Food · Antwerp · Belgium
What to eat in Antwerp
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Antwerp, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Belgian fries, Moules-frites and Stoofvlees. Antwerp's brown cafés and beer bars around the cathedral serve hundreds of Belgian beers; start with a De Koninck bolleke and try a Trappist. Lunch is often around noon to 2pm and dinner from about 6:30pm; many restaurants close in between.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Belgian fries
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Service is included in Belgium.
- Food experiences
- 3
10 foods to try
Street food · Vegetarian
1.Belgian fries (Frieten)
Thick-cut potatoes fried twice in beef fat or oil and served in a paper cone with mayonnaise, andalouse or stoofvlees sauce.
Where: Frituur (fry shops) across the city, including around the Groenplaats and the Meir.
Dish
2.Moules-frites (Mosselen met friet)
A pot of mussels steamed with celery, onion and white wine or beer, served with fries; mussels are best from about September to April.
Where: Brasseries around the Grote Markt and in the old town.
Dish
3.Stoofvlees
Beef slowly stewed in dark Belgian beer with onions, mustard and bread, served with fries; the Flemish comfort dish.
Where: Traditional brasseries and cafés across the city.
Dish
4.Eel in green sauce (Paling in 't groen)
Pieces of eel cooked in a sauce of chervil, sorrel, parsley and other green herbs, a traditional dish of the Scheldt region.
Where: Traditional Flemish restaurants, especially along the river and in the old town.
Snack
5.Shrimp croquettes (Garnaalkroketten)
Crisp croquettes filled with creamy béchamel and small grey North Sea shrimp, served with lemon and fried parsley.
Where: Brasseries and cafés as a starter.
Snack · Vegetarian
6.Antwerpse handjes
Biscuits and chocolates shaped like a hand, recalling the legend of Brabo throwing the giant's hand into the Scheldt.
Where: Bakeries and chocolatiers around the Grote Markt and the Meir.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Belgian chocolate
Pralines and filled chocolates from Belgian chocolatiers, from long-established houses to modern makers working with single-origin cacao.
Where: Chocolatiers on the Meir, Schuttershofstraat and in the old town.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Belgian waffles
Light, rectangular Brussels waffles with icing sugar or cream, or denser, caramelised Liège waffles eaten from the hand.
Where: Tea rooms and street stands in the old town.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.De Koninck 'bolleke'
Antwerp's amber ale from the De Koninck brewery, served in a round, stemmed glass called a bolleke; ordering 'een bolleke' is a local ritual.
Where: Almost every Antwerp café, and the brewery's visitor experience in Berchem.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Elixir d'Anvers
A sweet herbal liqueur made in Antwerp since the 19th century from dozens of herbs and spices, served as a digestif.
Where: Cafés and liquor shops; it is a traditional end to a meal.
Food experiences
Café crawl with a bolleke
Antwerp's brown cafés and beer bars around the cathedral serve hundreds of Belgian beers; start with a De Koninck bolleke and try a Trappist.
Brewery visit
De Koninck's brewery in Berchem has a visitor experience with tastings, and pairs well with a walk through nearby Zurenborg.
Chocolate tasting
Several chocolatiers in the centre offer tastings and workshops where you can compare pralines.
Quick bites and street food
- Belgian fries — Frituur (fry shops) across the city, including around the Groenplaats and the Meir.
- Shrimp croquettes — Brasseries and cafés as a starter.
- Antwerpse handjes — Bakeries and chocolatiers around the Grote Markt and the Meir.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Belgian fries, Antwerpse handjes, Belgian chocolate, Belgian waffles, De Koninck 'bolleke' and Elixir d'Anvers. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is often around noon to 2pm and dinner from about 6:30pm; many restaurants close in between.
- Weekday lunch menus (dagschotel or lunchmenu) offer good value.
- Tap water is not always served automatically; ask for 'kraantjeswater'.
- Book ahead for popular restaurants in Het Zuid and Eilandje on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Many restaurants close one or two days a week; check before setting out.
Tipping
Service is included in Belgium. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dag | Hello / goodbye |
| Dank u wel | Thank you |
| Een bolleke, alstublieft | A De Koninck beer, please |
| De rekening, alstublieft | The bill, please |
| Santé | Cheers |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Antwerp famous for?
Belgian fries, Moules-frites, Stoofvlees and Eel in green sauce. Thick-cut potatoes fried twice in beef fat or oil and served in a paper cone with mayonnaise, andalouse or stoofvlees sauce.
+Is Antwerp good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Belgian fries, Antwerpse handjes and Belgian chocolate.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Antwerp?
Service is included in Belgium. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected.