Back to Black

Back to Black is an Amsterdam speciality coffee company with two coffee bars and its own roastery, and its café on Weteringstraat is one of the most convenient good coffee stops near the Rijksmuseum. The street sits just inside the Singelgracht, between the Spiegelkwartier antiques district and the museum, and the small café has a calm, neighbourhood feel despite being so close to the main sights.

The beans are roasted by the company itself at its roastery and bakery on Nieuw-Zeelandweg in the west of the city, and the coffee list draws on beans from countries including Colombia, Ethiopia, Brazil, El Salvador and Uganda, alongside a decaf blend. Expect well-made espresso drinks and filter coffee, served with a small selection of baked goods.

The café suits solo travellers, couples and anyone who wants a proper coffee before or after a museum visit. It is a small space, so it is better for a short stop than for long laptop sessions, and seating can be limited at busy times.

The Weteringstraat bar opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm. Reservations are not possible, so simply drop in. Early weekday mornings are the quietest, and a coffee here just before the Rijksmuseum opens at 9am is a good way to start the day. The company's second coffee bar, on Van Hallstraat in West, keeps the same hours and is handy if you are staying near Westerpark.

Weteringstraat runs between Prinsengracht and the Weteringschans, a short walk from the Rijksmuseum, the Spiegelgracht and Leidseplein. Trams stop at Weteringcircuit, a couple of minutes away, and Vijzelgracht metro station on the Noord-Zuid line is close by. The canal views along the Prinsengracht and the art and antiques shops of the Spiegelkwartier are both within a few minutes' walk, and Paradiso is a few minutes' walk away on the Weteringschans. For a longer coffee stop with more seating, combine your visit with a walk to Museumplein, where the museum cafés and the lawns offer space to sit. Morning visitors who are heading to the Rijksmuseum can pick up a coffee here and arrive at the museum entrance in a few minutes on foot.