Café Lily
Hortusbuurt, Groningen
Bar in Groningen, Netherlands
Book with PearlWhy go
Café Lily is the better Groningen pick for a relaxed, wine-led date than for a full dinner plan. Go earlier if conversation matters, cross-shop Cicci's - Trattoria & Wine Bar if food is the bigger priority. Its 2026 Star Wine List recognition gives it a clear reason to be on a wine-focused shortlist.
About Café Lily
Café Lily is a Groningen venue with Star Wine List (2026) recognition and casual dress code. Consider it when you want a wine-recognized stop in Groningen, rather than choosing it for a specific cuisine, signature dish, set menu, or service format.
Its opening pattern is also useful for planning. Café Lily is closed Monday and Tuesday, opens 3–11 PM on Wednesday and Thursday, opens 12–11 PM on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Those hours make it more flexible later in the week.
Better for a wine-recognized stop than a detailed dinner plan
The strongest hook is the Star Wine List (2026) recognition. That supports treating Café Lily as a wine-relevant choice in Groningen.
If food is the deciding factor, compare options carefully rather than assuming Café Lily is built around a full meal. Cicci's - Trattoria & Wine Bar is another named venue to consider, while other Groningen dining rooms may be a better fit if you need a clearly defined restaurant plan. For Café Lily, the better expectation is a casual Groningen venue with wine recognition and published hours.
Go when the hours fit your plan
Café Lily is not open on Monday or Tuesday. From Wednesday through Sunday it stays open until 11 PM, with earlier opening at 12 PM on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Build any plan around those windows rather than assumptions about lunch service, late-night service beyond 11 PM, or a special booking format.
For visitors building a Groningen weekend, it can sit alongside the full Groningen restaurants guide: use the hours and Star Wine List recognition as the anchor points, then choose the rest of the night based on whether you want a more food-focused or more casual stop.
Verdict: consider Café Lily for a casual Groningen visit where wine recognition matters, rather than for a specific cuisine, dish, price point, seating setup, or service style.
Planning details
- Location
- Kleine Leliestraat 33, 9712 TD Groningen, Netherlands
- Website
- cafelily.nl
- Phone
- +31 6 40817075
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Café Lily reads as a quietly elevated wine bar that sits within Groningen’s developing drinks culture. The venue is framed as part of an “upper tier,” and its 2026 Star Wine List recognition signals a programme driven by depth and editorial care rather than trend-driven hype. Located off the busiest tourist routes, the bar attracts a local, informed crowd—fewer passersby and more regulars—so the room tends toward a considered, subdued energy. The emphasis is on the wines and cocktails themselves, making the experience feel curated and purpose-driven rather than loud or overly performative.
Best For
This is a place to go when the wine list is the point of the evening: a polished option for a date night or a relaxed catch-up with friends who care about what’s in the glass. Because it sits away from the high-traffic tourist corridors and leans into a local clientele, it also suits small group outings where everyone appreciates a focused drinks programme. It’s less a destination for sightseeing visitors and more for people who want to linger over bottles and recommendations from knowledgeable staff.
Ordering Tips
The drinks list is the core draw here, so approach the menu with a sense of what you like and an openness to recommendations. Star Wine List recognition suggests breadth and depth, so if you aren’t sure where to start, ask staff to point out standout producers or sections of the list that match your taste. Expect a drinks-first experience rather than a heavy food focus; come prepared to explore by bottle or ask for guidance if you prefer something by the glass. The room’s local regulars indicate a service culture attuned to repeat customers and thoughtful suggestions.
Venue details
Ambiance
Warm and inviting atmosphere where guests linger longer than planned, with a neighborhood feel and care in every detail.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Wine Bar
- Late Night
- Closes by Midnight
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Cicci's - Trattoria & Wine Bar, Notable alternative
- Milchbar, Notable alternative
- Flow Bar and Terrace, Notable alternative
- The Living, Notable alternative
- Boode Foodbar, Notable alternative
Bar context
How Café Lily compares in Groningen
Choose Café Lily when the night is about wine, conversation, a two-person pace. Cicci's - Trattoria & Wine Bar is the better cross-shop if food needs to be central, since its trattoria positioning gives the evening a more meal-led shape. Café Lily is easier to frame as a drinks-first date stop.
Milchbar, Flow Bar and Terrace, The Living are better fits when the setting matters more than a wine-led decision. Pick Flow Bar and Terrace when terrace energy is the draw, The Living when a lounge-style evening is the brief, Milchbar when the plan is more casual and flexible.
Boode Foodbar is the alternative for a foodbar format rather than a focused wine stop. For value, Café Lily makes sense if the wine list is the reason for going; for a broader group with mixed priorities, Boode Foodbar or Cicci's will usually be easier to sell to everyone.
Explore Groningen
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Café Lily guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Café Lily
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Café Lily | Groningen | Star Wine Lists 2026 |
| Cicci’s - Trattoria & Wine Bar | Groningen | No published awards |
| Milchbar | Norderney | No published awards |
| Flow Bar and Terrace | Dalfsen | No published awards |
| The Living | Zwolle | No published awards |
| Boode Foodbar | Bathmen | No published awards |
How Café Lily Groningen compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Café Lily have outdoor seating?
Does Café Lily have happy hour deals?
If pricing or drink deals are important, compare current details directly with Café Lily and with other Groningen options such as Boode Foodbar or Flow Bar and Terrace.
Do I need a reservation at Café Lily?
Café Lily's hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3–11 PM, Friday through Sunday 12–11 PM, closed Monday and Tuesday, so check directly with the venue if you need a guaranteed spot.
Is the food good at Café Lily?
Treat the Star Wine List (2026) recognition as a wine-related signal, not as a promise of a food-first restaurant experience. Cicci's - Trattoria & Wine Bar is another named venue to compare if you are choosing based on food.
Is Café Lily good for a date?
Café Lily may suit a casual plan in Groningen, especially if wine recognition is part of the appeal. If atmosphere and seating are important to your date-night plans, check directly with the venue.
Is Café Lily open late?
Café Lily is open until 11 PM on Wednesday through Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.
What's the crowd like at Café Lily?
If atmosphere is important, check recent official or direct information before going; Milchbar or The Living are other named venues you may want to compare for a different Groningen outing.
