What is it?
For 25 years, Genesis cinema has been a Whitechapel gem beloved of local residents and bargain hunters, drawn in by the promise of an arthouse experience without sky high prices. It’s been beautifully renovated by guys who design film sets for a living (try knocking the bricks on the mezzanine level), making for an accessibly stylish space where you’ll find proper old East End ladies drinking coffee next to cool kids on laptops in the café. There’s a bar upstairs, and if you want to fill your face, you’re in for a treat. Choose between crodoughs from nearby 100-year-old bakery Rinkoffs, a wall of pick ’n’ mix or the finest bratwursts this side of Würzburg. Book seats in the Studio 4 and 5 boutique screening rooms with armchairs, comfy sofas and a bar for those essential mid-movie refreshments.
Why go?
Because soon, you won't be able to. Plans are afoot to turn this cinema into a new hybrid development that combines a modernised space with student accommodation, meaning it'll be closed for five years.
Don't miss:
There's a seriously fun line-up of screenings and events in the upstairs bar area, including pulp cinema faves, quiz nights and swing dancing seshes.
When to visit:
Monday-Sunday, 9am-11pm.
Ticket info:
Prices vary, discounts for members.
Time Out tip:
In summer, head out to The Yard, Genesis Cinema's hidden outdoor space, for a dose of fresh air.