The finest addresses in Antwerp
City trips are fun. That is of course a well-known fact, but city trips don't necessarily have to be far away. Earlier, I wrote about the best tips regarding Belgian cities that might not immediately come to mind, and now I realize that I haven't mentioned my favorite Belgian city anywhere. Yes, that can't be right. So here are the best hotspots in Antwerp where you want to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, or all at once. It's just a Thalys train away from you.
Hotspots Antwerp
The Jane. Paradeplein 1
You probably expected this one in the list, so I’ll put it right at the very top. A bit of a foodie should have been here at least once in their life. Lunch or dinner doesn't matter, but wow, what an experience. It may cost a bit, but it’s worth every cent. Reserving in advance (excuse me: very far in advance) is a must, or you need to be very lucky with a last-minute cancellation. Better to be safe than sorry and reserve your table months in advance. Heaven is truly a place on earth here.
View this post on Instagram
Diverse. Volkstraat 9
Super fun and trendy spot for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. They whip up the most delicious smoothie bowls in the kitchen, but also cold-pressed juices and other healthy options. What I say: trendy. That also applies to the interior, which you can easily post on your Instagram. But ultimately, it’s all about the food, and – for me personally – about good coffee, and that is definitely in order here.
Copper. Belegstraat 80
Okay, we’re still in the Instagram vibes. This interior is also known for doing well on many Insta feeds, as are the dishes. I could have smashed avocado for breakfast every day. Preferably also on the plates it’s served on, because I’d love to take all the crockery home. Open for breakfast and (late) lunch, but be aware: closed on weekends.
Orso Pizzeria. Grote Beerstraat 46
You can wake me up at any moment for a good pizza. Seriously, it’s not exactly beneficial for the waistline, but give it to me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I’m a happy person. Unfortunately, that’s not possible, so I often limit my pizza cravings to the really good pizza: the Neapolitan. And for that, you’re in the right place here. It’s impressive to have only a small number (eight) of pizzas on the menu and still have choice stress. All so delicious. Don’t skip the antipasti and wine either.
View this post on Instagram
Tinsel. Vlaamsekanaal 40
Fun, fun, fun. And always packed for breakfast and lunch. If the previously mentioned choice stress sounds familiar to you, this might also be a good option: for breakfast and lunch, they have a number of choices on the menu where you can taste a bit of everything. Ideal. Just leave some room for later, as the cakes here are also incredibly delicious. And they have good coffee. If the sun is shining, the terrace here is also a recommendation.
Pasta Hippo Vino. Oude Koonmarkt 32
Such a nice restaurant with such a nice wine list. I have a weakness for that, yes. As the name suggests, the pasta is what it’s all about here, with fish, meat, or vegetarian options. Convenient: gluten- and lactose-free options are also available. In any case, the chance that you’ll leave round and completely satisfied is quite high. Round and fully satisfied.
View this post on Instagram
The Dirty Rabbit. Gentplaats 1
A weekend getaway absolutely includes (at least for me) a few drinks here and there. And this hotspot in Antwerp is very suitable for that. They have wine or beer, of course, but the cocktail menu is the real recommendation here. You probably wouldn’t say it based on the name, but in terms of food, they mainly have South American dishes on the menu. Nachos, ceviche, and tacos, for example. Delicious.
Le John. Kasteelpleinstraat 25
If that reservation at The Jane didn’t work out, go eat at her lover Le John, a French-Italian restaurant in an old school building that has received a beautiful makeover. The food here is really good, and Le John is ideal for a nice evening of dining. Starting at the cocktail bar for an aperitif, of course. My absolute favorite in Antwerp.
Coffeelabs. Lange Klarenstraat 19
Surprise: you can get coffee here. But really good coffee, and it’s also a very nice place to sit for a while, not just for a quick caffeine shot to go. But also in terms of juices and food (breakfast and lunch), they have many options. It’s not far from a number of nice shops, so it’s a good pit stop for your afternoon shopping.
Brasserie Appelmans. Papenstraatje 1
Probably not an unfamiliar name if you’ve been to Antwerp before. The first time I went here, I got this hotspot recommended about ten times. And well, it’s a justified tip. The location is great: right in the center, and the food is also very tasty. No fine dining, but simple dishes of good quality.
RAS. Ernest van Dijckkanaal 37
RAS stands for Restaurant aan de Stroom and is located by the water (as the name suggests). The view is therefore not bad, and neither is the food. They promise, besides that view and good food, a total experience when it comes to dining, and they deliver on that. A culinary party where they mainly work with seasonal ingredients.
Me and My Monkey. Oever 18
I find the name too cute, so this place already had a point in my book. Luckily, it also lived up to the high expectations, which is nice. It has a nice vintage look, and the cakes here are really super delicious. Many people also come for the (good) coffee to go, but I still recommend sitting on the terrace for a while.
Kulminator. Vleminckveld 32
Beer drinker or not, this beer café is definitely worth a visit. Why? Well, for example, because it was voted the best beer café in the world in 2014. Seems like a solid argument to grab at least one Belgian beer here. The true beer lover will of course stick around for that second and third.
Roji. Oude Koonmarkt 26
Just a crawl away from Pasta Hippo Vino, you’ll find this hotspot in Antwerp, with an interesting mix of Japanese-French dishes. Um, does that work, and if so, is it tasty? Yes. And yes, you can order French champagne and Japanese sake, although I wouldn’t quickly mix those two. The real recommendation here is the full tasting menu, but I also find just the sushi menu very good.
Fiskebar. Marnixplaats 11
Yes, fish lovers, this is your spot. Fish, fish, and more fish. They also opened their new spot Fiskeskur in Antwerp at the beginning of this year, on the Kattendijkdok-Oostkaai. Also a recommendation, again if you are really a fish lover. Reservations are a must at both, as they have been two of the most popular hotspots in Antwerp for years. It's a bit of a shame if you end up disappointed and see all that fresh fish pass you by. Such a waste.
View this post on Instagram
BÚN. Volkstraat 43 and Sint-Jorispoort 22
Fun fact: this concept has two locations in Antwerp. One (Volkstraat) for extensive dining and the other goes for – in their own words – ‘fast and furious’ (Sint-Jorispoort). At both, they serve Vietnamese dishes and yes, I love it. Personally, I am more a fan of the fast and furious location, because they have incredibly delicious pho.
