Lunchroom Prikkel

Since September 2023, Lunchroom Prikkel has been located at Vlierboomstraat 509 in The Hague’s Vruchtenbuurt neighborhood. Public sources identify Jeannette Knoester as the owner and founder. A complete list of other founders has not been recorded. In a 2025 publication, “Ron and Jeanette van Prikkel” are also mentioned, without further explanation of Ron’s formal role.

Knoester previously worked as a hairdresser and had additional experience with part-time jobs in the hospitality industry. Before the opening, she spent approximately a year developing the concept. During that period, she baked, read about autism, and attended workshops and webinars. She also spoke with teachers from the Leo Kannerschool.

The motivation was partly rooted in her personal situation. Her son has autism and wanted to work in the hospitality sector. Knoester also cited a café in Barcelona, where people with autism work, as an earlier source of inspiration. Prikkel was then established as a lunchroom where people with and without autism work together. The establishment offers learning, development, and work opportunities for people with autism.

The work environment has been adapted to be predictable and clear. In a 2023 interview, shifts of three to four hours, including a break, were mentioned. Recipes are short and written out step-by-step. Where photos provide more clarity, they are added to the instructions.

Technical aids also support the established workflow. According to that same interview, milk foam was made using an automatic machine for fresh milk. This ensures that a recurring action is performed in a consistent manner. The internal guiding principle was described with the phrase “we do it together.”

Prikkel serves coffee from Roast Factory in The Hague. No other coffee roaster was mentioned in the reviewed public information. The menu focuses on espresso-based drinks. It includes espresso, double espresso, cappuccino, large cappuccino, flat white, caffè latte (or Dutch coffee), and latte macchiato.

For cold preparations, the menu lists iced americano, iced latte, caramel iced latte, and iced chai. A pistachio latte has also been mentioned via social media. Manual filter methods, such as V60, Chemex, AeroPress, or cafetière, are not on the publicly accessible menu. The available information therefore indicates a primarily espresso-oriented coffee offering.

The social function of Prikkel lies primarily in learning and working. Additionally, the lunchroom provides information about autism and offers space for conversations on the topic. According to the Dutch Association for Autism, there are books about autism available for visitors to read.

The establishment also features in neighborhood activities. The The Hague-Segbroek branch of De Zonnebloem held a monthly social afternoon there in 2025. Prikkel was also listed as a stop on the lantern parade in the Vruchtenbuurt. Own workshops, coffee tastings, or art exhibitions have not been publicly documented.

In 2023, Knoester stated that the lunchroom works primarily with local businesses, sources locally, and prepares food in-house. According to that explanation, pastries are also made in their own kitchen. The suppliers mentioned are Roast Factory for coffee and Haagsche Croquetterij for croquettes.

Roast Factory states that it works directly with farmers and partners and pays attention to price and origin. However, Prikkel does not publish details about the coffee farms used, countries of origin, certifications, or specific agreements in the supply chain. Policy on organic certification, food waste, reusable packaging, energy, or emissions has also not been publicly recorded.

WNL featured Prikkel in Goedemorgen Nederland on October 25, 2023. The segment focused on the work concept and the number of applications. The neighborhood newspaper De VruchtenPers published an interview that same year about the origin story, work procedures, local sourcing, and future plans.

In 2025, Prikkel received the Autism-Friendliness Award from the Dutch Association for Autism in the work category. Regional media reported that the lunchroom was selected from 156 nominations. A year earlier, Prikkel was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Haagse Horeca Awards, but another business won. In 2025, the lunchroom was also among the nominees for Social Impact Maker.