Located on a former shipyard, De Ceuvel still feels a bit like "industry, but friendly." You walk on wooden decking past old houseboats set on land, with plants and nooks everywhere where people work, talk or just stare at the water.
The café was designed by architect Wouter Valkenier and constructed from upcycled materials, including old mooring poles from the harbor. You can see that and it works: it's warm, quirky and nowhere polished. Just the kind of clutter that is intentional.
Food is not an afterthought here. The menu is 100% plant-based and revolves around seasons, local suppliers and dishes that provide comfort without being boring. Think: hearty soups, creative stews, sandwiches that do have filling and something sweet that you don't have to compliment with "pretty okay for vegan."
You are not "sitting on a terrace" here, you are in the middle of an experiment that happens to be very delicious.
The Ceuvel is also a stage: there are regular events, workshops and evenings where sustainability, art and community intertwine. Sometimes it's live music, sometimes it's a talk, sometimes it's simply the place itself that starts the conversation.
Nice detail for your local trivia folder: The Ceuvel was involved in the "Dirty Pension" campaign that pressured the Horeca & Catering Pension Fund to get out of fossil fuels. That fits the mentality here: less shouting, more doing.
Practical: go on a dry day, take your time and walk around the grounds. The Ceuvel is not a quick pit stop, but an afternoon that accidentally becomes an evening.