Cafes + Cramming … Amsterdam’s best cafe study spots!

By Anna Bluemel, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The rumours are true… the workload at UvA is pretty heavy. You don’t need to fret, though – the work is super interesting and varied, and it doesn’t take up allll of your time. Yet a chunk of the year will definitely be spent studying. During exam periods, I got just a little bit too used to the view of the UvA library, and whilst it is stunning, I felt the need to switch up my study location every now and then. 

Read more: Cafes + Cramming … Amsterdam’s best cafe study spots!

In Manchester, I enjoyed going to cafés to study, but in Amsterdam, there are quite a few cafés where laptops aren’t welcome, and not many resources telling you where you actually can study.

There were a few times at the beginning of the year when I turned up to a café all confidently, laptop in hand, scanning for the WIFI password, and coffee order pending, only to awkwardly have to leave again when it became clear that studying was NOT the vibe.

So, here is a guide to some of my favourite laptop-friendly cafés that I’ve discovered over the year, because what better way to romanticise studying and make you feel like a proper Amsterdam local than by exploring a new part of Amsterdam even while you work?

1. Campus cafés

There are actually a few great spots right on the Roeterseiland campus!

Lebkov is a good option if you’re looking for somewhere practical. It is a little more on the pricey side, but the study setup is really good with lots of plug sockets and great WIFI.  

Kriterion has such a cool student atmosphere and is always full of UvA students. In the day, it’s great for getting some work done, although later in the day it can get slightly harder to concentrate when everyone starts arriving for post-lecture drinks (but I guess you could always abandon the studying and join them!)

Crea was probably my favourite campus option for actually getting into a good study zone, and it feels cosy rather than library-like. There are also tables outside along the canal running through campus, giving you the prime view of Roeterseiland campus. Plus, they do a delicious and relatively cheap chorizo toastie, as well as bitterballen, which you can obviously never go wrong with. 

2. Café Bica

I think Café Bica might be one of my favourite cafés on this list. It is SO aesthetic, and I always felt like a proper #amsterdamgirl when I studied here. There’s a small upstairs area with tables that are perfect for working, as well as a section outside at the front overlooking the Amstel.  It’s one of those places where studying somehow feels much less like studying.

Anddd if you manage to finish all your work, you can reward yourself with a swim down the road by Café Hesp afterwards, which, in my opinion, is the perfect study-day itinerary.

3. Nook

Nook has a really lovely, communal atmosphere. There’s one big shared table, which makes it feel quite sociable and as if you’re part of a larger group all working away together. The only downside is that it can fill up quite quickly, so I’d recommend going earlier, and it is only laptop-friendly on weekdays! 

4. Café Baskets

Café Baskets has a very cool, buzzy vibe, which I really liked. It also has a few study-designated tables, meaning you can happily spend a few hours working without feeling like you’ve accidentally taken over someone’s table. They also sell their own reed diffusers, which makes the place smell amazing – always a plus🤪

5. Cloud

Cloud is very much giving ‘cool Amsterdam coworking space.’ Being in the centre of Jordaan, it’s surrounded by all the quintessential canals and pretty streets, which makes studying here very easy to romanticise.  Inside, it has a sleek, modern feel, with one main coworking area and a few smaller window seats. They also have little exhibitions and a tiny shop around the café, which is perfect for a quick study break.

6. Café R de Rosa

Café R de Rosa feels genuinely ‘gezellig.’ It has such a warm, homely atmosphere, with its own cat who wanders around the café – it even fell asleep on me once!! 🥺 A sidenote: there’s no WIFI so I had to use my hotspot when studying here. But if you don’t make it here to study, it turns into a very cute wine bar in the evening, and apparently the food is great!

7. Coffeecompany – De Pijp

Coffeecompany is a chain, and some locations are much nicer than others. However, the one in De Pijp on Ferdinand Bolstraat is worth a visit if you’re looking for somewhere to study. It has an upstairs study area which almost feels like a little library, with lots of plug sockets, lots of people working around you, and lots of pretty stained-glass windows! It’s a great place to settle down for a proper work session, and being in De Pijp means you’re surrounded by loads of great places to go afterwards for food or a well-earned pint.

8. Good News Coffee

Also, in De Pijp, around the corner from Coffee Company is Good News Coffee. A bright and lively option, great for studying too!! Also, the cookies here are DELICIOUS – a very important addition to the studying experience!

12. Stretch and Fold

This one is definitely the ‘boujee’ study option… Stretch & Fold is in Noord and is a yoga studio, pool and sauna, as well as a café/study space. So, if you’re going to spend a day studying, you may as well do it in styleee. I used the pool when I went and it was SO nice – definitely one of the more luxurious ways to have a productive day.

13. Strandzuid

Sticking with the theme of studying by the water, Strandzuid is another great option, particularly on a sunny day. It has a beachy area as well as a terrace right on the water, so it feels much more like you’re on a little summer escape than sitting down to do university work.  It’s next to Beatrixpark too, so once you’ve finished studying, you can go for a lovely walk around the park!

14. Huis De Pinto

15. OBA

And finally, OBA, Amsterdam’s central library. Okay, so this one isn’t really a café, but if you’ve spent a little too long staring at the same four walls of the UvA library, it is a very welcome change of scenery. There is lots of space to study, so you’re much less likely to spend twenty minutes wandering around trying to find an empty desk. Plus, there’s a lovely rooftop café area.

Hopefully this list helps you explore Amsterdam even when you’re busy with work! One of my favourite things about studying here has been discovering all these different corners of the city, and having an excuse to visit them even when I have deadlines looming.

Enjoy!