I often go to café/restaurant K. Zeppos. The name comes from a Belgian tv-programme for kids: Kapitein Zeppos. It played in the years 1964 till 1968 and was very successful.

When you enter the café you see a very big picture of the actor that played Kapitein Zeppos (Senne Rouffaer).

K. Zeppos is a very ‘practical’ café/restaurant. It’s in the middle of the city, but not in the heat of the tourist-zone. It has an enormous terrace on a big square in summer and in winter it is very comfortable inside. Good atmosphere, nice food for an okay price. It’s not cheap, but also not very expensive. Only their tea is way too expensive. That’s why I never drink tea in the K. Zeppos.

It’s a perfect meeting-place for little groups. If I want to see a bunch of my friends we think easily of K.Zeppos. Especially if some people have to eat. You can eat classic Belgian food, but they have also meals from all over the world. And it’s no smoking… It’s a good place where I like to come from time to time..

If you’re up to some Belgian food in a stylish atmosphere, this is the place to be!

‘Berlin’ is right in the city centre, and ideal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, i.e. a break from shopping. You can try typical Belgian specialties here, but you can tell the cook isn’t afraid to be influenced by -well- the world. For the many times I’ve eaten here, I was always very satisfied by the food. I once ate a roasted cherry tomato soup and to be honest, I sometimes still dream about it…

On Friday and Saturday evenings this place turns into a meeting place for the young & clubbing. The DJ gets you ready for the party. There are few cocktails on the menu, but they’re oh so tasty!

After a rough weekend you can go have a ‘lazy Sunday’-special: an all-you-can-eat menu to get rid of your hangover.

When I feel like a treat, I go to my favorite Thai restuarant in Antwerp: Mai Thai.

It’s located in the touristy neighbourhood, but when you step inside, you enter a white, silky world of Thai delight.

There’s only space for about 20 people, so go early or make reservations ahead. Upon entry you get welcomed by the pretty hostess. For me, it’s always hard to resist ordering a refreshing house-cocktail to go along with the free appetiser you get.

Although this restaurant isn’t pricey at all, you feel like you’re eating in a high-class resort. Every detail is being looked after: spotless table-wear, a pink orchid flower in your drink and excellent service.

The hardest part is picking your main dish: every Thai classic is present on the menu (about a hundred different dishes) and everything I’ve tasted here so far, tastes authentic and is equally delicious. There’s a wide variety of not-too-spicy dishes, if you’re not up to some fire.

After Antwerp, Thailand is my favorite place in the world. So you can imagine what a great combination ‘Mai Thai’ is for me!

Why did this worldwide chain of noodle restaurants pick Antwerp for their only restaurant in Belgium? Don’t ask us, but we love it! Wagamama is situated right next to the (only) cinema complex in the city centre and it has become a classic ‘dinner and a movie’ formula for Antwerpians. Which means it can get packed at night!

Although Wagamama is a chain, it always serves fresh, healthy and tasty Japanese dishes, usually ready in less than 15 minutes. There are a wide variety of noodle- and rice dishes on the menu, but I always end up picking the ‘kare lomen’ or ‘chili men’.

It’s also hard to resist the garlic edamame beans. A great ‘insider’-tip is you can usually find a coupon for a free second main dish in the free city-zine ‘Zone 03′ distributed in pillars all over Antwerp.

When this bar/restaurant opened about 3 years ago, it was exactly what the neighbourhood needed: a cosy, relaxed, non-smoking place where you can grab a bite, read the newspaper and chat up with friends.

Everyday there’s a new menu with about 5 dishes: a couple of classics, pasta, a vegetarian dish and something oriental. Tasty, honest, not too pricy, almost like how your mother would make it, but with a surprising twist to it! As a late-night snack, you can always grab spaghetti or a fresh bowl of soup.

As for drinks, you’ll have a hard time making your choice: a couple of local beers on tap, as well as a monthly special, great wine and cava. A must-try is ‘roomer’: a flowery liquor that will enlighten your senses. For great karma, drink an organic tea or fruit juice.

The owner always carefully picks the music, a great way to discover new things. He’s even started a graphic novel collection.

This place can be very relaxing as well as really crowded. Either way, I always feel right at home here!

You can find this cozy restaurant right above ‘Het Zeezicht’. They even work closely together. You can’t really make reservations, you just walk in. If there’s no place, you get a teddy bear and can go have a drink in the bar beneath. Whenever your table’s ready, the personnel will come and call your teddy bear ☺.

This restaurant serves good, seasonal, fresh food in large portions. The kitchen is Belgian with an international flair to it. They also treat vegetarians really well with a wide range of choices. The steak with herb butter is to die for! Every weekday, there’s a new special and also a ‘surprise menu’ for the dare devils among you!

This is an ideal place for an informal dinner with friends. The interior has a bit of a messy living room feel to it, but it’s oh so cozy. On sunny days you can go have a seat on the balcony (it seats two people!) or on the terrace of Het Zeezicht (check the Het Zeezicht article) and take your pick from a smaller menu (but no worries, the amazing steak is on it!)

This must be the smallest restaurant in Antwerp, seating only 10 people. It’s situated on the ground floor of a simple house in a living area. The restaurant is run by Stephanie, a young woman who had a great idea: every day she serves her guests a new menu consisting of a starter, a main and a dessert for only € 15.00! Did I mention she does all the work herself? From shopping to cooking and serving. On top of that, she always makes some time for a little chat.

The menu is posted on Facebook daily, and you can also make reservations ahead, Stephanie will send you the menu. She’ll even adapt it to your liking. And I’m pretty sure you’ll like it. Never have I seen the same thing twice on the menu, and she has an excellent fresh and original way of cooking, using seasonal and local ingredients.

Recently, Stephanie also put up a little terrace up front, and serves breakfast and lunch as well!

This is a real unique experience in probably the coziest restaurant in Antwerp!

Even though it’s only one street long, Antwerp has its own little China town. I come here of course to buy ingredients for Asian dishes at reasonable prices, but I also love to stroll by and enjoy the atmosphere: exotic fruits and vegetables being unloaded from trucks, strong and unknown fragrances, a small Buddhist temple… And if you’re lucky, there might be a Chinese festivity going on. It feels like traveling!

In September 2010 the Antwerp Chinese community was gifted a traditional gate at the entry of the Van Wesenbekestraat. It’s a beautifully decorated and it already has become a landmark in Antwerp. It was specially designed for Antwerp in China, so the trams can ride underneath it as well. A year later, it appeared to be a bit crappy built, and they are still fixing it now as you read.

There are many shops in the street, my favorite is ‘Asia Food’: a small supermarket with neat rows stacked with Asian products. I always find what I need, and sometimes discover new exotic ingredients. ‘DK’ is known as the best restaurant in the street. It serves real, authentic Chinese food.

You could call ‘Vertigo’ a real ‘all-round’ bar: Here you can grab breakfast, read the newspaper, meet with friends, drink cocktails at the bar, eat a great burger and best of all: enjoy a free jazzy concert at night.

The bar has a dark, chic yet cozy interior. You almost feel like you’re in New York in the fifties. Take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs and enjoy the live music. I believe I once saw the reincarnation of Jacques Brel here.

Check their website for music events, but I don’t know if you’ll ever see Jacques again… That’s the magic of Vertigo!

You might not realize this but sometimes it does get cold and rainy in Antwerp. What’s more comforting than a bowl of hot soup to warm yourself? I like to go to Comme Soupe. This cute little soup bar is located on the beautiful square “Conscienceplein” in the historic heart of Antwerp, to me one of the most romantic places in the city.

Comme Soupe is owned by Charlotte, a charming girl who serves three kinds of soup every day. One soup of the day, one soup suggestion and a more “heavy” soup, most of the time with potatoes. For me it’s the perfect lunch, delicious and healthy. The menu changes very frequently (check the Facebook page) so you can come back here many times and never eat the same soup twice.

If you’re not a soup lover, there is also a selection of tasty sandwiches here. End your meal with a coffee and you have plenty of energy for the rest of your day.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Comme Soupe | Restaurants (Soup&Sandwich) | Soup of the day € 4
Hendrik Conscienceplein 11 | Meir | +322343533
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 18:30