee

Best for: Boundary pushing methods in a lo-fi space
Address: Jan Evertsenstraat 136, 1056 EK Amsterdam, Netherlands

Stop by White Label Coffee on a stroll through Rembrandtpark. An early innovator in Amsterdam’s micro roastery scene, it provides coffee to a number of establishments around town including Black Gold and Choux. Adventurous flavours include a washed Ethiopian coffee, with notes of champagne, raspberry, pineapple and cinnamon.

The cafe itself is lo-fi and laidback, with an additional location in Amsterdam Noord.

Coffee in Noord

Cafe Keppler

Best for: Micro roastery, bakery and live music in Noord
Address: Van der Pekstraat 1, 1031 CN Amsterdam

In Amsterdam’s industrial Noord neighbourhood, Cafe Keppler combines a roastery, bakery and cafe under one roof. In-house roasts cater to a range of palates, from bold espresso blends designed for milk-based coffees to more complex, spiced single origins. Try the Ethiopian Keramo, with notes of exotic fruit, citrus and strawberry, with and a hint of malibu cola.

Fresh breads are baked daily on site, alongside cakes and pastries. Look out for live music nights with jazz bands and DJ sets.

Oost

Rum Baba Coffee Roasters

Best for: Geeking out with fellow coffee enthusiasts
Address: Pretoriusstraat 15, 1092 EW Amsterdam

In hip Amsterdam East, Rum Baba is a creative micro roastery and bakery with a strong coffee cultural at its core. The menu includes distinctive flavours such as Ethiopian Keramo with honeysuckle, sweet orange and apricot, or a smooth Colombian decaf with caramel and plum. Every Wednesday Rum Baba offers free, walk-in workshops covering topics from cupping to V60 brewing and Aeropress techniques.

Founder Jeroen Keizer also runs the boutique tea brand Monkey Chief, while the in-house bakery produces a range of cakes. It is quite far off the tourist track, but for coffee enthusiasts it’s well worth the trip. For something more central, visit Rum Baba’s second site at Elandsgracht 134.