Uncommon Bar

A pain suisse filled with pine custard and dark chocolate is hardly conventional bakery fare. At Uncommon Bar in Amsterdam, it impressed Yotam Ottolenghi enough to earn his recommendation. Apparently, the forest has a promising future in patisserie.

Uncommon began in 2018, when Nina Tromp, Claye Tobin and Josh Cotton set out to put exceptional coffee and its growers in the spotlight. Their original café still stands across the street in Oud-West. The Bar takes that curiosity further, combining meticulously sourced coffee with inventive pastries, foraged ingredients and a healthy obsession with fermentation. On weekend evenings, the kitchen turns to imaginative, vegetable-led dishes and natural wines. Some of the misos and preserves have been patiently ageing for years.

Amsterdam's Instil Collective designed the interior around the idea of interconnected roots, with a magnificent, richly veined quartzite counter at its centre. Hand-carved wooden floors, textured glass and natural materials create a wonderfully tactile, calming space. Even the espresso machine is concealed beneath the counter, allowing the architecture to have its moment.

There's plenty of experimentation here, but little pretension. Just excellent coffee, unexpected flavours and the sort of welcoming atmosphere that makes an afternoon disappear rather easily.