Five roasters and bars we keep going back to: Brandmeesters, Back to Black, Lot Sixty One, White Label Coffee, and Bocca. Last checked - June 2026.
Five coffee places spread across the city, so there is usually one near where you are going. Amsterdam has a lot of all-day cafes that call themselves specialty coffee bars but serve a mediocre cup. The places below all roast their own beans or source carefully from small producers. The difference is noticeable.
Been roasting in Amsterdam for over a decade, and consistency is the main reason we keep going back. A wide bean selection if you want to explore, a reliably good cup if you do not. The selection covers single-origins from Ethiopia, Colombia, and a few less obvious origins. Worth picking up beans to take home - the roasting dates are always recent.
A specialty bar that roasts in the basement, between the Rijksmuseum and the Heineken Experience. As much a neighbourhood hangout as a coffee stop, with good cake too. If you are in the centre, this is the better option - same standard as Brandmeesters, closer to the museums and Leidseplein.
Adam Craig grew up between Sydney and Brooklyn and ran coffee bars in New York before landing on the Kinkerstraat in 2013, picking the spot because the multicultural West reminded him of Brooklyn. The roaster has had a devoted following ever since. Tight, busy, consistent. Good if you are around De Hallen or the Kinkerstraat.
Find on Google Maps →More room to sit than most, and a careful roast. A good one when you actually want to stay a while rather than grab and go.
One of the names that put Amsterdam specialty coffee on the map years ago, and still going strong. Central, dependable, and a safe bet for beans as well as a cup.
If you want one answer: Brandmeesters in Zuid. It has been roasting for over a decade and the quality does not slip. If you are in the centre, Back to Black on Weteringstraat is the better option - same standard, closer to the museums and Leidseplein.
Back to Black on Weteringstraat is around the corner from the Rijksmuseum. They roast on site. Brandmeesters has moved south to Maasstraat 84 in Zuid, a tram ride out but worth it if you are down that way.
Yes. It has been on the Kinkerstraat since 2013, which in Amsterdam coffee terms is an institution. The queue at peak times is real but moves fast. Good if you are already in West or heading to De Hallen.