MidWest

MidWest is located at Cabralstraat 1 in De Baarsjes, in Amsterdam West. Operating out of a former school building, the organization combines a café with workspaces, community projects, gardens, and cultural activities. For coffee lovers, MidWest is therefore more than just a place to grab a cup; it is an example of a café that functions as part of a broader neighborhood hub.

MidWest describes itself as a social enterprise, a meeting place, and a workspace. The organization’s stated goal is to create social impact within the neighborhood. The enterprise was founded in 2012 as a community venture in a vacant, monumental school building in Amsterdam West. In 2013, MidWest opened its doors in that building, offering workspaces, flexible desks, and a café.

Stichting MidWest is documented as an initiative of Arnoud Hekkens, Nathalie van Hoeven, and Anita Groenink. Groenink has been involved as director and board member since 2012, a role she has shared with Bram Budel since 2023. Some public backgrounds of the co-founders are known: Nathalie van Hoeven is described as a project developer with experience in real estate, while Arnoud Hekkens’s career spans journalism, architectural studies, hospitality, vacancy management, arts communication, and gardening.

The organization describes the MidWest concept as a “village hall in the city”. With this, MidWest refers to a place where local doers, makers, and social and cultural initiatives are given space. This description aligns with how the building is used: not only for hospitality, but also for community meals, gatherings, music, and green projects.

The coffee at Café MidWest comes from Gosling Coffee. MidWest refers to itself as one of the “tasting rooms” for this roaster. Publicly documented drinks include coffee and cappuccino. An extensive public coffee menu, a list of beans used, or a rotating coffee program has not been documented in the available research.

Similarly, little public information is available regarding specific brewing methods. The research mentions general coffee service but provides no details on filter coffee, espresso settings, countries of origin, or processing methods. For an article focusing on the coffee side of MidWest, this is an important distinction. While the role of coffee is visible, the precise technical implementation remains limited in the available documentation.

On its own website, Gosling Coffee states that it works with direct trade and aims to shorten the coffee supply chain. This is a public statement from the roaster itself; in the sources examined, this claim has not been independently verified. MidWest describes Gosling Coffee’s coffee as sustainable, but the available café information provides no further verifiable details regarding certifications, volumes, or purchasing contracts.

A large part of MidWest’s identity lies in its community programming. The weekly Buurtkantine takes place on Fridays, where community cooks prepare meals and guests sit together at a long table. MidWest’s agenda also lists activities such as Buurtkoffie, Het Filosofisch Diner, MidWest Festival, Pop-up Stort, Boeren en Buren borrel, Westbound Sessions, biodiversity activities, and Rouwcafé Meetup Amsterdam.

MidWest Radio is documented as a concert series providing a platform for young musicians, with events organized in collaboration with the artists. Rouwcafé Meetup Amsterdam is a monthly gathering in Café MidWest for people in their twenties and thirties who have experienced loss. In doing so, MidWest uses the café as a social space for conversations that go beyond standard hospitality.

MidWest states that the café works with local suppliers. In addition to Gosling Coffee, the organization mentions De Prael and Wispe Brouwerij for beer, The Winespot for wine, Koeckebackers for cookies, De Tweede Jeugd for toasties, and Deli-caat for soups and salads. This list demonstrates that their sourcing is built not just around coffee, but around a broader local network.

Projects concerning waste and garden management are also part of their public profile. Through Afval naar Oogst, fruit and vegetable waste from the neighborhood is composted at MidWest. Broeii Recycle Lab is described as a neighborhood lab for recycling, making, and experimenting, focusing on plastic recycling and composting activities. MidWest’s gardens feature a composting station, a plastic recycling workshop, and a green experimental area home to bees, salamanders, frogs, and birds.

Furthermore, MidWest documents De Inheemse Plantenwinkel, which sells organic and pesticide-free garden plants–mostly native species– sourced from small local growers. Through this, the organization connects the café and workspaces to a broader vision of urban greenery and sustainable material use.

In various public sources, MidWest has been described as a coworking space, community canteen, city garden, café, and event venue located in a former school building. In 2025, Café MidWest was mentioned in an overview of laptop-friendly cafés and workspaces in Amsterdam. Previously, MidWest was also featured in an article about hidden garden terraces, highlighting the café in the former gym and the two gardens.

The organization also gained visibility through community activities and recognition for key individuals. MidWest reported a nomination for an Appeltje van Oranje in 2025, though they later noted the award was not won. In 2022, Anita Groenink received the Amsterdamspeld for her dedication to residents and entrepreneurs in De Baarsjes. Consequently, MidWest remains primarily visible as a café deeply embedded within the local social fabric.