Bringing the smoky scent of Java’s street corners to one of Amsterdam’s busiest thoroughfares, Satay Club offers an atmospheric take on traditional Indonesian street food culture. The inaugural location, situated on Haarlemmerstraat, entices passersby with its charcoal grill; the glowing fire taking centre stage in both the kitchen and design concept.
Studio Ninetynine’s interior for the compact space channels the raw materiality of Southeast Asian streetscapes: concrete blocks, rebar shelving, and a muted palette of burnt charcoal tones — from ash grey to pale orange — set the backdrop for an venue whose team is focussed on simple ingredients and their preparation. Suspended steel shelving in turquoise powder coat hangs above the counter, creating a sculptural frame that nods to the improvised infrastructure of Javanese food stalls, while anchoring the interior in something unmistakably tactile.
The mahogany counter warms the otherwise industrial palette, and wraps around the open kitchen, functioning as both workspace and dining surface. Seating here mirrors the informal, counter-side dining so common across Asian street food culture, where quick service and casual conversation flow together. A secondary bar lines the front window, transforming seamlessly between seating and waiting area depending on foot traffic.
A large hand-painted mural of a monkey — as if lifted straight from an outdoor wall — adds a flash of whimsy, referencing the animals that roam freely in parts of Indonesia. Cane-shaded hanging lights and woven stools add softness, tempering the concrete with natural texture. At the rear, a mirror framed in wood and metal opens up the compact layout and recalls the forms of vintage food carts found across the archipelago.
Authentic but modish, Satay Club distills the essence of Indonesian street food into a design-forward format that feels both grounded and contemporary, and one that fits perfectly into today’s Amsterdam.
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Satay Club Amsterdam Photography, Ewout Huibers.
