Café Fresco is a coffee bar located on Sint-Maartendreef in Overvecht, next to Panino Fresco. This article covers the location, opening hours, and public information.
About Café Fresco by Panino Fresco
Café Fresco in Overvecht: A coffee bar next to Panino Fresco
Café Fresco by Panino Fresco is located at Sint-Maartendreef 1000 in Utrecht, in the Overvecht neighbourhood. The venue sits opposite Panino Fresco. The opening was announced on February 21, 2026, via Panino Fresco’s channels, noting that Café Fresco had been open since that date. No public documentation was found regarding a separate founder of Café Fresco.
History and Concept
Available data places Café Fresco within the broader context of Panino Fresco. Local media identifies Anouar Haki as the owner and initiator of Panino Fresco. Since 2018, he has operated a sandwich shop from a former flower kiosk across the street. As a result, Café Fresco is not described as a standalone enterprise, but rather as an expansion around the same public name and location.
Panino Fresco is publicly described as a shop offering Italian sandwiches, pizzas, smoothies, salads, acai bowls, and products from a juice bar. The available information on Café Fresco is more limited. While the name, location, and opening announcement are documented, no detailed independent concept for the coffee bar has been found publicly. Consequently, the distinction between the coffee bar and the broader offering of Panino Fresco remains only partially described.
Beyond food and drink, local media also highlights the social function of Panino Fresco. The venue is linked to work, internships, dining, and serving as a meeting place for residents of Overvecht. This makes the location relevant for readers interested in the role of hospitality in a neighbourhood, not just the menu.
Coffee and Brewing
For coffee enthusiasts, the mention of the bean supplier is particularly important. In the opening communication for Café Fresco, it states “Beans: FriedHats”. This identifies Friedhats Coffee Roasters as the documented supplier in public communications surrounding the opening. Friedhats describes itself as a micro-roastery from Amsterdam that sources and roasts coffee.
Less information is available regarding the specific brewing methods. The consulted public data does not mention specific techniques such as espresso, filter coffee, batch brew, V60, AeroPress, or cold brew. A complete official coffee menu was also not found. However, coffee and matcha are associated with Café Fresco in public posts and search snippets.
This means that, at this moment, the coffee profile of Café Fresco relies primarily on the mentioned bean supplier. Without a public menu or a clear description of the bar setup, it is not possible to determine which drinks are permanently offered. Nor can it be assessed how broad the focus on specialty coffee is in daily practice.
Neighbourhood function and social context
According to local media, the broader location of Panino Fresco has a social component. Behind the shop, Stichting Ons Utrecht is active. This foundation is mentioned in connection with a social space for daytime activities. The target group includes vulnerable youth and older residents.
The space is also described as a venue that can be rented for meetings, resident evenings, and lectures. Furthermore, the location can be made available for initiatives from the neighbourhood. No separate workshops, tastings, exhibitions, or other specific events have been publicly documented for Café Fresco itself.
In the development of the location, Panino Fresco, Mitros, and Hemubo are mentioned. Hemubo reports involvement in the realization of the new pavilion and the neighbourhood-focused location in Overvecht. Thus, Café Fresco is situated in an environment where hospitality, social interaction, and community functions converge.
Sustainability and Sourcing
No specific sustainability practices have been publicly documented for Café Fresco itself. However, the broader context contains some relevant data. On its own website, Panino Fresco uses the words “artisanal, organic & fresh products” to describe the fillings for its sandwiches. This speaks to the presentation of the broader offering, but not to the full business operations of Café Fresco.
The building itself is also linked to sustainability in the available information. Local media states that the new construction was executed sustainably and circularly using four sea containers. Hemubo reports that the pavilion was designed by DOOR architects and built with sustainable, circular materials.
On the coffee front, Friedhats notes that it sources its coffee directly from producers and through trusted European importers. The roastery describes sustainability as an ongoing process. This information pertains to the supplier, not directly to the individual choices made by Café Fresco.
Press and public documentation
No specific press coverage, awards, or formal recognition for Café Fresco were found in the available public records. Panino Fresco does, however, appear in local media and neighborhood-focused reporting. In 2022, local news highlighted the social role of Panino Fresco in Overvecht. In 2023, an item also featured Anouar Haki and the combination of a sandwich shop, ice cream parlor, and care-related activities.
As a result, the available profile of Café Fresco remains factual but limited. The location, opening date, relationship with Panino Fresco, and the mention of Friedhats are clearly documented. Less public information is available regarding the menu, brewing methods, in-house programming, and specific sustainability choices. For an objective assessment of the coffee bar, it is precisely these details that are important.
