January 10, 2024 · Team HG
A vibrant café for lovers of good food. Located in the heart of the Hortusbuurt, a stone's throw from the Noorderplantsoen in the city of Groningen. Where you can go for a delicious cup of coffee, a good glass of wine, and mouth-watering dishes that are just a little different from what you are used to. That is Café LilyA new concept opens on January 17 at the location where Restaurant Eetwaar, run by hospitality couple Pim & Marieke Wiegman, was situated for 13 years. The duo was ready for a new adventure, and so Eetwaar is closing at the height of its success to make way for new dreams.
Thirteen years ago, the couple opened Restaurant Eetwaar. A restaurant in the lively Hortusbuurt that targeted the upscale segment. There was a limited à la carte menu, and a 5-course surprise menu was served with a choice of matching wines, which Marieke carefully selected. ‘When we opened our restaurant in January 2011, we agreed to do so for a period of ten years,’ says Marieke. ‘That period lasted a little longer, but that is why we knew exactly what our next step had to be.’ Pim adds: ‘We are still at the age, and therefore have the energy, to set up something else and go for it all out again.’
The name Lily is a no-brainer, named after the street where the café is located: the Kleine Leliestraat. It is meant to be a living room, accessible to everyone and where you feel welcome immediately. A café where you actually want to stay all day long. Like stepping into a warm bath full of treats.
‘We deliberately opted for a café with very reasonable prices, so that it becomes genuinely more accessible than it was with Eetwaar,’ says Marieke. ‘We are open six days a week, 11 hours a day. It needs to be buzzing and there needs to be a buzz. That is what we want to create.’
‘At Café Lily, besides the two of us, there are a number of regulars so that guests always feel at home,’ says Marieke. Together with the current staff and new professionals, they want to make this establishment a success as well. ‘We are really looking forward to it,’ they say, beaming.
‘Just like with Eetwaar, we continue to make everything ourselves and only put things on the menu that we enjoy eating ourselves,’ Pim explains. ‘The fries and mayo are homemade, as are the croquettes and the broth. Seemingly simple dishes made with the best ingredients.’
You can order anything from the menu at any time of day. From snacks and appetizers to share, to a main course or dessert. "If you fancy a steak and fries at 12 noon, that’s possible," says Pim.
Marieke has put together a beautiful wine list that features not only exclusive wines, but also very accessible ones. The drinks menu features a fine selection of beers, both on tap and in bottles, which they are very much looking forward to working with.
Pim and Marieke have over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Pim began his career as an apprentice chef at the fish restaurant Het Wad (Groningen). He completed his culinary training at De Pauw and subsequently chose to work in IT. However, the hospitality industry remained his first great love. He followed his heart and became a hospitality entrepreneur in the catering sector.
Marieke's first job was at Chateauhotel/restaurant de Havixhorst in Schiphorst. It was there that her passion for good food and drink originated. She studied psychology and Dutch and also worked at De Pauw en de Parelvisser (Groningen). When she met Pim, she decided to turn her passion for food and drink into her profession. ‘Food and drink are in our blood,’ she says. ‘Even when we are off duty, we are occupied with it. We have already had the opportunity to experience many impressive restaurants in Europe; we enjoy this immensely!’
Cafe Lily is open Wednesday through Monday from 12:00 to 23:00.
