Rienje from Utrecht

Hi there! My name is Rienje, I've been living in Utrecht for the past 8 years now. As an urban geographer, I always prefer cities (big or small) over the countryside (although I love that too!). In my opinion, locals provide a better and more sustainable insight into a city than regular travel guides or blogs with affiliate links. Utrecht is great because of its laid-back vibe and stu...

Jan 22, 2025

Louis Hartlooper Utrecht

Dinner and a movie

"Sit on the sunny terrace or in the Art Deco interiorof the cafe & pick a mainstream or art-house film at Louis Hartlooper, where last shows feature talks."

The Louis Hartlooper complex is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon or a cozy date night. This beautiful, Amsterdam School-style building (which was formerly a police station) houses a cinema, restaurant, cafe and also has a sunny terrace viewing the lively Tolsteegbrug. The cafe space and corridors still show the Art Deco interior detailing. The name Louis Hartlooper pays homage to a famous silent film narrator (or ‘explicateur’) and a key figure in early Dutch cinema history.

This cinema is a sibling of Springhaver. In comparison, Louis Hartlooper generally shows more mainstream movies, although it also still features art-house films. If you visit the last viewing of the day of a particular film, one of the volunteers at the cinema will give a brief talk about the theme of the film!

In the Netherlands, films are usually not dubbed and only have Dutch subtitles. You can just pick a movie in your native language. There are no breaks, so make sure to stock up on drinks and snacks at the bar before you go in.

Students get a discount, so bring your student card!

Cinema

Coffee & tea

Restaurants

About this spot

Tolsteegbrug 1

Movie ticket:

€

Website

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