A coffee shop is one of the first things I look for when I get to a new city or town. This is good for two reasons. It lets you take a breather and orient yourself, and you start off your trip with something familiar – coffee. Sometimes you even get great recommendations from the locals; coffee shops are great for that.

On my first trip to Amsterdam, we sat in the charming garden of the Oude Kerk (Old Church) and had our coffee with appeltaart. For this second trip last fall, we got a last minute recommendation for Screaming Beans Coffee Bar but really, having seen it on this list of ’25 Coffee Shops Around The World You Have To See Before You Die’ cemented our decision to try it.

A short walk from the central station, the café is tucked among the cozy quaint shops along the canal on Hartenstraat in the delightful Negen Straatjes area.

The space is welcoming with lots of light filling in; it starts out small and narrow with an impressive brewing bar on one side and flows into a nook with a bright white wall, wood elements and plush leather sofas.

Our coffees were excellent, the perfect pick-me-up after a three hour train ride.
There were a few breakfast items on the menu so we ordered granola too.

It was early yet, so it wasn’t busy, the baristas were easy-going and friendly, and clued-up on all things coffee, from explaining the different brewing methods to the source of their single origin beans – making the region sound as fascinating as the coffee that grows there.

There’s outdoor seating too, perfect for taking in the sights and people watching along the canal.

Screaming Beans Coffee Bar – Hartenstraat
Hartenstraat 12
1016 CB Amsterdam
http://www.screamingbeans.nl/