The Stroopwafel: Amsterdam’s Sweetest Tradition
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Built in 1898 during the belle époque this corner building remains one of Amsterdam’s oldest active bakeries. Its prominent Dutch architect Gerrit A. van Arkel (1858–1918) is known for shaping many key Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) buildings in Amsterdam. This building however was especially commissioned to be built as a bakery and that is what makes it so valuable as it is still carrying out that task more than 125 years later. A little known fact is that the central stained glass window was used by the baker to spy on his daughters while they were at work vending out the products behind the counters. This stained window is still there. Another marvel are the tiled facades which depict the process ploughing, seeding, harvesting, milling, baking and selling the bakery products. There is a reason this is a Unesco Cultural building.
Inside this gem of a bakery, the Stroopwafel is still crafted daily by hand and the enduring combination of architectural grandeur and artisanal baking makes Hans Egstorf a beloved destination for locals and tourists alike. Many visitors pause, camera in hand, to capture the stunning exterior and interior before indulging in its warm, treacle flavored, syrupy treats. Please feel free to step in, even just for the pictures.
Timeline
The ovens fire up on Spuistraat 274
1898
F.C. Stähle opens his luxury bakery—laying the foundations for a sweet tradition that still lives on today.
Gerrit van Arkel gives the bakery its character
The famous Dutch architect designs the interior in full Art Nouveau glory—proof that even walls can tell stories.
The craft is handed down
Bakker Rekers and later Bakker Van Eijk take over the ovens, each preserving the recipe and the rhythm of tradition.
A new name for an old classic
1990
Hans Egstorf takes ownership and brings new life to the legacy, without changing the soul of the bakery.
One tradition, five storefronts
From one humble location to five across the city—still baked by hand, still unmistakably Hans Egstorf.
One family, continuing the legacy
Today, the bakery is in the hands of a new generation of artisans dedicated to carrying the craft forward.
Worldwide acclaim
2025
From Amsterdam locals to visitors across the globe—everyone finds their way to the sweet scent of Spuistraat.
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