What to eat in Antwerp, from mussels to chocolate

Mussels are one of the clearest choices when you want a recognisable Antwerp meal. A pot arrives with a large bowl for shells, bread and potatoes, creating a relaxed meal that suits sharing. Recipes vary, so ask about the seasoning before ordering. The white wine version is a helpful choice for a first visit, while richer broths offer a different local style.

North SeaiPhoto: Wilhelm II. Hohenzollern · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Fish and seafood also reflect Antwerp’s relationship with the Scheldt and its trading history. The river connects the city with the North Sea and with wider European food traditions. Depending on the day and restaurant, you may find fish soup, cooked fish or shellfish. Treat the menu as part of the discovery, and ask the staff what is fresh that day.

For a food-focused itinerary, leave room for a seafood lunch and save something lighter for later. You could follow it with fries, a waffle or chocolate rather than adding another heavy main course. HolidayWow can mark the restaurant, dessert stop and drink stop as separate points, helping the day remain balanced while still centred on Antwerp’s culinary character.

Fries are easy to sample in Antwerp and suit a quick meal between sightseeing plans. Order them as a shared portion and consider a sauce that complements the day. A serving paired with a drink can keep the stop concise, while a nearby park or square gives you a place to sit. The food is more memorable when you build in a moment to eat it straight from the basket.

Waffles provide another Belgian experience. A warm waffle works well as an afternoon snack or a casual dessert, with toppings chosen to match your taste. Chocolate deserves its own stop because Antwerp has a long association with chocolate production and selling. Look for a specialist shop, choose a piece to eat during the visit or buy something to bring home.

A sweet stop can be planned without taking over the whole day. Use HolidayWow to place chocolate, a waffle and an afternoon drink in a sensible route. You can move a stop to another day if the weather suits indoor tasting more, or swap one sweet stop for another. The plan checker then reorganises the day around the change.

Families can build meals around familiar Belgian dishes while adding a shared seafood or waffle experience. Keep the day relaxed and place a sit-down lunch between two attractions. HolidayWow can read the group, place and pace from a sentence, then draw each stop on the map. This makes it easier to see whether the route fits children, older travellers or a mixed-age group.

Couples have plenty of scope for a tasting day that combines the historic centre, a long lunch and an evening drink. A compact route makes it easier to linger without adding another place. Friends travelling together can use one shared plan, comment on options and vote on stops. The same link opens the itinerary for everyone, with viewing and editing roles.

The UK Bank Holiday planner can help you consider public holidays and leave days when forming a longer Antwerp food trip. A typical UK holiday allocation is 28 days, and relevant school breaks include half term, Easter holidays, summer holidays and Christmas holidays. Enter the dates once, then use the food stops as the structure for a short city break built around a wider holiday.

Start by writing a sentence that names Antwerp, your dates or month, who is travelling and the kind of meals you want. HolidayWow then reads the place, timing, group, pace and budget. You can use voice input if that is easier, and large text is available for travellers who prefer it. The first result becomes a map-based plan with pins for each stop.

LondoniPhoto: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

BirminghamiPhoto: BlueandWhiteStripes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Add one breakfast, a regional lunch, a Belgian snack and a planned drink. Review the order on the map, move a stop to another day if it feels misplaced, or lighten a day when you want more time. Stays, tours and transport appear through partners with live prices or a button to check the current price, and booking links use your language and currency.

From London, the live distance to Antwerp from London Gatwick is 199 miles, while London Stansted is 185 miles away. Manchester is 318 miles away and Birmingham is 276 miles. Add the airport that suits your door-to-door plan, then use the home address, ride, flight and transfer details to shape the beginning and end of the holiday. The app is free to download and to plan with.