Tapisco

Tapisco is located at Kneuterdijk 11 in the center of Den Haag. Public information primarily describes the establishment as a restaurant specializing in tapas, petiscos, cocktails, and wine. Consequently, the core of the concept is not coffee, but rather Spanish and Portuguese culinary culture. For coffee enthusiasts, Tapisco is therefore primarily relevant as an example of a hospitality venue where coffee is part of a broader restaurant offering.

The name Tapisco refers to two styles of eating from Southern Europe. The word combines tapas, from the Spanish kitchen, with petiscos, from the Portuguese kitchen. This choice aligns with the described menu and the way the restaurant positions itself. Small plates, wines from Spain and Portugal, cocktails, and a chef’s table form the permanent elements of the concept.

Marcel van der Kleijn opened Tapisco together with his partner Sharon van Tongeren. The opening was reported in July 2018. In those reports, Tapisco was mentioned as Van der Kleijn’s fourth restaurant. His other establishments were Calla’s, Oogst, and BIT Grill & Café. Thus, Tapisco emerged from an existing hospitality practice in Den Haag, rather than from a standalone coffee concept.

The restaurant was first announced for the Kneuterdijk location in late 2017. During that phase, the emphasis was on a Spanish-Portuguese restaurant concept. This line later reappears in the description on the official website, which mentions tapas, petiscos, cocktails, a chef’s table with Chef Dario, and wines from Spain and Portugal.

The role of coffee within Tapisco is limited and functional. Buscaglione is listed under hot drinks on the menu. The publicly documented coffee drinks include lungo, espresso, double espresso, espresso macchiato, espresso cortado, cappuccino, and latte macchiato. Additionally, Irish coffee, Spanish coffee, and Italian coffee are on the menu.

Coffee also appears on the drinks menu. Under the liquid desserts, there is an espresso martini featuring Ketel 1 vodka, Kahlúa, double espresso, and walnut bitters. This shows that at Tapisco, coffee is used not only as a hot beverage but also as an ingredient within a cocktail context.

For readers seeking information on specialty coffee, the distinction is particularly important. No manual brewing methods are mentioned in the available data. Filter coffee, V60, Aeropress, Chemex, and cold brew are not publicly documented. Furthermore, no data was found regarding roasting, coffee regions, processing methods, or the specific origin of the beans.

Activities surrounding Tapisco seem more strongly linked to wine than to coffee. The media page states that Spanish winemaker Telmo Rodríguez was present on Monday, July 9, for the unveiling of a mural. This mural bore the name “Mapa Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez”. Prior to this, a wine tasting took place, led by Telmo Rodríguez and organized in connection with Pallas Wines.

Furthermore, the website documents a chef’s table in the kitchen, led by Chef Dario. The group page also mentions that parties of nineteen or more can request a tailored proposal. Workshops or recurring programs for a fixed community are not publicly documented in the available information.

Limited data is available regarding sustainability and sourcing. Buscaglione is listed as the coffee on the menu. The media page mentions that all wines from Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez are featured on the wine list. Pallas Wines is also mentioned in connection with a tasting. While this provides insight into suppliers and the assortment, it does not detail any specific sustainability policies.

There are no documented specific certifications, waste reduction measures, or coffee sourcing details. Data regarding direct trade, traceability, or origin per coffee is also missing. Consequently, based on the available information, no substantive conclusion can be drawn regarding the sustainability of the coffee practices at Tapisco.

Tapisco is included in the MICHELIN Guide Netherlands 2025 as a Bib Gourmand restaurant in Den Haag. Other public descriptions also cite this distinction. Additionally, the establishment has received attention in hospitality trade press and local media. Its opening was discussed in 2018, while the concept was first announced in Den Haag news reports back in 2017. In January 2025, Tapisco appeared in the news once again.

For coffee enthusiasts, Tapisco primarily serves as a case study of coffee as part of a restaurant formula. The available information does not suggest a specialized coffee bar. The menu features classic espresso drinks and a few coffee-based alcoholic creations. The establishment’s broader identity centers on tapas, petiscos, wine, and cocktails. Therefore, an assessment as a coffee destination remains limited to what is publicly recorded: a compact coffee list within a Spanish-Portuguese restaurant concept.