Wanakam

Wanakam is a café in Amsterdam-Oost, located at Ruyschstraat 34. Public sources describe it as a South Asian culture café. A municipal permit lists the address as Ruyschstraat 34-H in the Oost district. Their own communications date the start of the project to 2025. Additionally, there is a public mention of a soft launch on November 22, 2025, at the same address.

A completely clear picture of the founders cannot be found in public sources. However, several names recur. Jimmy Varghese, Gaurav Singhal, and Manuel Buonamico are mentioned in various publications. Additionally, Shanti Voorn appears in one source and Shanthi Fujii in another. Consequently, it is clear which core names circulate around the concept, but not exactly what the full composition is.

Some detail is also known regarding the development of the plan. According to public reports, the team first tested the concept for four months at the Noordermarkt. There, chai and samosas were sold before the permanent café opened. In the same description, two initiators are given professional profiles: Buonamico as a former sales manager at Lot61 and Varghese as an Indian art director and creative director.

The positioning of Wanakam differs from a classic hospitality concept organized solely around national cuisine or coffee varieties. In their own texts, the combination of culture, conversation, gatherings, and drinks is central. Another public profile explicitly describes the place as a “third space” or cultural meeting space, rather than primarily “an Indian café.” The name also gains meaning here: it is said to refer to the Tamil greeting “Vanakkam”, meaning “welcome”.

In Wanakam’s public presentation, coffee and chai are presented side by side. Their Instagram bio mentions specialty chai, coffee, snacks, stories, and cocktails, suggesting a drinks menu where coffee is integrated into a broader cultural and culinary framework. At the same time, the exact structure of the coffee menu remains sparsely documented, as a full official menu with brewing details was not publicly accessible in the consulted texts.

However, some concrete elements have been noted. Public mentions refer to espresso-based drinks, and external reports also mention filter coffee. Regarding the beans, Five Ways appears as the documented supplier. This relationship emerges from public interview snippets and other public references, confirming that Wanakam partners with an Amsterdam-based roaster for its coffee.

In the available sources, chai receives more detailed attention than coffee. Three fixed preparations are mentioned: Signature chai with cardamom, house masala and jaggery, Ginger chai, and Kashmiri noon. The latter is described as a pink, salted tea finished with saffron, rose water, and Himalayan salt. Additionally, iced tea variations and chai martinis appear in public communications.

Some information is also available regarding the production of the chai. According to one source, the tea is imported directly from India, with the spices added later in Amsterdam. The blend steeps for hours, and sometimes overnight. This speaks to the labor-intensive nature of the preparation, though not to a formally established sustainability strategy, as such a policy was not documented in the public sources consulted.

Wanakam presents itself not just as a café, but as a space for activities. Its own website speaks of daily events, conversations, music, and gatherings. This image is supported by public event listings from 2025 and 2026. The soft launch in November 2025 marks an early public moment, followed by other activities found in external calendars and on social media.

One example is “Spill The Chai 02”, an event in December 2025 with Kazi Amsterdam centered around Bollywood music from the seventies and eighties. Additionally, “Namaste Or Whatever”, a photography exhibition by Aaryan Sinha, has been documented. Other sources mention vinyl nights, workshops, exhibitions by photographers and artists, and discussions on caste discrimination. Consequently, public descriptions portray Wanakam as a place where drinks, culture, and debate converge.

Furthermore, there are indications of collaborations with other creators and organizers. Public posts mention a lunch menu collaboration and a pop-up with Khao. External calendars also list third-party activities on-site, including the Amsterdam Vinyl Club and a storytelling night. Additionally, public reports mention food pop-ups featuring Malabar cuisine and Sri Lankan New Year meals. Such mentions show that the programming is not exclusively handled internally.

Only a portion of the sourcing is concretely documented. For coffee, the link to Five Ways is evident. For chai, direct import of tea from India is mentioned. Furthermore, one source reports that the drinks menu includes a selection of Italian natural wines, though producers or further origin information are not specified in the available public texts.

Wanakam appeared in the press in 2026 across multiple contexts. An article from March 2026 highlighted the business through the lens of diaspora identity, cultural space, and programming. In the same month, a Dutch-language piece followed regarding the concept and the menu. I amsterdam also mentioned Wanakam in March 2026, both in a magazine context and via event calendars. No mentions of prices or listings in award lists were found in the consulted sources.