Cafca

Cafca is a coffee bar located at Oudegracht 302 in Utrecht. The shop is situated in the Museum Quarter and the city center. Cafca’s public positioning links coffee with design, books, and vintage items. The location is also categorized under food & drink, local shopping, and vintage.

The shop opened in 2021 in a corner building on the Oudegracht. Before the official opening, owner Dirk de Jong ran a trial period. Early descriptions emphasized coffee to go, house-made kombucha, and a salon where visitors could sit. Additionally, vintage items were available for purchase.

Dirk de Jong is recognized in public records as the founder and owner behind the original concept. His background lies outside the hospitality industry. Born in Groningen, he lived in Twente and studied Geography and Urban Planning in Groningen and Nijmegen. He also worked in youth care.

The salon area played a distinct role from the start. De Jong described Cafca as an espresso bar to go, with hospitality as a supporting activity. The salon was intended to evoke an older form of gathering. This gave the shop a mixed function: coffee bar, seating area, and retail space.

In February 2025, it was announced that Dirk de Jong had moved to Cádiz, Spain. The Utrecht location subsequently came under the management of a group of regular visitors. They continued Cafca under the stewardship of a foundation. This changed the organizational basis, while the location on the Oudegracht remained intact.

This transition aligns with how Cafca had previously developed. The shop was not only described as a hospitality venue but also as a meeting place. Its community-oriented character took shape through conversations, chess games, books passed along, and small-scale activities.

Available information about the coffee side of Cafca is limited, but several key elements are clear. Cafca is publicly described as an espresso bar and coffee bar. Coffee to go, cappuccino, and cortado are mentioned. House-made kombucha was also part of the original offering.

Cafca documents coffee from Moto Coffee in public communications surrounding its events. Moto Coffee describes itself as a roaster of fresh, organic coffee with traceable origins. No comprehensive public menu listing all of Cafca's brewing methods has been found. Additionally, a separate, publicly documented coffee sourcing policy has not been identified.

For coffee enthusiasts, this means the available picture relies primarily on key highlights. Espresso, milk-based drinks, and coffee to go are documented. Details regarding filter methods, rotating beans, or fixed recipes are not publicly recorded in the available information.

Vintage is a visible part of the concept. In the early stages, vintage clothing and furniture were mentioned. Later, it was described that almost everything in the shop was for sale, except for the coffee machine. Art, objects, and books were also part of the broader interior design and sales function.

Reuse is primarily evident through the second-hand and vintage components. Books could be left behind for others. Clothing, furniture, and objects also found a place in the space. The sustainable aspects of the coffee itself are mainly known through the mentioned supplier, rather than through a separate Cafca policy.

Moto Coffee reports various measures regarding origin and operations. The company mentions organically certified coffees, traceable origins, an energy-efficient roaster, recycled cardboard, cardboard takeaway lids and cups, the reuse of coffee bags, Paperwise paper, insulation, and solar panels. This data belongs to the supplier, not to an independent Cafca document.

In addition to coffee and vintage, programming plays a role in Cafca's public profile. Early descriptions mentioned changing art exhibitions. Later, activities such as film nights, chess matches, vintage clothing sales, and open-mic nights were added.

The neighborhood function also took shape through visitor-organized events. Examples include a Korean evening focused on food and culture, and an Easter breakfast featuring a lesson from the Gospel of Matthew. Social channels also showcase formats like Bingo Bongo, live bands, DJs, workshops, performances, a philosophy and mindfulness workshop, and a linoleum workshop.

These activities show that over time, Cafca became more than just a place for coffee. The public documentation depicts a combination of hospitality, neighborhood connection, small-scale cultural forms, and the sale of second-hand items. This profile is broad but remains described in a local and small-scale context.

Since its opening, Cafca has received attention in local publications about Utrecht. This attention focused on the opening, the role of Dirk de Jong, the neighborhood function, the vintage component, and the later development into a creative space. Cafca was also mentioned in an English-language travel context regarding a weekend in Utrecht.

No public prize or award list has been found that mentions Cafca. Public visibility consists mainly of articles, interviews, mentions, and own communications regarding events. The picture that emerges is factual: a Utrecht coffee bar since 2021, featuring espresso, vintage items, books, design, and a growing social function around the Oudegracht.