NL Back to Black on Weteringstraat is a micro-roastery and café with a true neighborhood feel. Specialty coffee, single origins, and a Chef’s Table are central to the experience. Featuring its own roastery, SCA training, and a sustainable cup policy with a 20-cent incentive, it is located just steps from the Rijksmuseum and Leidseplein.
Coffee roasting at Back to Black Weteringstraat
Coffee beans from Back to Black Weteringstraat
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About Back to Black Weteringstraat
Back to Black on Weteringstraat: A micro-roastery with a neighborhood soul
Back to Black opened its doors on July 19, 2014, at Weteringstraat 48 in Amsterdam-Centrum. In 2015, the team began roasting their own beans, bringing the café and roastery under one roof. Founded by Noortje Vlutters and Inge Bulthuis, the shop focuses on specialty coffee and Dutch design. The concept feels welcoming and down-to-earth, blending professional craftsmanship with a personal touch. This forms the foundation for a distinct and consistent flavor profile.
Origins, growth, and place in the city
The bar started as a specialty coffee shop and concept store featuring art and product design. In 2018, a second café followed on Van Hallstraat to accommodate more guests. To keep production in-house, Back to Black built its own roastery and bakery in Westpoort. The micro-roastery is small but agile, and also serves as an SCA training site. In this way, the brand and the expertise grow hand in hand.
Location and atmosphere: A quiet corner by the Rijksmuseum
The shop is located on a quiet canal, just a stone's throw from the Rijksmuseum and Leidseplein. The interior feels like a living room, with cozy seating areas and plenty of natural light. Guests take their time with their cup and conversation, far from the rushed feeling of a typical busy bar. The blend of art, coffee, and community makes the space accessible, encouraging repeat visits and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Coffee program: Single origins and clear choices
The menu centers around single origins with transparent origins and clear profiles. Often, two contrasting espressos are offered side-by-side, presented as a “Chef’s Table.” Guests can taste both shots together, allowing the differences to speak for themselves. The workflow remains tight and repeatable without sacrificing nuance, providing a reliable experience for both newcomers and coffee connoisseurs.
Espresso and equipment
The espresso is pulled on a two-group Kees van der Westen Spirit. This machine is renowned for its temperature stability and high precision. This allows the bar to keep extractions consistent even during peak hours, safeguarding quality. The result is a clean, clear cup with a distinct character, which reinforces the customer's trust in the menu.
Filter, brewbar, and tasting
The brewbar offers V60, AeroPress, and French press for individual cups. For sharing, Chemex and syphon are available, while batch brew is the go-to for a quick choice. Tasting sessions explore various species, including Canephora and rare Liberica. A prime example is the Vietnam 96B Liberica, which expands the flavor palette. This teaches the audience that coffee is about more than just Arabica.
Home brewing and retail
The retail section complements the bar, offering equipment that guests recognize from their visit. Think of a V60 Home Brewing Kit or the AeroPress for an easy start. This lowers the barrier to home brewing and keeps the flavor profile consistent. Retail and bar reinforce one another, increasing customer loyalty and creating a compact, circular ecosystem.
Community and Collaborations
Back to Black organizes talks with importers and roasters, including during festivals. In 2024, importer Lennart Clerkx from This Side Up Coffees joined for a dialogue. They also host bar takeovers and guest roasters, such as head roaster Mikolaj Pociecha. Additionally, public cuppings focusing on Canephora and Robusta spark interesting discussions. The shop also functions as a neighborhood gallery with rotating photography and provides professional coffee services.
Sustainability: Concrete and Measurable
The approach is practical and verifiable, with policies designed to nudge behavior. A to-go cup costs an extra €0.20, while bringing your own cup earns a €0.20 discount. Both cafés participate in the “Just swap it cup” exchange system, increasing reuse. Importers like This Side Up and Cultivar help ensure transparency and fairer prices for farmers. Packaging is made from LDPE and printed with water-based ink, making recycling more straightforward.
- Reusable buckets are used for deliveries to hospitality and wholesale clients, reducing single-use waste.
- Jute bags are given a second life, and GrainPro liners are returned via Ephora Solutions.
- Coffee chaff is donated to community gardens and is part of ongoing research into repurposing.
- Knowledge transfer through SCA training ensures that the impact is scalable beyond their own walls.
Recognition and Visibility
In 2017, barista talent Sybilla took third place at the Dutch Barista Championship and was named Best Newcomer. In 2019, Back to Black was shortlisted for Best Espresso and Most Passionate About Coffee. Media outlets such as Sprudge, The Coffeevine, and European Coffee Trip have profiled the business. The official city guide lists the bar as a top recommendation in the center. This builds brand value and trust among both visitors and industry peers.
What this says about the sector
This model demonstrates that being small-scale isn't a barrier to growth. In-house roasting, training, and decisive choices provide total control over quality. Transparent sourcing and reusable streams reduce waste and costs over time. Diversity in species, such as Canephora and Liberica, broadens the flavor palette and spreads risk. This creates opportunities for cafés that want to position themselves differently than the mass-market players.
- Develop one or two core profiles; keep them recognizable and fresh.
- Bridge the gap between the bar and retail, so guests can achieve the same results at home.
- Use tangible incentives, such as the €0.20 cup policy, to guide customer behavior.
- Build a community through cuppings and conversations with farmers and importers.
- Experiment with species beyond Arabica for unique flavors and greater resilience.
Final Thoughts
Back to Black proves that clear craftsmanship, small steps, and open collaboration work. The result is a consistent taste, less waste, and engaged guests. This is a scalable path for any serious coffee player. Simple, concrete, and future-proof.