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Antwerp cuisine understandably focuses on fish, presented with few frills in even the finest restaurants, often poached or steamed, and reasonably priced. From the chilled whelks and periwinkles (marine snails) picked out of their shells with pins, to piles of tender little grijze garnalen (small shrimp), to the steamy white fle
Antwerp cuisine understandably focuses on fish, presented with few frills in even the finest restaurants, often poached or steamed, and reasonably priced. From the chilled whelks and periwinkles (marine snails) picked out of their shells with pins, to piles of tender li
Antwerp cuisine understandably focuses on fish, presented with few frills in even the finest restaurants, often poached
Antwerp cuisine understandably focuses on fish, presented with few frills in even the finest restaurants, often poached or steamed, and reasonably priced. From the chilled whelks and periwinkles (marine snails) picked out of their shells with pins, to piles of tender little grijze garnalen (small shrimp), to the steamy white flesh of the mammoth tarbot (turbot), the scent of salt air is never far from your table. The ubiquitous mosselen (mussels) and paling (eels), showcased in midpriced restaurants throughout the city center, provide a heavier, heartier version of local fish cuisine. Bought live from wholesalers, the seafood is irreproachably fresh.
Antwerp has a high number of restaurants for a city its size. Many of the traditional places, both formal and casual, are clustered in Oude Stad. There are plenty of tourist-focused restaurants on the Grote Markt, but if you look along the smaller streets around the square you'll find some excellent local favorites. Het Zuid, meanwhile, is known for trendier cafés and restaurants. Peak dining hours are generally from noon until 3 and from 8 pm to 11 or midnight. Since the dining scene is quite busy, it's best to make reservations.
Burrowed deep in the heart of old Antwerp, there is something likeably stubborn about the defiantly traditional t' Fornuis, a place where stock Flemish surroundings with heavy oak chairs and beamed ceilings are the setting for some of the best (and priciest) food in the city. Charismatic Michelin-starred chef-owner Johan Segers likes to change his French-accented menu regularly; however, roasted sweetbreads with a wild-truffle sauce are a permanent fixture and worth trying. He also tends to stop by for a quick chat with just about every diner, if only to explain what it is you're eating. While you're waiting for your visit, take a chance to look at the restaurant's wonderful collection of miniature stoves.
It's worth visiting here for the location alone, in the Vlaeykensgang (the oldest alley in the city), where time seems to have stood still. The cozy dining room has the look and feel of a private home. The lunch menu includes a large selection of salads and omelets, as well as more substantial bistro fare in the evening. Try for a table in the courtyard.
Oude Koornmarkt 16, Antwerp, Flanders, 2000, Belgium
Tradition gets a modern infusion here, where a resolutely old-school atmosphere is enlivened by a smattering of contemporary art, while the kitchen turns out seasonal classic dishes presented with an artist's eye for flair. From fillet of lamb surrounded by a forest of green and wild garlic, to a deliciously gamey pigeon en croute, the choices are seasonal and big on flavor. The outdoor terrace at the back is also a pleasant spot in summer.
With a name that means 11th Commandment, and an interior crammed with more than 600 plaster saints and angels salvaged from old churches, this atmospheric café enjoys a prime location, tucked into a tiny street between the Grote Markt and the cathedral. The food and drink are straightforward but hearty, with a lunchtime menu that revolves around club sandwiches and croques (pricier full meals are served in the evenings), and you can sit on the terrace in the shadow of the cathedral.
For those who fancy dining in epic surrounds, this restaurant occupies a former trading hall of the neo-Gothic stock exchange building, which dates from 1872. In contrast to the historic setting, the pan-global dishes are ultramodern works of art on a plate---prepared in the open kitchen on one side of the hall, their names derive from their geographical inspiration: a riff on a ceviche, for example, might be called "Lima," while a pasta-based dish might be titled "Florence."
Lange Nieuwstraat 14, Antwerp, Flanders, 2000, Belgium
Aptly named, The New Eelhouse specializes in various preparations of sweet-fleshed eel, along with grilled turbot, sole, scallops, and myriad other crustaceans, including lobster and mussels (in season). Fittingly for an Antwerp landmark, the restaurant has dark wood and a comfortable, deep-rooted air.
The name translates to the Pump House, and in its heyday it drained the neighboring dry dock to allow for ship maintenance. It still looks the part; a vast interior boasts an impressive 23-foot pit with iron parapets and round Art Nouveau--style windows with their original metal rods. The bistro-style menu includes bubbling bouillabaisse, succulent sweetbreads as well as great slabs of tenderloin drizzled in béarnaise sauce. Make a trip to the washroom to view the heavy steel pump doors.
Located in a house on a narrow side street just seconds' walk from the Grote Markt, this small French-style bistro has one of the better wine lists in the city, paired expertly with some old Gallic standards; try the homemade pâté or bone-marrow appetizers. To get a sense of the scene, and what's cooking, grab a seat at the bar overlooking the exhibition kitchen.
Simplicity is the buzzword---both in the contemporary Belgian cooking, and in the decor---in this elegant but cozy parquet-floored bistro with minimal decorations on the walls to distract you from the food. Lunch is à la carte, but the three- to five-course prix-fixe dinner menus are also pared down and kept simple, with no more than two or sometimes three choices per course---but simplicity doesn't prevent each dish being a masterpiece.
Perched atop a huge glass-and-black-metal construction designed by avant-garde architect bOb (his spelling) Van Reeth, this cozy riverside restaurant---with bistro-style food as modern as the surroundings---resembles a docked cruise ship. You're virtually assured a good view, since large windows stretch around the building---boat traffic bustles on the Schedlt River to one side and, on the other, there's a fine view of the cathedral and the Oude Stad.
Ernest Van Dijckkaai 37, Antwerp, Flanders, 2000, Belgium
This fine-dining restaurant has long been a fixture on Antwerp's dining scene, dishing up exquisite cooking in the interior courtyard of its elegant dining room since 1975. Longtime chef and local legend Marc Paesbrugghe, who once gave away his two Michelin stars because he was tired of the red tape, has long-since hung up his apron, but the torch has been passed on in the kitchen with no drop in standards, and a prix-fixe menu that delicately picks its way through a host of big flavors.
Oude Koornmarkt 16, Antwerp, Flanders, 2000, Belgium
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