Best Restaurants in Antwerp - Where to eat and drink for foodies
Updated March 2024 - Antwerp has countless amazing places to eat and drink. When walking around the streets of Antwerp, picking a place can feel overwhelming. There are restaurants spilling into the squares around every corner, and there are endless types of cuisine from all around the world. Luckily for our visits to Antwerp, we have two locals to show us around. Each time we return, they show us more of their favorite restaurants in this beautiful Belgian city. I’m passing along that knowledge to make your choices a little easier or at least get some ideas flowing.
Below you'll find the best restaurants and cafes we've experienced. Separated into sections, I’ve included the best restaurants for brunch, for dinner, and for drinks with some additional ideas in between. From traditional french fries to Japanese cuisine, you'll quickly learn that Antwerp is a foodie's dream. If you’re looking for additional ideas, I’m always a fan of the Rick Steve’s guides with this travel guide that includes Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges.
Brunch in Antwerp
Roest
Roest is a delicious and cute spot for brunch with its unique decor and fresh ingredients. We made reservations, and I’m glad we did. We were among some of the first groups in the restaurant at 11 am on a Sunday, but by the time we left around 1 pm, the restaurant was full. This place is perfect for indecisive orderers because it keeps a fairly short but versatile menu. The menu had something for everyone with a variety of options: a more traditional Belgian breakfast spread of meats, cheeses, pastries, and breads to benedicts and avocado toast.
No Worries
If Roest is too busy, or you're wanting to try a different option, No Worries is another great brunch choice. It's great for families as it has a play area. Their menu includes large platters of different ingredients to enjoy many different flavors and get the best of all worlds. It's also a great place for a nice sunny day with their outdoor seating.
Goodie Foodie
Self described "the yummiest pancakes", Goodie Foodie is another hip brunch spot in Antwerp. While pancakes take the limelight, the menu includes other classic brunch items like omelets, salads, and egg sandwiches. You can't go wrong with sitting inside or outside as the interior has a cute and cozy decor while their outdoor seating gives you great views of the brick architecture (and good people watching of course).
Cafes in Antwerp
Luddites
Honestly, it's my dream cafe. I wish every city had something like Luddites. Bookstore on the ground floor and second floor with a cafe sandwiched between them on the first floor. And it's not just your average bookstore cafe, it feels elegant, elevated, and cozy all at the same time. You feel important sipping your coffee in there. If I lived in Antwerp, this place would be bad for my credit card because I don't know how many times I'd spend a Saturday buying a book and then enjoying it amongst their green and white stripped walls and velvet seats. Just see it for yourself, and you'll get what I mean.
Bakkerji Funk
Some of the best pastries in Antwerp, let alone vegan pastries at that! It's one of the buzziest bakeries given it's focus on vegan ingredients (their default milk is oat milk), fun vibe, great flavors, and also a cute owner who shares BTS content. The food and drinks speaks for themselves, but the owner also posts some very entertaining tiktoks of baking. It's known for it's pastries first, but Bakkerji Funk also offers coffees, natural wine, and lovely outdoor seating.
Caffenation
First, you can't really go wrong with a pun for name. I'm a sucker for good marketing like that. Second, their locations provide a great space to get some caffeine and get some work done. They have locations throughout the city, but we only made it to Caffenation Blue. It had plenty of space and many people working from it. They even had an upstairs that was available to those who were a part of a coworking group. Additionally, many of the seats has easy access to outlets. To top it all off, they had some really unique and tasty pastries to pair nicely with their nicely roasted coffees. If you're there on a sunny or warmer day, you can take advantage of their ample outdoor seating.
Waffles and Desserts in Antwerp
Désiré de Lille
Perfect for the Brussel style waffle that is similar to what Americans think of when they hear Belgian waffle. We stopped in for a mid-afternoon, pre-dinner snack to get our waffle fix. This is the only place I’ve ever been to where my latte comes with little waffles on the side. That, in addition to a waffle with hot cherries on top (wafel warme Norse krieken), definitely cured my waffle craving. They have a massive menu including lunch and other meals, but our table opted for the sweet treats. Other items we ordered were hot chocolate, the mixed fruit waffle (wafel soleil) and Belgian donuts (smoutebollen). Basically, you can’t go wrong with whatever treat you order. I think the menu really brings it to life.
Quetzal
Who doesn't love the idea of a chocolate bar? Quetzal offers everything sweet and chocolatey including milkshakes, brownies, and waffles drizzled with chocolate. The thing to order though is the fondu. When you order it, they bring out a little boat filled with fruit and biscuits with different types of melted chocolate to dip it in.
Dinner in Antwerp
De Pottekijker
A cozy, intimate restaurant with traditional Belgian food, De Pottekijker is great for a date night or just a nice night out with friends (we were the latter). I can’t get over how cute this place is. It’s fairly small with only a handful of tables downstairs, and then maybe 7 or 8 tables up a skinny staircase to the loft. It’s darkly lit with candles and flowers. It truly felt like we were having a great dinner in a magical secret attic. As their menu is more traditionally Belgian foods, I quickly learned that ribs and other grilled meats fall into that category. Ribs were a popular choice at our table, but I opted for a fish dish prepared in lemon and oil and capers — yum.
De Bomma Restaurant
One of the most quintessential Belgian offerings in the city. De Bomma directly translates to The Grandma Restaurant and it serves just that, food your Belgian grandmother (if you had one) would make you. Adding to the cozy, homey feel, the walls of the restaurant are covered in pictures of restaurant goers' actual grandmothers. I mean how adorable. The menu will tempt you in many different directions, but the thing you must order is the stoofvlees (Flemish beef stew). Order that with the frites. Once the two dishes arrive on their separate plates, you can either take your time and dip fries in the stew, or go for it and mix it all in together. Additionally a side of mayonnaise really takes the dish to its peak. The portions are very generous, so order accordingly. If you're not super hungry, feel free to split the stew with a friend and you can each order your own plate of fries.
Zaowang
Whenever we visit with our Antwerp friends, no matter which city we meet up in, we always end up at a sushi restaurant. One of our favorite ways to share our joint love for sushi is by ordering a sushi boat, and Zaowang has one great sushi boat. As the locals to Antwerp, Zaowang is the sushi restaurant they frequent the most. It has two different locations at the city that each pair well with different itineraries.
The city center Zaowang is located near the Grote Markt, which makes it perfect for taking in the historical architecture and the museums (Museum aan de Stroom - MAS) on the north side of the city. Additionally, this location is located right around the corner from Tazu, which is fun pairing the two for a lovely evening.
Zaowang Zuid is located minutes from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (or KMSKA - Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen). It's a recently renovated and reopened gem in the city that feels like a fun adventure to explore. Zaowang is the perfect restaurant to fuel up before or after the many steps you'll take walking around the museum.
Drinks in Antwerp
Cafe Quinten Matsijs
I’ve heard that this is the oldest bar in Antwerp, and once you’re inside, you definitely get that sense. It’s charming with the leaded windows, wood work, and candelabra like chandeliers. It’s perfect for a pint while you catch up with friends or sit and enjoy on your own. I had an ever so tasty Cherry Chouffe to end my night. They even have seats outside along the cobblestone walkway to enjoy a day. Cafe Quinten Matsijs 100% needs to be on the list.
Belroys at Nine (previously Cocktails at Nine)
Belroys at Nine is set back from the road with a tree lined walkway leading into it, that it feels like you’ve been let in on a secret as you walk up. If I hadn’t been led here, I might not have thought anything was down that walkway. It has an amazingly creative cocktail menu with countless choices (not very good for some as indecisive as me) for all different cocktail flavor profiles. Sweet - check. Botanical - check. Strong - check. You ask for a certain taste, and they will have it — a true mixology feel. This is another spot on the list that is perfect for a date but also great for friends.
Aloha Antwerp
I am so impressed and excited about the Antwerp beach that shows up every summer on the Bocadero. It’s such a fun idea to repurpose unused space and make it a destination with some added sand and pop-up restaurants. At Aloha Antwerp you get that full beach feel with the Hawaiian theme, wicker chairs, hibiscus flowers, and palm leaves everywhere. We only stopped for a mocktail (which was a trend throughout Antwerp) (and don’t worry they also serve cocktails), but their food and cocktails looked and smelled delicious. I could spend a day along the Bocadero bar hopping from place to place as they each have their own vibe, but Aloha Antwerp is a great place to start.
Jazz Cafe De Muze
More than just a place for a good cocktail, Jazz Cafe De Muze is also a great location for entertainment with live music every night. In addition to great cocktails, they have a great Belgian beer selection available. It's a good choice for a night out and overall a good vibe. It's centrally located just off the the Grote Markt, so it gives you a chance to appreciate the buildings lit up at night as well.
Tazu
If you walk down a cute alleyway and turn into a cute courtyard, you'll find yourself at Tazu. Part of the fun is getting there. The other part of the fun is choosing from their fantastic menu. With drinks like a tomyum punch or a yuzu negroni, you know you'll try something unique and flavorful. They also continue the mocktail trend giving you many options for alcohol-free yet equally inventive beverages.
If you're looking for a great plan for an evening, pair Tazu with Zaowang. Tazu is just around the corner from Zaowang, so you could start at one and then end at the other. Start at Tazu for pre-dinner drinks, your apéritif, and then head to Zaowang for sushi dinner. The other option is to start at Zaowang and enjoy their Japanese cuisine, and then head over to Tazu for your after dinner, digestif drinks.
French Fry Shops in Antwerp
Frituur Number One
If you're looking for history, Frituur Number One is the oldest french fry shop in Antwerp. It's an old standby, well known by older generations. French fries are a must when visiting Belgium, so this will help you meet your french fry quota. It's quaint, well located in the city center, and overall has great fries -- or frites or chips whichever word you choose.
Frites Alterier
Just a few doors down from Désiré de Lille, you'll find the famous Frites Alterier. If you're in search of more of an elevated or fancy version of a french fry then this is the best restaurant for you. The chef and co-owner has a background of multiple Michelin stars and Top 50 Best Restaurant awards to give a sense of the fry you should expect. They spent months researching the best potatoes, soil types, and toppings to arrive at the perfect frite. Be prepared, there is always a queue, but it's worth the wait. Local type: the snack portion is a good offering and make sure you top it with stoofvlees (Flemish beef stew). If you're touring other Belgian cities, you'll be able to try their other locations in Ghent and Brussels.
