Oud-West has added a coffee shop, but one that deliberately chooses the opposite direction. While the rest of the city is full of minimalist coffee bars in neutral tones, father and son Kuppens opted for a warm, accessible store next to the De Hallen complex on Tollensstraat. Fred's Koffie has only just opened and is already attracting attention, including from Het Parool and neighborhood site InDeBuurt.
The idea behind the business is actually simple. The Kuppens family was inspired by Neapolitan coffee culture: quick service, little fuss, just a good espresso. In Naples, you stand at the bar, drink your coffee and get on with your day. They try to mimic that rhythm here, but with the personal attention you would expect from a family business. Father Kuppens is 59, his son 27, and together they run the business. That age difference is also noticeable in the energy of the place: the experience of the one, the enthusiasm of the other.
The business is in a street building on Tollensstraat, right next to De Hallen. That's a smart spot. De Hallen attracts a lot of people from the neighborhood and beyond every day, and Fred's Coffee benefits directly from that. The building itself is small, which only adds to the atmosphere. You're not anonymous there. The Kuppens know who's coming in, and that's exactly the point.
Less concept, more pub. Less Instagram, more neighborhood. That's what Fred's Coffee wants to be.
The conscious decision to go opposite the trending coffee scene is not nothing. Old West has plenty of places that are similar. Fred's Coffee chooses a different tone: less concept, more pub. Less Instagram, more neighborhood. Or as the Kuppens' approach sums it up: it's about the guest, not the aesthetic. For those who know the neighborhood well, that's a relief. For those new to it: just drop by.