The Amsterdam cafe scene is a very cluttered one, but there is always room for a newcomer, especially when the new kid on the block brings something fresh and original. And, that’s exactly what Cafe Scrapyard does.
Immediately after entering from the Kinkerstraat street side you sense the cool vibe of the place. What you’ve got to love about this place is that it is as much about the experience as it is the food and drinks. The old school hip hop music, exposed brick and graffiti artwork make it a very welcoming and hip place.
The mural in the back as well as all of the artwork hanging on the walls was done by local aerosol-artist Richart Pintura, which really brings out the Scrapyard brand. And if any of the work interests you, you’re able to buy it right off of the wall!
“We want people to feel as comfortable as they would be at a friends living room, so they can come alone or with groups and enjoy themselves,” says Max Heinemann, Cafe Scrapyard’s self-proclaimed liquid chef.
As a matter of fact, people like Max also go a long way in creating the chill atmosphere. His effervescent personality and relaxed demeanor make him an ideal host. He loves concocting drinks for his patrons and experimenting with new approaches.
With their expansive menu of original creations, they take great pride in what they offer. “We noticed that a lot of cocktail bars in Amsterdam (with exceptions) were either very exclusive/pretentious or quite simple and basic. We wanted to create a bar with great cocktails at affordable prices,” says Max.
To get things started, we had the Te Amo? No, Te Quila; a mix of Tequila Reposado, lime, ginger, molten sauce and ginger ale. It provided a nice bite and an exotic flavor. We’d be remiss to also not talk about the coffee. It came served with the perfect amount of foam and had a very rich flavor.
“[The] coffee is locally roasted in Amsterdam, from a small batch roaster which specializes in small batch coffee,” Max tells us. “We emphasize on having as much local produce as possible. We try to source as much as possible from our local markets [such as the nearby] Ten Katemarkt.”
After some starter drinks, it was on to the food! The guys at Cafe Scrapyard have the right idea because after you’ve been drink some (or a lot) they have just the food you’ll be craving: savory, salty dishes and bacon… lots of bacon!
We ordered Taco Libre: taco’d chicken with chipotle sour cream and avocado slaw, Bean Flicker: vegetarian black bean burger served with chipotle slaw, mayo and cheese (you know, just to balance things out) and Pig Pimpin’ Fries: potato fries with bacon bits, grilled onion and baconnaise (because, you know we had to have bacon while we were there)! Additonally, we were also able to sample cajun-buttermilk hush puppies.
The meal was a lot to takedown, but we were up to the task. Everything was lekker and full of flavor. What’s most appealing is how the Scrapyard guys are able and willing to experiment with flavors and bring something unique to the table (quite literally in this sense). Even the hot sauce and BBQ sauce were original creatures featuring their own twist.
Scrapyard is definitely a place worth checking out at least once and could quickly become your new favorite hangout spot. We know that we’re itching to get back there soon!
Cafe Scrapyard
Kinkerstraat 24
1053 DV, Amsterdam
weatehipsters.com 