East

Amsterdam-Oost has a coffee culture that feels both old and new. Old working-class coffee houses live on in contemporary espresso bars where laptops hum. This article traces the journey from early austerity to trendy single-origin flat whites and shows how coffee connects the neighbourhood.

At the start of the twentieth century, Volksbond coffee houses opened near Entrepotdok and Cruquiusweg. Workers drank affordable coffee, tea or cocoa there instead of gin. The locations are now monuments that recall a time when coffee offered a sober alternative to the pub.

After the war, family-run coffee houses such as Koffiehuis De Meer in Watergraafsmeer grew into social anchors. Drivers and market traders were greeted warmly and served a strong cup. In the 1960s the street was lined with delivery vans that paused for “Ben’s delicious coffee”.

When new residents from Turkey, Morocco and Suriname arrived in the 1970s, tea houses and social clubs appeared. Mint tea was served alongside strong Turkish coffee, allowing the role of the traditional coffee house to continue in a multicultural guise.

Around 1996, CoffeeCompany brought the first espresso bars to the neighborhood. A new generation learned to appreciate cappuccino, latte and espresso. In 2011, Coffee Bru on Beukenplein kick‑started third‑wave coffee in Oost, long before the area’s full “Brooklynification.”

The rise continued with micro‑roasters and trendy bars. Rum Baba roasts house‑made beans on Pretoriusstraat, 4850 pairs top‑quality coffee with cinnamon and cardamom buns, and YUSU links minimalist design with community events. Each spot adds its own flavor but shares a love of quality.

- Coffee Bru, Beukenplein 14, pioneer with a neighborhood vibe and responsibly sourced beans.

- Rum Baba, Pretoriusstraat 15, cult roaster with homemade rum cake and experimental single origins.

- 4850, Camperstraat 48‑50, day café for filter‑coffee fans and evening bar for natural beer and wine.

- YUSU Coffee, Andreas Bonnstraat 2, in‑house roastery and stage for local artists.

- Five Ways, Boerhaaveplein 3, transparent roaster offering training and roasting fresh every week.

At Dappermarkt, every market day begins with a quick cup and a chat. After closing, old merchants share stories at Koffiehuis ’t Dappertje. This morning ritual strengthens the bond between stallholders and gives the day structure.

Community centres organise weekly coffee mornings for seniors. A cup of coffee and a slice of cake often turn out to be the highlight of the week. During Neighbour Day in September, free coffee with cake takes centre stage to bring residents together.

Specialty roasters such as Stooker hold public cuppings. Visitors slurp, smell and discuss flavours while learning about origin and processing methods. This nurtures a neighbourhood full of connoisseurs who not only drink coffee but also understand it.

Gentrification brings trendy drinkers with complex latte desires. On Javastraat you see flat whites with oat milk alongside authentic baklava shops where Turkish men play dominoes with small cups of strong coffee.

Long‑term residents often swear by plain filter coffee or ‘koffie verkeerd’. Yet more and more seniors are ordering cappuccinos, while young expats are also trying Surinamese coffee with condensed milk. In this way flavours blend into each other.

Students around Science Park love coffee‑to‑go before lectures. Cafés offer earlier opening hours, discount stamp cards and Wi‑Fi. This audience pulls cold brew and iced latte onto the menu.

Amsterdam‑East helps reuse coffee waste. Start‑up Caffe Inc. is building a biorefinery that turns coffee grounds into oils and biopolymers. GroenCollect picks up the grounds from cafés so nothing ends up in landfill.

Stayokay Oost grows oyster mushrooms on its own coffee grounds and serves bitterballen made from the harvest. Zero Waste Lab previously rewarded residents with coffee for separated waste, making recycling playful and tangible.

Many cafés offer a discount for reusable cups. Since 2023 customers pay extra for disposable cups, which encourages staying in and reduces waste. Small steps are visibly yielding fewer plastic lids in Oosterpark.

Amsterdam‑East keeps changing, but coffee remains the common thread. Whether it's a 'bakkie pleur', a cardamom bun with filter coffee or a cold brew in a personal cup, the neighborhood comes together around the warm aroma of freshly ground beans. Keep tasting, talking and sharing, because in East every sip tells a story.