After a long period of visiting Starbucks, my eyes suddenly opened up for the real art of coffee making. One day my girlfriend took me to Two for Joy Coffee Roasters in Amsterdam. That day I finally realised how interesting and rich the world of coffee really was. It was the start for my journey in search of the best coffee and the loveliest, unique bars. Two for Joy is located on two streets in Amsterdam, of which one is on Frederiksplein, right behind Utrechtsestraat with the many cool little stores, and just before De Pijp area, where Hutspot is located. The other one is in Haarlemmerstraat, seriously the coolest street to travel through on your way to the Jordaan area or Westerpark. But whatever location you choose, Two For Joy is an ideal place to drop by for a cup of pleasure.
It’s also an excellent environment for doing some work, having a casual or business meeting. The atmosphere is very relaxed and so is the music. The playlist ranges from lounge to music from Kurt Vile and Beach House for example. The Two For Joy bars look very small and narrow from the outside, but once you get in you’ll find yourself in a very deep, long room. The interior is all white and the furniture is all in wood.
The staff consists of very experienced and friendly baristas. They really do the effort to make your cups of joy look pretty. They brew their own coffee, which has a very deep aroma. I had a flat white, which is a double shot of espresso with more milk than foam when looking at the ratio, compared to your average cappuccino. This is a perfect balance. The coffee is strong and the aroma is intense. The little layer of foam is perfect for a little dose of latte art. I really recommend Two For Joy for the reason that this is a perfect coffee bar to either work or sit and talk in a peaceful atmosphere. There is no hurry, no pressure, no radical consumerism. It is truely a place to come and drink coffee without feeling obliged to order more as soon as your cup is empty, which is a really comforting fact for people who like to come and work in an inspiring environment.
BIKES AND CUPS
But there is more. Amsterdam now has a new coffee and bike project since May 2013: “De Koffie Omfietskaart”. Seven independent speciality coffeebars are participating in this project. You can get a card with a bike plan which takes you to different pitstops in the city along the biking route. Every stamp on your card brings you closer to the finish, which is a free cup of coffee in one of those lovely bars. Unfortunately Two For Joy is not participating in this project, but that’s because the two locations are already too well-known and branded to be part of an “independent project”. However, the ones that do participate, will surely be reviewed later in SIPS for NORTH MAG.
+++Contributed by Lennart Lenssen+++
+++Edited & Translated by Angela Donskaia+++