About Us
What is Ukiyo?
"Ukiyo" (浮世) is a Japanese term that translates to "the floating world" or "the transient world" in English. Historically, it was often associated with the pleasure-seeking urban lifestyle, particularly during the Edo period in Japan (17th to 19th centuries). The concept of ukiyo reflects the impermanence of life, emphasizing the fleeting nature of beauty, pleasure, and the material world.
Who We Are
Ukiyo Koffie is a micro-roastery and slow coffee bar based in Utrecht, NL. A place where patrons are encouraged to momentarily detach from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. The name suggests a slow coffee bar that offers not just beverages but an experience—a momentary escape to appreciate the simple joys of life, much like the traditional concept of ukiyo. It aligns with the idea of creating serene and mindful space where guests can slow down, connect with others in the community, and savor the fleeting yet meaningful moments that come with enjoying a cup of pour-over coffee or tea.
Serving cups of joy since 2019.
"To enter Ukiyo is to leave the weight of the world at the door. We aren't just serving caffeine; we are serving a moment of pause." — Jonathan
Meet the Founder
The founder of Ukiyo Koffie is Jonathan, a professional with an architectural background and a coffee enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the art of brewing and serving coffee. Through his meticulous approach, he has turned a simple daily ritual into a thriving community hub in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Here is a closer look at his background and the philosophy behind his beloved slow-coffee bar:
A Foundation in Design and Coffee
With his background in architecture, Jonathan brings a keen eye for detail, structure, and spatial harmony to his coffee practice. This design-oriented mindset translates perfectly into the precision required for specialty coffee.
His deep-rooted love for the drink, however, traces back to his childhood. He attributes his lifelong connection to coffee to his mother, who would wake him and his siblings up every morning with a freshly brewed cup, leaving it on their nightstands with a gentle reminder not to let it get cold. After settling in Utrecht, Jonathan saw coffee as the perfect avenue to introduce himself to the city, be of service, and build a local community.
The Ukiyo Experience
Since launching Ukiyo Koffie in 2019, Jonathan has become known for an incredibly mindful approach to coffee-making. His architectural appreciation for form and function shines through in his brewing process, which visitors often describe as "meditative" and "grounding."
He doesn't just serve specialty coffee; he cultivates an atmosphere of peace, intentionality, and genuine connection. Ukiyo Koffie focuses primarily on "slow coffee" (pour-overs) and rare specialty beans curated from around the world.
Beyond serving carefully crafted pour-overs, Ukiyo Koffie is also a micro-roastery. Jonathan roasts small, carefully monitored batches of rare specialty beans curated from around the world on a Roest L100 Plus. Because of this small-batch approach, these unique roasts have limited availability, making each cup a special, fleeting experience exclusively for guests to enjoy at one of his locations.
This dedication to mindful preparation extends beyond coffee. Jonathan also serves high-end loose-leaf tea prepared in the traditional gongfu cha style. This "slow tea" approach to brewing and serving invites guests to pause and experience the evolving flavors and aromas of the tea across multiple short infusions, perfectly complementing the calm atmosphere.
He pairs these high-quality beverages with a welcoming, gezellig (cozy) vibe, calm background music, and treats like his highly-rated fluffy banana bread with chocolate chunks.
Jonathan’s vision for Ukiyo is exactly what the word translates to: offering people a momentary, floating escape from the everyday to appreciate the simple joys of life alongside a really great cup of coffee or tea.