Amsterdam’s charming streets and scenic canals are complemented perfectly by its diverse café culture. Beyond the typical coffee shops that the city is often associated with, Amsterdam hosts numerous cozy establishments where locals and visitors can escape with a good book, get comfortable, and indulge in delicious pastries.
These cafés blend historic Dutch elements with contemporary comfort, creating perfect havens for relaxation. Here is a list of 20 whimsical cafés in Amsterdam that offer the ideal atmosphere for those seeking a peaceful retreat with literature and sweet treats.
Café Papeneiland
Located at the intersection of two canals in the Jordaan district, this historic brown café has served patrons since 1642. Its ancient wooden interiors, leaded glass windows, and original tile floor create an atmosphere that transports visitors back in time.
Their apple pie is legendary in Amsterdam, with a perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor and a buttery crust that pairs wonderfully with their robust coffee.
Winkel 43
This corner café in the Jordaan neighborhood is renowned throughout Amsterdam for serving what many consider the absolute best apple pie in the city. The rustic interior features wooden tables and large windows that fill the space with natural light.
During colder months, their apple pie comes warm with a generous whipped cream, creating the perfect comfort food to accompany your literary escape.
The Duchess
Housed in a former bank building with spectacular 19th-century architecture, The Duchess offers an opulent setting with marble floors, high ceilings, and ornate details. The afternoon tea experience includes plush seating, perfect for sinking into a good book.
Their pastry selection features exquisite creations from the in-house patisserie, including delicate macarons and elaborate layered cakes that look almost too beautiful to eat.
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PLUK
This bright, airy café in the Nine Streets area combines Scandinavian minimalism with lush greenery. Hanging plants cascade from the ceiling, creating a fresh, natural atmosphere that feels removed from the urban environment outside.
Their homemade cakes feature fresh seasonal fruits, and the large communal tables offer plenty of space to spread out with your reading materials while enjoying people-watching opportunities.
De Laatste Kruimel
This tiny bakery-café near the Amsterdam Museum offers a cozy, intimate space with just a few tables. The display counter overflows with freshly baked goods, from rustic apple tarts to buttery croissants.
The window seats look out onto a quiet street, providing the perfect vantage point for watching Amsterdam life unfold while engrossed in your book.
Greenwoods
With locations on both Keizersgracht and Singel canals, these English-inspired tea rooms offer comfortable seating and excellent canal views. The vintage teacups and floral arrangements create a genteel atmosphere perfect for reading classic literature.
Their scones with clotted cream and jam provide a taste of England in the heart of Amsterdam, especially enjoyable during their popular afternoon tea service.
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Dignita Hoftuin
Hidden behind the Hermitage Museum, this café is set in a peaceful garden that feels worlds away from the city center. The bright, conservatory-style space features large windows overlooking greenery, creating a tranquil reading environment.
Their ethically sourced menu includes delicious pastries made in-house, and proceeds support a good cause through their parent organization.
Back to Black
This specialty coffee house on Weteringstraat features comfortable vintage furniture and a resident café cat who might join you during your reading session. The walls display rotating art exhibitions from local artists, providing visual inspiration between chapters.
Their homemade banana bread and carrot cake have developed a loyal following among Amsterdam residents seeking quality alongside comfort.
G’s Really Nice Place
With locations in De Pijp and Jordaan, this quirky café offers eclectic décor and mismatched vintage furniture that creates an artistic, bohemian atmosphere. Each table features unique decorative elements and surprising details to discover.
Their famous ‘Heaven’s Dirty Breakfast’ draws crowds on weekends, but weekday afternoons offer a quieter atmosphere, perfect for reading while enjoying their sweet treats.
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Café de Jaren
Spanning two levels with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Amstel River, this spacious café offers one of the best waterfront terraces in Amsterdam. The upstairs reading room provides comfortable chairs and excellent lighting, making it a favorite study spot for university students.
Their apple crumble and cheesecake make perfect accompaniments to an afternoon spent with your novel.
CT Coffee & Coconuts
Housed in a former 1920s cinema, this spacious café retains much of the building’s Art Deco charm while adding Balinese-inspired elements. The multi-level space offers various seating options from floor cushions to hanging chairs, allowing readers to find their perfect position.
Their coconut-based desserts provide a tropical twist to the Amsterdam café experience, transporting taste buds while minds travel through literature.
Rum Baba
This artisanal bakery and café in eastern Amsterdam offers a warm, unpretentious atmosphere focusing on quality baked goods. The smell of fresh bread and pastries fills the air, creating an irresistible sensory experience.
Their namesake rum baba cakes are soaked in rum syrup to perfection, offering a grown-up treat to enjoy alongside your reading material.
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De Koffieschenkerij
Hidden in Amsterdam’s oldest building, Oude Kerk, this café boasts a peaceful courtyard garden and interior areas filled with historic character. The 14th-century architecture provides a setting of silent contemplation, ideal for immersing oneself in a good read.
The café’s self-made apple and cinnamon cake adheres to a traditional Dutch recipe that has remained unchanged over generations, providing a genuine slice of Amsterdam’s food history.
Café Toussaint
This upscale café outside of Vondelpark offers a sophisticated setting, leather chairs to sit and stay a while, and thoughtful literary quotes strewn about the decor. The superb soundproofing prevents noisy chatter at other tables from distracting your reading session.
Their French-trained pastry chef yields masterfully done croissants and pain au chocolat that evoke the city of Paris with each mouthful.
Betty Blue
This vibrant Amsterdam East café boasts refurbished vintage furniture and offbeat ornaments that make a fun, playful environment. Mismatched teacups and saucers make the place a whimsy that inspired the café.
Their baked cakes are big servings with interesting combinations of flavors that rotate each time, which means that going back to dine is always full of surprises.
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Café-Restaurant In de Waag
Situated in a 15th-century city gate building, this vintage café has soaring ceilings, stone walls, and candlelit tables that set the mood for something magical. Modern comfort resides within the ancient structure, with comfortable seating surrounding the central area.
Their classic Dutch apple pie is served with a pinch of cinnamon and a historical atmosphere that adds an extra layer to any reading encounter.
White Label Coffee
This minimalist coffee shop in Amsterdam West provides a peaceful, distraction-free atmosphere. It emphasizes quality coffee and straightforward, tasty baked goods. The Spartan decor and great acoustics make it perfect for focused study.
Their cardamom buns offer a delicate, scented sidekick to literary quests, with only a hint of sweetness to placate without dominating the senses.
Café Kobalt
Housed in a 17th-century liquor distillery, this café near Central Station retains historical elements, including exposed beams and original brickwork. The building’s story continues through the thoughtful preservation of architectural details.
Their cheesecake incorporates traditional Dutch flavors with a contemporary twist, representing Amsterdam’s talent for honoring the past while embracing innovation.
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Lavinia Good Food
This bright, plant-filled café emphasizes healthy ingredients without sacrificing flavor in their baked goods. Natural light floods the space through large windows, creating an uplifting environment for readers. Its gluten-free and vegan pastry options ensure that dietary restrictions don’t prevent anyone from enjoying a sweet treat with their literary escape.
Café de Ceuvel
Set in Amsterdam Noord’s sustainable community, built on a former shipyard, this unique café occupies a renovated houseboat on land. The eco-friendly space features upcycled furniture and a sunny waterside terrace surrounded by wild gardens.
The café’s homemade pies use locally sourced ingredients, often from the garden, creating a farm-to-table experience that feels deeply connected to the innovative spirit of this regenerated neighborhood.
Cafés Beyond the Guidebooks
Amsterdam’s café scene continues to evolve while maintaining the essential ‘gezelligheid’—that untranslatable Dutch concept of coziness and conviviality that defines the best local establishments. These spaces offer more than just refreshment; they provide a cultural connection to Amsterdam’s past and present through architecture, flavors, and community.
Whether tucked into historic buildings or breathing new life into modern spaces, these cafés invite visitors to experience Amsterdam as locals do—one pastry, one page, and one peaceful moment at a time.
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