I’m a big fan of the school of life, their books and publications in general. However, I find this particular place lacking in few points, that makes my visits pleasant. First, the seating is quite uncomfortable and unpractical, especially for someone who come with a laptop to work. The bar seating has high chairs and a lower table, making it painful for the back. Also, the communal table is so low and it gets crowded. The other point is the food. I got the Lavender lemonade and it was horrible. It didn’t taste anything like lavender. It felts like sipping on sparkling sugary water. The lemon cake was dry and has little lemon flavor.

Great place for a coffee! Great selection of books and stuff produced by the School of Life. They do regular classes and workshops here on philosophy and life. Really cool spot! The main room is no laptops, but there is a workshop room where you can work away to your heart's content.

This was the first place that I went to when I was in Amsterdam, and it quickly became my favourite spot. I used to go there daily for a good coffee, a good read, and when I needed some time with myself. I visited it after years, and it is the same lovely nook, where I could easily spend some good hours.

The place itself is lovely but the service felt hostile. For a laptop friendly space, even though most of people open their laptops even at non-laptop spaces, they specificly select people to "scold" about it which felt pretty discriminating.

Shocking and disrespectful service by the barista Went in for coffee, they got the order wrong which wasn’t an issue..however it resulted in the shots of coffee sitting on the counter for 5 or so minutes. I asked if mine was coming, they acknowledged it was wrong but refused to make a fresh one..instead educating me that the coffee despite it being cold and not what I orderedwas fine to use. When I asked again she said “are you being serious!! Fine then…” went to turn the grinder on, and when she thought I wasn’t looking poured the cold coffee in a cup, filled it with hot water and told me it was new…by that stage she was telling her colleagues how ridiculous it was so I left

A great place to spend an afternoon there with a nice book and coffee. Don’t forget to pick up your order and return the cups when you leave.

I must say that this has been the best coffee hangout place ever. This could be one of the best place to be at in Amsterdam, easily. A must-go. Amazing food, drinks and the best thing is the staff which is generally the worst aspect of any other restaurants. The friendly staff just makes this place even better.

One of my favorite places in Amsterdam! I love the concept of tester products and they have tasty cakes in their coffee shop. Unfortunately, they don't have many sessions in English :(

I recently participated in the “Drawing as Therapy: English Edition” workshop, and while the content and workbook were commendable, my overall experience was mixed. One notable concern was the language dynamics. The forms and emails were presented in a mix between Dutch and English. This bilingual approach, combined with an initial discussion during the workhop about language preference, created an atmosphere that felt exclusionary, particularly for those who do not speak Dutch. Furthermore, the physical setup of the class was suboptimal. The room appeared cluttered, and the unconventional seating on a staircase was not conducive to a drawing class. I had expected a more traditional setup with tables for practical drawing. Despite these issues, the quality of the content and workbook stands out. I completely recommend getting the workbook. In summary, while the course has its merits, improvements in language communication and the physical environment would significantly enhance the overall experience.

Very cool cafe with workshops and books and games to enhance deep conversations. Lots of people working on their laptops as well, remote workers are welcome. Wifi is good.

After watching tons of their videos on YouTube, I had to visit it. Drinks were good and super happy to see that there are even gluten-free options (the chocolate banana bread).

Nice place, friendly staff and lovely cappuccino! Thx Jacko!

Good drinks and snacks, they also have great books and gifts.

Excellent coffee. Decided to pop in as the name of the shop caught my eye. Very nice and quiet. Great place to enjoy your coffee and read a book.

Love this place (L) An urban sanctuary where you can retreat or connect, work or simply get inspired

Such a lovely spot to enjoy your cup of coffee and to buy all the books they have ❤🔥

Maybe I got unlucky but I got the worst food poisoning due to the milk they serve. Apparently the barista served me flat white with normal milk (i ordered Oat) that was long expired. This review is to more give heads up to anyone who gets coffee from there to double check and potentially ask the expiration day of milks.

Not a great coffee shop usually pretty slow (spmetimes waiting for 10-15 mins in the morning) and the coffee doesnt taste great. Today also was asked to move to the "laptop free zone" because they are trying to make it interactive (which doesnt make sense since I was having an interactive meeting with a colleague) Best avoided...

Great place to grab a cup of Java and relax, you can pick your environment to sit in….. work free zone (for socializing) work zone (for getting things done) outside patio (enjoy some fresh air) You can even buy a book to enjoy as you sip 😎

Nice decoration, friendly staff but... way overpriced koffie: 1 macha latte euro 4,20! They don't even bring it to your table. You have to wait at the bar until it's ready. Too big a hype! In the cafés nearby (Utrechtsestraat) you get more service and more quality for money!

Excellent coffee and vibe. I love their books too.

Fantastic great looking place with great literature, tasty coffee and an always super friendly staff and environment.

An interesting space where you can enjoy a coffee, work or buy books and game cards from The School of Life. This place is more than a cafe, and when I went there today, there was a small, community concert. So it was a bit busy and loud with babies, but I can imagine it to be a place with a relaxed & slow vibe.

they do not inform that there is no return policy. I came back 10min after purchasing and they said no. In such cases stores always inform that you won’t be able to return it but not here…. Especially that on the website it says you have 30 days to return it. The notebook is packed in paper, new, it’s not underwear or something! They should inform the customers before they pay! /if it’s on the receipt it’s already too late, the staff should inform the customer before he/she pays or have that info printed on the front desk if each branch is different. On the same day I was in brandy Melville shop (a retail chain) and they had no problem with informing me that I won’t be able to return a hairband. It was not a problem for them to say it just before I paid…..

I love The School of Life and I was very pleased to see that they have a location in Amsterdam. We went on a sunny morning to have coffee and get some of their books. Looking forward to return.

There were three mistakes in the service. First, they got the amount of the invoice wrong and I had to correct them. Second, they said they would prepare my coffee, when I did not order coffee. Third, after waiting for 17 minutes for a tosti, I had to go to the counter to ask for it and they had forgotten it. The concept is good but they need the staff to reflect the concept.

A must visit!!! Amazing atmosphere, beautiful books, delicious coffee, and excellent staff! Will definitely be back!