Coffee & tea

Vinyl and coffee lovers, check out this place, Coffee & Vinyl. It is located in the South district and very close to this amazing art deco building. They offer a wide selection of LP’s and singles, old and new.

After your treasure hunt you can find yourself a seat (I prefer the cozy little corner) and admire your purchases while drinking an excellent coffee or hot chocolate. All the drinks have funny and musical names like Flat Barry White, Sun Ra, Creamy Jay Hawkins… They also serve an excellent fresh homemade Ice-T.

If you get hungry, they serve nice snacks too. Read the paper or one of the magazines lying around and then hurry home to listen to your record. And, they are open on Sunday! I don’t know a nicer way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon. 

Antwerp is a shopper’s paradise, from international brands to fashion designer stores: it’s all here. The Meir is the main shopping street and always very crowded. It’s also the connection street between the Central Station and the historic city centre so, like it or not, you will eventually have to walk down this street.

If you’re fed up with the crowds and you feel like a rest then Escobar is just the place for you. They take the word ‘unwinding’ very seriously here. The people serving you are a bit slow but they are also very friendly. The music they play here (old swing, soul and jazz) takes you back in time. They serve an excellent cappuccino Escobar with apple crumble and fresh cream. I always have the same sandwich here: the one with bacon and feta cheese. Add the lecture of a weekend newspaper and I’m ready to face the shopping crowd again. 

Normo is not just one of the many coffee bars, baristas in Antwerp, it’s becoming “The Coffee Bar”. This bar is actually the bigger version of the the owner’s previous bar a little bit further down the street: “Bar Choq”.

They moved to this new and bigger location, so that they can expand their bar in many different ways. More focus on burning their own coffee beans (the machines for doing that are in the bar and look great) and the genuine coffee experience… Talk to the owner, he will explain his plans to you, and feel his passion and joy for making great coffee.

Everything in this bar is perfectly in balance: nice atmosphere, excellent music choice, quick visitors and locals working mobile office, old & young match perfectly here. 

But in fact, even if this would have been a crappy, dark room with no windows, bad music, … even then I would come here to get me some great coffee shots … because that is what makes this coffee bar just outstanding: their great skills in making coffee in so many different ways. 

So if you’re in Antwerp and you just want to make one coffee stop, Café Normo would be it! And my personal favorites are the Muskat or a Wonka. Just try it!

When I’m looking for a decent yet quick meal, I go to Lunch Cafe Walrus.

It has a very good kitchen with honest prices. The service is mostly with a smile and you just get what you want here: something to satisfy your hunger!

Whether for breakfast – brunch – lunch or dinner … they’ve got what you need! Don’t expect haute cuisine, but expect to be satisfied!

In a small alley next to the St Vincentius Hospital you can find this quiet and cosy day time lunch-bar. It’s quite new but that doesn’t change its charm.

The interior feels warm and cosy. The food is homemade with care and you just take it out of the counter and pay at the counter.

A very down to earth place and ideal for a relaxed lunch or just to read your newspaper during lunch.