Riva serves the best coffee places in Rotterdam
The best way to get to learn a city
At Riva we’re quite the aficionados of coffee. Thats why we made this guide with all the best spots in the city for you to visit.Where to get your brew
At Riva we do not have one coffee maker, but two coffee machines at the office. For our quick fix we use the Nespresso machine. But we also have a professional machine from ECM for all our inner-baristas. That way we can serve our customers a freshly grinded cup of coffee.
For all other coffee-devotees we gladly suggest the best places in town. Mostly local, because we support our businesses. There is a broad melange of spots. From pure dedication to coffee to places where it’s more than coffee alone. As drinking coffee is the best way to get to learn a city we show you all the hotspots in our Rotterdam. But beware, Due to corona you can’t just sit down at these places. You must reserve a table in advance or enjoy a coffee to go.
We don’t offer our the neigbours of new residents a cup of coffee for nothing. After we have checked in new reisdents it’s common for us to leave the neighbours a coupon for a free coffee. That way we inform then on a new occupant in the building. On the flyer they’ll find our contact details en information about our company service.
Riva offers a free coffee at Cafe At Home
We choose to partner up with Cafe @Home because it’s a popular place among students and young professionals. Laptops light up this place. The international clientele appreciates the spot as it’s a easy going place to work and enjoy tasty Santas Coffee. Next to the casual enviroment the place has one of the fastest Wi-Fi connections in Rotterdam.
Get comfortable at home. Photo: Floris Heukelsfeldt Jansen
Named after famous Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi. And it just happens to sound like ‘koppie’. The dutch name for small cup. Coppi is not only a place to get coffee by Schot and breakfast and lunch. Coppi is also a shop with exclusive, bicycle-related products, and a bicycle workshop with its own mechanic!
In addition, Coppi organizes a Coppi Ride every first Sunday of the month.
This popular place derives of the original Urban Espresso Bar at the Botersloot. The original UEB opened in 2001 and was one of the first places to really get quality coffee in Rotterdam. Soon it opened up a affiliate shop in the west. The original UEB is now called Nine Bar as it has new owners but this one still stands tall.
UEB west. Photo: Hester Blankestijn
Heilige Boontjes
Marco den Dunnen (police officer and educator) and Rodney van den Hengel (reintegration expert and social and social designer) started Heilige Boontjes to help young troublemakers get back in line. Dozens of young people have found their way back to society thanks to the project. The first outpost was in the west but soon they occupied a former police station in the middle of the city opposite Kabouter Buttplug!
The name Heilige Boontjes is in Dutch a specific name that usually brings a smile to the faces especially when mentioned in the context of this social project.
The literal translation of Heilig Boontje is Holy Bean
It actually means somebody who pretends to be holy but in fact is not, a plaster saint
Nowadays it not only offers coffee it also serves breakfast, lunch and diner. In the former cells they built Penthouse Prison and Marco started Hedone, a streetwear brand that aims to raise awareness about recreational drug consumption. At the same time Hedone aims to reduce crime by offering risk youth an opportunity and alternative way of earning income and gaining status.
Hedone. Photo: Mark Bolk
The owners of Amada are real globetrotters from Rotterdam. They got their inspiration during the various trips around the world. They discovered the selfieccino in Asia. Amada was the first coffee bar in the Netherlands to offer this cappuccino with a selfie.
Amada means loved in Spanish but it's also a reference to the cities where the owners originally come from. It is an acronym, formed with the initials of Antep, Maras and Adana.
Amada. Photo: Iris van den Broek
Hopper Coffeebar is also Artisan Baker. It opened up in 2010 in the city center and they decided to do everything themselves. So came a real ‘floor’ oven to bake the daily bread, one like they use in France. And a Giesen coffee roaster, to roast the beans. Since then Hopper has grown to be a self-sufficient and independent company and early 2015 it branched out to a second store in the north of Rotterdam at the Zwaanshals.
Hopper at Schiedamse Vest. Photo: Michelle Henderson
Pretoria
Most of the good coffee spots are located in the northern part of Rottedam. But on the south side there is Pretoria. The owners want to offer local goods so on the menu are pastries by catering company Double-Delicious, owned by two sweets-baking women from Blijdorp, and they offer cookies from the Bakkerswerkplaats at Katendrecht.
Pretoria in Afrikaanderwijk. Photo: Hester Blankestijn
Rolph Hensens en Chantal de Raaf got to know each other at their work in the same company. In 2014 they opened their first own restaurant: HMB Restaurant. Bringing fine dining to Holland's largest building: De Rotterdam designed by Rem Koolhaas. In 2017 they develop Rolph's Deli. A place for breakfast, lunch and coffee. On the menu is the 24k gold cappuccino, a cappuccino with layers of edible 24 carat gold!
It started with a worn espresso machine with a too small roaster in one of the arches of the Hofbogen. Man met Bril (Man with Glasses) has grown to one of Rotterdam's leading fair trade coffee brands. Man met Bril also delivers coffee to Rotterdam catering establishments.
Man met Bril. Photo: Davey Heuser
As Dutch champion barista Zjevaun Janga went to Melbourne for the world championships. He stayed and together with Loes Beljaars they decided to explore the world renowned coffee culture in the Australian city. That experience and working in star establishments such as FG Restaurant and the Librije made them want to combine the service and hospitality of a star restaurant with their knowledge and taste from Australia. The result: Harvest.
Rather new is 33th Street in the Kleiwegkwartier. You can drink coffee from Giraffe Coffee Roasters with changing coffee roasters on another coffee grinder.
Also on the Kleiweg is Ver van Hier. A children's and youth bookshop & coffee cafe.
This place is perfect for a quick espresso, overlooking the Rotte. For fans of stationery, the minimalistic and stylish creations of graphic designer Marjolein Delhaas are here on sale as she has her studio at the back.
Roast
In the west you'll find this spot by four caffeine addicts coming from different parts of the world. They've come together to create a simple concept, make a good cup of coffee and have a good chat as well! The team of globetrotters have spent the best part of a decade learning the ways of the bean and having worked in some of the best coffee houses around the world.
Just behind Central Station you'll find a little bit of Italy. In the Provernierswijk Booon provides a La Vita è Bella-oriented atmosphere. It;s the perfect place for Italian breakfast, lunch, pastries and off course delicious espresso and cappuccino.
Enjoy at home
Given the circumstances we must enjoy coffee mostly at home. Rotterdam offers several coffee brewers. So as a little complimentary service we name the best coffee brands from Rotterdam. Some of them might sound familiar. That’s because we just mentioned them. A lot of coffee places do use their own coffee but there are also brand without there own shop.
These are them: Santas, Man met Bril, Giraffe, Ketelbinkie, Brandzaak, Evermore Koffie, Hopper, Schot, Heilige Boontjes and Manhattan. Most of them have a webshop. So order online and get the coffee delivered safe and sound.
Enjoy your coffee
