Returning to the theme of speciality coffee in the centre of Amsterdam, another newcomer is Priesthood, which opened in 2021 and occupies a prime spot directly opposite Amsterdam’s central station. Even better for me, it was around the corner from where I was working, which made it a regular haunt during afternoon coffee break, along with a variety of my colleagues.

Priesthood is unusual amongst speciality coffee shops in that it is run by volunteers, part of a non-profit, Christian-led community space which is part bookshop (ground floor), art gallery (first floor) and, of course, coffee shop. Although the counter is next to the door, you’re welcome to take a seat on the nearby sofa or head upstairs, where you’ll find various chairs, tables and a bench along the window at the front, offering views of the station.

Priesthood uses local Amsterdam roasters, with Uncommon providing a single-origin espresso and a choice of beans on pour-over from either Friedhats or Rum Baba Coffee Roasters. Even the milk is special, coming from ElkeMelk, a local dairy where each bottle is from a single cow, while the oat milk is also locally produced by ROA. Finally, there’s a small selection of cakes/pastries.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

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On the corner of Prins Hendrikkade, Priesthood occupies part of the ground floor of a lovely old building. The entrance is on the corner, where two tall, thin arches stand at 45° to both streets, the right-hand arch housing the door, while the other has windows and a bench. Stepping inside, the counter is immediately to your left, occupying the space behind the windows in the left-hand arch. Directly ahead, two broad steps lead up to the main level of what looks, at first glance, to be a rather elegant bookshop, with gloriously high ceilings.

You could be mistaken for thinking that Priesthood is merely a takeaway coffee counter, embedded within another business, such is the cramped nature of the counter, but nothing could further from the truth. Although you order at the foot of the steps, with the menu on the wall behind the counter, you’re then welcome to roam anywhere within Priesthood and its multiple spaces which are spread over two floors, with the staff bringing your coffee when it’s ready.

If you don’t want to go too far, try the three-person sofa on the left at the top of the steps, although this is the only seating in the main room, where you’ll find another counter at the back, this one for the various books and other items that are on sale.

Beyond the sofa, an opening in the left-hand wall leads to a second space, which is more of a corridor, a low bench on one side, and rows of bookshelves on the other. Immediately to your left, a short flight of steps leads down to the toilet, while beyond the bench, a second flight leads up to a mezzanine-like second floor which provides the bulk of the seating while doubling as an art gallery and display space.

A low, padded bench runs beneath the windows at the front, which look out across Prins Hendrikkade to the central station. Low, cube-shaped boxes act as coffee tables, while additional seating is provided by a handful of chairs. Finally, at the back of the room and across from the stairs, another pair of chairs are arranged around more of the low cubes.

Priesthood uses Amsterdam-based Uncommon, which provides a single-origin espresso. This changes every few months and, during my visits, was the Suke Quto, which is imported direct from the farm in Ethiopia by another Amsterdam roaster, Bocca. I had this both as an espresso and as a flat white with the locally-produced ROA oat milk. While I enjoyed it on its own, where it produced a fine, well-balanced shot, I found that it really shone in the flat white, going particularly well with the oat milk, which was delicious.

Priesthood also offers a variety of beans on pour-over, which come from one of two Amsterdam roasters, Friedhats or Rum Baba, the individual beans changing every week or two. During my visits, there were three options from Friedhats: the Bombe, a naturally-processed Ethiopian, the Impano, an anaerobic-processed Rwandan, and a Colombian coffee which I did a poor job taking notes about. I managed to try them all, finding them pleasingly different. I enjoyed all three and, while the two African coffees were fruitier, the Colombian was more rounded and full-bodied and, to my surprise, this was my favourite.

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