Grote Markt, Cathedral and Groenplaats inside the medieval core. Brown cafes, frites stands and Antwerp's oldest beer halls.
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
Order: The bún noodle bowl with grilled pork and a glass of natural wine from the Vietnamese-leaning list.
Tip: The smaller Little Bún noodle shop is the takeaway sibling for quicker counter eating.
RAS in Antwerp sits on the riverfront on Ernest Van Dijckkaai with a Scheldt terrace listed in the Michelin Guide. The kitchen leans heavily on North Sea fish.
Signature: North Sea fish, Mussels in season, Belgian seafood plates
Order: Whatever is in season from the North Sea; the chalkboard rotates with the day's catch.
Tip: The Scheldt-facing terrace fills first in summer. Reserve the inside river view for sunset dinners.
Brewers' Kitchen on Oude Beurs is a small Belgian-French dining room where the chef pairs seasonal plates with craft beers from local breweries. Tartare, lamb and house dessert are the signature trio.
Signature: Hand-cut steak tartare, Filet américain, Dame blanche
Order: The hand-cut steak tartare to start and the dame blanche to finish, both house signatures.
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The chef works the room and the stove, so the pace is unhurried; book the early sitting on busy nights.
Marolus in Antwerp is a lunch restaurant on Hendrik Conscienceplein, a tree-lined square between the cathedral and the Carolus Borromeus church.
Signature: Belgian lunch plates, Pasta, Salads
Order: The Belgian dish of the day; the kitchen rotates a stoofvlees, a fish plate and a vegetarian option.
Tip: Lunch only, no dinner. The square's terrace seating is the better seat in summer.
Camino in Antwerp is a Korean kitchen on Muntstraat in the old centre. The room serves traditional Korean BBQ alongside sibling outlets Osaka and Tap Out.
Signature: Bibimbap, Korean BBQ, Bulgogi
Order: The bibimbap and a portion of bulgogi off the grill menu.
Tip: The Muntstraat room is the calmer of the two Antwerp Caminos. Reserve, especially Thursday to Sunday.
Berlin in Antwerp is an all-day brasserie on Kleine Markt. The kitchen serves breakfast through to late-night plates, popular for unbookable weekend brunch.
Signature: All-day breakfast, Brunch plates, Burgers
Order: The brunch plate with eggs and the in-house granola; the kitchen runs it from open until 16:00.
Tip: Walk-in only on weekends. Arrive before 11:00 if you don't want to queue.
InVINcible in Antwerp serves traditional Gallic bistro fare on Haarstraat. The kitchen has run since 2004, listed in the Michelin Guide for classic meat preparations.
Signature: Seabream in sea salt crust, Veal kidneys, Holstein entrecôte
Order: The Holstein entrecôte with bone marrow; the veal kidneys are the chef's enduring signature.
Tip: The wine cellar runs deep across Loire and Burgundy. Book ahead, the room is small.
Bistrot Benoit on Zirkstraat is a modern Franco-Belgian bistro on a quiet square at the edge of the old centre. The owners cook playful, ingredient-led plates that read traditional but rarely are.
Signature: Vol-au-vent, French onion soup, Menu Benoit
Order: The Menu Benoit, a three-course tasting at 57.5 euros with optional wine pairing; the vol-au-vent and onion soup show the kitchen's classical side.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Friday and Saturday dinner is Menu Benoit only; book a weeknight for a la carte.
Hertog Jan at Botanic in Antwerp is Gert De Mangeleer's two-star room inside the Botanic Sanctuary, opened in 2021 after his three-star Zedelgem chapter closed.
Signature: Omakase-style Japanese-influenced menu, Garden produce
Order: The omakase tasting menu; the kitchen leans on the garden, beehives and greenhouse on the hotel grounds.
Tip: Only open two weeks per month. Maximum 22 covers. Book three months ahead for the dinner sittings.
Nathan in Antwerp holds one Michelin star for modern French cuisine inside a small Lange Koepoortstraat townhouse. Nathan Van Echelpoel cooks, Eva Van de Peer runs the room.
Signature: Modern French tasting menu, Garden-led courses
Order: The tasting menu of the season; the kitchen leans heavily on producers from the Flemish countryside.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The eight-course menu is the only option for dinner.
BÚN in Antwerp is a Vietnamese bar and restaurant on Volkstraat, listed in the Michelin Guide for Vietnamese cooking on Belgian organic produce.
Signature: Bún noodle bowls, Bánh mì, Vietnamese small plates
Order: The bún noodle bowl with grilled pork and a glass of natural wine.
Tip: Little Bún is the smaller takeaway sibling for quicker counter eating.
Marolus in Antwerp is a lunch restaurant on Hendrik Conscienceplein between the cathedral and Carolus Borromeus church.
Signature: Belgian lunch plates, Pasta, Salads
Order: The Belgian dish of the day; the kitchen rotates stoofvlees, a fish plate and a vegetarian option.
Tip: Lunch only, no dinner. The square's terrace seating is the better seat in summer.
Berlin in Antwerp is an all-day brasserie on Kleine Markt that serves breakfast through to late-night plates, popular for unbookable weekend brunch.
Signature: All-day breakfast, Brunch plates, Burgers
Order: The brunch plate with eggs and in-house granola; served until 16:00.
Tip: Walk-in only on weekends. Arrive before 11:00 to skip the queue.
Camino in Antwerp is a Korean kitchen on Muntstraat. Traditional Korean BBQ at the table alongside sibling outlets Osaka and Tap Out.
Signature: Bibimbap, Korean BBQ, Bulgogi
Order: The bibimbap and a portion of bulgogi off the grill menu.
Tip: The Muntstraat room is the calmer of the two Antwerp Caminos.
Bistrot Benoit on Zirkstraat is a modern Franco-Belgian bistro on a quiet square at the edge of the old centre. Playful, ingredient-led plates that read traditional but rarely are.
Signature: Vol-au-vent, French onion soup, Menu Benoit
Order: The three-course Menu Benoit at 57.5 euros; vol-au-vent and onion soup show the kitchen's classical side.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Friday and Saturday dinner is Menu Benoit only; book a weeknight for a la carte.
Witzli-Poetzli in Antwerp is a bohemian artists' cafe-restaurant on Blauwmoezelstraat in the shadow of the cathedral. Candle-lit, vintage, late-running.
Signature: Salads, Tartines, Belgian beer
Order: The tartine of the day with a glass from the long Belgian beer list.
Tip: The room is small and dim. Reserve the rear table for groups of four or more.
Elfde Gebod sits in a 16th-century building beside the cathedral, walls covered in religious statues. Belgian classics with beer sauces and a list of more than a hundred brews.
Signature: Rabbit stew in beer sauce, Mussels in white wine, Flemish carbonade
Order: The rabbit stew in beer sauce or the Flemish carbonade, both built around Belgian abbey ales from the bottle list.
Tip: Open daily noon to ten. The Suikerrui sister-room on the Scheldt is the same kitchen with a different view if Torfbrug is full.
Caffènation in Antwerp is the original specialty-coffee bar in Belgium, founded 2003. The Mechelsesteenweg HQ pulls espresso to a relaxed seating area.
Signature drink: Kenyan and Ethiopian espresso
Tip: Urban-nomad regulars work from the back tables. The retail bar sells whole-bean takeaway.
Berlin in Antwerp on Kleine Markt is an all-day brasserie that doubles as a work-friendly cafe through the morning. Pull a window seat for the square view.
Signature drink: Filter coffee, all-day brunch
Tip: Walk-in only on weekends. Mid-week mornings are calmest; afternoons fill quickly.
Cuperus Koffie on Paardenmarkt is the city-centre Horsey bar of the Antwerp specialty roastery. Sleek 2017 fit-out, in-house roasting.
Signature drink: Flat white, filter coffee
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The Deurne garden branch keeps weekend hours.
Caffènation in Antwerp is Belgium's pioneering specialty coffee roastery, founded by Rob Berghmans in 2003. The Mechelsesteenweg HQ pulls espresso to the kitchen counter.
Tip: Kenyan and Ethiopian beans are the house signatures. The retail bar offers whole-bean takeaway.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail, Subscription
Cuperus Koffie in Antwerp runs the Horsey espresso bar on Paardenmarkt, opened 2017 as the sleek successor to the original Katelijnevest counter.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The Deurne garden branch at Cornelissenlaan 1 keeps weekend brunch hours.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Burundi, Colombia
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Café Ernst in Antwerp on Ernest Van Dijckkaai is a riverfront bar with a tight natural-wine list. The terrace looks across the Scheldt at the Linkeroever.
Signature pour: Loire and Burgundy by the glass
Wine focus: Riverfront natural-wine list
Food: Sharing plates, snacks
Tip: The sunset hour fills with the after-work crowd. Reserve for the river-facing tables.
Den Engel in Antwerp is the city's best-known brown cafe, anchoring Grote Markt 3 in a building that runs back to the 14th century. Cafe trading on the spot since 1903.
Signature drink: De Koninck Bolleke on tap
Food: Bar snacks, brown-cafe nibbles
Tip: Open daily until 01:00 weekdays, 03:00 weekends. Closer to the Stadhuis side, the bar is busier than the back terrace.
Paeters Vaetje in Antwerp sits in the cathedral's shadow on Blauwmoezelstraat. The list runs deep across Belgian abbey, Trappist and lambic styles.
Signature drink: Belgian Trappist and abbey ales by the bottle
Food: Beer-pairing snacks
Tip: Order a Westvleteren 12 if it's in stock; the cellar list rotates weekly.
Quinten Matsijs is Antwerp's oldest pub: a 1565 inn on the corner of Moriaanstraat and Hoofdkerkstraat with stained glass, beer steins on every shelf and a 250-year-old tonspel board still in play.
Signature drink: Bolleke De Koninck on draft, plus Westmalle and Chimay
Food: Flemish carbonade, eel in chervil sauce, omelets
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The kitchen runs until 21:30, so eat early; the Flemish stew in Trappist beer sauce is the room's case.
Witzli-Poetzli in Antwerp is a long-running artists' bar in the cathedral shadow on Blauwmoezelstraat. Candle-lit, vintage, open until late.
Signature drink: Long Belgian beer list, bohemian wines
Food: Tartines and small plates
Tip: The back tables are quieter; the front bar gets loud after 23:00.
Den Bengel on Grote Markt 5 is the smaller neighbour to Den Engel. The Belgian beer list is shorter, the bar quieter, the terrace on the cobbles.
Signature drink: Belgian beer on tap
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: When Den Engel is at capacity, walk two doors right to Den Bengel.
Fritkot Max in Antwerp on Groenplaats has cooked Belgian frites in beef fat since 1842. The original cart stood on Burchtplein beside the Rubens statue and moved to Groenplaats when the Schelde was straightened.
Try: Belgian frites cooked in beef fat
Tip: Order with stoofvleessaus on top for the canonical combination. The fryer museum is on the first floor.
Frituur No. 1 in Antwerp on Hoogstraat is a classic frite counter near the cathedral. Hand-cut potatoes, double-fried in beef fat, paired with Belgian sauces.
Try: Belgian frites with sauce
Tip: Andalouse and samurai are the local sauce signatures. Cash works, card accepted.
Frituur 't Stad in Antwerp on Melkmarkt serves frites, frikandel and bitterballen from a corner counter a block from the Cathedral.
Try: Belgian frites, frikandel, bitterballen
Tip: Order the mitraillette for a frites-loaded sandwich with stewed beef and mayo.
't Oud Arsenaal in Antwerp has poured Belgian beer from Maria Pijpelincxstraat since 1924. The brown cafe interior is unchanged, with seven taps and around 85 bottles.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekends open at 07:30 for the early-morning regulars.
The Antwerp Christmas Market runs across Grote Markt, Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt from early December to early January. Glühwein, frites, speculoos.
Tip: The Ferris wheel returns to Steenplein each year. Hot chocolate stalls cluster near the Cathedral.
Vrijdagmarkt in Antwerp is a Friday auction market on the square of the same name. The lots run furniture and antiques; the surrounding cafes serve lunch.
Tip: Wednesday and Friday morning are the active days. The square hosts other small markets at other times.
Bites and Walks in Antwerp runs sustainable walking food tours through the old city. Five-tasting routes cover fish, meat, sweet, savory and a drink stop.
Tip: Tours start at Grote Markt. Private and small-group bookings via the operator's site.
Winedering's Antwerp beer and chocolate tour pairs three Belgian beers with chocolate pairings at authentic local pubs. Led by a beer sommelier and chocolate expert.
Tip: The tour covers three pubs across the downtown beer scene. Group sizes run up to 30; book the evening slot for the busiest cellars.
nom eat in Antwerp runs a 100 percent vegan Asian food walking tour. The full route starts in an Asian supermarket and covers three Vietnamese, Tibetan and Indian restaurant stops. Founded November 2018 by Lisa Wuyts.
Tip: Small private and group tours. The full four-hour route is the deeper experience; the short version covers one restaurant.
Taste the City Tours in Antwerp runs a walking tour through the old city with stops for shrimp croquettes, stoofvlees, Antwerpse handjes, Belgian chocolate and a Flemish waffle.
Tip: Tours are private and on demand. Arrive ten minutes before the start at the Handschoenmarkt meeting point; vegetarians can be accommodated, vegans cannot.
The Antwerp Christmas Market spans Grote Markt, Groenplaats and Handschoenmarkt from early December to early January. Around 100 stalls, glühwein, frites, sweets.
Tip: The Ferris wheel returns to Steenplein each year. The hot chocolate stalls cluster near the cathedral.
XperienceBelgium runs hands-on Belgian cooking classes in Antwerp under a professional chef. The two-hour workshop covers Belgian classics with all ingredients and tools provided.
Tip: Workshops include the meal. Available in English, Dutch and French. Vegetarian alternatives on request.
Fritkot Max in Antwerp has fried frites on Groenplaats since 1842. The beef-fat cone with stoofvleessaus is a 5-euro Antwerp lunch.
Try: Belgian frites with sauce
Tip: The cone with stoofvleessaus is the canonical order; the fryer museum sits on the first floor.
Frituur 't Stad in Antwerp on Melkmarkt serves frites, frikandel and bitterballen from a corner counter. The mitraillette is a full meal under 10 euro.
Try: Frites, frikandel, bitterballen
Tip: Order the mitraillette for a baguette-loaded frites sandwich; takeaway only.
Frituur No. 1 in Antwerp on Hoogstraat near the cathedral fries hand-cut potatoes in beef fat. Andalouse and samurai are the canonical sauce orders.
Try: Belgian frites
Tip: Cash works fastest. The cone holds heat for the 10-minute walk to the Cathedral steps.
Marolus in Antwerp on Hendrik Conscienceplein runs an under-15-euro lunch plate of the day. The square between cathedral and Carolus Borromeus seats the terrace.
Try: Lunch dish of the day
Tip: Lunch only, no dinner. The square's tree-lined terrace is the better seat in summer.
Berlin in Antwerp runs lunch from 12:00 with brasserie plates from 12 euros. The Kleine Markt corner is the budget weekend brunch entry.
Try: Brasserie lunch plate
Tip: Walk-in only on weekends. Lunch is calmer mid-week before the post-work crowd.
Berlin in Antwerp on Kleine Markt runs all-day brunch through to 16:00. The Kleine Markt corner fills with the weekend brunch crowd from 10:00.
Order: The brunch plate with eggs, granola and fresh bread
Tip: Walk-in only. Arrive before 11:00 to skip the Saturday queue.
Berlin in Antwerp runs the all-day brasserie format on Kleine Markt with a kitchen open until 22:00. The bar stays open later through to 02:00.
Try: Late-night burgers and bar plates
Tip: Last hot order around 21:30 for the kitchen. Bar plates run later.
Fritkot Max in Antwerp keeps the Groenplaats fryer running until 22:00 daily. The last cone before the cathedral lights go out is a tradition stretching back to 1842.
Try: Belgian frites with stoofvleessaus
Tip: Order with stoofvleessaus for the canonical late-night Belgian combination.
Den Engel on Grote Markt 3 stays open until 01:00 weekdays and 03:00 weekends. The brown cafe has anchored the corner since 1903 in a 14th-century building.
Try: Brown-cafe nibbles and Belgian beer
Tip: Weekend last orders around 02:30. The terrace fills before the bar.
Witzli-Poetzli in Antwerp's old city stays open until 02:00 most nights. The candle-lit artists' bar fills with the design-school late-night crowd.
Try: Tartines and Belgian beer
Tip: The kitchen serves tartines until midnight. Drinks run to close.
Frituur 't Stad in Antwerp on Melkmarkt fries until 22:00 daily. The counter sits a block from the cathedral, walking distance from late-night bars.
Try: Frites, frikandel, bitterballen
Tip: Order the mitraillette for a baguette-loaded sandwich of frites and stewed beef.
Den Bengel in Antwerp on Grote Markt 5 stays open until 01:00. The smaller neighbour to Den Engel is quieter for a late-night beer on the cobbles.
Try: Bar snacks, Belgian beer
Tip: When Den Engel hits capacity, walk two doors right to Den Bengel.
Café d'Anvers in Antwerp sits in a 16th-century former church in the red-light district. The nightclub has run since 1989 with house and techno across two rooms.
Tip: The door selection runs strict on busy nights. The summer open-air sets at Sint-Jansplein are listed separately.
Den Engel on Grote Markt 3 stays open until 01:00 weekdays and 03:00 weekends. The brown cafe has been on the corner since 1903; the building dates to the 14th century.
Tip: Weekend last orders around 02:30. The terrace fills before the bar inside.
't Oud Arsenaal on Maria Pijpelincxstraat has poured Belgian beer since 1924. Unchanged interior, vintage signs, antique wallpaper and two cats by the stove.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Cash works fastest. The Saturday early-morning sitting fills with regulars.
Witzli-Poetzli in Antwerp's cathedral shadow on Blauwmoezelstraat is a candle-lit artists' bar open daily until 02:00. The vintage room runs late on weekends.
Tip: Back tables are quieter; the front bar fills after 23:00. Cash works best.
Café Quinten Matsijs is Antwerp's oldest pub, a 1565 inn on the corner of Moriaanstraat with stained glass, beer steins on every shelf and a 250-year-old tonspel still in the corner.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Bolleke De Koninck on draft is the local pour; the Trappist list runs deep.
Paeters Vaetje in Antwerp on Blauwmoezelstraat pours Belgian abbey, Trappist and lambic styles in the cathedral shadow. The cellar list rotates weekly.
Tip: Order a Westvleteren 12 if it is in stock. The cellar list runs deep.