There are few cities as mesmerising as Amsterdam, thanks to its endlessly winding canals and cookie-cutter houses. And while many visitors might associate the Dutch capital with all kinds of thrills, it’s the city’s ever-evolving culinary scene that is really worth sinking your teeth into, with a spat of speciality coffee shops, artisan bakeries, and trendy cafés constantly springing up across town. Below, we’ve rounded up the best bakeries and cafés in Amsterdam for your next pastry hit and caffeine kick in Amsterdam.
Bakkerij Loof
Located on the border of Amsterdam-West and Jordaan, Bakkerij Loof draws a consistent stream of stylish locals searching for the city’s flakiest croissants. You’ll find the counter groaning with a daily-changing selection of viennoiserie alongside generous focaccia sandwiches that proudly utilise ingredients all lovingly cured, pickled, and proofed at the on-site bakery. Grab a coffee and pastry, and take a seat among the higgledy-piggledy bookshelves.
Address: Bilderdijkstraat 38, 1053 LA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: bakkerijlouf.nl
Coffee District
This slick micro-chain has a clutch of coffee bars on the perimeter of Vondelpark and Amsterdam-Zuid, each as minimally designed and whitewashed as the next. Expect a selection of homemade pastries alongside perfectly poured flat whites and matcha: the ideal stop for a pick-me-up before wandering around the city.
Address: Willemsparkweg 8h, 1071 HD Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: coffeedistrict.nl
Breadwinner
New York-style bagels are tricky to track down in the Dutch capital. Enter Breadwinner, a Canadian-owned hole-in-the-wall bagel shop tucked along a cobbled street in Jordaan. The only giveaway is the line of hungry visitors outside, waiting to chow down on Breadwinner’s famously decadent sourdough sandwiches. Expect all types of bagel flavours, from jalapeno and cheese to za’atar, all gloriously chewy and served straight from the on-site stone oven.
Address: Tweede Laurierdwarsstraat 50HS, 1016 RC Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: breadwinneramsterdam.com
Oficina
This self-described food design studio and canteen, located on the west side of town, serves a breakfast and lunch menu that changes with the seasons. Design lovers will marvel at the architecturally stunning space, complete with a sleek staircase and overhanging balcony awash in mint green – even the staff and guests here seem impossibly chic. Expect beautifully presented dishes and unusual flavours, such as chickpea flatbread with cime di rapa and miso scrambled eggs on toasted brioche.
Address: Jan van Galenstraat 147, 1056 BN Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: oficinaoficina.com
Salvo Bakehouse
Visit this Italian-inspired bakery on the border of Jordaan to sample a whole host of indulgent desserts: maritozzi bursting at the seams with freshly whipped cream, pistachio-flavoured tiramisu, crunchy cannoli, and chunky chocolate cookies are just a few of the treats on offer. The baked goods counter changes constantly, but sticky fingers and happy bellies are both guaranteed. There’s plenty of space to enjoy your treats inside.
Bocca Coffee Roasters
Situated in the heart of central Amsterdam, the team at Bocca roast and pour some of the best coffee in the city. Slip through an unassuming door located along a cobbled street just a five-minute walk from the historic Rijksmuseum, and you’ll find yourself inside a surprisingly cavernous and industrial space, where serious-looking baristas serve expert flat whites from a central counter. Spread yourself across the sofas or grab a chair at the large communal table and rest your feet for a while.
Address: Kerkstraat 96H, 1017 GP Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: bocca.nl
Oslo
The lure of freshly baked cardamom and cinnamon buns is enough to tempt anyone out of bed in the morning, and you’ll find some of the fluffiest buns in the city at Oslo, located among the quaint streets between Central and Jordaan. Visitors steadily trickle in throughout the day, and while there isn't a huge amount of room to sprawl out (the same can be said of most places in Amsterdam), squeeze yourself in among the fluffy sheepskin rugs and log tables, or grab a warm pastry to take away.
Address: Prinsenstraat 16h, 1015 DC Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: oslo.amsterdam
Little Collins
Make sure to get to either of Little Collins’ locations in De Pijp or Oud-West early on a weekend, as the queue here often winds around the block – and for good reason, too. You’ll find speciality coffee and zingy flavour combinations on their brunch menu: kimchi gruyere scrambled eggs and roasted peach French toast, anyone? You may just find yourself returning come evening when you can sample their Mediterranean-inspired dinner menu.
Address: Eerste Sweelinckstraat 19F, 1073 CL Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: littlecollins.nl
Toki
Packed with stylish locals and freelancers tapping away on laptops at all times of the week, Toki is a contemporary neighbourhood favourite in Jordaan. Good coffee, excellent matcha, and tasty baked goods are all on offer: don’t miss the banana bread (loaded high with buttercream frosting), or one of their gooey chocolate chip cookies.
Address: Binnen Dommersstraat 15, 1013 HK Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: tokiho.amsterdam
Het Koekemannetje
Skip the queues at overhyped tourist destination Van Stapele Koekmakerij and instead, head round the corner to Het Koekemannetje for some of the chewiest chocolate cookies in the city: there’s still a queue here, but thankfully, it moves much faster. It’s not uncommon to see locals loading up on boxes of gooey cookies over the weekends – and understandably so!
Address: Runstraat 3, 1016 GJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: hetkoekemannetje.nl