Soep-er

Soep-er is located at Vismarkt 16 in the Utrecht city center, in the Domkwartier. The venue opened on Sunday, July 12, 2020, alongside Logement Petit Beijers at Vismarkt 16-18. Its founding is linked to Janine and Tom, two hospitality entrepreneurs with training from the Hogere Hotelschool. They also gained hospitality experience in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Thailand, and Australia.

The concept combines a soup bar with a boutique hotel. Within this setup, Soep-er functions not only as a lunch spot but also as a reception, lobby, and breakfast area for hotel guests. As a result, the location serves multiple functions within the same building. For coffee enthusiasts, it is particularly relevant that coffee is not presented here as a standalone core concept, but as part of a broader offering centered around soup, bread, bakery products, and hotel service.

Regarding the person behind Soep-er, publications also mention the cookbook Soep-er forward. Janine de Rode is mentioned as the founder and owner of the soup bar. In other book references, the name appears as Janine de Roode. This name variant is relevant for those linking the establishment to the cookbook, but it does not change the core of the concept: a small hospitality venue where soup is central.

The coffee at Soep-er comes from Boot Koffie, according to the menu. The menu lists, among others, americano and latte with oat milk as examples of coffee drinks. It also notes that coffee is available for takeaway or to be enjoyed at the bar. This aligns the coffee offering with low-threshold moments of use, such as lunch, a short break, or an order on the go.

For readers looking for information on brewing methods, the public documentation is limited. No specific manual methods are mentioned, such as filter coffee, pour-over, AeroPress, or batch brew. Nor are fixed recipes, extraction data, or rotating beans described on the menu. The available data thus provides insight into the supplier and a few drink types, but not into the technical aspects of preparation.

An additional mention of Boot Koffie links Soep-er to Panama Birdsong. In this context, Soep-er is named as a hospitality client serving this coffee. This information places the establishment within the network of Boot Koffie, but the available data offers no further details regarding branding, roasting, brewing profile, or daily availability.

Soup remains the core of the offering. The concept revolves around soups from various culinary traditions. These are served as lunch, a snack, an appetizer, or a full meal. Takeaway is also part of the model. The menu further mentions sourdough bread from De Veldkeuken with the soups, tea from Teabar, and a small selection with vegetarian options.

In addition to soup, Soep-er offers homemade bakery products and barista coffee. In warmer summer months, homemade iced tea and iced coffee are also listed. For the specialty coffee sector, this shows how coffee functions within a mixed hospitality concept. The drink supports the lunch and takeaway offering, without the available material positioning Soep-er as a specialized coffee bar with an extensive brewing menu.

The public information mentions several suppliers and practices. Boot Koffie supplies the coffee, De Veldkeuken supplies the sourdough bread, and Teabar supplies tea that may vary by season. Furthermore, a small selection is mentioned, with attention to vegetarian options. An external mention states that Soep-er works with local and seasonal ingredients, processes residual streams into new soups, and supports local farmers and producers.

There are also examples of reuse and temporary sales formats. In a social feed, a Weck jar for soup was mentioned that customers could return for a refill. Additionally, a temporary Soep-er market was mentioned, featuring a local and organic selection. These points provide insight into the business operations, but the available sources contain no full sustainability report or measurable figures on waste, procurement, or emissions.

Soep-er uses social media around its own location and invites visitors to tag the establishment or use a fixed hashtag. In the social feed, a city map was also shared showing places where visitors could sit with coffee or soup when the venue was full. Earlier, there was also mention of a plan for a takeaway picnic basket with a map of suggested locations.

There are no recurring workshops, tastings, exhibitions, or fixed events around coffee or soup documented. The community function therefore seems to lie primarily in the combination of neighborhood location, lunch usage, takeaway, and the connection with the adjacent lodging.

Since its opening, Soep-er has received attention in various publications. In 2020, articles were published about the opening of Soep-er and Logement Petit Beijers. In 2023, attention turned to the cookbook and to Janine as the face behind the soup bar. Later public lists and city platforms also mention the location on Vismarkt, the rotating soups, the bread from De Veldkeuken, bakery products, and barista coffee.

No publicly documented prices or awards were found in the examined material. As a result, the factual assessment remains limited to location, concept, menu, suppliers, a few sustainability claims, and press mentions. Within the Utrecht food sector, Soep-er is primarily positioned as a soup-focused hospitality venue where coffee plays a supporting role within the overall offering.