1. Fancy Beans
Fancy Beans blew me away when I first tried it with a friend. I’d heard many good things from other people; both from my classmates and working adults who frequented the little speciality coffee shop. It’s a small space, with room enough for maybe a dozen people inside, but it’s got a spacious kitchenette and a bunch of different coffee machines. It’s dainty, it’s clean, and it’s the best coffee in Enschede.
I tried many coffees when I visited them. My friend had a flat white, and I tried her drink as a benchmark, and then got a blueberry-fused filter coffee. I’m no expert, so forgive me if I get any terminology wrong, but both coffees were great, and I loved my drink. I then shared another cup of something different, and then a cappuccino. Although I’m not entirely sure what I got, I can safely say that everything you get at Fancy Beans is well worth the price. The founder and owner of the place, Stefan, is also behind the bar often, and he makes great conversation regarding coffee and culture. Overall, perfect place.
Rating: 5 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: any of their filter coffee
2. Bitterzoet
Located right next to Fancy Beans is Bitterzoet. When people talk about this little cafe, they consider it more as a bakery than a place to try coffee, and I do too, but by no means is the coffee here bad. I got a normal cappuccino, and while the taste wasn’t as rich and balanced as Fancy Beans’, it is still very good and worth the few Euros.
However, the best thing about Bitterzoet isn’t really its coffee – it’s what you get with the coffee. Yes, I’m well aware what this list is about, but if we were just talking about coffee, then I’d be talking about Fancy Beans the entire time. No – Bitterzoet is also a bakery, and a very good one at that. Their lemon cruffins are amazing.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: cappuccino, their icy matcha drinks, and of course their pastries
3. Joop’s Broodjes
If you want a place to get a classic, black coffee, straight from a carafe, then look no further than Joop’s Broodjes. This place is mainly for breakfast: you sit down before work or class, you get a coffee and a broodje (sandwich in Dutch), and you’re out in ten minutes. It’s a fantastic place to feel as though you’re at one of those old-timey diners, and the coffee’s great as well.
In addition, the broodjes here are also very delicious. It’s a very Dutch place, so expect your usual ham-kaas (ham and cheese) combinations, but they also have more savoury options, like tartare and cheeseburgers. I got both, and it was honestly an extremely fulfilling breakfast.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: normal coffee or espresso, and their cheese hamburger broodje
4. Stoet
Walk down a few meters from Bitterzoet or Fancy Beans towards the library, and you’ll find yourself in Stoet. I went there with a friend recently and got our usual orders of a flat white and a cappuccino. Nothing negative to say about it – it’s objectively great coffee, but then again, it’s hard to get something simple like a flat white or a cappuccino wrong. Overall, a great place to go out for a small break during your study sessions at the library or at the other nearby cafe, Douwe Egberts, if you’re looking for good coffee and nice vibes.
I also had the recent delight of finding out that Stoet is a great place to have pancakes. Do get them if you’re there already.
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: flat white, pancakes, and pistachio blondie
5. De Branderie
De Branderie, another great place. I’ve only been here once, and a long time ago at that, but I do remember coming out of the cafe feeling warm and satisfied with my flat white. It’s a very cosy place, with a vast assortment of coffees to try, and although it is a bit on the pricier side, you’ll probably stay a while once you’re there. Overall, a very nice, pretty-looking place, with some good coffee and some delicious-looking pastries and pancakes.
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: flat white, pancakes
6. Frank en Charlie
Everyone raves about this place, and for good reason. While it’s definitely pricey, you go to Frank en Charlie for dates, to start a good day, and to enjoy some nice food; basically, Frank en Charlie is a place for special occasions, and probably one of my favourite places in Enschede. It’s got a very cosy vibe, even though the place is always packed to the brim, with dozens of people lining up during the weekend.
However, when I go to Frank en Charlie, I don’t really go there for their coffee. I’ve tried their flat white once, and while it was great, standard coffee, it’s their other menu items that are truly the star of the show. For breakfast, I usually go for their bao buns, whatever’s on their menu, because they never miss. But if you only come here for the coffee? You’d be wasting a trip to Frank en Charlie if that’s all you’re getting.
Rating: 4 out of 5 coffee
Recommendation: any of their drinks, and any of the bao buns they have
