Guidebook for Utrecht
Food Scene
Asian tapas restaurant where you can order small dishes for a good price. Kindest staff ever.
Yumca B.V.
23 VoorstraatAsian tapas restaurant where you can order small dishes for a good price. Kindest staff ever.
Tapas in a cosy warf cellar. The staff plays live Spanish music all night long. Plenty of garlic.
14 locals recommend
Restaurant Deeg
71 Lange NieuwstraatTapas in a cosy warf cellar. The staff plays live Spanish music all night long. Plenty of garlic.
Luxorious Karel V will bill you around 250 euros for dinner. BUT (!!) the attached Brasserie 'Goede Louise' serves lunch dishes for normal prices in a beautiful garden or lunch room. Or go for coffee
9 locals recommend
Grand Hotel Karel V
1 GeertebolwerkLuxorious Karel V will bill you around 250 euros for dinner. BUT (!!) the attached Brasserie 'Goede Louise' serves lunch dishes for normal prices in a beautiful garden or lunch room. Or go for coffee
I love the food! Eat with you hands and leave with a full stomach. The interior is awefull and watch out you don't order too expensive. But it's definitely something different.
6 locals recommend
Ethiopisch Restaurant Sunshine
11 PauwstraatI love the food! Eat with you hands and leave with a full stomach. The interior is awefull and watch out you don't order too expensive. But it's definitely something different.
Bit out of centre but very much worth it. Great middle eastern food in pretty atmosphere. Make reservation. Or have tea at daytime in their cosy window seats.
52 locals recommend
Restaurant Bis
26 LijnmarktBit out of centre but very much worth it. Great middle eastern food in pretty atmosphere. Make reservation. Or have tea at daytime in their cosy window seats.
Atmospheric (small) street with only restaurants. I go to De Markt now and then for an enjoyable but not expensive fish plate.
17 locals recommend
Drieharingstraat
DrieharingstraatAtmospheric (small) street with only restaurants. I go to De Markt now and then for an enjoyable but not expensive fish plate.
Exactly like any other English pub, but the good thing is they serve pub food for a bargain (burger+beer=10) and it's around the corner.
21 locals recommend
O'leary's
23 AdelaarstraatExactly like any other English pub, but the good thing is they serve pub food for a bargain (burger+beer=10) and it's around the corner.
Nice atmosphere in this Spanish place in an upcoming street. Or have lunch in old tiny train building at nearby Brrodnodig (nr 9)
24 locals recommend
Cerveceria Boulevard
45 Burgemeester ReigerstraatNice atmosphere in this Spanish place in an upcoming street. Or have lunch in old tiny train building at nearby Brrodnodig (nr 9)
New bar situated in an old 1920's prison. Open till 21.00 or so. Nice terrace. Sometimes there's art stuff going on there too. Check staplab.nl
Wolvenplein
New bar situated in an old 1920's prison. Open till 21.00 or so. Nice terrace. Sometimes there's art stuff going on there too. Check staplab.nl
Everything Else
Oldest cinema in Utrecht with a café looking like time stood still since the early 1900's. Good for simple food, a drink and a film.
93 locals recommend
Springhaver Theater
50 SpringwegOldest cinema in Utrecht with a café looking like time stood still since the early 1900's. Good for simple food, a drink and a film.
1930's cinema complex at Utrecht's nicest square Ledig Erf. The best art house films and nice café. Or have a drink at opposite of the square café Ledig Erf.
168 locals recommend
Louis Hartlooper Complex
1 Tolsteegbrug1930's cinema complex at Utrecht's nicest square Ledig Erf. The best art house films and nice café. Or have a drink at opposite of the square café Ledig Erf.
In summer this small stretch of grass is where hipster Utrecht gathers, opens a bottle and lights their BBQ.
42 locals recommend
Lepelenburg
LepelenburgIn summer this small stretch of grass is where hipster Utrecht gathers, opens a bottle and lights their BBQ.
Wilhelminapark
WilhelminaparkPrettiest park in town. Excellent, when the weather allows it.
Utrecht is not a big club town, but if there's something good playing this is the place to go.
10 locals recommend
Stichting Tivoli
245 OudegrachtUtrecht is not a big club town, but if there's something good playing this is the place to go.
Drinks & Nightlife
All close: new, kind of hip bar Klein Berlijn. Next to Club Tivoli De Helling (check tivoli.nl) and around the corner is LE:EN restaurant, hip & industrial serving Asian food.
32 locals recommend
Little Berlin
22 HellingAll close: new, kind of hip bar Klein Berlijn. Next to Club Tivoli De Helling (check tivoli.nl) and around the corner is LE:EN restaurant, hip & industrial serving Asian food.
New bar, looks like a promising place to eat, drink and live music.
28 locals recommend
Eetcafé & Poppodium Stathe
15 RozenstraatNew bar, looks like a promising place to eat, drink and live music.
Are you in for really, really local? Fokus is a neighbourhood café, where the oldies go for a late night drink after 11pm. Everybody loves to chat when you are friendly.
Café Fokus
25 KoekoekstraatAre you in for really, really local? Fokus is a neighbourhood café, where the oldies go for a late night drink after 11pm. Everybody loves to chat when you are friendly.
Tucked away behind the ugly shopping centre but behind the door is an old church. Great Belgian beers (bit pricy) in a great spot. A bit cheaper, and more, beers at Café Belgie at the Oudegracht.
132 locals recommend
Belgisch Biercafé Olivier Utrecht
6A Achter ClarenburgTucked away behind the ugly shopping centre but behind the door is an old church. Great Belgian beers (bit pricy) in a great spot. A bit cheaper, and more, beers at Café Belgie at the Oudegracht.
Café DeRat
37 Lange SmeestraatOld fashioned small bar with good whiskey's.
Check ekko.nl what's playing. Might be good for a drink, dance and they serve good dishes. Bar is free, club is not.
71 locals recommend
Ekko
3 Bemuurde Weerd WestzijdeCheck ekko.nl what's playing. Might be good for a drink, dance and they serve good dishes. Bar is free, club is not.
Voortuin (bar,voorstraat 4), 't Hart (bar,next door), Vin Vin (wine bar,Neude square), Tilt (Bar,Wittenvrouwenstr. 23), De Zaak (bar, bring you own lunch, stadhuisplein), Stan & Co (Ganzemarkt 16)
13 locals recommend
Café Voortuin
4 VoorstraatVoortuin (bar,voorstraat 4), 't Hart (bar,next door), Vin Vin (wine bar,Neude square), Tilt (Bar,Wittenvrouwenstr. 23), De Zaak (bar, bring you own lunch, stadhuisplein), Stan & Co (Ganzemarkt 16)
Essentials
Supermarket around the corner, open till 10pm. Another one at the Amsterdamsestraatweg is open till midnight. About 10-15 minutes walk.
42 locals recommend
AH Voorstraat
38 VoorstraatSupermarket around the corner, open till 10pm. Another one at the Amsterdamsestraatweg is open till midnight. About 10-15 minutes walk.
SEM Super Eko Market
21 VoorstraatEco / bio supermarker around the corner
Shopping
Home of the Moroccan & Turkish butchers, bakeries, kebab and spices. Good for a stroll and have a cup of coffee at Molukkan café Kopi Susu at the end of the street, number 191.
42 locals recommend
Kanaalstraat
KanaalstraatHome of the Moroccan & Turkish butchers, bakeries, kebab and spices. Good for a stroll and have a cup of coffee at Molukkan café Kopi Susu at the end of the street, number 191.
Small street with shops for those with delicate taste. Good cheeses, fish, beers, olives,etc . Bert's Bier Huis sells all beers ever. Great pizza at 'Portare Via'. Good thai restaurant too.
72 locals recommend
Twijnstraat
TwijnstraatSmall street with shops for those with delicate taste. Good cheeses, fish, beers, olives,etc . Bert's Bier Huis sells all beers ever. Great pizza at 'Portare Via'. Good thai restaurant too.
Art and poster shop owned by my girlfriend's father. The sell quality stuff and the best place for Utrecht themed art and post cards.
Catch Projecten
5-19 DomstraatArt and poster shop owned by my girlfriend's father. The sell quality stuff and the best place for Utrecht themed art and post cards.
Sightseeing
Have a bike? Follow theOudegracht in northern direction (it turns into the Vecht 'river') up to Oud Zuilen: a tiny town next to Zuylen Castle. Continue the street of the castle for two old wind mills.
57 locals recommend
Zuylen Castle
1 TournooiveldHave a bike? Follow theOudegracht in northern direction (it turns into the Vecht 'river') up to Oud Zuilen: a tiny town next to Zuylen Castle. Continue the street of the castle for two old wind mills.
Just out of town, very pretty environment! The fort is nice to have a look and the surroundings for a walk. Bring your picnic or have lunch at nearby Veldkeuken, or (very popular) Theehuis Rhijnauwen.
80 locals recommend
Teahouse Rhijnauwen
16 RhijnauwenselaanJust out of town, very pretty environment! The fort is nice to have a look and the surroundings for a walk. Bring your picnic or have lunch at nearby Veldkeuken, or (very popular) Theehuis Rhijnauwen.
Have you ever seen a ying fox or a sperm whale penis? In the Collection of Curiosities, you will find all kinds of surprising objects. Pretty garden too.
32 locals recommend
University Museum Utrecht
106 Lange NieuwstraatHave you ever seen a ying fox or a sperm whale penis? In the Collection of Curiosities, you will find all kinds of surprising objects. Pretty garden too.
Seven tiny streets tucked away in the centre. Definitely have a look, it feels like going back 100 years in time. Don't stare into people's houses too much, they are kind of old fashioned too.
6 locals recommend
Stichting Beheer Zeven Steegjes
Seven tiny streets tucked away in the centre. Definitely have a look, it feels like going back 100 years in time. Don't stare into people's houses too much, they are kind of old fashioned too.
Have a look at the stars! On Fridays you can go at night as well and see Saturn or Neptune or something else impressive. (Book in advance)
37 locals recommend
Sonnenborgh Museum and Observatory
2 ZonnenburgHave a look at the stars! On Fridays you can go at night as well and see Saturn or Neptune or something else impressive. (Book in advance)