After many years living in Amsterdam, I finally visited Caffe Esprit the other day with a friend. Located in the heart of the Spui and right off the Kalverstraat, Caffe Esprit is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee or tea with your shopping companions (I sipped on Rooibos tea). The lunch options also looked delicious, though - the website boasts of delicious club sandwiches, pasta and salads, and also urges you to leave room for homemade carrot cake and cheesecake.

Get there early - almost every time I've peered inside in the afternoons it's packed. It's also possible to hold a private event - in fact, when I walked by later in the day last Saturday, I noticed the whole café was reserved for a private party starting at 5:30pm.

Caffe Esprit is located at Spui 10. They are open on Sunday - Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 6pm, Thursdays from 10am to 8pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm.