Antwerp City Center (rh2010 (123RF))

Antwerp, Belgium is easily accessible by taking an ICE train from Frankfurt to Brussels and then a quick regional train from Brussels to Antwerp. My spouse and I snuck away for a four-day weekend and stayed in the historic city center. While there is plenty to do in Antwerp, that isn’t the focus here.

We all need to eat on our travels, and I quickly noticed a variety of foods from all over the world in Antwerp; it was all tasty. While of course I couldn’t try all the restaurants, here are some places I can recommend when you visit.

‘t Putke (For Regional Favorites) Fun fact, they don’t speak German, French or Dutch in Antwerp; technically, the official language is Flemish, a Dutch dialect. Thankfully, everyone we encountered spoke English and many spoke French because it is the official language one hour down the road. Of course, being in Antwerp, we wanted to try the regional foods. Because of the French and Dutch influence, the menu provided intriguing cuisine to interest guests. I got the Vol-au-vent, which is pretty much Flemish chicken and dumplings. While I am a bigger fan of my southern aunt’s chicken and dumplings, this creamy and hearty dish satisfied my craving to try delectable regional food and fueled me up for a day of adventuring.

Vol-au-vent (Tamala Malerk)

Libanezza (For Mediterranean Flare)

My favorite thing about this menu was the fact that it focused on small, affordable dishes that allowed me to sample a variety of items. The labneh was my absolute favorite, but I can also recommend the Houmas (hummus), Rkakat (puff pastry filled with herb cheese), the beef shawarma and Chich-Tawaok (herbed chicken on skewers).

Bavet (For DIY Pasta Dishes)

Think Cold Stone Creamery, but with pasta dishes. I really hope this place franchises in Germany soon. Choose from pre-selected combinations or make your own combination from scratch by picking your pasta style, sauce, cheese and toppings. I ordered the Holy Grail, a yummy cheesy and creamy Bolognese pasta dish topped with crunchy onions, bacon and sriracha. As a bonus, they give out free bibs upon arrival, so no worries about staining your clothes with the Bolognese. Depending on your appetite, you can choose between “normal” and “large” dishes. I chose the normal size, and it was more than plenty.

Writer with a bib (Tamala Malerk)

Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie (For all the Belgian Beers on a Rainy Afternoon)

Unfortunately, rain plagued much of our Antwerp adventure. And while I’m all about the idea that “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing,” I had reached my limit on being heavily cried on by the sky that day. That is where this brewery and tap room came in. My husband enjoyed the beer flights. I enjoyed the red wine and we both enjoyed playing Scrabble from their wide selection of board games. We spent hours playing, drinking and eating. I can highly recommend their pumpkin soup and extra-large pretzel, as well as the chocolate mousse. My only gripe is that the kids a few tables over never gave up gave up the Connect Four so we could have a turn

Inside the brewery (Tamala Malerk)

Del Sud Classico (For when you Need to Feed Everyone)

This is an Italian restaurant with a multi-page menu featuring salads, meat dishes, pasta, pizza, fish and desserts that ensures there is something for even the pickiest of eaters. I knew that I wanted to partake in some Belgian desserts after lunch, so I got the light Mozzarella Caprese, and my spouse got one of the pizzas, both of which tasted good.

Ray’s Coffee (For your Coffee and Pastry Needs)

If, like me, you have to start your day with a cup of coffee or tea, Ray’s Coffee has a varied menu so that you can get something different and delicious every day you are in Antwerp. They have your regular coffee shop staples, but it is their specialty coffees that really stand out. We tried their “superfood” coffees containing charcoal, beet and butterfly pea powder. Ordering those made me feel slightly better about also getting an Oreo latte which I thought would be espresso, milk and maybe some Oreo crumbles. It was in fact, espresso, milk, a ton of chocolate sauce, whipped cream and full-size Oreos on top. It was a sugar-fueled day!

Oreo iced coffee (Tamala Malerk)

There are only so many places where one can eat in a day, so I had to put some restaurants on my “to visit” list for next time: Tota-Empanadas Argentina, Philly: American Sandwich Bar, and SojuBar: Korean Fried Chicken and Beer.