Image by Ysabel Jongeneelen

We have a very small Chinatown in Antwerp. It is only one street. But in our small Chinatown is a very large Asian supermarket: Sun Wah. I don’t know what the name means but it is like a trip to Asia: Everybody speaks Chinese, the products are strange and beautiful, and it smells intriguing. Sometimes I don’t know whether it is a vegetable or fruit and when I have a box with strange signs on in my hands it can be impossible to understand what is in it. My mother bought once a can with snake in it. I didn’t want to taste it.

But it is a great experience to come here. I really love it!

I come there when I want to prepare some Asian dishes or when I’m looking for a special oystersauce for example, but I always buy something new, something I didn’t try before, or something completely mysterious.

I suppose it looks really like Asia in this wonderfull supermarket, but it probably is an asian supermarket with a Belgian undertone.

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Sun Wah | Shopping
Van Wesenbekestraat 16-18 | Stationsbuurt | +3237707714
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Ysabel Jongeneelen

There’s only one restaurant in Antwerp that serves real biological and macrobiotic food. Honest food with an honest taste. You can find it in the Cullinan.

Restaurant Cullinan lies in the Jewish quarter in Antwerp. This is by the way also an interesting part of the city that is worth seeing… But now we’re talking about food and this little restaurant offers the best. It’s a simple kitchen, no haute cuisine, but the quality is great and you’ll get the most healthy pumpkins, carrots and beans. Vegetables are not only decoration here: it is the most important thing on the plate. And: it tastes great!

The cook – Jan Lansloot – and his wife Lutgard have 35 years of experience with macrobiotic cooking and they still love good and biological food. They guarantee that the food is 95% biological. They serve meat, fish or vegetarian dishes and everything is very fresh. They don’t have a microwave and try not to use deep-frozen food.

The furnishing in the restaurant is not very hip, but the food is so good that – after a while – the salt lamps don’t matter anymore. You even start to like them…

The vegetarian vegetable dish is my favorite. This plate variates every time because they follow the vegetables of the season. It is a surprise every time I go there. They cook really surprisingly…

They have also delicious desserts: cakes and pastry with or without sugar… Mmmm. Why can’t I cook like that?

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Cullinan | Restaurants (biological) | Main meal € 16.00
Isabellalei 1 | Stationsbuurt | +3232301660
Tue – Thu 12:00 – 14:00 & 18:00 – 21:00, Fri 12:00 – 14:00 & 18:00 – 21:30, Sat 18:00 & 21:30 (Closed on holidays)

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Igor Daems

If you don’t know it’s there you’d walk right past it. But if you have the chance then just walk right in. This building used to be a police station since 1875.

There was a renovation in 1916 and nowadays it’s still in that condition. Through a corridor you reach the bar. First thing you’ll notice are the directors chairs in which you can sit to have a drink. It’s a very cozy place with a lot of old movie posters on the wall. 

The theatre itself is tiny but I think that makes the movie experience more real. I prefer this to the big movie complexes you can find anywhere, in every city. There’s only one theatre here so don’t expect a lot of choices. They play mostly classics and independent movies. When you leave, be sure to thank the people working here because there are all volunteers. And movie lovers, of course.

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Movie theatre De Klappei | Cinemas | Movie from € 4.00
Klappeistraat 2 | Stationsbuurt | +3232725110
See website

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Igor Daems

If you like the Antwerp music scene (dEUS, Zita Swoon, Mauro, Tim Vanhamel …) then you should visit Plaza Real. It’s a small bar in Borgerhout, owned by Klaas Janzoons, the violin player of dEUS. A great place to have a few beers before you head to a party. And sometimes you don’t have to go very far for that party: the “Pekfabriek” is literally around the corner. A place where all the cool people hang out and dance.

They don’t make a lot of promotion for their parties so best is to check with the barman of Plaza Real when and where the next big party will be. If it’s that night, you will easily notice it though because the whole and otherwise quiet street will be filled with bikes. That’s not all, the studio and rehearsal room of dEUS (Vantage Point) is in the same building.

So if you want to try to spot these guys, like for an autograph, Plaza Real is the perfect place to install yourself with your copy of their latest album Keep You Close and hope for the best. Good luck!

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Plaza Real | Bars | Beer € 2
Kattenberg 89 | Stationsbuurt
21:00 – open end daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

This old building has a rich history. It was built in 1934 as a gigantic cinema (seating over 2000 people) and variety theatre. It has seen all of Belgium’s artists and a whole range of international artists too. However, in 1982 it closed its doors and fell into decay.

In 2003 a group of enthusiastic neighbours started to renovate this amazing building in their spare time. In the beginning, there were only shows in the summer. It was a fun and strange experience enjoying a circus act in the middle of all the rubble. Nowadays, the revue is restored in its original, breathtaking stage.

Whenever I come here to see a show, it feels like I dive into the past, like any minute cancan girls will jump from behind the curtains, being cheered by a baron with a bowler hat and a monocle. In the hall there are fantastic vintage wall paintings and fun house mirrors, such a great laugh! Everybody who works there during the soirees is a volunteer, so be sure to give them a big smile for their efforts.

Check the calendar for shows: this can go from a theatre show over cinema and circus festivals, ballroom dancing nights (don’t be confused, you’ll have to do the dancing yourself!) and even a children’s flea market.

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De Roma | Art & culture, Cinemas, Music, Theaters
Turnhoutse Baan 286 | Stationsbuurt | +3232929740
Check website for shows

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Stephanie Wouters

This must be the smallest restaurant in Antwerp, seating only 10 people. It’s situated on the ground flour 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! 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.

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

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Carrod’s | Restaurants (International) | Menu € 15
Krugerplein 18 | Stationsbuurt | +32498062321
Mon – Fri 18:00 – 22:00, Sat 18:30 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline Dhont

I remember guiding a friend around in Antwerp, showing him a great amount of fantastic places, and at the end of the day, dropping him off to go home, he was most impressed by our grand central train station.

The station was built at the end of the 19th century in a magnificent eclectic style. The roof over the platform is a lucent structure of steel and windows that will remind you of the Eiffel Tower. If this will be the first time you visit, you probably won’t believe 5 years ago this station only had 6 platforms. Recent structure works have expanded the station to about 24 platforms built into a large gaping hole. You’ll have to see it to believe it!

The station is now roofing a large part of Antwerp’s famous jewellery and diamond shops (however we Antwerpians don’t go there, beware of tourist traps!) and other facilities.

So don’t worry if you miss a train, you’ll have a great time exploring the station! In fact, Centraal Station Antwerpen has even been voted Europe’s most beautiful train station, I second that!

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Centraal Station Antwerpen | Art & culture, Shopping
Koningin Astridplein | Stationsbuurt | +3232320103
05:00 – 02:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

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 travelling!

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.

There are many shops in the street, my favourite 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.

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Van Wesenbekestraat | Art & culture, Shopping, Restaurants (Chinese)
Van Wesenbekestraat | Stationsbuurt
Daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

‘Kringloopwinkels’ have become real popular in Belgium. Literally it means ‘shop of the circle of life’, and it’s meaning is to give objects a ‘new life’ at someone else’s home. So instead of throwing away what you don’t need anymore, they come pick it up at your home for free, and probably make someone else really happy with it! Also it’s a social project providing job opportunities for people whom have trouble finding work.

All these ‘treasures’ you can go buy at very reasonable prices at the shops, and one of my favourites is ‘de Kringwinkel’ in the Kroonstraat. It has a very funky interior, and often things are arranged thematically. Here you can find just about anything: from fancy china to clothes, furniture (I just bought a vintage sixties dressoir for €20, yay!) to electronics, books and sometimes even a piano! All the goods are tested and cleaned by the personnel, on the electronics you even get a half-year of warranty. Also they have recently started an auction site for real collectibles.

The hype has become so big there are real ‘Kringwinkel-hunters’, people whom drive from one shop to another on a Saturday in hope to find a real treasure, or others whom buy stuff here and make something new out of it. The circle of life, quoi!

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Kringwinkel | Shopping
Kroonstraat 166 | Stationsbuurt | +3232709900
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

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.

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Wagamama | Restaurants (Japanese) | Main meal € 10
De Keyserlei 15 | Stationsbuurt | +3232349980
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 21:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp