Giraffe's Hoogstraat coffee bar puts its own roasted beans, brewing equipment and a downstairs academy in one central Rotterdam stop, near the Markthal. The reason to come is the chance to work out what you want to brew at home: choose a coffee for a V60 or AeroPress, taste it here, then browse the bags and tools before leaving.
Coffee
The hand-brew menu lets you pick from Giraffe's filter range, with V60 and AeroPress both priced at €6. Batch brew is €3.50 and changes with the coffee on offer. Order a hand brew to try a bag before buying it. Espresso and milk drinks cover the shorter stop, and the menu directs you to the baristas for the beans currently in the grinders.
JING teas, matcha and Heinde & Verre hot chocolate give a non-coffee drinker something specific to order too. For coffee over ice, there is cold brew or espresso tonic.
Food
The homemade sticky raisin bun, spiced with cinnamon and star anise, is the sweet order to look for. Cookies and vegan banana bread are also made in the bar, while the croissants come from Hoeve Biesland. Lunch is substantial enough to plan around: focaccia fillings include an Egg Melt with old cheese and spring-onion chilli vinaigrette, or burrata with gremolata. The kitchen closes at 16:00.
Academy & visit
The academy downstairs runs cuppings, brewing workshops and SCA training; check the programme and book separately for hands-on instruction. Upstairs, the shop sells beans, filter brewers and barista tools, including grinders, tampers and milk jugs. The café is laptop- and tablet-free and takes card payments only. Choose it for a coffee and lunch with time to browse, or combine the tasting stop with a workshop.