Eating and drinking is a real delight here. Take your time and enjoy it! There are restaurants by the hundred. From refined gastronomy, to exotic cuisine or ‘grandmother’s cooking’, it’s all here. And, of course, we mustn’t forget the famous mussels with Belgian fries The cafes are far too numerous to count and yet each has an atmosphere all of its own. They all offer an impressive list of beers to choose from, but if you want to try the only true Antwerp beer, order a ‘bolleke’ in customary cafe jargon. Some cafes have hundreds of different beer brands. The Kulminator cafe has 450 Belgian and 250 foreign beers for your taste! There is plenty for those with a sweet tooth, too! You’ll find delicious ‘Antwerpse handjes’ (Antwerp hands) at the baker’s and the best pralines you’ve ever tasted.
The imposing Meir and the De Keyserlei link the medieval and the 19th-century areas of the city center. These wide shopping streets and pedestrian areas are lined with department stores, trendy boutiques and chic fashion shops. The Sunday bird market is famous far beyond our borders, partly because it sells absolutely everything but mainly because of the way goods are presented and sold.
Collectors of knick-knacks, collectibles and curios can go treasure-hunting in the little shops along the Hoogstraat and the Kloosterstraat or visit the Saturday market near the Cathedral. With a little luck, they will find something that catches their eye amongst the bric-a-brac at the Friday market. Those looking for valuable antiques or objets d’art will stand a better chance in the Leopoldstraat and Schuttershofstraat area
