NL Since 1661, Amsterdam has grown from its first coffeehouse into a vibrant third‑wave scene where festivals, circular start‑ups and coworking cafés show how history, innovation and sustainability meet in every cup. Every day baristas fill mugs while lightly roasted single origins reveal floral flavors.
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Districts in Amsterdam
West
Amsterdam West breathes coffee history and innovation, from early neighborhood coffeehouses to trendy micro‑roasters. The district serves single‑origin beans, oat cappuccinos, 'nous nous' and green innovations. Taste inclusive festivals, international diversity and a growing sustainable awareness in every fragrant sip for all coffee lovers
East
Amsterdam‑East breathes coffee, from Volksbond coffeehouses to third‑wave bars. Rum Baba roasts single‑origin beans, Dappermarkt trades stories over cups, Caffe Inc. reuses coffee grounds. Old rituals and new flavors connect the neighborhood daily in cafés, markets and living rooms with every steaming sip.
More about Amsterdam
Introduction
Amsterdam breathes coffee. Every day baristas fill cups for residents, students, and tourists. The city boasts hundreds of cafés, from centuries‑old brown bars to trendy micro‑roasters. This short guide shows how Amsterdam grew into a leading centre for coffee, innovation, and sustainability.
Historical roots of coffee in Amsterdam
The first shipment of coffee beans reached the city in 1661, when it was still spelled "cauwe". Just one year later an auction was held. Within four years the first coffeehouse opened, where scholars and merchants discussed science and politics.
Thanks to the VOC, Amsterdam enjoyed a steady stream of beans from Java and Suriname in the eighteenth century. Coffee became cheaper and shifted from a luxury item to an everyday drink. Around 1750 people drank coffee more often than beer, a remarkable shift for the time.
Today the average Dutch citizen drinks about four cups a day. This ranks the country among the world’s top consumers and coffee remains a social glue in the capital.
Contemporary coffee bars and roasters
Since 2010 Amsterdam has been going through a “third‑wave” revival. Specialty shops roast lightly, operate transparently and tell the story behind every bean.
- Bocca Coffee Roasters, a B‑Corp, even publishes a True Price report.
- Back to Black started in a cosy canal house and expanded into West.
- Friedhats FUKU Café serves experimental Panama Geisha for €12 per cup.
- Lot Sixty One aims for fully circular roasting and monitors water use on plantations.
- Rum Baba combines a bakery and roastery and offers free workshops every Wednesday.
- Back to Black started in a cosy canal house and expanded into West.
- Friedhats FUKU Café serves experimental Panama Geisha for €12 per cup.
- Lot Sixty One aims for fully circular roasting and monitors water use on plantations.
- Rum Baba combines a bakery and roastery and offers free workshops every Wednesday.
These venues attract a broad audience, from curious neighborhood residents to avid cuppers. Their light roasts showcase floral, fruity notes that rise above traditional dark blends.
Annual events that nurture the scene
Since 2015, the Amsterdam Coffee Festival (ACF) has celebrated coffee's versatility. The 2025 edition attracted more than 10,000 visitors and 125 brands to the NDSM‑Loods. Highlights include Roast Masters™, Latte Art Live and the Cupping Exchange, where the public learns to recognize flavor notes for themselves.
- Dutch Barista Championship: six finalists competed for the title in January 2024; Zjevaun Janga won and advanced to the world stage.
- Pop‑up cuppings: cafés host informal tastings and throwdowns throughout the year.
- World Championships: in 2018 the RAI hosted almost 11,000 professionals during World of Coffee, strengthening Amsterdam's international standing.
- Pop‑up cuppings: cafés host informal tastings and throwdowns throughout the year.
- World Championships: in 2018 the RAI hosted almost 11,000 professionals during World of Coffee, strengthening Amsterdam's international standing.
Consumer trends in the capital
Koffie verkeerd remains a beloved classic, often served with apple pie. At the same time, demand for single‑origin filter coffee brewed on a V60 or Aeropress is growing. This variation reflects an adventurous palate.
Plant‑based options are gaining ground. Oat cappuccinos have become so commonplace that some bars sell more oat milk than cow's milk. The trend aligns with the broader shift toward sustainable eating.
Coffee bars increasingly serve as flexible workspaces. Good Wi‑Fi, power outlets, and a reliable espresso turn them into an extension of the home office.
Sustainability and future‑oriented entrepreneurship
Amsterdam wants to make coffee circular. Nationally, 250,000 tonnes of coffee grounds end up in the waste stream each year. The start‑up Caffe Inc., backed by the Amsterdam Climate & Energy Fund, is building a refinery that converts spent coffee grounds into oils and "coffee blocks" for biobased building materials. This saves a volume of CO₂ equivalent to the annual uptake of 75,000 trees.
Since 2024, disposable cups with a plastic lining have been banned in the hospitality sector. Businesses must offer reusable mugs or charge a surcharge. Many cafés give a discount to guests who bring their own cup.
Creative entrepreneurs go even further. Dik & Schil distils the liqueur "Bakkie Pleur" from collected espresso grounds. Other initiatives grow oyster mushrooms on coffee grounds or turn them into soap. In this way, every bean gets a second life.
Closing thought
Four centuries after the first "cauwe", the capital teems with coffee initiatives more than ever. History, craftsmanship, and green innovations merge into a culture that continues to entice and surprise. A visit to Amsterdam is not complete without a steaming cup in one of the many progressive cafés.