Antwerpse Handjes
Hand-shaped butter cookies topped with sliced almonds, in three sizes and an optional chocolate-shell variant. The official biscuit of Antwerp since 1934.
Where: Philip's Biscuits, DelRey
Antwerp eats like a port city that learnt fine dining from France and beer culture from its own breweries. Viki Geunes runs the country's only three-Michelin-starred kitchen on the ninth floor of the MAS at Zilte, Gert De Mangeleer pours two-star Asian-influenced menus at Hertog Jan inside the Botanic Sanctuary, and Nick Bril moved The Jane in October 2025 to a harbour location on Limastraat where the room earned two Michelin stars in the 2026 guide. Below the stars sits the everyday: Antwerpse handjes from Philip's Biscuits and DelRey, Bolleke poured at De Koninck's Mechelsesteenweg brewery, frites cooked in beef fat at Fritkot Max on Groenplaats, and the Bird Market on Theaterplein every Sunday since 1912. The diamond district feeds the city's Hasidic community kosher Hungarian at Hoffy's. Borgerhout and Zurenborg pull the maps east toward Cogels-Osylei and the multi-ethnic counters of Turnhoutsebaan.
Eat your way through Antwerp
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Map of Antwerp
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Antwerp, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Where to eat in Antwerp: editor-picked starting points
5 institutional venues to anchor a Antwerp food trip
- Zilte - Belgian, chef Viki Geunes
- Hertog Jan at Botanic - Belgian, chef Gert De Mangeleer
- The Jane - Modern European, chef Nick Bril
- Fine Fleur - Modern French, chef Jacob Jan Boerma
- Le Pristine - Modern Belgian-italian, chef Sergio Herman
Signature Antwerp dishes
- Antwerpse Handjes - Hand-shaped butter cookies topped with sliced almonds, in three sizes and an optional chocolate-shell variant
- Stoofvlees met frieten - Flemish beef stew braised in dark Belgian abbey ale and finished with mustard-spread bread that dissolves into the sauce
- Paling in 't groen - Freshwater eel from the Scheldt poached in a sharp green herb sauce of sorrel, parsley, chervil and tarragon, served with new potatoes
- Garnaalkroketten - Crisp-fried shrimp croquettes built around Belgian grey shrimp from the North Sea, with a thick béchamel binding
- Witloof gegratineerd - Belgian endive wrapped in cooked ham, baked in béchamel and gratinated under aged Gouda or Vieux Bruges
Best Antwerp neighborhoods for food
- Historisch Centrum - Grote Markt, Cathedral and Groenplaats inside the medieval core
- Eilandje - The reborn northern docks around the MAS museum
- Het Zuid - Art-district grid below the Scheldebocht
- Zurenborg - Art-nouveau mansion quarter east of the centre, anchored by Cogels-Osylei and Dageraadplaats
Signature dishes in Antwerp
The plates that define eating in Antwerp.
Stoofvlees met frieten
Flemish beef stew braised in dark Belgian abbey ale and finished with mustard-spread bread that dissolves into the sauce. Served with crisp double-fried frites in beef fat. The everyday Antwerp meal in every brown cafe.
Where: Elfde Gebod, Den Engel, Fritkot Max
Paling in 't groen
Freshwater eel from the Scheldt poached in a sharp green herb sauce of sorrel, parsley, chervil and tarragon, served with new potatoes. The Flemish summer-evening tradition at Antwerp bistros from May through August.
Where: Bistrot du Nord, RAS
Garnaalkroketten
Crisp-fried shrimp croquettes built around Belgian grey shrimp from the North Sea, with a thick béchamel binding. Fried parsley and lemon to garnish.
Where: RAS, Mampoko
Witloof gegratineerd
Belgian endive wrapped in cooked ham, baked in béchamel and gratinated under aged Gouda or Vieux Bruges. The canonical Antwerp winter gratin, served October through March at brown cafes and family kitchens citywide.
Where: Elfde Gebod, Marolus, Mampoko
Mosselen-friet
Zeeland mussels steamed open with white wine, celery, leek and onion in a cast-iron pot, served with double-fried frites and mayonnaise. The Antwerp summer-evening dinner, on brasserie terraces July through March.
Where: Mampoko, Bocadero, RAS
Antwerps Bolleke
De Koninck Antwerp pale ale, poured in its short stem bolleke glass with a two-finger off-white head. The everyday beer of Antwerp since the brewery opened on Mechelsesteenweg in 1833, served in every brown cafe.
Where: De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery, Den Engel, 't Oud Arsenaal
Waterzooi
Flemish creamy stew of chicken or fish poached in a vegetable-laden broth thickened with cream and egg yolks. Originally a Ghent classic, adopted in Antwerp.
Where: Bistrot du Nord, Elfde Gebod, Marolus
Belgian frites in beef fat
Double-fried Belgian frites cooked in pure beef fat (ossewit), served in a paper cone with sauce. The street-food staple of Antwerp since 1842.
Where: Fritkot Max, Frites Atelier, Frituur 't Stad
Vol-au-vent
Puff-pastry case filled with creamy stew of chicken, mushroom and veal meatballs in a sherry-spiked velouté, served with frites. The Sunday-lunch staple of Belgian brown cafes, served at brasseries year-round in Antwerp.
Where: Bistrot Benoit, Mampoko, Den Engel
Tomaat-Garnaal (Tomate aux Crevettes Grises)
Belgium's classic summer starter: a large beefsteak tomato hollowed out and stuffed with tiny North Sea grey shrimp bound in a light mayonnaise, served chilled on butter lettuce with a wedge of lemon and fresh parsley.
Where: Bistrot Benoit, Patine Wijnbistro, Bar Burbure, Bistrot du Nord
Where to eat Tomaat-Garnaal (Tomate aux Crevettes Grises) in Antwerp →
Cuberdons (Neuzekes)
Belgium's distinctive cone-shaped raspberry sweet: a hard sugar shell pressed into a stiff cone, filled with a slowly-thickening raspberry-arabic-gum syrup that creates a soft liquid-jelly interior.
Where: Bakkerij Goossens, Kleinblatt, Bakker Aldo
Restaurants to know in Antwerp
A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Antwerp.
Le Pristine
Le Pristine in Antwerp is Sergio Herman's modern Belgian-Italian dining room in a 1960s modernist building. Crudo, wood-grilled fish and pasta.
Signature: Crudo plates, Wood-grilled fish, Pasta of the day
BÚN Bar & Restaurant
BÚN in Antwerp is a Vietnamese bar and restaurant on Volkstraat, listed in the Michelin Guide for fine-dining Vietnamese on Belgian organic produce.
Signature: Bún noodle bowls, Bánh mì, Vietnamese small plates
Nage
Nage relocated from Reyndersstraat to a Congresstraat corner space in the 2060 quarter and now serves casual seasonal cooking with a natural-wine list.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Orange-wine pairings
Bar Pêche
Bar Pêche on Bollandusstraat, just off Britselei, is chef Semmy Roumans's small bistro built around seasonal fish, vegetables and natural wine.
Signature: Seasonal fish course, Vegetable starter of the day, Natural-wine pairing
RAS
RAS in Antwerp sits on the riverfront on Ernest Van Dijckkaai with a Scheldt terrace listed in the Michelin Guide. Located in Historisch Centrum.
Signature: North Sea fish, Mussels in season, Belgian seafood plates
Brewers' Kitchen
Brewers' Kitchen on Oude Beurs is a small Belgian-French dining room where the chef pairs seasonal plates with craft beers from local breweries.
Signature: Hand-cut steak tartare, Filet américain, Dame blanche
Where to eat by neighborhood
Historisch Centrum (2000)
Grote Markt, Cathedral and Groenplaats inside the medieval core. Brown cafes, frites stands and Antwerp's oldest beer halls.
Best for: Brown cafes, Frites, Beer halls, Belgian classics
Eilandje
The reborn northern docks around the MAS museum. Three-star Zilte sits on its top floor; harbour-side bistros line Napoleonkaai and Rijnkaai.
Best for: Fine dining, Waterfront bistros, Sushi, Brunch
Het Zuid
Art-district grid below the Scheldebocht. Vlaamsekaai natural-wine bars, Waalsekaai brasseries and the Sunday-quiet Museum of Fine Arts.
Best for: Wine bars, Cocktails, Mediterranean, Sunday lunch
Also: het-zuid
Zurenborg (2018)
Art-nouveau mansion quarter east of the centre, anchored by Cogels-Osylei and Dageraadplaats. Neighbourhood brasseries and natural-wine kitchens.
Best for: Brasseries, Neighbourhood bistros, Natural wine, Brunch
Diamantwijk
Belgium's largest Hasidic community lives between Centraal Station and Pelikaanstraat. Kosher Hungarian counters, bagel windows and Israeli bakeries.
Best for: Kosher, Israeli, Hungarian, Bagels
Universiteitsbuurt
Student and gallery quarter east of the cathedral. Specialty coffee on Minderbroedersrui, vintage beer bars on Vleminckveld.
Best for: Specialty coffee, Beer bars, Lunch counters, Budget
When to come hungry in Antwerp
Peak food season: September to November for mussels and game; April to June for white asparagus from nearby Mechelen. December lights up the Christmas market on Grote Markt.
Local dining hours: Lunch 12:00-14:30, dinner 18:30-22:00. Many small kitchens close Sunday and Monday.
Tipping: Service is included. Rounding up to the nearest euro or leaving 5 to 10 percent for table service is welcome, never expected.
Antwerp food, FAQ
What food is Antwerp known for?
Antwerp's signature dishes include Antwerpse Handjes, Stoofvlees met frieten, Paling in 't groen, Garnaalkroketten, Witloof gegratineerd. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
What are the best food neighborhoods in Antwerp?
TableJourney editors map Antwerp by district. Historisch Centrum, Eilandje, Het Zuid, Zurenborg are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Where should I eat fine dining in Antwerp?
Editor picks in Antwerp include Zilte, Hertog Jan at Botanic, The Jane, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
Are there food tours in Antwerp?
TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Antwerp, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
Does Antwerp have good vegetarian or vegan food?
TableJourney's Antwerp dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.