The Coffee Virus

The Coffee Virus is located in A Lab at Overhoeksplein in Amsterdam-Noord. The business is connected to a location referred to on its own website as Amsterdam A Lab. In a 2018 interview, founder Floris van Luttervelt stated that the project began in 2013 as a pop-up in A Lab, together with Maarten van Belkom. In the initial phase, it had limited opening hours of one hour per day, one day per week. Subsequently, the concept grew into a lunchroom.

Van Luttervelt linked the name to two elements. On one hand, he referred to the history of A Lab as a former Shell laboratory. On the other, he used the image of a concept that would “spread” throughout the building. On its own website, The Coffee Virus describes the concept as a place within an urban hub where entrepreneurs, makers, creatives, and freelancers can meet. The business positions itself as a crossroads for contact and collaboration.

The background of Floris van Luttervelt is partially detailed in the same interview. He previously stated that he ran Coffee & Cocktails, worked at Lola Bikes & Coffee in Den Haag, and gained experience in the hospitality sector in Gouda. He also worked for three months in a coffee shop in Melbourne. Furthermore, according to that interview, he finished sixth in the 2016 Dutch Barista Championship. His brother, Ollivier van Luttervelt, later joined as a partner, taking a role in costs, pricing, and operational structure. As of January 1, 2023, Gemma Koelmans took over the location in A Lab, according to a public statement by Floris van Luttervelt from 2023.

The coffee selection is organized on the website and in the current English menu according to three flavor categories: sweet, sour, and bitter. This means the emphasis is not on a single fixed flavor profile, but on a classification designed to structure the choice for guests. The business presents itself as a provider of specialty coffee.

The current menu mentions several filter methods. Additionally, a city platform mentions an extra brewing method associated with the bar.

Alongside filter coffee, the menu features standard espresso-based drinks in single and double shots. For milk-based beverages, both steamed cow's milk and oat milk are available. Additionally, the menu includes options such as masala chai latte and hot chocolate. The shop also sells bags of specialty coffee in 250, 500, and 1000 gram sizes. This demonstrates that the coffee bar caters to both on-site consumption and home brewing.

The current menu also offers a wide selection of lunch and snack options. These include The Now Sandwich, The Now Soup, paninis such as Pastramini and Grilled Eggplant, toasties, salads, brownies, banana bread, and croissants. Additionally, a drink called “coffee-coke” is listed. Historical reports from 2015 linked the A Lab location to Bocca Coffee, mentioning two espresso and three filter roasts at the time. In the current menu, roasters or suppliers are not mentioned by name.

In its public description, The Coffee Virus is explicitly linked to the community surrounding A Lab and the Amsterdam University of the Arts. The location is presented as a meeting point for A Lab members, students, staff, and their guests. This makes the establishment not just a hospitality spot, but part of a broader work and learning environment.

The official website mentions catering, meeting rooms, and event spaces, listing both indoor and outdoor locations for groups ranging from 5 to 500 people. The meeting rooms page lists applications such as exhibitions, lectures, meet-ups, team workshops, and performances. Public event pages from A Lab show that various programs take place in and around The Coffee Virus, including a pub quiz in May 2024, Lab Crawl activities in 2025, jazz programs in 2025, and community gatherings in 2026. Previous public calendars also mentioned monthly meetings regarding the Open Vertical Farm Tour in A Lab.

Regarding sustainability and sourcing, the consulted public information contains limited concrete policy. The viewed pages of the official website do not list a formal sustainability policy, certification, or public sourcing code. Consequently, it remains unclear which standards or fixed origin programs the company currently employs.

However, some isolated clues are publicly documented. In 2018, Floris van Luttervelt stated that The Coffee Virus grew its own lettuce varieties. An event page from that same year further reported that crops from the A Lab Vertical Farm would be used by The Coffee Virus. In the current menu, both cow's milk and oat milk are options for coffee drinks. Furthermore, there is historical public reporting regarding a relationship with Bocca Coffee at the A Lab location. Beyond this, available sources provide no further detail on specific farmers, origin programs, or verifiable sustainability standards.

The Coffee Virus appears in publications about coffee, hospitality, and urban life in both Dutch and English media. The location is mentioned in articles and guides from sources including Food Inspiration, Thrillist, I amsterdam, Anne Travel Foodie, DutchReview, Your Little Black Book, and Koffietje. These mentions typically place the establishment in overviews of coffee spots in Amsterdam-Noord or broader city lists. A separate, verifiable price for the Amsterdam-Noord location is not publicly documented in the provided material.