Back to Black (Weteringstraat) - Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

Back to Black Amsterdam

It is possible to hate and to love at the same time. As a freshly moved citizen, I am seeing new things everywhere in the Dutch epicenter of canals and bikes. Now with Corona, I made it a daily activity to grab my own red bike that I had since I was 12 (yes it still works, but only after a shitload of repairs) and cross around. Then I see ‘gems’ everywhere, but I soon figured out that no matter how far I go, they are never ‘new’ in the eyes of locals. My Amsterdam friends know all the coffee spots, and this is quite frustrating to be honest ;). I adore finding spots that are not well known, but Amsterdam seems to offer quite the challenge in regard to this. Well oké then: challenge accepted!

Last week I did a little best-affordable-supermarket quest and I stumbled across “Back to Black”. Super tiny, very colorful (mainly ocean blue / petrol) and quiet. Due to the virus the interior was made very empty, but I’m sure it looks as cosy as the exterior in normal times. The rugs, bulbs and plants create an exotic atmosphere, though it feels like a typical Dutch café. What I loved was the fact that oat / soy milk is only +0,15 cents and their branded mugs with the cutest logo: the profile of a women sipping coffee in a roaring 20’s kind of style. And then when you take a sip yourself, there is a little surprise on the inside as well: it says “without love it’s just coffee”. I put my book down and stare outside at sweaty Dutchmen in the burning sun, considering whether I find this quote to be true. Actually no, if I think back, I’ve had perfect roasts from not nearly perfect barista’s (grumpy, ignorant, arrogant). Anyway, I like it when café owners put some though into a unique design.

You can also buy fresh coffee from Brazil.. Peru.. Rwanda.. People keep walking in during my stay to do so, so I’m guessing it is a ‘thing’. Moreover, they made it their mission to build on a sustainable coffee future by carefully selecting their importers: those that help their coffee farmers with sustainable practices overseas. Back to black? I’d say back to the origins. I think I must revise my opinion on the quote: if there is love in the beginning of the value chain of coffee, I am sure it will make a better roast.

Adioss for now,