Emma Speciality coffee and bikes
Not something that you would think that you would normally find together but you do at Lola Bikes & Coffee. We spent New Year in The Hague so we had to find somewhere nearby to our hotel which served good coffee. A bit of research drew us to Lola Bikes & Coffee, part bike shop and part cafe with a bookshop thrown in for good measure.
Outside it does look intriguing, with bikes clearly hanging inside what does appear to be cafe. In a country of bikes this isn’t unusual, but for Glaswegians who maybe drag their bikes out in the summer, this looked good. What better way to take a break, get some energy and fix your bike than a coffee shop that is a bike repair shop!
We stepped into the industrial and rustic space. Brick walls surround with lights dangling low (watch your head!) supplemented by bikes fixed onto the walls looking like artwork. Thankfully it wasn’t hipsterville. It was a space where cyclists or those just wanting a coffee can meet.
The front of the store looks like your average modern coffee shop with tables, chairs and serving area.
As you walk through you will see that things get a bit more bike-like. Between the couches and tables are bike accessories and books for sale. Downstairs, you will see the bike workshop.
Now, what were we here for? Yes, the coffee. They serve coffee from Bocca Coffee Roasters, as well as their own blend Kampala Gold. Part of the proceeds Lola supports Kampala Cycling, a cycling club and a bike messenger company from the capital of Uganda with Olympic ambitions.
We each picked a flat white using one of each of the blends on offer which were both delicious. In both coffees, the espresso and the milk were mixed to perfection. The cakes – banana cake and a coconut cake were moist and more-ish.
Great place and well worth a visit when in The Hague.
Location:
Noordeinde 91, The Hague, Netherlands
