Time to get back to my European explorations! This time it's Belgium

ToiToiToi Coffee x Culture, Antwerp

ToiToiToi : It’s a German expression - A superstitious expression of encouragement prior to a performance in theatre or opera.

Indeed, a beautiful name for a Coffee Place in the historic city of Antwerp in Belgium. It’s a bustling, hip city that attracts more and more people every day. Entrepreneurs, young professionals, designers, artists, & musicians and ToiToiToi is a place for all those creative types where coffee and local culture are the main ingredients. Started couple years ago, it’s a relatively new specialty coffee place located in the recently refurbished Lange Koepoortstraat in the heart of the city.

ToiToiToi Coffee x Culture is the brainchild of Chaim Kwakman who is as passionate about Coffee as he is about Art and the same is reflected in the design and functioning of this gorgeous café. In addition to Specialty Coffees combined with a light and surprising food menu, there is room for live music, art, and design.

Coffee: ToiToiToi proudly serves Caffenation, Antwerp roasted coffees. Their expertise, reliability and stability in blends and single origins is unparalleled.

Art: Even though ToiToiToi has limited space to display artworks, they think art is as important as a well-brewed filter coffee. Here you will find information about current exhibitors, as well as the artists who came before them. The focus is clearly on promoting local artists and designers and enjoy dressing up the café with their works.

Live: From bands to philosophers, from chamber music to drag shows, and from TED talks to soloists on the singing saw. On their small stage, ToiToiToi welcomes all kinds of talents. Have a creative idea for their stage? You can just walk in and bounce off what you would like to see up there.

I checked into this place with my cousins and had a gala time finishing off by shopping for some rare Vinyl records in the by lanes of Antwerp.

Caffènation : is an Artisanal Specialty Coffee Roastery focused on more than just coffee with an ambition to change the world of coffee and the people who make it.

Artisanal Specialty Coffee meaning as per them:

• Light roast

• Fruity flavours

• In-season beans

• Traceability

• Transparent pricing

Home is where the coffee is. That’s how Rob started back in 2003: offering people that home-away-from-home feeling you get with a good cup of coffee. Since then, they’ve branched out and one single coffee bar became a micro roastery with three of its own coffee bars and many, many bars and restaurants throughout Europe serving Caffènation brand.

Every season they create a new Mister L.G.B blend by combining two or three clean washed coffees. L.G.B is an acronym for Little Green Bag & the word ‘green’ related to the fact the first version was built with organic coffees only.

This 2023 Summer blend is TRUE BLUE, inspired by their recently opened Blue bar and it works fine for both espresso and filter brewing.

75% Rwanda Nyamasheke MACUBA + 25% Nicaragua Nueva Segovia FINCA EL POSTE

MACUBA is the name of the washing station where they collected and processed these beans. They have the reputation of being exceptionally experienced and precise.

The coffee is chosen for its incredible smooth mouthfeel and balance. Macuba makes cappuccinos silkier than ever.

FINCA EL POSTE is a coffee especially selected for this Mister LGB. The owner of this farm Guillermo Montenegro is a coffee connoisseur and a local legend.

The coffee tastes clean and bright, with notes of cherry, berry and fudge.

Both lots are washed processed and blended up to perfection. Most people adore the Mister LGB for its subtle acidity which marries best all types of cow or plant-based milk. But of course, don't hesitate to use this blend for your filter brewing as well. The roast is light and the flavours fruity and clean.