Cafes in Groningen

The first specialty coffee bar to open in Groningen, established in 2012, and still the benchmark against which every other cafe in the city is measured. Owner Gerben Engelkes roasts his own beans in a micro-roastery and supplies several of Groningen’s top restaurants. The espresso has genuine character, the filter coffee changes with the season, and the homemade treats are full of flavour rather than excessive sweetness. The interior is cosy and compact, with a handful of tables and an ever-changing Lego display that has become a signature of the space. Black and Bloom won the Misset Horeca Coffee Top 100 and is listed in the European Coffee Trip guide as one of 193 notable specialty cafes in the Netherlands. The tip from regulars: ask the barista about the bean of the month. Laptops are explicitly not welcome and the experience is better for it.

A collaboration between the Koffiestation micro-roastery and Boekhandel Riemer, combining specialty coffee with a curated collection of English-language books in a concept that exists nowhere else in Groningen. Koffiestation began in 2012 by roasting beans on the hob in a domestic kitchen and has grown into one of the most respected small roasters in the north of the Netherlands, with three locations across the city. The Books and Coffee location on the Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat has a library atmosphere that rewards lingering: good coffee, English books on the shelves, a friendly atmosphere, and genuine expertise behind the bar. Laptop-friendly and well-suited for a working morning. Open Monday to Friday from 8:45am, Saturday from 9:30am, Sunday from 10:30am.

The most architecturally striking cafe in Groningen, housed in a restored and listed 1930s petrol station designed by the Dutch architect Willem Dudok on the Turfsingel canal. The building’s low horizontal lines, clean modernist geometry, and waterside position make it one of the most photographed spots in the city. The renovation preserved the Dudok character entirely while creating a functional specialty coffee bar with an in-house bakery producing cinnamon buns and banana bread, and a spacious terrace by the water that is one of the finest places to drink coffee in the north of the Netherlands on a sunny afternoon. Full bean collection also available at the Vismarkt on Fridays and Saturdays.

A minimalist corner cafe pairing specialty coffee with a curated selection of independent and indie print magazines, the only place in Groningen to stock retail bags from Dutch roasters Friedhats and Uncommon. The interior has high ceilings, a communal table, and a compact coffee bar in the rear, giving it a pared-back but warm character that contrasts with the busier cafes on the same street. Beans are sourced from top Dutch specialty roasters. Early opening at 8am on weekdays, 9am on Saturdays, and 12pm on Sundays makes it the earliest start option on the Jatstraat. A filter coffee and toast deal runs from 8am to 10:30am every day. Breakfast options available until 1pm.

Groningen’s cycling cafe, open since 2016, where the worlds of specialty coffee and bicycle culture merge without either being an afterthought. The coffee is roasted by Koffiestation’s local micro-roastery and the menu runs from Americanos to club sandwiches and apple pie. Bikes can be repaired and parts purchased while you drink. The Saturday and Sunday group rides, departing at 9:30am, have built a genuine cycling community around the cafe. The industrial-chic interior, the cycling race coverage on screen, and the mix of cyclists coming and going give it an energy unlike any other cafe in the city. Open seven days a week, with the weekend morning rides adding a particular social dimension.

A bakery and cafe open since 2009 on the Jatstraat whose pink and mint green interior and playful counter full of homemade treats is one of the most cheerful spaces in the city. The baking is taken extremely seriously despite the lighthearted appearance: 100% Arabica beans freshly roasted weekly, homemade apple pie from a family recipe from Sneek, cakes, brownies, muffins, croissants, and banana bread all made in the own bakery. In 2023 Paais opened a second tasting room and bakery where visitors can taste and order alongside a coffee. Full breakfast and lunch menus alongside the pastries. A natural first stop on any morning on the Jatstraat and one of the best-loved cafes in Groningen among students and locals alike.

A wonderfully colourful and personal cafe whose owner Roel, a graduate of the art academy, has made every corner a deliberate visual statement: the paintings on the walls are his own work, the coffee is prepared with the attention of a trained barista, and the overall effect is a space that feels like someone’s very characterful home. One of the most visited hotspots on the Jatstraat, known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere and for live music evenings that draw a mixed crowd of students, locals, and visitors. Roel also runs barista workshops for groups of four or more. Part cafe, part gallery, entirely Groningen in its approach to combining craft, art, and community.

A minimalist international cafe run by Greek owners Mikel and Themos whose menu spans four continents in a compact and beautifully designed space. Named after the ancient Greek agora or marketplace, the concept is a genuine melting pot: Greek Freddo Espresso and Cappuccino prepared authentically, Brazilian specialty coffee, Japanese ceremonial matcha, Argentinian handcrafted empanadas, and Brazilian mate. The only place in Groningen serving a proper Freddo Espresso, the cold, intensely Greek preparation that is entirely different from an iced latte. The precise, internationally minded approach makes it one of the most interesting newer openings on the Oude Ebbingestraat and one of the best spots on the route between the Grote Markt and the Noorderplantsoen.

A chocolate cafe on the Oude Ebbingestraat where the baristas are called chocolistas and the menu runs from excellent coffee and croissants to full chocolate fondue. Hot chocolate is made the proper way, from melted blocks of chocolate rather than powder, producing a depth of flavour that standard cafe hot chocolate cannot match. Cakes, bonbons, pralines, and chocolate specialties fill the display cases. The cafe is simultaneously a practical all-day stop for coffee and a destination for those who want to take the chocolate theme seriously: the high chocolate option, a multi-course chocolate experience, is a genuine event. A distinctive and enjoyable choice on a cold Groningen afternoon.

A plant-based and organic cafe on the edge of the Noorderplantsoen with a terrace overlooking the park and first-floor windows that give some of the most pleasant views of any cafe setting in Groningen. The menu is entirely vegan and plant-forward: smoothie bowls generously loaded with fresh fruit, organic coffee, homemade cakes, and a full lunch menu of plant-based dishes. Picnic boxes can be ordered for Noorderplantsoen sessions in summer. The cafe has a genuinely serene atmosphere, matching the parkside setting, and works as a complete alternative to the more urban energy of the Jatstraat cafes for those who want a quieter morning. Consistently praised by Groningen’s international and student community for the quality of the food and the warmth of the staff.