On Thursday, 3 September, we officially opened the doors of Marie at Mariaplaats 14 in Utrecht. Between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, we welcomed more than one hundred guests.

A brasserie in a historic building

Marie is located in the historic home of gentlemen’s society De Vereeniging and has a long history. Perhaps you’ve walked past before and wondered whether you were allowed to come in. At Marie, the answer is simple: welcome! Join us for coffee, lunch, drinks or dinner at Mariaplaats. You don’t need to be a member of the society. We are a French brasserie with Parisian Art Deco style, with a long bar at its heart and plenty of room for guests who walk in without a reservation.

The lead up

An official opening brings plenty of questions. How many people will actually come? Will the press pick up the story? And how will guests respond to the new interior and the concept? We asked ourselves those same questions in the weeks leading up to 3 September.

The afternoon itself

More than one hundred people stopped by to see the restaurant. As soon as you walk in, you’ll see the mural by artist Jeroen Hermkens, the largest mural in a restaurant in the Netherlands. The opening also resulted in several features in trade publications and local media.

What’s next

With the opening behind us, we are now focusing on the day to day: a dedicated team, a menu that continues to evolve and a place guests enjoy coming back to. We’ll keep you updated through this page. If you’d like to get to know us, you’re welcome to join us at the bar. No reservation is needed.

In the weeks around the opening, Marie was featured in several newspapers and trade publications. How does a new restaurant attract that kind of attention in a city with so much to offer?

The question every new restaurant asks

Anyone opening a restaurant wants to build awareness quickly. Newspapers, trade publications and local media are a natural way to do that. At the same time, Utrecht has many restaurants. A journalist will write about a new place when there is a story behind it.

Our story

At Marie, the story lies in the building itself. Marie is located in the historic home of Sociëteit De Vereeniging at Mariaplaats. A building with a rich history. Today, everyone is warmly welcome at Marie. The grandeur remains, but the formality is gone. Join us for coffee, lunch, drinks or dinner in our French brasserie with Parisian Art Deco style, with a long bar at its heart and plenty of room for guests who walk in without a reservation.

Two angles

We wrote two press releases. The first was aimed at local and regional media, focusing on the history of the building and the people behind the restaurant. The second was sent to the trade press and focused on the concept: the bar as the driving force behind the brasserie, the walk in concept and the choice of a French brasserie menu.

Het eindresultaat: 3 publicaties!

In the weeks that followed, Marie was featured in several newspapers and trade publications: De Utrechtse Internet Courant, Misset Horeca and De Buik van Utrecht. Did you spot us? Let us know. For press enquiries, you can contact Jeffrey Hofland via our contact page.

At Marie, a long bar takes centre stage. The bar plays a major role in how the brasserie works and how guests experience it.

Creating a new concept

The months leading up to the opening revolved around three questions. How do you get a new team up to speed? How do you bring a concept to life? And which dishes and drinks should be on the menu?

Utrecht and wine

Utrecht is a city that lends itself well to wine, and the guests who visit Marie reflect that. That’s why we designed the bar around wine from the very beginning:

• An extensive wine list with a selection of surprising bottles
• An extensive wine list with wines available by both the bottle and the glass
• A bar where the bottles are on display and the glasses are in full view
• A dedicated bar team with extensive wine knowledge

Why the bar matters

Returning guests are the foundation of every hospitality business. A good glass of wine and someone behind the bar who can tell you more about it directly contribute to that. Feel free to drop by for a glass. No reservation is needed.

Marie was one of the stops on the Locatietour in Utrecht. Together with our neighbours at Congresgebouw de Vereeniging, we welcomed more than fifty venue managers and event managers.

What is Locatietour?

During Locatietour, event planners visit several venues across a city in a single day. They look for inspiration, new event locations and opportunities to connect with local businesses.

Forty minutes at Marie

At Marie, we welcomed our guests with drinks. In forty minutes, we showed them who we are, how Marie works and what we can offer for business meetings and events.

Collaboration with Congresgebouw de Vereeniging

Marie is located next to Congresgebouw de Vereeniging, with whom we work closely. For organisers of events at De Vereeniging, Marie is literally right next door.

Why we take part

• Getting to know event planners without focusing on sales
• Exploring potential opportunities for collaboration
• Putting Utrecht on the map as a city for hospitality and events

We would like to thank Locatietour (Linda Kerkhoven and Vera de Haan) for organising the event, and our neighbours at Congresgebouw de Vereeniging for the great collaboration.

Are you organising a business meeting or drinks in Utrecht? Get in touch with us.