Antwerp – a guide for an empty stomach

Antwerp – a guide for
an empty stomach
Chinese, Indian , fusion, one star, or just the
most famous fish and chips place in Antwerp.
Providing an overview of the best restaurants
in Antwerp is like printing the internet. But
... we can give it a try. This list is based on
hearsay, restaurant reviews and a lifetime of
being a man interested in food. I hope you
enjoy my personal TOP -10 and if not, feel
free to send me your comments . Quality
rules so just make sure you book to
reserve your table .
A. The old city Centre
the stranger next to you is maybe the friend you have
not met yet. http://www.pocketresto.be/antwerpen/tekook
3. Mama mia, is this a pizzeria? Forget Luigi from the
Simpsons. No red-white tablecloths here, Italian
impersonating waiters or pizzas with crusts as hard as a
plate. Here, as the name suggests, Italian cuisine is art.
Trendy, an excellent choice of affordable wines, Italian
specialties and a relaxed atmosphere (unlike their
website).
http://www.ristorante-arte.be/
1. Never judge a book by its cover and never judge a
cook by his looks.
This rocker lookalike has been the best Antwerp chef for
years. The restaurant is quite discrete but unfortunately
the prices are not. On the other hand you get the chance
to experience one of the best kitchens in Antwerp.
Reservations are a must and a large wallet ;-).
4. When someone mentions Chinese cuisine, do you
spontaneously think of UB 40's Rat in the kitchen? No
worries here. This is probably the best Chinese
restaurant in town. Forget the number 40 with ‘rice’ or
French fries and instead indulge in Wagyu beef and
pigeon with cashew nuts.
http://www.pocketresto.be/antwerpen/t-fornuis
http://www.lam-enyin.be/Lam_%26_Yin/Restaurant.html
2. The food is as original as the pun. What a difference a
consonant makes. The 'for sale' (Te KooP) sign can be
found all around Antwerp, but the original team of 'Te
kook' puts a twist on it by changing the P into a K and
turning it into a food reference.
Trendy, open kitchen with mouthwatering dishes and
prices. A new look on cooking, but also on table
arrangements. No romance here, you sit at the counter
overlooking the open kitchen. But on the other hand ...
Antwerp food guide
5. Don't have a cow, man. This restaurant just won the
Green Gault&Millau award of being the best vegetable
restaurant in Belgium. But this does not mean that the
lamb they serve is not worth tasting. The restaurant has
a concept store so if you need to wait between courses
take a check out the design stuff they sell.
http://www.graanmarkt13.be/en/restaurant/therestaurant
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6. We are spending most of our life living in a veggies’
paradise. There is a new restaurant in town, a paradise
for vegetarians. This meat-loving gourmet has no
experience but the grapevine told me (can it be more
veggie) that the cook is taking vegetarian food to the
next level.
http://www.rosenobel.be/
9. Nothing fishy about this place. Close to the river
Scheldt you’ll find this trendy restaurant. The chef knows
how to treat his fish so you can savour the catch of the
day.
If you are looking for somewhere quiet this won’t be the
place for you. The restaurant caters for parties so it can
be rather crowded and noisy. On the other hand it can
add an additional layer of fun to your dining experience.
http://www.docks.be/
7. Sweets for my sweet. This gingerbread house looks
like the perfect spot for Hansel and Gretel. Enjoy lunch
or taste the famous Antwerp pastries of Chef Van
Damme. For once forget the calories and make your
sweet tooth happy. There is a little park next door to go
for a quick run in case you got a bit carried away and
need to burn off a few calories! Not open for dinner.
http://www.rogervandamme.com/
10. Watching the ships roll in. Restaurant Zuiderterras
has a reputation for its views and they are right. Just
imagine sitting next to the river Scheldt and watching
the ships pass by while you enjoy an excellent bottle of
Chardonnay and a sautéed scallops salad. The best part
is that the view doesn’t come at any extra cost.
http://www.zuiderterras.be/
This is just a taster of what Antwerp has to offer, there are
many other good restaurants. But my top-10 has that little
extra bit of spice to add to the experience. Some other
suggestions are:
8. Restaurant with a view. This Italian restaurant is not
in the old city centre but friends tell me that both the
panoramic view and excellent food are worth the short
trip to the De Keyserlei near the Central Station. After
leaving the restaurant you will be able to enjoy the
illuminated setting of the Antwerp Railway Station which
was nominated as one of the most beautiful in the
world.
http://www.granduca.be/
Antwerp food guide
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A la ville (http://www.alaville.be/)
De kleine Zavel
(http://invitegroup.be/dekleinezavel/)
De Godevaart (http://www.degodevaart.be/)
...
Bear in mind that you will be spending your time in the
tourist part of town and you will pay for this ‘pleasure’.
Restaurants on the Grote Markt, Oude Koornmarkt and
Suikerrui offer 'tourist' menus and don’t reflect the real
Antwerp. Whatever you do, don’t leave Antwerp without
trying 'een kleintje met mayonnaise en een curryworst'
in Frituur Number One, a monument in after midnight
catering to the hungry. Wonder why? Order your fries
and hope that Maria, the woman that talks faster than
her own shadow, is on the night shift.
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B. Het Eilandje (Little Island)
Once a place of lost sailors looking for the red light
district ‘Het Eilandje’ is now the place to be. Stroll along
the docks, watch the sunset from the top of the MAS
museum or enjoy dinner in one of the restaurants which
seem to be added to daily. My recommendations focus
on the 'survivors', restaurants that have been here for a
couple of years. Are the others not good? Well... let me
know ;-).
by Klimt, Toulouse-Lautrec or Horta. You have become a
part of the Jugendstil experience.
http://www.restaurantmarcel.be/
4. If I were a rich man. Ever since opening the MAS
museum has attracted large crowds of visitors. Is it
because of the sunset, the beautiful collection of tribal
art from Paul and Dora Janssen or because it houses the
only two star restaurant in Antwerp?
1. Working on the chain gang. Going for a burger is no
longer a fast food experience in this upscale burger
restaurant. Forget the soggy bun, unidentified meat with
the only flavour coming from the sauce. Ellis Gourmet
Burger seduces you with names such as Meatlover,
Bollywood delight and Baby Spinach Salmon.
http://www.ellisgourmetburger.com/
2. Warehouse de luxe. This former warehouse
underwent an extreme makeover recently. It now holds,
amongst others, the city archive worth a visit but the
main reason to come is restaurant Felix Pakhuis that
caters to the V.I.E. (very important eaters). But the food
is not the only thing to look at. Look around, you never
know who your neighbor might be, an actor, musician
or...
Chef Viki Geuns is creating dreams on your plate, whilst
the famous lights of the Scheldt become the evening
background. Just make sure to check your overdraft
facility as a dinner for 2 can take away 300 €.
http://www.tzilte.be/
I would like to end this non -exhaustive food
odyssey through Antwerp with the famous
Virginia Woolf quote that “One cannot think
well, love well, sleep well, if o ne has not
dined well.” I hope that my little summary
helped you to think, love and sleep well.
Your Antwerp foodie,
Yves
http://felixpakhuis.nu/restaurant/#88
3. Fin-de-siècle food. How to describe the experience of
eating in this restaurant? Let me think. I suggest
hypnosis. Relax, your eyes are getting heavier, your mind
is empty, forget your smartphone and blackberry. Wake
up now. You have been transported to a world created
Antwerp food guide
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