Cafe Nobuya in Grachtengordel-West

The food was delicious, no complaints there, even though I accidentally received the wrong order. However, what I found less enjoyable was how cold it was inside. It actually felt colder indoors than outside, which made the atmosphere less pleasant. Perhaps it would be a good idea to turn on the heating or install an electric heater. There are plug-in electric heaters available for around 30 euros that can heat small shops like this fairly quickly. I’m not sure if this is done intentionally to encourage guests to leave quickly since it's a small shop, but it would be a shame if that’s the case. The quality of the food truly deserves a more comfortable environment to enjoy it.

Very chill place! I was here on a Friday afternoon and there was plenty of room. Friendly staff and fast service. I had the black sesame latte with the oyster mushroom roll. The latte was delicious! The sandwich itself was tasty, as was the sauce, although the oyster mushroom itself was less so. It was very crispy, but I didn't think it had an intense flavor. I will try the tempura shrimp next time!!

Waited 30 min for a flat white. Totally overrated social media place

Hard seats Food was fine, the beef was cold in the sandwich and not filling Service was 30 min for 2 sandwich’s and the meal was incomplete. They weren’t even full and were very late with everything

Very good mochi donuts! Friendly staff!

Amazing Service, Atmosphere, Music, and food ! We had the Tempura Sandwich, the mix of flavours is incredible. We also got two strawberry matcha lattes which were just delicious, as well as the classic mochi donut.🥰🍓🍵🍤🍩🫶🏽

Still charging 50c for plant based milks? Rip off

This was the best iced coffee we have ever had. The sandwiches were also super tasty Would definitely recommend having breakfast here! Won't be our last visit. The lady at the staff was also very nice :)

I know what a donut tastes like and what a mochi tastes like, but I haven't had the combination before. The combination is very tasty. The mochi donuts are nice and chewy and the flavor really stands out. You order via an order kiosk, but there is only one in the store. The food is prepared by 1 person, so you will wait quite a long time, both at the column and for your food. There is not really a warm atmosphere in the cafe. The decoration could be nicer and the service could be more and faster. The donuts are highly recommended!

everything was amazing. I would love if they would add chicken or more vegetarian options for their sandos.

Sandwiches were so good we went back again the same week, no unnecessary waiting in queue and drinks were decent. The shrimp sandwich will see me again.

The donuts were good and the staff was friendly. But the warm black sesame latte I got wasn’t mixed well so there were little chunks of powder in it. The music inside was pretty loud and club-like for a little donut cafe like this. The main thing though was that it was incredibly cold inside, it felt about the same as it was outside. It was a little disappointing overall

Cute cafe tucked away in Amsterdam with nice drinks and mochi donuts. Got the strawberry matcha, Biscoff mochi donut, glazed mochi donut, and passionfruit sparkling drink which were all just ok. Nothing mind blowing about the items but also not horrible. Don’t think I would come here again cause it wasn’t memorable. Shout out to the only barista making drinks and serving customers while the shop had a line out the door. Please hire more people to help your staff out! It’s not fair to make one person manage everything while it’s so busy.

I never write reviews, but Cafe Nobuya deserves it. 10/10! Their mochi donuts are out of this world, and the brioche sandwiches like the gyudon beef and kimchi ribeye were so good, they took me straight back to Japan. With drinks like the matcha strawberry latte and lychee iced tea, it’s honestly saved me a plane ticket. If you’re craving authentic flavors, this place is a must!

Very nice, chill place with friendly staff. Seating area is quite spacious and clean. We tried the mochi donuts in 4 flavours: classic, matcha, lotus an passion fruit (seasonal). They were tasty but a bit sweet for our taste, although we did finish them all effortlessly. Per donut we payed either €4 or €4,50. The toilets are also well maintained and smell nice. Overall a great experience, would definitely recommend! Update: After a year since my original review I have decided to add an update. This place has become my favourite spot to get donuts. As I do not live in Amsterdam, getting their mochi donuts is the first thing I do when I’m here. I can say with confidence that they are consistent with their food, service and maintenance. Today I tried their brioche roll with beef and matcha strawberry mochi donut. The roll included mayo, pickled red onions, egg and nori. Donut The donut was delicious and even better than the previous times I’ve had it. I’m not sure if they updated the recipe but it was lighter and fluffier. Brioche roll One word: delicious. I have tried this type of sandwich at other places, but would always be bothered by the imbalance of the ingredients. Usually they are overly stuffed with beef, with just the smallest bit of egg on top. This place seems to have perfected the sandwich. The beef, egg, mayo and other ingredients work perfectly together to create a well balanced roll. I also like that they include a glove, since it gets a bit messy. Definitely filling and bigger than it looks. Ambiance The ambiance is still very nice. I did notice that it was busier than I was used to, but it was not packed to the point of claustrophobia inducing. Service The personnel is still amazing. They now also bring orders to your table, which is very convenient. It also causes the high volume of costumers to be handled in an orderly fashion, since no one is waiting around for their order. Something I experienced today has exceeded my expectations. I had noticed that the wait for my brioche roll was unusually long, but didn’t really mind. One of the workers came to all customers who had ordered one and explained that an error had occurred in the system after which she apologised. We all got a complimentary item off the menu of our choice, no matter the price. I picked a lotus biscoff donut. This situation showed me that they are really dedicated to furthering their business and keeping the customer satisfied. This approach to unpleasant situations is what sets a business apart and urges costumers to come back. Toilets The toilet area is still as clean as the first time I visited. Love the consistency! Conclusion This is undoubtedly my favourite cafe to visit and my go to donut place. After careful reconsideration I have decided to update my review from 4, to 5 stars. Keep up the good work!

Horrible, don't waste your time and here! Never again

The Shrimp Sandwich was good, the mochi donuts are delicious but the Matcha Blueberry was very bad, it didn't taste like anything, it was quite disappointing. The service was also disappointing, only two people work and it took them a long time to place the order. We waited more than 40 minutes for two small sandwiches and a smoothie.

My friends regularly buy mochi donuts here and were very pleased with them. During a day in Amsterdam I mapped out a route to pass here and I was very surprised. The texture of the mochi donuts is crunchy yet chewy and fluffy and not too sweet. I was mainly afraid that I would find it too rich or sweet. The donuts are the tastiest if you get them early in the day and eat them right away. We ate the mango mochi donut on the spot and saved the rest for later in the day. The texture became less crunchy and more chewy fluffy. We also chose the taro, matcha and pistachio mochi donuts. I can't pick a favorite because they were all super tasty. The drinks are fine, we had a hot taro latte and a strawberry matche latte, both with oat milk. The quality of the matcha is good. Especially in combination with the strawberry. Next time I'll try the other flavors!

Great place for Korean style sandwiches, came in in 10 minutes, tasty and fresh, love the fact their beef sandwiches are halal!

Take away for 2 mochi donuts, one matcha one classic. I didn’t feel the “mochi” donuts, they tasted like normal donuts to me. 8€ in total, a bit expensive.

A beautiful and elegant modern cafe, famous for its donuts, which are really beautiful, but unfortunately, as usual, there is no drip coffee

Cool little boba spot. It was nice inside and service was good. The donuts were really yummy and the drink we got was super good. The only complaint i have is they don't use the proper straws. I mean they might have had the right straws, but we didn't notice. They were using those recycled straws. Definitely not the right straws for boba drinks.

The Cafe atmosphere was cozy and modern! I enjoyed my latte, as well as with the donuts. Macha mango the best choice!

Matcha mochi donuts 🍩 🤎 Loved it! They also comes in few other flavors.. unfortunately I had to keep space for dinner.. next time.. Also tried a Ube latte.. it’s too sweet for me..

Delicious donuts and sandwiches. Took some matcha donuts home for later!

They have the best Taro Latte in town!! We prefer it warm, it is so creamy and delicious. The donuts are also delicious. The only minus point is that it is a pricy here :’(

Matcha latte was good but the donuts are just too sweet, greasy and oily… definitely not worth the price (4.5 euros per donut which is very expensive but the quality is not good at all). The place was a bit dirty and messy with trash on the floor and the table was not cleaned. Staff were friendly tho

Go-to café in the center of Amsterdam. Nice baristas and owners, tasty mochi donuts and matcha. A nice place to sit and relax. A short walk from central station.

This place was highly recommended by a friend so I gave it a try. Drink itself was very good but while I was drinking matcha strawberry latte, I felt something and spat it out - there was a little plastic tag thingy with sharp edge in the drink which was pretty hard... thought it was from the straw but the color was different. I'm really glad I didn't swallow it... I hope they take cautious when making drinks

Did not live up to the expectation. The strawberry purée in the matcha tasted off and not in balance with the matcha — nor was the matcha powder well mixed and dissolved. The tempura shrimp brioche was way too greasy. It was like eating oil-soaked bread. The mochi donuts were however quite nice, yet not groundbreaking.

The ice coffee & donut was very delicious only the staff lady was unfortunately not so friendly and the toilet was broken + seats were just terrible lol

The pistachio mochi donut had a great texture and was still a bit warm. It's also not too sweet which made it easy to eat and savor.

I got three of the four sandwiches from the menu and two drinks at Nobuya. After this experience I have to say that I was not satisfied. I paid a significant amount, more than €50. The drinks were simply undrinkable. The atmosphere in the shop was cold and gloomy. The food was downright disappointing. The steak and ribeye were like rubber, hard to chew.

Although the interior is a bit cold and uncomfortable, the food is great. We had the Oyster and Beef Brioche and lemon cheesecake donut. We loved it. The Ube late was also nice. Definitely will come back.

Love this place usually but I feel like the quality of food has severely dropped :( The sandwhiches used to be amazing but now it feels like there are ingredients missing. The drink options reduced as well.

The matchas tasted like bamboo with the bamboo straws and its also low quality the donuts are really good and soft

Mochi donuts Nice but a bit to sweat service the girl was not really appreciative but correct

It’s a good place to get a quick bite, chairs and tables are designed for you to get in and get out. Having said that, mochi donuts, holy cow - so good!!

Very cozy and good food. The atmosphere was very comforting and modern

We had a delicious meal! Super tasty sandwiches with tender meat. We had the brioche beef and the sparkling mango drinks! Highly recommended if you are in Amsterdam!

I really like the mochi donut. The cafe is nice but there's a sign saying that the toilet is out of order. I also saw this sign when I was there a couple months earlier so I doubt that the toilet is really broken.

if you like minimalist places where they don’t great you and the f&b is overpriced, this is the place to go. they up-charge for plant milk and there’s no toilet

Went here on a sunny day. The drinks were really nice and refreshing. I had the lychee iced tea. With the jellies it tasted quite similar to a boba. My friend had the sesame tea and now she is a massive fan. She even wanted to go back today to have another one! The donuts were good. It's cool that they have uncommon flavours. We liked the pistache one the most! There is some seating inside, but it is not really comfortable nor cozy. The seats are just a wooden bench and there are no decorations, so you really come here for the food only. The food is totally worth it though!

I had Gyudon sandwich and ube latte and both their taste and presentation were very delightful. The staff was friendly. What I like the most is that they have some nice books there for people to read. The atmosphere was relaxed and chilled, which I find it rare to find in Amsterdam.

The ube latte and the beef gyudon are highly recommended! Unfortunately the donuts are too greasy for us.

A nice place for breakfast or afternoon coffee and something sweet. Tasty donuts, matcha and coffee are also great. Very nice service.

The matcha mochi donut is bitter

Everything was good and delicious, the texture incredible, a little expensive but quality and service present :)

the sandwiches were such a pleasant surprise, definitely coming back for that shrimp sandwich

It’s okay, it’s quite a small portion for the price and is definitely more like a snack than a meal but the flavors are nice

Kind of want to gate-keep this.. great 🍵 🙊

Great place to go to for lunch with friends, it’s a bit small but easy to find a spot nevertheless. The brioche sandwiches are amaazinngngnngngg!!!!! And the mochi donuts are beyond expectations, the matcha one isn’t my favourite but my friend loved it!

Their ube latte is my obsession 🥹💜

Super yummy sandwiches, a must try! Clean restaurant. Sitting area is a little uncomfortable which considering that it takes 15-20 mins to get your order is a little bit of a let down. Still, highly recommended to try!

Little atmosphere, slow service while there was hardly anyone there when we were there. Drinks are not served at the same time as the food. Okay then why are we waiting so long? Because those skere donuts are just in the display case. By the way, they are also a good 4 euros each, while they are nothing special. It's just a tough donut that's it... the only thing that was good was the coffee.

Got the strawberry matcha but not worth the hype. The strawberry syrup was not matching the matcha taste. And to make it worse, the store was too busy with only 2 baristas/ waitress, they barely had time to blend the matcha well. Do not recommend.

The food is okay, not exceptionally good but not bad either. There wasn't much flavor to the mochi donuts. We only ordered donuts and still had to wait a while. The atmosphere inside is really bad. It feels bare instead of minimalist. It also reverberates enormously, making it impossible to have a conversation. When I was there there were 2 other tables occupied but it was really that loud and obnoxious. When you enter, there is almost immediately 1 order screen, you are not greeted by the staff. Only after the order screen can the donuts be seen in the display case. Despite the quiet moment, we still had to wait a long time to order and for the food itself. The price is also on the high side. And there is no toilet. Nice to see those mochi donuts in real life, but I certainly won't go here again.

In the heart of Amsterdam's bustling city center, lies a quaint little retreat called Cafe Nobuya, a place where traditional tastes meet modern cravings. One step inside and you're greeted with an array of delightful aromas, a testament to the culinary adventure that awaits. The star of the show at Cafe Nobuya has to be their Mochi Donuts. A bite into these delicacies reveals a perfect blend of chewiness and sweetness that is characteristic of mochi, married harmoniously with the classic, comforting taste of a freshly baked donut. It's a fusion that not only satisfies your sweet tooth but also ignites a sense of culinary curiosity. Now, onto the savory part of the journey - the Gyudon Beef Sandwich. A choice I'll pat myself on the back for, time and time again. The first bite is a gateway into a symphony of flavors; the tender gyudon beef is a melody of savory goodness, which is brilliantly accompanied by a subtle, yet noticeable, spicy kick. The journey doesn't end there; a sudden burst of sweetness joins the ensemble, harmonized with a tinge of sour notes. And just when you think you've tasted it all, a crunchy texture makes a grand entrance, elevating the entire experience to a crescendo of mouth-watering satisfaction. Every element in the Gyudon Beef Sandwich sings in a perfect harmony, each bite is a lyric in the most delicious song you've ever heard. It's a tasteful narrative that tells a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of flavor profiles. Cafe Nobuya, with its unassuming charm, excellent service, and a menu that promises an exciting gastronomic journey, is a haven for food enthusiasts. Whether it's the sweet allure of Mochi Donuts or the savory satisfaction nestled in a Gyudon Beef Sandwich, this cafe is a melody of tastes waiting to be explored.

The drinks are tasty and unique, the mochi donuts are okay but really overpriced for what they are. The place is small, dirty and noisy but it seems like they're understaffed so I don't blame them.

Really nice staff and such a nice concept. Place can get busy so be prepared! Need to wait a bit for the food but it is understandable as the place is really busy

In short - they’ve put in a self service till. If you’re popping in to grab a coffee, or buy some of their nice donuts, be prepared to sit and wait for around 15/20 min, because ALL the other orders (including kitchen food) are in front of you. Shame, it used to be great.

Food was good, but the lack of toilet for customers is a let down.

Adorable cafe with minimalistic vibes. Small cosy seating areas. Went for tea so just tried drinks and the donuts. Really enjoyed the matcha strawberry drink and Ube latte. The Mochi donuts were so soft and fluffy! Loved them! Would definitely go again. The food looked great too!

Truly a gem in Amsterdam. The concept of Mochi droughts was honestly a first, but what a delicious snack. The staff were kind and informative and the other menu items looks great. Sincerely recommend 🥳

I have been here several times and in my opinion it is always a successful visit. Nobuya is also (in my opinion) the only place where you can get “mochi donuts”. We also have various delicious Brioche Rolls and Steamed Bao Buns. Finally, the service is always very friendly and you get the feeling that they genuinely want to help you. 10/10

I went here because I saw it very often on Instagram. And also to taste macha. Didn't like it. You don't qualify with the staff. You order via a screen and collect the drink yourself. Atmosphere was not wow. The interior also looked very boring. There were all kinds of cups and plates on the table. Sloppy.

I had lunch there and the food tasted really great! Definitely one of the top places to go, also the people at the counter were really nice. I did give 4/5 stars for the service, since there are actual stamp cards on the counter, customers can get a discount, but most people dont know this. Maybe more reminder for the shop for the customers to take one for the next time, because I am sure most people would have loved it since they will come back judging how great the food was.

You should try their strawberry matcha latte and pistachio donuts!! Absolutely love the place. Kind staff, a lovely shop and amazing food

The donuts looked nice and tasted delicious. But the brioche sandwiches were even better tbh. I think about them so often man.. savoury and flavourful.

I had a really good chai latte and a mochi donut to taste, it was delicious and the waitress was very nice

Fun food, although i did not like the matcha tea (normally it is my fav). Weekends too busy no place to sit

We had the shrimp and beef brioche rolls they were very tasty and cooked to perfection. The customer service was also very good the girl at the front was friendly

Cafe nobuya was on my bucket list for visiting Amsterdam and my main regret is visiting on last day as I'd definitely have visited a couple of times. The mochi donuts are incredible and I can't wait to go back to try more. Such an awesome vibe to the place as well.

Finally got to try Nobuya. Read and saw a lot about it, so I was very curious. First I tried the Matcha and Classic donuts. Chewy, fresh and not too greasy. Next time I would like to try other flavors. Ended with the Oyster Brioche roll. 10/10! Also very nice staff!

Tent is great! The food was super tasty and the donuts were the best in Amsterdam. Highly recommended!

first impression not very hospitable employees, or cozy atmosphere. the large black tables on the pics on the website are gone. now there are Ikea stools and small grey tables. tables were dirty, you have to order at the counter, and you don't get cutlery but a cheap looking plastic glove to eat. the food itsself is served on a metal tray like it's prison food. taste is ok but not very special. the BAO bun with shrimp had 1 shrimp cut on half to give an idea about portion size. guests aren't allowed to use the restroom under the guise of "bathroom is out of order", and have to ask at another restaurant if they can use their restroom. which is very weird. all in all this place is not as aesthetic as it is portrayed to be, small portions with mediocre food, and not very nice staff. I give it another year max.

May 2024 Their donuts and sando's are a true delight. Freshly prepared (can take some time) but it's worth it. Even get a plastic glove for eating without messing up :-) bread is good and very well toasted, richely filled (tempura shrimp in my case) and when to go a real nice handy package. Still not yet too busy so pay them a visit. They also have the Ube Latte ... Loved it

Disappointing experience. Tried the matcha and pistachio doughnuts. Expect slow and rude staff, with queues outside the door. Waited 30 mins for takeaway doughnuts (expect longer if you want drinks as well). The doughnuts were oily and very unpleasant. Will not be in a hurry to return.

Their ube latte is really good, and even the medium is quite big! However I got their matcha donut and it had a super chewy and satisfying texture, it didn’t taste at all like matcha though

There were two people working the wait staff when I was there. It went very slowly even though it wasn't even super busy. Tables were not cleaned, you are eating at a dirty table. I had the brioche bun with fried oyster mushroom. I found it really disappointing. The brioche bun completely falls apart after you take 2 bites, the fried oyster itself had no taste except the taste of the sauce that comes with it, which was tasty. It is very little in terms of filling compared to the one I took. It cost 11.50 but that's not worth it, it didn't fill anything either. It's better to go to Chun where the rolls are well filled and it also tastes better. I thought I would give it a try here because it can be very busy at Chun, but unfortunately it is very disappointing, which is a shame.

Tried the matcha mango latte and machta mochi donuts

Great mochi donuts and brioche sandwiches...

I have a wonderful visit with delicious food and friendly staff. Thank you.

The matcha donut tastes nothing like matcha. The matcha mango latte is way too sweet. The food quality doesnt justify the price.

Hard workers they work very fast even tho it’s very busy. I tried the donuts and three different drinks. Unfortunately we didn’t try the food but maybe an other time. The mochi donuts were A-MA-ZING I love how chewy and not overpowering sweet they were. I tried two flavors the original and the red velvet the original was my favorite the red velvet was a bit too sweet for my liking but its wasn’t to overpowering as a traditional donut. The drinks were good too I had an iced coffee with vanilla syrup you can choose you own kind of milk if you want to so they have many options for people that don’t like regular milk. The mango drink was good too but a bit too sweet. And the matcha iced was tasty too if you like matcha then

Veery cute cafe✨ We tried the Lychee iced tea (which tastes exaaactly like the fruit) and the black sesame latte (which was very interesting). Both the shrimp tempura and beef brioche sandwiches were amaaazing, but be prepared to be full as they are quite big in size! Lastly, we had the white chocolate donut for dessert which was very tasty and the best way to end our Saturday brunch! I definitely recommend Cafe Nobuya if you want to have a unique and very tasty brunch☺️

Highly recommend the kimchi ribeye brioche sandwich + black sesame latte! 🖤

Love the mochi donut and the sandwich! The texture of the brioche bun is TOP! Sure will be back here when im visiting Amsterdam in the future

The drinks sound good but the service a little long

Amazing cafe, great strawberry matcha and bao buns (recommend the “fried oyster mushroom”). Personnel was friendly and professional. Their ube latte also looked amazing, even though we didn’t get to try it this time. Only little remark that cleanliness could have been better (there is a beautiful decorative flower vase but the vase wasn’t very clean) but overall

Visited this place yesterday for the first time. I’m a big fan of Chun Amsterdam so definitely had to try Nobuya. The food was absolutely amazing, strong coffee and I had a lovely chai latte. Staff was nice and there are a lot of spaces to sit inside. Things that could be improved; the hygiene, the toilet area and also the stairs were a quite dirty. But overall good experience will definitely come back to try their special mochi donuts!

Creative doughnuts here. The bubble tea is okay - I’d recommend getting it without the tapioca.

Tasty mochi donuts. We wanted a glass of milk and they were able to arrange that, which was very nice. Cute interior too.

It was full on Sunday afternoon but we found a table that was just leaving. I had never seen or tried mochi donuts and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Less oily and with a glutinous mass. Original flavors, just like their teas.

I still dream about the kimchi ribeye brioche bun <3

Never tried Mochi Donuts before :) so this place is worth visiting. I got 3 flavours: Berry Meringue, Macha and Pistachio which was the best one in my opinion. Also, I really enjoyed their Ube Latte.

It's a nice place with a cool vibe. The macha latte was very tasty, good quality macha. However, the thing I had high hopes for - the donuts - was disappointing. I hoped it would be more like Japanese Mr Donut ones, but they tasted like what we call 'spurga' in Lithuania. Not very dognut-y and not special. Not bad, but not worth it, to be honest.

Lovely place. Really enjoyed the food and the drinks were also nice.

Best flat white I've had lately

We got some donuts and 2 matcha drinks. The donuts were great! Will deffinetly come back for more! The matcha was... not as amazing. It was fun to try the different flavours (blueberry and mango) but it mostly just tasted like milk. Either the matcha is low quality or the put in very little.