Never at a dull moment by our Southern neighbors, that much is certain. Let's get to the best part of it the Eilandje In summary (the neighborhood is highly recommended, especially on nice days), we now go a little further Antwerp in. Et voila, a number of new favorites in a row, without the old(er) familiar Flemish favorites such as Fish bar, Bush bar, Le John, Small, Native en Tinsel (just a selection) of course. Oh, and if you miss some new (coffee) shops? They'll come next week. Just saying. To be continued.

Wild (Centre)
Gathering all vegan and vegetarian peeps at Wild! The little shop in a small side street (seek and you will find) does it just right, if you ask us. Delicious, not too complicated dishes on the menu and a casual atmosphere that makes you happy to sit down for lunch more than once. Grote Pieter Potstraat 21, Wild

Soekmekaar (Centre)
Delicious light meals for breakfast and lunch and with a great concept: the dishes are inspired by different cultures and the idea is to bring people from everywhere together under one roof. But even without that concept, Soekmekaar is highly recommended. The owner was mainly inspired by South Africa, the country where she lived for years. Arrow Street 13, Soekmekaar

St Vincent's
One of the most beautiful shops in the city, hands down. You can also drink coffee and eat (sweet) cake there. But it is mainly all the beautiful things for your home and for your body that make your mouth water. For him and for her, much from our own Belgian soil and everything from small ones so called independent brands. Kleine Markt 13, read more: St Vincent's

Roomin
One floor higher is temporarily Roomin, an inspiring interior concept that asks young interior architects and stylists to create temporary homes (where people cannot/are not allowed to live) with collaborating brands. This way, these creatives have a platform, and consumers get a new view of brands, both commercial, independent and unknown. Smart and inspiring concept that will soon also come to the Netherlands. Kleine Markt 13, Roomin

Schnitzel (University area, between the city center and the Eilandje)
Actually everything except Schnitzels on the menu at Schnitzel. What? Small delicious dishes in cozy pans and floral vintage plates. Special choices on the menu include guinea fowl sausage with asparagus and mushrooms, mackerel with tabbouleh and apricot, and a lot of attention is paid to particularly tasty vegetarian dishes such as gnocchi with field mushroom and broad beans, artichoke with aïoli and delicious green asparagus with 'Kamerijck', egg and lardo, Horse market 53, schnitzel

Rust (Island)
New, uncomplicated, an impressive interior and on the Eilandje. Sint-Saldegondiskaai 64, look at pictures and read more: Rust

Plateau Royal (Scheldt)
Antwerp is located on the Scheldt, of course, and so there is quite a bit of fishing going on, of course. That freshly caught fish goes straight to Plateau Royal, a new restaurant right on the water that you reach via a bridge. It is a bit of a 'food shop', although the prices do not reflect that. That's more due to the funny outfits of the staff and the size of the business. But it is highly recommended. Because tasty and cozy, and fun and again: delicious! Jordaenskaai 27, read more: Plateau Royal

Bar Gloed @ A-Tower (Centre)
A-Tower is Antwerp's temporary creative tower in the heart of the city. Temporary, because things will be closed down again at the end of the year. So go, really, go, because visiting the bar-café of A-Tower, Bar Gloed, is one of the best things you can do in Antwerp. Just steps from it Central Station. Van Ertbornstraat 10, view pictures and read more here: Bar Glow

Bia Mara (Center)
Fish & Chips, the refined variant, such as at the new The Chippy in Amsterdam. Maalderijstraat 1, read more: Bia Mara

Mirlo's ('t South)
All the pink girly sweetness on a stick in the 't Zuid district. Mirlo's is cute, you have to order at the bar and the coffee and breakfast/lunch dishes are beautifully presented. Verbondstraat 1, Mirlo's

Hotel Banks (Centre)
Hotel Banks? We've known them for a long time, right? Yes, but can we mention one more time that it is honestly the very best option in town for those traveling with a dog? Because although Antwerp is a striking place dog-friendly city is the most normal thing in the world (take it to the restaurant or café? almost everywhere), there are very few hotels where your small four-legged friend is welcome. Stupid! But at Hotel Banks it is allowed. Not only that: the hotel is in a perfect location in Antwerp, around the corner from the Groenplaats, three trips from the Scheldt and the parking areas there, around the corner from one of the nicest streets in the city, the Kloosterstraat. And if you go down that street, you are already in the 't Zuid district. Oh well, perfect. And then we haven't even talked about the hotel: wonderful rooms, light and fresh in a combination of light gray concrete, industrial elements and lots of white, which makes the hotel feel like a summer breeze, even in bad weather. A more than excellent basis for all the art in the hotel. Very comfortable bed in the room and a nice shower (with a not too economical jet). Voilà, there you have it: our regular accommodation address in the city, completely for each other. Stonemason vest 55, Banks Hotel