White with red dots: the Bolletjescafé

Warmenhuizen village is traditionally home to many skaters and cyclists. Ronald Dekker, owner of Bolletjescafé De Klok, is fanatical about cycling and tries to cycle at least once a week. Because, according to Ronald, the freedom that this sport offers is its great allure. “Going for a bike ride after I’ve been really busy allows me to completely recharge my battery.”

Bring yourself, Ronald will do the same

Ronald Dekker is 50. He is owner of Bolletjescafé De Klok in Warmenhuizen.

Ronald Dekker

Ronald has owned Bolletjescafé De Klok since 2004. Visitors will immediately notice the white facade with all those red dots painted on it. It’s a reference to the famous 'Mountain jersey' from the Tour de France. Professional cyclist Steven Rooks, who is from Warmenhuizen, participated in the Tour in 1988. The then owner of the café vowed to paint the facade yellow if his fellow villager won. Rooks came in second but did manage to bring home the mountain jersey. So the colors of the polka dot jersey ended up on the facade!

More than 100 years of history

The Bolletjescafé started in 1921 as a coffee house at the vegetable auction. At the time, it was still called Veilinghuis De Klok, named after the auction clock. Before that, there was a wooden shack where coffee and spirits were served. Things sometimes got a bit out of hand, which is why villagers called it De Razende Aap (the Raging Monkey). Our beer of the same name comes in a 750 ml bottle with a fantastic illustration of a monkey in a polka dot shirt on a racing bike.

Head to the back of the café and you’ll enter the spacious and atmospheric brewery where you can taste special beers. The lightest beer is called De Proloog (The Prologue) and the triple is called De Buitencategorie (hors catégorie). They’re all named after things related to cycling. The Bolletjesbeer was the first, and it’s a perfect match with a cycling trip.

The café is located in the beautiful polder landscape of North Holland with everything nearby. Definitely worth a visit!

Social engagement

On Wednesdays, things are a little different at the Bolletjescafé. This is when people with intellectual disabilities provide the service and work in the kitchen. They work well together and are super friendly to the guests. You might have to wait a bit longer than usual for your grilled cheese or carpaccio sandwich, so we always recommend coming back another day if you're in a hurry.

Cycling routes and overnight stays

You can charge your electric bike here or plan a cycling route from the cafe. We’ve also set out two cycling routes ourselves. One leads you to the city of Schagen via the Westfriese Omringdijk (West Frisian Circular Dyke), while the other will take you towards the coast and the towns of Schoorl and Bergen. Interested in staying with us? We have the Rooks room or the Theunissen room available. The latter refers to another cyclist, also a polka dot jersey wearer and Steven Rooks' teammate.

Beautiful place in North Holland

The Bolletjescafé is a really nice social hub. Locals and people from the area come here, not to mention tourists staying in Schoorl or Bergen, for example, and cyclists who have heard of us. You can reach the beach or the city of Alkmaar within half an hour, and Amsterdam is only an hour away. This place is located in the beautiful polder landscape of North Holland with everything nearby. Definitely worth a visit!