Ania and Natalia, the founders of Oko Cultural Melting Point, brought the project to daylight via a crowdfunding action which was a real success. Apparently, people living in Bos en Lommer in Amsterdam were craving for a neighbourhood cafe with home-made everything at its core and community as its spirit.
The cafe / lunchroom / cultural venue resembles its initiators: it is a cheerful space full of plants and cosy corners which makes you feel at home from the first moment. The morning smell of freshly baked goods and coffee is replaced by stove fumes in the afternoon, and that stove really is where the magic happens. There is golden porridge for breakfast but also savoury waffles for brunch.
There are sandwiches and salads, were different greens are the stars of the show, and there’s grandma-style soup as well. As for the cakes, they also use veggies in them, and they’re as sweet and fulfilling as it gets. The food is an important part of Oko’s story, which is topped with an artsy DIY vibe. You can find art & crafts workshops there, mini-markets of sorts, storytelling evenings, but also language courses and other gatherings.
If you find yourself at the other side of the city all I can say is that this melting point is very worth the trip.