Amsterdam’s cobblestone streets and canal-side charm have inspired countless writers throughout history. From Gerard Reve to modern-day novelists, the city’s literary soul beats strongest in its cafés, where words flow as freely as coffee and conversation. These establishments offer more than just caffeine—they provide atmosphere, community, and that indefinable spark that transforms ideas into stories.
Whether you’re scribbling in a notebook or typing on a laptop, these spots welcome creative minds with open arms. Here is a list of 16 Amsterdam cafés that continue to inspire writers today.
Café de Engelbewaarder
This historic spot literally started as a literary café when it opened in 1971, though it later evolved to include jazz sessions starting in 1982. Near the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal, in the Red Light District, you’ll need to climb an old stone staircase to reach this hidden gem.
The interior maintains its classic feel with bookshelves, artworks, and a relaxed atmosphere that still hosts art exhibitions and cultural gatherings.
Café de Zwart
Located on Spui square—the intellectual center of the city—this café has been an important meeting point for writers and journalists for years, where many publishing deals have been made. You’ll often spot writers, politicians, and journalists deep in conversation while consuming what locals diplomatically call ‘alarming quantities of beer.’
In the ’80s and ’90s, a famous literary radio show was recorded here in front of live audiences in the performance room upstairs.
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Café Américain
Just off the bustling Leidseplein, this Dutch version of an Art Nouveau paradise sits inside a canal-side hotel and attracts locals who want to read newspapers or enjoy a good book. The 1920s architecture includes original lamps and murals that create an atmosphere perfect for losing yourself in thought.
Tourists often stop by for coffee to admire the wonderful architecture, but it’s the locals with their books who truly understand this place.
Café Hoppe
Dating back to 1670, this legendary brown café has hosted everyone from political party founders to royalty, with Queen Beatrix herself visiting as a young princess. Ancient jenever and liqueur barrels behind the bar bear silent witness to the café’s motley clientele down the ages.
The split between ‘sitting’ Hoppe and ‘standing’ Hoppe creates different energy levels depending on your writing mood.
Café Scheltema
This authentic 150-year-old brown bar serves as a writers’ hangout in Amsterdam, especially popular from late morning through early evening. The atmosphere immerses you in the culture of the city, making it one of the few proper ‘brown cafés’ left in Amsterdam.
Writers have been gathering here for generations, and the traditional surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for creative work.
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American Book Center Café
This family-run bookshop has been independently operated since 1972 and features a pleasant, inviting layout with a gorgeous spiral staircase adorned with books. The café area provides the perfect spot to sample your ‘mystery book’—wrapped purchases, where only a small quote hints at the contents.
Literary events are held regularly in both Dutch and English, and they even offer ABC Reading Bingo for book enthusiasts.
Athenaeum Boekhandel Café
Located in Amsterdam’s historic Spui square, this bookstore-café combination has been operating since 1966 and features quiet corners that invite browsing through their carefully selected international collection. The space creates nooks and aisles with a labyrinthine quality, where customers can wander through the spellbinding patchwork of book covers guided by curiosity.
Athenaeum regularly hosts launch events and Q&As to promote emerging editors and offer behind-the-scenes views of the editorial world.
Back to Black
One of Amsterdam’s most famous cafes, this spot serves seriously sweet treats and high-quality, house-roasted, sustainable coffee in an incredibly cozy space. The huge windows, long shared tables, hanging Edison bulbs, and mismatched chairs and sofas create the perfect environment for writers looking to connect with others.
Founded by two local women, the café’s popularity means there are now two locations in the city.
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Café de Jaren
The tiled floors and bistro tables feel very Old Europe, but huge floor-to-ceiling windows make this bright space feel thoroughly modern. Perched on the Kloveniersburgwal canal in a former bank building, it offers classic Amsterdam views, especially from its outdoor terrace that sits right on the water.
The upstairs is reserved for private events, making the main floor perfect for solo writing sessions.
Winkel 43
Located in the trendy Jordaan district, this buzzy spot is famous throughout the city for serving the best Dutch appeltaart you’ll ever taste. This traditional brown café in the small side streets serves the most delicious food and drinks, and you shouldn’t leave before tasting their wonderful Dutch apple pie.
The café attracts a mix of locals and visitors, creating an authentic neighborhood atmosphere perfect for observing Amsterdam life.
Blue Café
This café offers one of the best spots to enjoy Amsterdam’s views while drinking coffee, located in Amsterdam Centrum and surrounded by shops. The elevated perspective gives writers a bird’s-eye view of the city’s daily rhythms below. It’s the kind of place where you can watch Amsterdam unfold while working on your next chapter.
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The Mezrab Cultural Center
This storytelling venue invites visitors to settle into cozy floor cushions for nights of tall tales and real-life anecdotes told by professional storytellers, often accompanied by warming lentil soup. Amsterdam has an ever-growing storytelling and spoken-word scene, and this center represents the heart of that movement.
Writers can both listen for inspiration and share their work during events.
Dignita Hoftuin
Located right next to the Amstel River, this garden café allows you to enjoy both Amsterdam’s atmosphere and nature simultaneously. It’s one of the few kid-friendly cafés in Amsterdam Centrum, featuring both indoor and outdoor playgrounds for families.
The brunch menu is particularly delicate and tasty, making morning writing sessions especially pleasant.
Scandinavian Embassy
With Swedish owners and Scandi chic aesthetic, this minimalist but cheerful café sources beans from micro-roasters across Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. They serve seasonal dishes inspired by Nordic cuisine, and their weekend brunch can get very busy.
The clean, uncluttered design helps writers focus while enjoying top-notch cappuccinos paired with delightful cinnamon buns.
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Zoku
This über-cool ‘apartment hotel’ and co-working space features an elegantly decked-out café and lunch space with unique rooftop access. Take the lift to the top floor and walk through a glassed-in hallway through the rooftop garden to reach The Bar for coffee or The Living Kitchen for lavish lunch buffets.
For €39, you can get a co-working day pass that includes buffet lunch access, making it perfect for serious writing sessions.
Scheltema Café
Founded in 1853, this iconic institution in Amsterdam’s literary scene features a grand facade with large windows and a spacious, modern interior with high ceilings and multiple floors. The store offers an extensive selection of books in various languages and features a café where visitors can relax and enjoy coffee or snacks while browsing or reading.
Scheltema has an entire floor dedicated to English books, a decent second-hand book section, and a cozy coffee corner.
Where Stories Still Begin
Today’s Amsterdam cafés carry forward a tradition that stretches back centuries, when the city was a major printing center and haven for free thinkers. With its picturesque canals and canal houses, Amsterdam was a source of inspiration to numerous writers and remains one of the most important cultural centers in Europe. The city maintains its connection with influential writers and thinkers, continuing the legacy of figures like philosopher Baruch Spinoza, author Multatuli, and diarist Anne Frank.
Whether you’re nursing a single coffee for hours or making new friends over shared tables, these cafés understand that great stories need great places to be born. In a city where words have always mattered, every cup of coffee could be the beginning of the next great novel.
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