Foodie joy is in the details, as Amsterdam cafe Two for Joy proves. Located on Frederiksplein, it serves breakfast, lunch and excellent coffee roasted on the premises.

Two for Joy’s menu is small but perfectly formed. Coffee can be prepared in a variety of ways to order, including French press, filter and syphon. The latter is the least well-known method and possibly the most fun, because it is made at the table in a contraption that resembles something you would use in a high school science experiment.

There is nothing experimental about the result, however, which is a cup of coffee that is rich, pure and almost completely sediment-free.

On the non-caffeinated drinks list is a selection of herb teas, with combinations such as green tea, mint and chilli, or a delicate hibiscus and rose infusion.

Two for Joy is the kind of place you can turn up at at any time of day and find something to satisfy your cravings. The Amsterdam café opens early for breakfast, which includes muffins, croissants and dark chocolate granola.

Lunch is a selection of sandwiches, soup and salad. At first glance, the sandwich fillings of chicken, BLT and egg salad look pretty standard, but the difference is in the details here.

The egg salad in my sandwich was mixed with crunchy celery and chives, and tossed in light mayonnaise dressing inflected with Dijon mustard. It was served on a bed of rucola between two chunks of whole-wheat sourdough baguette.

I would have preferred a little more egg in the salad and a little less rucola, but it was clear all the ingredients were fresh. The bread had the rough, chewy structure characteristic of good sourdough: it’s liable to take off the skin on the roof of your mouth, but you’ll smile through every bite because it tastes so good.

I found myself back at Two for Joy a couple of weeks later. I was greeted with a “hello, again”, two little words that gave me the warm, fuzzy feeling of being recognised and instantly doubled the server’s tip.

This time I tried the vegetarian bean chilli, slow cooked into a thick, spicy stew, and served with sour cream and lime. It was the perfect antidote to an Amsterdam winter's day.

I'm just waiting to be hit by a sugar craving, so that I have an excuse to visit this fabulous Amsterdam cafe again and try the lemon curd cheesecake with a ginger biscuit base.

Check out this video for an impression of the Amsterdam café’s cosy interior.

Restaurant info

Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 07.30-19.00 (closed Tue); Sat-Sun 08.00-18.00

Price indication:

Our rating:

eat amsterdam