The Amstelveld is one of those places in the city where time runs a little differently. Quieter, a little more air, less crowding. And right on that square is Café Marcella, a fixture for decades. In May 2023, it reopened after a thorough renovation, done by Studio Modijefsky. The result: still a classic brown café, but with the sharp edges neatly removed.
Behind the bar is Thijs Barelds, who also runs Bar Bonnie in South and Polly Goudvisch in North. Three cafes, three neighborhoods, one approach: create places you just love to sit. At Marcella, he tackled a historic building from the late 19th century and had Studio Modijefsky preserve the original atmosphere while really changing things. That's clever work. Many renovations demolish exactly what makes a place special. Not so here.
Inside is cramped, it must be said. 39 square meters, that's all it is. But whoever ends up on the terrace has won: 75 square meters on the Amstelveld, in the sun if possible. The combination of that compact interior and the large terrace sets Marcella's rhythm. On a sunny afternoon you slide out here with a glass of wine and before you know it, it has become evening.
You just walk in. Or you find a spot on the terrace, or you try again an hour later.
Not wheelchair accessible, that's something to consider. But for those who can just get in, Marcella is the type of café you see back on your route through town every week. Not because there's anything spectacular going on, but because it's right. The building has history, the owner knows what he's doing, and the Amstelveld takes care of the rest. Sometimes that's enough.