Eat in Oudegracht and Centre, Utrecht

Maeve

• ★ 4.8
• Dutch
• €€€€

Order Five-course tasting menu with natural wine pairings by Vera Voorend

Maeve in Utrecht holds one Michelin star in the 2025 guide. Tommy Janssen cooks Dutch terroir with Japanese technique and locally sourced vegetables.

Karel 5

• ★ 4.7
• Contemporary Dutch
• €€€€

Order Five-course seasonal menu with wine pairing, Wed to Sat

Karel 5 holds one Michelin star in the 2025 guide inside a 14th-century Utrecht monastery. Leon Mazairac refreshes the seasonal menu quarterly.

SAAR

• ★ 4.3
• Contemporary European
• €€€

Order Four-course small plates with natural wine pairing

SAAR keeps 34 seats on the Catharijnesingel for small plates of intense, seasonal flavours paired with natural wines from small European producers.

Bar Bet

• ★ 4.3
• Contemporary European
• €€€

Order Chef-led small plates selection with a glass from the 30-wine list

Bar Bet on the Weduwe canal keeps 250 bottles, 30 wines by the glass and a seasonal small-plates kitchen. Gault-Millau recognised for its wine list.

Ndujame

• ★ 4.4
• Calabrian Italian
• €€€

Order Seasonal handmade pasta with a Calabrian red wine

Ndujame holds a werfkelder on the Oudegracht, the original before Seattle and Lisbon opened. Handmade pasta and Calabrian secondi. Wed to Sun.

Non La

• ★ 4.4
• Vietnamese
• €€

Order Pho bo and fresh rice-paper rolls with homemade fish sauce

Tiny Vietnamese kitchen on the Oudegracht serving pho, banh mi and rice-noodle salads with a short list of beef tenderloin and lemongrass pork skewers.

Sarban

• ★ 4.2
• Afghan
• €€

Order Qabuli palaw rice dish with slow-cooked lamb

Sarban has served Afghan family recipes in a werfkelder on the Oudegracht since 2017: rice dishes, slow-cooked lamb and fragrant vegetarian plates.

India Port

• ★ 4.1
• Indian Halal
• €€

Order Lamb curry with garlic naan bread

India Port has served certified halal Indian food in a werfkelder on the Oudegracht since 1985, making it one of Utrecht oldest Indian restaurants.

Sunshine

• ★ 4.2
• Ethiopian
• €€

Order Mixed vegetarian injera platter for two

Sunshine on Pauwstraat is one of the few Ethiopian restaurants in the Netherlands. Traditional injera and stews run by a family since the 1990s.

Yum Saap

• ★ 4.2
• Thai
• €€

Order Tom yam kung and green curry to share, finish with mango sticky rice

Yum Saap keeps a tight Thai menu on the Twijnstraat: hot-sour soups, stir-fries and curries made with organic meat and sustainably caught fish.

De Zakkendrager

• ★ 4.0
• French Dutch
• €€€

Order Asparagus in season or the daily fresh-catch main

De Zakkendrager hides down a medieval alley in the former sack-carriers guild house. Conservatory beside a 200-year beech tree, French-Dutch menu daily.

Tapasbar Vintage

• ★ 4.1
• Spanish
• €€

Order Monthly pintxos evening on the fourth Saturday

Tapasbar Vintage on the Drieharingstraat serves classic Spanish tapas and a Rioja-and-Cava wine list. Monthly pintxos evenings pack the canal-side room.

Japanese Don Dining Kounosuke

• ★ 4.2
• Japanese
• €€

Order House donburi with seasonal toppings and dashi broth

Kounosuke on the Westerkade specialises in donburi: a deep bowl of steamed rice topped with fish, meat or vegetables and house dashi broth. Tue to Sun.

Sunshine Ethiopian Restaurant

• ★ 4.2
• Ethiopian
• €€

Order Mixed vegetarian injera platter

One of the few Ethiopian restaurants in the Netherlands. Injera and slow-cooked stews, vegetarian-friendly throughout. Open evenings Tuesday to Saturday.

Zeytindali Olijftak

• ★ 4.3
• Turkish
• €€

Order Mixed meze board with grilled lamb chops and raki

MezeBar and RakiBar steps off the Oudegracht serving daily fresh cold and warm meze, charcoal-grilled kebabs and dry-aged steaks. Located in Centrum.

30ml Coffee Roasters

• ★ 4.5
• €

Order Espresso bar with house-roasted seasonals on Kalita Wave

Utrecht specialty roaster in the Vredenburg passage. The production roaster sits behind the bar. All-day espresso with batch brew and pour-overs from 08:00.

KEEK Twijnstraat

• ★ 4.3
• €

Order Oat milk flat white with their own roast

Organic bakery-cafe on the Twijnstraat. Sourdough, pastries and lunch plates from organic produce. Specialty coffee roasted at their own Springweg site.

Rabarber

• ★ 4.2
• €

Order Pourover with seasonal single-origin selection

Specialty cafe on the Hamburgerstraat with a plant-forward menu of soups, salads and tartines. Good natural light; study-friendly on weekday mornings.

Stach Food Choorstraat

• ★ 4.1
• €

Order Flat white with organic oat milk

Organic lunch counter and espresso bar on the Choorstraat, three minutes from the Dom Tower. Fresh salads, grain bowls and quality sandwiches at deli pace.

The Village Coffee

• ★ 4.4
• €

Order Signature single-origin pourover with house-roasted beans

Specialty roaster and cafe on the Voorstraat, roasting on-site. Their own beans on V60, Chemex and espresso; terrace onto the pedestrian street.

Dagger Coffee

• ★ 4.3
• €

Order Chemex filter with seasonal Kenyan or Ethiopian beans

Specialty cafe with an on-site roaster in a historic garden house near the Vecht. Rotating filter menu with detailed tasting notes; a calm spot.

Keen Coffee Bar

• ★ 4.5
• €

Order Single-origin filter tastings from Keen's own roastery

Keen Coffee Bar on Utrecht's Stadhuisplein is the 2024 tasting room from the Utrecht roastery; over 15 single origins and guided tasting flights.

Espressofabriek Utrecht

• ★ 4.2
• €

Order Three-shot espresso tasting flight with origin notes

Utrecht branch of this Amsterdam direct-trade espresso programme. Filter coffee, espresso and a focused pastry selection near the Oudegracht.

GYS Voorstraat

• ★ 4.1
• €

Order Oat flat white with house espresso blend

100% plant-based and organic cafe-restaurant on the Voorstraat. Vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner with espresso and filter coffee from 10:00 daily.

De Bakkerswinkel

• ★ 4.3
• Bakery
• €

Order Uitsmijter sandwich and spelt sourdough

Artisan bakery chain with roots in Utrecht. The Wittevrouwenstraat branch bakes sourdough and spelt loaves daily alongside classic Dutch pastries.

KLUTS

• ★ 4.5
• Bakery
• €

Order Vegan pandan coconut cake and classic Dutch apple crumble

Entirely vegan bakery and coffee bar behind the Dom Tower. All bakes use spelt flour with no eggs or dairy. Pandan coconut cake, cinnamon rolls and tarts.

Espressofabriek

• ★ 4.2
• €€

Utrecht branch of an Amsterdam direct-trade espresso roaster. Known for rigorous espresso calibration and a barista training programme across the Netherlands.

SAAR Wine Bar

• ★ 4.4
• €€€

SAAR doubles as a wine bar and restaurant with 34 seats, a canal terrace and a natural-wine list from small European producers. Small plates from 16:00.

Wijnbar De Wijnkelder

• ★ 4.2
• €€€

Classic wine shop-and-bar in a werfkelder on the Oudegracht. French, Spanish and Italian bottles to drink in or take away; charcuterie served all evening.

Tapasbar Vintage Wine Room

• ★ 4.1
• €€€

Spanish wine room on the Drieharingstraat. Best-stocked Iberian wine bar in Utrecht, focusing on Rioja, Cava and Verdejo with monthly pintxos evenings.

Ndujame Wine Selection

• ★ 4.3
• €€€

Ndujame's werfkelder pairs its Calabrian pasta and secondi with a wine list from southern Italian producers in Calabria, Sicily and Campania.

De Zakkendrager Wine List

• ★ 4.0
• €€€

De Zakkendrager in its walled garden is one of the most pleasant wine-with-lunch spots in Utrecht. French and Dutch bottles matched to the seasonal menu.

Kafe Belgie

• ★ 4.6
• Belgian beer cafe
• €€€

Drink Delirium Tremens on draught, 200-bottle cellar list

The longest beer list in Utrecht: 200 Belgian bottles and 20 draught lines in a canal-side werfkelder. Open until 04:00 on weekends. A city institution.

Ledig Erf

• ★ 4.4
• Canal terrace bar
• €€€

Drink Heineken on draught with a Dutch bitterbal

Utrecht favourite waterside terrace, packed April to October. Tables line the Tolsteegplein quay. Dutch bar food and draught beer; no reservations.

vandeStreek Oudegracht

• ★ 4.4
• Craft beer taproom
• €€€

Drink Playground IPA on draught from the Utrecht brewery

vandeStreek Brewery taproom on two floors with a werfkelder and canal terrace. Twenty taps of Utrecht-brewed ales, IPAs and session beers on tap.

Lust109

• ★ 4.1
• Canal-side Mediterranean bar-restaurant
• €€€

Drink World wines by the glass with a view of the Oudegracht

Mediterranean sharing-plate bar-restaurant on the Oudegracht with a cocktail bar, a canal terrace and a centuries-old warehouse cellar dining room.

Tivoli Vredenburg Bar

• ★ 4.0
• Music venue bar
• €€€

Drink Local craft beer and Dutch jenever from the pre-gig bar

The bar inside Utrecht's main music venue, Tivoli Vredenburg. Five concert halls from Dutch pop to jazz. The ground-floor bar is open without a ticket.

Boerenmarkt Haring Stand

• ★ 4.8
• €

Try Verse haring (raw herring) with raw onion and gherkin

Raw herring served the Dutch way at the Saturday boerenmarkt on Vredenburgplein. Dip in raw onion and a gherkin; eat holding it by the tail.

Poffertjes at the Boerenmarkt

• ★ 4.3
• €

Try Mini Dutch pancakes (poffertjes) with butter and powdered sugar

Fresh poffertjes made to order at the Saturday boerenmarkt. Small, fluffy mini-pancakes served with a slice of butter and powdered sugar; order a double.

Kaasboer Gouda Stall

• ★ 4.7
• €

Try Aged Dutch Gouda, cumin Edam and Leyden cheese slices

Dutch cheese stall at the Saturday boerenmarkt. Wheel-cut Gouda aged up to four years, cumin Edam and crumbly Leyden; cut samples before you buy.

Asperge Kraam Boerenmarkt

• ★ 4.5
• €

Try White asparagus (seasonal, April to June) from Limburg farms

Seasonal white asparagus stall at the boerenmarkt, selling Limburg-farm Dutch white asparagus. The peak season from April to June is the best time to buy.

Stadsbrouwerij Utrechts Bier

• ★ 4.2
• Brewery
• €€

Utrecht's original city brewery on the Paardenveld, reviving the Bisschop amber ale recipe. The taproom pours amber, pilsner and seasonals on six taps.

Biologische Boerenmarkt Vredenburg

• ★ 4.6
• Market
• €

Utrecht's organic farmers market on Vredenburgplein every Friday. Local farmers sell cheese, organic produce, bread, juices, meat and sustainable fish.

Twijnstraat Organic Market

• ★ 4.3
• Market
• €

Saturday organic street market on the Twijnstraat. Local growers sell certified organic vegetables, herbs, artisan preserves and small-batch cheeses.

Woensdagmarkt Vredenburg

• ★ 4.2
• Market
• €

Mid-week market on Vredenburgplein every Wednesday. Flowers, Dutch cheese, fresh fish and seasonal vegetables for central-city grocery shopping.

Boerenmarkt Snack Stalls

• ★ 4.8
• Street food
• €

Try Haring with raw onion, bitterballen and fresh stroopwafel

The Saturday boerenmarkt on Vredenburgplein is the cheapest eating in Utrecht. Fresh haring, warm bitterballen and stroopwafel baked on the iron cost €2-5.

DAPP Organic Fries

• ★ 4.5
• Dutch
• €

Try Hand-cut organic fries with aioli or Dutch curry sauce

Organic hand-cut fries from Dutch-grown potatoes. Seven house sauces: Dutch curry, aioli and truffle mayo; always a queue at lunchtime on Vinkenburgstraat.

Jasmijn en Ik

• ★ 4.4
• Vegetarian
• €

Try Daily organic grain bowl with seasonal vegetables

Organic vegetarian cafe on the Voorstraat with daily grain bowls and soups at accessible prices. Lunch under €13; produce from certified Dutch farms.

Don Kounosuke

• ★ 4.3
• Vegetarian
• €

Try Japanese don rice bowl with fresh fish and miso soup

Japanese don-dining restaurant on the Westerkade near the Vaarsche Rijn. Rice bowls topped with fresh fish, eel or vegetarian options; miso soup included.

Springhaver Canteen

• ★ 4.3
• Modern European
• €€

Bar-restaurant inside the Springhaver cinema. Kitchen open until late on film nights; Dutch and European small plates well below tourist-circuit prices.

Anne & Max Domstraat

• ★ 4.3
• €€

Order Eggs Benedict with Dutch ham on sourdough and fresh orange juice

All-day brunch cafe near the Dom Tower. Dutch and international plates including eggs Benedict, granola bowls and an extensive hot drinks menu daily.

Stach Food

• ★ 4.0
• €€

Order Smoked salmon open sandwich with capers and cream cheese on rye

Amsterdam deli chain outpost on the Choorstraat, three minutes from the Dom Tower. Open sandwiches, Dutch salads and fresh juices for a quick brunch.

TivoliVredenburg

• ★ 4.6
• €€

Utrecht's main concert and club venue. Five halls from intimate to 3,000-capacity; TivoliVredenburg hosts international DJs and live acts nightly.

Club Poema

• ★ 4.2
• €€

Central Utrecht club below the Oudegracht with house and techno nights Thursday to Saturday. Main floor and a smaller second room with resident and guest DJs.

TivoliVredenburg Concert Hall

• ★ 4.7
• €€

Five-hall complex on the Vredenburgkade covering classical, pop, indie, jazz and electronic. Utrecht's primary national and international live music venue.

Cloud Nine at TivoliVredenburg

• ★ 4.5
• €€

TivoliVredenburg's rooftop bar on the seventh floor with panoramic views over the Utrecht city centre. Cocktails, beer and wine before and after concerts.