Café Flor at Schiphol: Airport Food That Surprised Me

I am usually disappointed by airport food, and by airport coffee even more.

So Café Flor, on Schiphol’s D pier, was a surprise. We stopped there in May while we waited to board our flight from Amsterdam to Montreal, and the food was fresh and good. It is a little gem of a restaurant, and worth knowing about before a long flight.

It is hard to miss. A big pink FLOR sign hangs over the front counter, with tall plants in dark planters and a row of high stools below it. Further in, there are wooden tables, bentwood chairs and deep blue banquettes, with tall windows along one side.

Café Flor at Schiphol at a Glance
🌸 What · A botanical sit-down café on Schiphol’s D-Pier (past security), open since December 2019 — the first full-service restaurant on the pier.
🧇 Eat · All-day menu: New York rolls and yoghurt bowls till 11am, then toasts, waffles, salads, pasta and small bites. The fresh fruit waffle and proper coffee are the highlights.
☕ Drink · Americano and cappuccino that actually taste of coffee — a rarity at an airport — plus a champagne bar.
💳 Good to know · Card payments only, no cash. Toasts €9.50–13, waffles €16–17.50, pasta €18.50–19.50.
💡 Tip · Check how far the D-Pier is from your gate, and arrive before 11am for the New York rolls and yoghurt bowls.

A Café Named for Flowers

Flor means flower, and the décor follows the name. Pink, blue and yellow flower shapes hang from the ceiling, a mural of oversized painted flowers covers the back wall, and bunches of flowers sit on the counters. Champagne bottles line the shelves behind the bar, and the sign above it reads “Make it pop like champagne”.

The menu is short and covers the whole day. Mornings bring New York rolls and yoghurt bowls, including an açaí coconut bowl. After that come toasts, waffles, salads, pasta and small bites such as veggie gyoza and crispy sweet potato with a coconut-mint yoghurt sauce. For something sweet, there is a Pornstar Martini pie and a Passionate Pomegranate pie.

The menu stand at the entrance shows all of it at a glance, flanked by two striped pots of flowers.

Fresh, Not Tired

The food was surprisingly fresh and delicious, which is not something I often say about an airport meal. The service was good too, and the staff were attentive. Plates of toast and waffles go out from the counter under warming lamps. When I took this photo, two smoked salmon toasts with edamame and pomegranate, an avocado toast and a smoked salmon waffle were waiting to go out to other tables.

We ordered the fresh fruit waffle, topped with raspberries, blackberries, icing sugar and a few sprigs of microgreens, with whipped cream on the side.

We also ordered a croissant roll, baked into a round spiral and served with a small jar of Bonne Maman jam and a pat of butter.

Coffee That Tastes Like Coffee

Airport coffee is usually the weak point. Here it was not watered down or tasteless, and the americano and the cappuccino were both great. Each cup arrived on a long curved saucer with a sugar cube and a small layered cake bite topped with pink curls. The americano also came with a little steel jug of milk on the side. An americano is, by definition, espresso with water added, which is exactly why so many airport versions taste of very little. This one still tasted of coffee.

The cappuccino came with a swirl of milk foam on top. If it was ever meant to be a heart, my first sip ruined it.

Café Flor or the Lounge?

I have been to the KLM Lounge at Schiphol, but Café Flor is worth a detour to unwind before a flight as well. Unlike a lounge, it needs no membership, and it gave us a proper sit-down breakfast in a room full of flowers.

Bubbly Tips

• Check your pier. Café Flor is on the D pier. Schiphol is one building with several piers, so check how far your gate is before you settle in for breakfast.
• Arrive before 11am for the New York rolls. The croissant rolls and yoghurt bowls are served until 11am. Pasta and the small bites start at 11am.
• Bring a card. A sign on the menu stand says Café Flor takes card payments only, no cash.
• Know the price range. Toasts run from €9.50 to €13, waffles from €16 to €17.50, and pasta from €18.50 to €19.50.
• Look for Flor’s deal. The menu offers a Pornstar Martini pie for €2.50 when it is paired with a Pornstar Martini cocktail.
• Build in the time. Schiphol advises arriving three hours before a non-Schengen flight. You can also book a free security time slot online or in the Schiphol app, which leaves more of that time for breakfast.

Final Thoughts

I did not expect to write about an airport café. But fresh waffles, proper coffee and a room full of flowers turned our last hour in Amsterdam into a real breakfast.

Until next time!

xoxo,
Bubbly 🎈