NL At Giraffe Coffee Bar Academy on Rotterdam's Hoogstraat, craftsmanship, hospitality and sustainability come together. Baristas roast their own beans, provide SCA trainings and organise coffee and cycling events that connect the community and put flavour centre stage for the city and its visitors.
Coffee roaster at Giraffe Coffee Bar & Academy
Coffee beans at Giraffe Coffee Bar & Academy
About Giraffe Coffee Bar & Academy
Introduction
Giraffe Coffee Bar & Academy shows how Rotterdam creativity and coffee expertise go hand in hand. The team behind Giraffe started in 2013 as a small roastery in Schiebroek, grew quickly and, in 2021, opened its own bar on Hoogstraat. The venue now serves as a living room for enthusiasts who value quality, atmosphere and craftsmanship.
Origins and Vision
Founders Mark Jordaan and Maarten van der Jagt wanted more than just roasting beans from day one. Their goal was to create a place where hospitality, knowledge and excellent coffee come together. Everyone feels welcome in the bar, even dogs, provided they enter on a leash. The collaboration with bicycle boutique Bomba Bomba gives the premises a quirky character, with espressos alongside racing bikes uniting two passionate worlds.
Beneath the bar is the Giraffe Coffee Academy, where beginner and advanced baristas follow SCA‑certified training courses. By linking education to daily bar practice, a learning environment is created that translates theory directly into flavour. In this way, Giraffe steadily strengthens the coffee sector.
Drinks and Preparation
Baristas serve a broad palette of drinks. A full‑bodied espresso, a creamy cappuccino or a fruity filter coffee, everything comes from the in‑house roastery. Each bean shows its character through careful roasting and precise extraction. Seasonal single origins stand alongside familiar house blends, so regulars and explorers always taste something new.
Pour‑over, Aeropress and classic espresso techniques each have their moment on stage. Visitors see how different brewing methods let the same bean speak differently. Essentials such as drippers, tampers and grinders are available in the shop for those who want to experiment at home. Tea lovers will find an extensive JING menu, while plant‑based milks and decaf options complete the offering.
Community and Events
Collaboration is central. The shared space with Bomba Bomba inspires spontaneous coffee‑and‑bike events, ranging from tastings to group rides. The result is a vibrant crossroads of two passionate communities under one roof.
The Academy organises latte‑art, home‑filter brewing and sensory tasting workshops. Groups from Zadkine Hospitality College practise their first espressos here, while local businesses book private cuppings. Every session broadens knowledge and networks, further strengthening Rotterdam as a coffee city.
Sustainability at the Core
Sustainable thinking starts at the source. Giraffe buys directly from cooperatives such as COMSA in Honduras, pays fair prices and chooses organically grown beans whenever possible. Traceability guarantees quality and a future‑proof chain.
- Shorter supply chain through direct purchasing.
- Organic beans without artificial fertiliser.
- Discount when using your own cup.
- Coffee grounds go to kitchen gardens.
- Organic beans without artificial fertiliser.
- Discount when using your own cup.
- Coffee grounds go to kitchen gardens.
The bar uses reusable cups and serves drinks on real crockery for on‑site consumption. Roasting and brewing equipment is energy‑efficient, while packaging is made from recyclable or biodegradable materials. Every step, from plant to cup, thus has a smaller ecological footprint.
Awards and Recognition
Giraffe features in the European Coffee Trip guide of the 25 best cafés in Rotterdam and represented the Netherlands at Roast Masters 2019. Hotel Pincoffs chose Giraffe as its permanent coffee partner after a rigorous selection. Local rankings have placed the bar at number one for study and workspaces for years, thanks to consistent quality and a welcoming atmosphere.
Conclusion
Giraffe Coffee Bar & Academy demonstrates how passion, community and sustainability reinforce each other. The story shows how a small roastery grows into a leading meeting place where knowledge, flavour and responsible entrepreneurship converge in every cup. Rotterdam – and everyone beyond – can taste here what the future of coffee tastes like.