De Zelfspot

De Zelfspot is a coffee bar and studio located at Badhuisstraat 198 in Scheveningen, The Hague. Public information describes it as a place where coffee, social interaction, and personal development come together. Rens Vernij is listed as the contact person, host, and owner of De Zelfspot. According to available information, he has a background as a barista and psychologist. It is also mentioned that he previously worked as a fitness instructor.

The exact opening date of De Zelfspot is not definitively recorded. One profile states that the coffee bar opened in March 2022, while other sources point to a late 2023 launch. Additionally, the location on Badhuisstraat was described as a recent branch in April 2024. This makes it clear that De Zelfspot took its current form over the past few years, but there is no single, confirmed opening date.

The concept is described as a blend of coffee bar and studio. De Zelfspot itself refers to the space as “the living room of Scheveningen.” This phrasing suggests a low-threshold meeting place, but in a journalistic context, it primarily refers to the layout: a hospitality area at the front and a space for activities at the back. The focus is on coffee, conversation, tranquility, and small-group gatherings.

The coffee bar sources its beans from The Hague roasters Roast Factory and Ief & Ido. Other public information also lists Roast Factory as a bean supplier. Available data further mentions a San Remo espresso machine. As a result, the documented coffee menu focuses primarily on espresso-based drinks and filter coffee.

The publicly available menu for 2025 lists various coffee drinks. The offerings include espresso, double espresso, Americano, filter coffee, espresso macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, latte, latte macchiato, and flat white. Oat milk and decaffeinated coffee are also mentioned. Other brewing methods, such as pour-over, AeroPress, or cold brew, are not clearly documented in the available information.

The coffee bar states that the beans used are organic and sourced directly from the farmer at a fair price. It is also noted that the packaging is reusable and that deliveries are made by bike courier. These points provide insight into how De Zelfspot describes its procurement and logistics. No further certifications or additional documents regarding origin and sustainability are mentioned.

In addition to the coffee bar, De Zelfspot has a studio function. The activities mentioned are primarily in the areas of personal development, movement, and group sessions. Examples include yoga, breathing sessions, coaching conversations, and meditation. Spoken word, training, and team-oriented gatherings are also listed as potential uses for the space.

The back room is described as a studio where courses and workshops can take place. The capacity is listed in public location information as a maximum of twenty people. This suggests the space is primarily intended for small-scale gatherings. Possible uses include yoga classes, coaching sessions, team-building days, ceremonies, silent gatherings, meditations, lectures, and creative or systemic workshops.

There are also concrete events documented. For instance, “Discover the Poet in You” took place on March 4, 2024. Another mentioned event is “Living in Balance” on January 25, 2025. These examples show that the studio is not only described as a general space but has also been used for specific programs.

Less detailed information is available about the food at De Zelfspot than about the coffee. One profile mentions that the offerings are vegetarian and vegan. It is also noted that the menu works with local entrepreneurs. Names of specific food suppliers are not recorded in the provided information. As a result, it remains unclear how broad that collaboration is and exactly which products fall under it.

The sustainability information focuses primarily on coffee, packaging, and transport. Organic beans, direct sourcing, reusable packaging, and bike courier delivery are mentioned as part of the approach. At the same time, no additional certifications, audit data, or formal sustainability reports are included in the available data. Therefore, only this limited, documented information is useful for a factual assessment.

De Zelfspot has been featured in various local and coffee-focused publications. These mentions primarily highlight the location, concept, studio activities, owner, and coffee information. The café is also listed in overviews of coffee spots in The Hague. These references offer insight into De Zelfspot’s public positioning within the local coffee sector in Den Haag and Scheveningen.

No independent awards, industry recognition, or formal accolades for De Zelfspot were found in the provided information. The available data therefore primarily sketches a profile of a local coffee bar with a studio function. The distinction lies in the combination of hospitality and activity space, rather than in publicly recorded honors or measurable rankings within the coffee sector.