Het Koffiehuis

Het Koffiehuis is located in the Haarlemmerbuurt neighborhood in Amsterdam Centrum. Public records list Haarlemmerstraat 146-H or 146H, 1013 EZ Amsterdam, as the address. The organization is registered as Stichting Het Koffiehuis Amsterdam, with RSIN 857792775 and KvK number 69229473. This makes the location not just a place where coffee is served, but primarily a social facility with a formal foundation as its basis.

Het Koffiehuis is described in available sources as a foundation, a social enterprise, and a low-threshold drop-in center. The target audience consists of homeless individuals and other vulnerable citizens. The sources therefore do not depict a typical commercial coffee bar. For readers in the coffee sector, this distinction is relevant because coffee here is part of a broader social work model.

According to the organization’s own information, the establishment is still widely known as the Volksbond Koffiehuis. The branch on Haarlemmerstraat has existed for decades, according to official information. RCOAK places the background in the tradition of 19th-century Volksbond coffee houses. The exact opening date of the current location is not publicly documented in the examined material.

The current foundation was established in July 2017, according to public registration data. ANBI status has been in effect since July 18, 2017. The sources do not name the founders of the original facility. However, a newspaper article mentions that Roel Piera initiated the transition from a facility run by the Volksbond to an independent foundation. Official documents list R.J.R. Piera as director or executive director and Loes Olgers as coordinator.

Coffee plays a visible role in the operations of Het Koffiehuis, but the available sources provide limited technical information. The organization documents Frans de Grebber Coffee Roasters as the roaster associated with their own coffee. The roaster’s product page lists MOK1 coffee as being roasted specifically for Koffiehuis Amsterdam.

The product information mentions beans from Brazil and Honduras. It also states that the coffee is available as whole beans and as a quick-filter grind. The examined sources do not mention a public drink menu, extraction recipes, or fixed preparation methods on-site. As a result, it is not possible to determine which equipment, brewing methods, or coffee styles are used daily.

Official information about the daily work mentions coffee, breakfast, and a warm lunch for homeless people working in the area. In this context, coffee is not a standalone consumer product, but part of support, daily rhythm, and contact. This makes the position of Het Koffiehuis different from that of a shop or cafe with a public hospitality menu.

The activities of Het Koffiehuis focus on more than just food and drink. The sources mention a clothing store, coffee and warm lunch, cleaning crews, green projects in the neighborhood, and a collaboration regarding Homeless Extras casting. These elements show that the organization combines various forms of practical support.

Regarding work in public spaces, collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam and local business organizations is documented. This includes cleaning work on Nieuwendijk, Kalverstraat, and Heiligeweg, as well as Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk. Adopted waste bins at Eenhoornsluis and a trial with a cigarette butt vacuum are also mentioned.

Volunteers also play a role. Official information states that volunteers cook, and that companies sometimes come as a team to cook. The practical information refers to Business Involved Amsterdam. No public documentation was found in the sources examined regarding coffee tastings, workshops, exhibitions, or similar coffee events.

Het Koffiehuis also processes second-hand clothing. Official information describes clothing donations and resale through the clothing shop. Men’s clothing is provided free of charge to men working in the street cleaning and greenery teams. Donation information also mentions goods such as coffee, sugar, tea, groceries, notepads, and envelopes.

These elements connect daily assistance with reuse and neighborhood work. The sources do not make broad sustainability claims. However, they document concrete forms of reuse, street cleaning, and greenery management. For a factual description, these measurable activities are particularly important.

According to its own archive, Het Koffiehuis received attention in De Telegraaf in 2022. The linked article appeared as a Stadsverhalen publication on December 22, 2022. RCOAK named Het Koffiehuis Initiative of the Month for December 2025 and described support for the organization. NL Cares mentions Koffiehuis Amsterdam as an initiative where bar service support is provided to homeless people.

No documentation of coffee prices, barista awards, or mentions in food and lifestyle rankings was found in the examined material. The available information therefore positions Het Koffiehuis primarily as a social facility in which coffee serves a practical and social function. For coffee enthusiasts, the profile primarily offers insight into the role of coffee outside the classic specialty café model.