A day simply doesn’t fare well if there’s no coffee right at the start. Not just any coffee, a specialty coffee at that! Right? If you consider yourself to be a coffee aficionado and find only the best coffee worthy of drinking, then check out the 20 best specialty coffee bars in this Amsterdam coffee guide.
Being an Amsterdam local I’ve tried and tested all of the places in this Amsterdam coffee guide. And trust me when I say I’ve tried many more! But I find these 20 are simply the best ones. So enjoy them on your visit to Amsterdam.
Tip: All specialty coffee bars have been grouped per Amsterdam District. And to make it even easier to find your way around the city you can use the handy map at the end of this article.
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Centrum
Toki
Just off the Haarlemmerstraat shopping street you can visit Toki. This awesome coffee hangout is frequented by locals that are after a single origin filter coffee, or a tasty milky coffee. But whatever your coffee style, they’ve got you covered at Toki.
Of course you can grab a coffee, one of Toki’s pastries and go, but I encourage you to have a look at their Asian influenced menu and enjoy a banh mi or kimchi sandwich.
Toki | Binnen Dommersstraat 15, 1013 HK Amsterdam | tokiho.amsterdam
Hummingbird
Next up, and right in the centre of Amsterdam you can visit Hummingbird. They serve some delicious coffees at Hummingbird, such as their home blend from Onyx Coffee Roasters. But there’s always a few other roasters available to try as well.
Hummingbird | Spuistraat 217, 1012 VN Amsterdam | hummingbird.amsterdam
Black Gold
Black Gold is passionate about coffee and vinyl. A killer combo under one roof if you ask me. And very aptly named at that.
Black Gold mainly uses beans from Amsterdam’s White Label Coffee roasters and creates super tasty coffees as a result of that.
The vinyl on the record player is either 90s hip hop, afrobeat, funk, electronica or jazz. Grab one of the tasty croissants or cakes and have a chat with the owner or the baristas. And who knows, perhaps you’ll also find some black gold in shape of a vinyl record to take home.
Black Gold | Korte Koningsstraat 13 H, 1011 EX Amsterdam | blackgoldamsterdam.com
Back to Black
Opposite the Rijksmuseum two ladies opened Back to Black back in 2014 and they did that with great succes, because for me its the best coffee in Amsterdam Centrum.
Back to Black usually has about five or six different coffees available that they roast in their own roastery. All their coffees have different profiles making Back to Black a place to come back to again and again. The pastries on offer are also a delight and are home-made in their own bakery.
Back to Black | Weteringstraat 48, 1017 SP Amsterdam | backtoblackcoffee.nl
Bocca
Bocca is kind of an institution in the Amsterdam coffee scene. These coffee roasters have been in business since 2001 making them the first specialty coffee roaster in the Netherlands. You can find some truly tasteful blends and single origins at Bocca and a very nice selection of pastries too.
If you have some time you can also pre-book a coffee tasting workshop, a coffee cocktail workshop, or some other workshop.
Bocca | Kerkstraat 96H, 1017 GP Amsterdam | bocca.nl
Fucking Strong Coffee at Good Beans
Good Beans does what it says and delivers you good beans for a perfect brew. At Good Beans they work with different roasters, such as Manhattan and Uncommon. But you come to this little shop for their own roast, Fucking Strong Coffee.
Now I’m not sure if fucking strong is actually the correct description for their coffee, but it sure as hell is tasty as f*ck. What I love is that Good Beans’ mission is to make fancy coffee more approachable and that their beans are ethically sourced from all over the world.
Good Beans | Binnen Oranjestraat 4, 1013 JA Amsterdam | goodbeans.nl
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Zuid
BLCK. Coffee and the Masters
Situated at the heart of the Zuidas neighbourhood is BLCK. Coffee and the Masters. BLCK works together with Archers Coffee roasters in Dubai, so specialty coffee lovers will likely discover something new here.
The baristas at BLCK love to make you a hand brew, but if you feel more like a milky coffee get the silky smooth cappuccino. The combination of beans and the milk they use simply is perfection.
BLCK is also a good coffee bar to sit down and get some work done. Take the Wi-Fi code from the spray can on your table, sit back in one of the comfy chairs and enjoy the atmosphere.
BLCK. Coffee and The Masters | Claude Debussylaan 269, 1082 MA Amsterdam | blck.amsterdam
The Coffee District
One of the cosiest specialty coffee shops in Amsterdam Zuid is The Coffee District, which boasts a beautiful Scandinavian modern interior design. The walls are filled with an impressive selection of accessories for purchase such as coffee to go cups by Huskee and Kinto, or the classic Dutch filter machine by Moccamaster.
The beans usually used by The Coffee District are from Amsterdam’s Lot Sixty One roasters, but occasionally they have different beans to choose from, such as Amsterdam roasters DAK or Friedhats.
The Coffee District | Olympiaplein 111, 1077 CV Amsterdam (and other locations) | coffeedistrict.nl
Scandinavian Embassy
The best coffee in the De Pijp neighbourhood! Scandinavian Embassy sources coffee from Scandinavian roasters mainly, such as Stockholm‘s Drop.
The pastries alone are a reason to visit Scandinavian Embassy, since they’re unlike anywhere else in the city. Also they have delicious fresh sandwiches with typical Scandinavian ingredients.
Tip: It can be extremely busy here on weekends, so it’s best to visit on weekdays. Alternatively head to their bakery and shop on Europaplein.
Scandinavian Embassy | Sarphatipark 34, 1072 PB Amsterdam | scandinavianembassy.nl
Cafecito
One of the newest kids on the block is Cafecito. Their original coffee store is on the Van Baerlestraat, but they recently also opened at Beethovenstraat and Nassaukade which is quite the testament to their success.
The coffee is brewed to perfection at 93˚C and there’s always something new to try out, be it coffee or pastries.
Cafecito | Van Baerlestraat 83, 1071 AS Amsterdam (and other locations) | cafecito.nl
Caffènation
See another side of Amsterdam on your coffee trail through the city by visiting Belgian Coffee Roasters Caffènation’s Amsterdam branch.
Caffènation is a real gem in the Hoofddorpplein neighbourhood and well off the Amsterdam tourist trail, but is still easy enough to get to from the Vondelpark.
So, enjoy the delicious Kenyan filter coffee at Caffènation and meet locals.
Caffènation | Warmondstraat 120, 1058 KZ Amsterdam | caffenation.be
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Oost
Rum Baba
One of my favourite specialty coffee roasters in Amsterdam is Rum Baba. They always roast their beans into unique flavours, which means you could literally be drinking coffee with the taste of a candy store.
But don’t worry if you’re into more traditional flavours. Just let the baristas know what you like and they’ll find you the perfect coffee match.
Tip: Rum Baba’s roastery is a few houses down from their corner shop coffee bar and bakery, so take a peek inside there as well since they might be roasting.
Rum Baba | Pretoriusstraat 15, 1092 EW Amsterdam | rumbaba.nl
4850
4850 is one of Amsterdam’s top restaurants, that shifted to doing daytime coffee-to-go during the pandemic. And 4850 did the coffee so well that when they announced that they would stop serving coffee when regular business resumed it created an outrage in Amsterdam Oost.
Soon the decision was revoked much to the relief of Amsterdam’s coffee aficionados. 4850 serve coffee from Copenhagen’s La Cabra.
Tip: 4850 do truly delicious coffee, but do yourself a favour and have a cinnamon or cardamom bun on the side. These are the best in all of Amsterdam!
4850 | Camperstraat 48-50, 1091 AH Amsterdam | 4850.nl
YUSU
YUSU is right next to one of the buildings of the Amsterdam University campus. And that really shows in the bustling atmosphere at YUSU.
You can get your V60, chemex, aeropress or french press filter coffee here. Or try something from the espresso machine with or without almost any type of milk. I find they do a perfect flat white. YUSU is very popular with cake lovers too, so try out some of their pastries.
YUSU | Andreas Bonnstraat 2, 1091 AX Amsterdam | yusu.coffee
Barmhartig Koffie
For coffee with a view head to Barmhartig Koffie. Also if you love to be surrounded by plants, because it’s very green here!
But the colour black is still the core business of Barmhartig Koffie. Then again you can also get a haircut here, or put up your laptop to get some work done.
Eeehhm… whatever you come to Barmhartig Koffie for, at the very least have the baristas make you a delicious coffee!
Barmhartig Koffie | Veemkade 1288, 1019 CZ Amsterdam | barmhartigkoffie.nl
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | West
Friedhats FUKU Cafe
With arguably the best coffee in the city, Friedhats is a destination in itself. Whether it’s more traditional or funky flavours you seek, you will always succeed at the micro roastery of Friedhats in Amsterdam West.
Beans to take home are sold in cool canisters shaped like a medicine jar. Weird? Well… I guess for some, coffee is their medicine, so nope not weird just the way it should be everywhere.
Friedhats FUKU Cafe | Bos en Lommerweg 136 HS, 1055 ED Amsterdam | friedhats.com
Lot Sixty One
Lot Sixty One is another kind of Amsterdam coffee institution. Their excellent coffee is available at various specialty coffee bars all over the city. They even have some shops in Malta!
The coffee beans are roasted downstairs in their Kinkerstraat shop. You can really taste the passion in every cup of coffee. And if you’re looking for a tasty cinnamon bun on the side, then Lot Sixty One is the place to be in West.
Tip: If you want to get some work done, then visit Lot Sixty One in the Doubletree by Hilton hotel next to Central Station. This branch is more spacious and better catered for getting some work done.
Lot Sixty One | Kinkerstraat 112, 1053 ED Amsterdam | lot61.com
Uncommon
Un.common /An’koman/ Out of the ordinary; unusual; not often found, seen or experienced; remarkable or exceptional. That’s what Uncommon prints on their to go cups. They really DO a great cup of coffee, easy as that.
Uncommon usually has two different filter coffees ready made for you for, so you can experience some quick service here. Pretty nice pastries here as well and a few brunch type dishes with unusual ingredients.
Uncommon | Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 63H, 1054 BT Amsterdam | uncommonams.com
Five Ways Coffee Roasters
Last but certainly not least in West is Five Ways Coffee Roasters. These guys have two shops in the city where this one in west is coffee and pastries only. Their branch in Oost also serves a wider range of brunch and lunch options.
Five Ways takes pride in the coffee they roast, but also the machine they use, the S35 Loring roaster. The result is simply fantastic making Five Ways a fantastic coffee destination.
Besides the excellent coffee it’s the baristas I’m coming back for. They crack me up and they make you feel at home.
Five Ways | Kinkerstraat 186, 1053 EM Amsterdam | fivewayscoffee.com
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Noord
White Label Coffee
White Label is an Amsterdam roastery that prides itself on openness, inclusiveness, quality and cooperation all throughout the supply chain. I love their Costa Rican filter coffee and always have that whenever it’s available.
Head to this shop in this off the beaten path location in Amsterdam’s Noord district, or alternatively climb the wooden blocks to the coffee counter in their original shop in West.
White Label Coffee | Zonneplein 4, 1033 EK Amsterdam | whitelabelcoffee.nl
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Map
To help you find your way to all of the specialty coffee bars in this Amsterdam Coffee Guide, check out the map below.
Amsterdam Coffee Guide | Final thoughts
And that’s it for the best specialty coffee in Amsterdam. If you had a coffee in each of the 20 coffee bars in this Amsterdam Coffee Guide then let me give you some applause! You really are a coffee aficionado and I hope you can sleep tonight.
Planning a trip to Haarlem on your visit to Amsterdam? Then also check out my Haarlem Coffee Guide so you can stay caffeinated in Haarlem as well.
If you have any suggestions, comments or questions let me know in the comments section below and I’d be happy to help you out. Also please follow me on instagram and subscribe to my newsletter below to get regular updates for new articles.
