The vegan menu is another unique selling point. “There was almost nothing vegan in Maastricht,” says Huysse, herself a vegan. “I had no experience in hospitality, but I randomly started baking vegan cakes and cupcakes. We now make everything ourselves. That was a risk, obviously, but for an entrepreneur that’s what makes it a challenge.”

Homely concept

So what prompted two students of Trade and Business Law to dive into hospitality in the first place? “Entrepreneurship is in my blood,” Huysse says. “As a kid I used to sell jams on the street. At 20 I was running a massage therapy practice for students from home, but I had to stop after practically working my hands to death. During my studies I wanted to become a lawyer, but after a stint in Amsterdam I realised it wasn’t for me. In the meantime I’d already travelled a lot with Dario, who’s originally from Albania. We decided to come back to Maastricht and open a coffee bar with a homely concept and plant products. Thanks to the openness of Maastricht and its international atmosphere and location, we really feel at home here. That’s something we missed when we lived in Amsterdam. Maastricht is a special bubble, and we belong inside it.” Besides helping to run the business, Mezini is still working on his thesis, which he hopes to finish this year.

As a student, Huysse felt there was too little nightlife in Maastricht, especially for international students. “In KAFETHÉA we enjoy bringing people together. We organise potlucks, for example, where everyone brings a meal from their own country and shares it with the other guests. So you get to know one another in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The same goes for game nights. By playing a board game together, you get an instant click with strangers.”