NOiAA

NOiAA is located at Pannekoekstraat 99A in Rotterdam Centrum. The establishment is described as a bakery and café concept with a focus on gluten-free, vegan, and Asian-inspired sweets. Rice flour, tea, matcha, and sweet pastries play a prominent role in their offerings. As such, NOiAA sits at the intersection of a patisserie, a coffee bar, and an intimate community hub. The available information suggests a concept where pastries and drinks together form the core experience.

NOiAA was founded by Adelaide Lala Tam and Alice Li. Online business records list 2022 as the founding year, based in Rotterdam. The venture is described as a collaboration centered around rice flour-based pastry. The name refers to “Eunoia”, which in Greek translates to “beautiful thinking”. The double A in the name represents Adelaide and Alice, reflecting the personal nature of the project.

The founders’ backgrounds provide context for the concept. Alice is from China, previously worked in finance, and studied rice flour baking techniques in Japan. Adelaide is from Hong Kong, is a food designer, and studied in Eindhoven. Before opening their brick-and-mortar shop, the founders experimented with temporary sales formats, starting with a pop-up in the Markthal and later appearing on Saturdays at the Rotterdamse Oogstmarkt.

The first shop on Pannekoekstraat was announced in May 2024. The opening menu featured rice flour financiers, cheesecake, a fruit tart with Earl Grey sponge, and a chocolate cream based on tofu. Egg-free and lactose-free cupcakes were also mentioned. This shows an emphasis not only on flavor but also on dietary requirements, while remaining rooted in Asian ingredients and baking styles.

On the coffee front, NOiAA sources its beans from Evermore in Delfshaven. Evermore is described as a family business specializing in single-origin tea, coffee, and chocolate. The company states that it chooses organic products wherever possible and maintains direct contact with farmers. Based on available information, Evermore is the only named coffee supplier for NOiAA; other regular suppliers are not publicly mentioned in the researched materials.

Little is documented regarding specific brewing methods. No public data was found concerning espresso, filter coffee, batch brew, pour-over, or cold brew at NOiAA. While coffee and tea are listed as part of the menu, for readers primarily interested in coffee technique, this remains a key distinction. The documentation focuses less on extraction, grinders, or bean profiles, and more on the synergy between drinks, pastries, and ingredients.

The beverage menu extends beyond coffee. Publicly listed drinks include organic tea, matcha tea, matcha latte, hojicha latte, and iced hojicha latte. They also offer vanilla iced matcha latte, iced strawberry matcha latte, iced mango coconut matcha, and lychee sakura soda. NOiAA describes its matcha powder as certified organic and made from 100 percent organic matcha green tea. A homemade vanilla syrup made with organic Madagascar vanilla beans and cane sugar is also mentioned.

The pastry selection forms a significant part of their profile. Alongside financiers and cheesecakes, gluten-free rice flour cakes, matcha basque cheesecake, black sesame cheesecake, and matcha and hojicha products are mentioned. There is also a Rice Wine Cookie described, made with sake kasu, rice flour, and butter. Sake kasu is described as the fermented rice lees remaining after sake production. The terminology used points to a menu where rice, tea, and fermented ingredients are recurring themes.

NOiAA is described as more than just a retail space. The founders expressed a desire for it to become a place for learning and sharing regarding dietary needs. Additionally, there are activities linked to NOiAA Square. For instance, a wreath workshop was announced for December 7, 2025, at Pannekoekstraat. A poetry reading event titled “Sweet Memories” was also announced for April 25, 2026, in collaboration with Emily’s Huis.

Furthermore, a Christmas market at NOiAA has been documented, featuring work from the shop’s creative network, including studio.jie.chen. Such activities place NOiAA within a broader creative and culinary environment in Rotterdam. This is relevant for the food and coffee sector, as cafés increasingly provide space for small cultural programs. At NOiAA, this role exists alongside the patisserie and drinks.

NOiAA is featured across various public listings as a bakery, patisserie, coffee and tea spot, and a destination for vegan and gluten-free options. The shop is also frequently mentioned in connection with matcha in Rotterdam. These mentions highlight how the concept is positioned online: less as a traditional coffee bar and more as a patisserie with a curated drink menu. The core of its documented profile is the combination of rice flour pastries, matcha, hojicha, organic ingredients, and Evermore coffee.