It’s time to go outside and enjoy what we like most in summer: check out the terraces of our favourite bars! We gathered hangouts all over the city so you don’t even have to leave your own district to appreciate a nice cup of coffee or a glass of refreshing beer or wine. By Anita Nánási De Bierkantine Not far from the city but far enough from the usual crowd, De Bierkantine opened its terrace and kitchen. Their specialty lies in local beer with matching food, as the guys – Pieter-Bas, Lawrence and Peter – are great fans of Utrecht’s breweries and of a good BBQ. The vibe of the bar brings back memories of the school canteen. An accurate memory, as the space served as an actual office canteen before. Classical rock and arcade games are providing that festival feeling we’ve all been missing like crazy. > Ravellaan 96 debierkantine.com Kaffeetaria Life in the building of an elderly home changed when students were allowed to move in. This is how Kaffeetaria opened up for the public and invites old and young to drink a cup of specialty coffee together. It’s not only the coffee, but also the vibrant atmosphere, the pastel tones, huge green plants and loads of creativity that keeps the place alive. Would you like your survival home office kit? They got your back! In need of a local artists’ work? Just look around! Surprise gatherings, knitting clubs or cosy concerts…the Kaffeetaria team is always on the move! > Saffierlaan 10 kaffeetaria.nl De Kwekerij The huge terrace of De Kwekerij is completely COVID-19-proof with more than enough space to keep your distance to the people around you. Once you’ve found the perfect place to sit back and relax, you can start enjoying the creative selection of food and drinks. > Burgemeester Fockema Andreaelaan 13 dekwekerijutrecht.nl Noen Close to the Wilhelminapark and under old trees, Noen invites people from the neighbourhood to leave their stress behind, sit down and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat. During winter they offered warm soup and mulled wine, in the summer their cake and fresh juice repertoire is crowning everyone’s day. > Jan van Scorelstraat 8 noen-utrecht.nl Fort aan de Klop With not just a restaurant but a whole event centre, Fort aan de Klop offers a small ‘uitje’ as the Dutch say. In the shadow of the fort and in the middle of nature you can appreciate a nice meal while planning a yoga session for later that day. Or with the small holiday houses and camp site Overvecht can become the centre of our stay-inland-vacation. > 1e Polderweg 4 fortaandeklop.com SOIA Maybe the best known and the most popular outside bar in the town, SOIA has earned its status by being always busy, buzzing and vibrant. On warm summer days – which we are always hoping for, especially after a rainy spring – the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal and the bar offer the best cooling down. They are planning a lot this summer, to make up for King’s day, fill up the festival gap, and yoga to relax after all this. And even if you’re not up for the party crowd, you can still enjoy the subtle wilderness of the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal in the mornings or further from the bar on your blanket. > Kanaalweg 199 soia.nl