The Village Coffee & Music

Utrecht has a coffee spot that brings together music and craftsmanship. The Village Coffee & Music emerged in 2011 and quickly became a flagship of the Dutch specialty scene. This article outlines their story, approach and significance for the industry.

Founders Angelo van de Weerd and Lennaert Meijboom returned to Utrecht after years in the music and surf world, determined to open a café full of good coffee and live music. Eight years later, in 2011, The Village was on the map. Within two and a half years, Misset Koffie named the bar the best in the Netherlands, an achievement that strengthened the reputation of both friends.

The café also changed the atmosphere of the Voorstraat. Where the street once looked shady, a lively hotspot blossomed. The business now operates three locations, including a branch in a former prison and a café on the Science Park.

Since 2015 The Village has roasted all its coffee in-house on a vintage Probat UG-15 from 1955. An old drum, modern methods and a pronounced "no bullshit" philosophy go hand in hand. Each bean gets a light- to medium-roast profile to bring out sweetness and gentle acidity. Daily feedback from the bars prompts small adjustments to the roasting process, keeping flavors consistently sharp.

• Outsider (espresso flagship) - changes every season and always showcases a single origin; recently a Colombia El Encanto delivered notes of peach iced tea, berries and vanilla.
• Renegade (blend) - fifty percent Brazilian body and fifty percent Latin-American brightness; tastes like thick hot chocolate with soft fruit.
• Slowzilla (bold espresso) - single-origin Brazil, Italian in strength but without robusta; full of chocolate, dried fruit and nuts.

Each bag lists three core flavor notes, the farmer and the processing method. Clear information helps baristas and home coffee drinkers make the right choice.

Change is built into the program. Outsider rotates every quarter and the team regularly launches micro-lots for special occasions, such as an anniversary release in 2024. Weekly cuppings, test roasts and pieces of advice like 'let espresso rest for five days' demonstrate their scientific approach.

Inside, the visitor feels like being in a small concert hall filled with vinyl, poster art and baristas wearing band T-shirts. Wi-Fi is deliberately absent, so conversations and records set the mood. At the Science Park there is even an orca skeleton, a playful detail that attracts the curious.

The packaging looks simple: brown kraft bags with a plastic interior, a clear logo and a request to recycle the liner. That way, sustainability fits into the overall picture.

The Village buys green beans via respected importers such as This Side Up, Sucafina, Primavera and Nordic Approach. Farmer stories are central; for example, Brazilian farmer Ellen Fontana preserves 70,000 trees on her land and avoids pesticides. Transparency and fair pricing are the norm.

Good coffee only makes it to the cup when training is right. That's why the team supports partners in recipe development, maintenance and latte art, so quality flows through the entire chain.

The Village organizes cuppings, barista workshops and even tattoo expos, bringing coffee to new audiences. At the tenth anniversary the café turned into a mini-festival with music, beer and burgers. Such initiatives strengthen the bond with the city and the scene.

Future plans center on thoughtful expansion. A larger premises on the Voorstraat offers space for a filter bar and a music corner. Furthermore, the roastery expects new origins and experimental fermentations, while a growing wholesale program supplies more hospitality venues with Village coffee.

The Village shows that passion, clear choices and a touch of rock 'n' roll form a strong formula. With transparency, distinctive branding and constant innovation, the company encourages both consumers and competitors to seek better coffee and richer experiences. This keeps Utrecht, and by extension the Netherlands, an exciting playground for coffee lovers.