My favorite places for bistrot food/ casual fine dining and great wine lists in Antwerp are
- Vieux Port ( fantastic )
- Misera wine bar
- Bart a vin
- Le Pristine
- Ciro’s
And many others ….
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I used to like Docks. Sad to see it’s long gone.
Thanks Herwig!
I’ll have a look through (Vieux Port looked very nice), get working on the boys and see if I can get enough on board for a Antwerp get away.
If not, not successful… Will bookmark them for a future visit.
Hi all, good chance I will be in Brussels for a few days with my wife (for work) in mid-April.
- Thoughts on whether to tack on another place like Antwerp, given we will probably only have one day spare? I’m inclined to just spend the time in Brussels (haven’t been in decades) but would go Bruges or Antwerp if highly recommended
- Any updates on restaurants with great food and Burgundy lists in particular?
Thanks!
I have family there who I visit often enough. Amsterdam is dirty and extremely over-touristed most of the year. Stay in Harlam and take day trips to Amsterdam, Delft, Utrect, Edam, Volendam, The Hague and the beaches. Also agree with previous posters- skip Brussels and Antwerp is a day trip.
That’s a hot take Shannon, maybe you’re not visiting the right parts of the town?
Bruges is to me much more over-touristed. There’s so many places off the touristic east to go to spots, and the citing remains very authentic and far from dirty.
I had a friend’s son over for his first abroad trip the other day and if you walk a few streets away from the touristic path, you have the most romantic and beautiful city you can imagine. It was a double Japanese WOW.
Rauno,
Personally I definitely wouldn’t spend all days in Brussels! Don’t sleep on Gent, it’s a very beautiful town (less touristic than Bruges). Probably my first choice however if one of you haven’t been to Bruges it’a definitely a (good and) better option than staying in Brussels. Been too long since I was in Antwerp but it’s a cool place, better go there than spend all days in Brussels…
Then again, Amsterdam is obviously even better and not far away but I’m sure my lovely Belgian neighbors (active here) will tell you otherwise. Btw, a few I’d love to meet in person!
I like Amsterdam a lot, although I’m sure I haven’t seen that much of it. I want to go back and do more wine focused stuff. That said it’s the only European city someone tried to mug me in. It… didn’t go well for the assailant.
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Let me know when you want to come - you’re more burgundy (in focus, not appreciation of it!) than my wine friends but you’ll have a good wine/food focused time for sure!
Most places normally don’t allow bringing your own wines, though many of the wine focused places will make exceptions for us.
After 18 years, it never happened to me - glad you sorted him out 
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Yeah was a weird situation, hadn’t had an issue living in much more dangerous places and this guy tried to jump me and my big Australian buddy when we tried to cut through an alley… bad decision.
I was in Amsterdam with my parents maybe 10 years ago and we had some excellent meals, but I didn’t really get to explore the wine scene. There were some really cool, innovative restaurants that I really liked and I imagine the food scene is even better now than before.
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You have to share the full story sometime, seems like an error or judgement to pick the two of you.
18 years ago food here in general was disappointing (except things like Indonesian food and fries), quite a lot better 10 years ago and now I think the level is quite good with France/Belgium as main influence perhaps.
I love your “hot take” that my opinion is because Ive not been to the right parts of Amsterdam. You do realize that Amsterdam is a relatively small area around 80 square miles. I’ve walked away from Amsterdam Central to other corners of the city limits. It actually can get pretty ugly with post war buildings. I’ve also biked miles within city limits and outside. I’ve taken lifeboat rides with my family from their summer lake home into Amsterdam. I stand by my opinion. Compared to many other cities in the Netherlands. Its dirty, it’s crowded and its being destroyed by over-tourism all year round. Harlem is a 13 minute bus ride into Amsterdam. I recommended this as a homebase to make day trips to other places. Proost!
No need to be offended Shannon, it’s your take. It’s the city of the free, you may have any opinion, look and dress however you want as long as you don’t bother anyone else in Amsterdam (it’s not liberal, people just couldn’t care less, unless…).
I live here. It’s small, 10-15 minutes bike to most places which is something I love! I meet plenty of people, hosted large/ small groups.
No one every shared your sentiment… too small yes, one Londoner who still like the town, but I also took them to other places than the most touristic spots. Real Amsterdam a few steps away from the tourist stokes. Walk in Jordaan on a Sunday AM - quite, you’re alone, birds singing, hardly any cars or anything else except you and the canals, perhaps an occasional bike or a random person.
It’s not Japan, but is is dirtier than Paris, Brussels, and any significant city in Europe (for sure not)? Perhaps marginally if you compare a Nordic capital. I almost stepped in a vomit last time I was in Haarlem…
I like Haarlem (Leiden and Utrecht are also pretty cities), it’s a nice city. The only reason 90% of Dutch (living nearby) would consider it over Amsterdam, is due to affordability vs living in Amsterdam. Dream about Amsterdam, settle for Haarlem (applies to ALL my friends living there) - I’m not ruling out myself doing the same btw.
Amsterdam has a vibe, energy and soul like few of any other city. It’s crowded for a reason, and the other cities, well for the same reasons, they are not crowded.
I mentioned that there are a lot of spots where one doesn’t have to be in the touristic crowed and enjoy the beauty of the city… I travel around to see different museum and thing here in NL, but honestly, you can’t compare any other Dutch city to Amsterdam. Going out, yes other places are nice. Rotterdam a bit rawer authentic, other places nice interesting but Amsterdam is the place to be.
Is there too much tourism? I even agree, on the otherhand, like I mentioned, if you know where to walk there’s nothing like Amsterdam… This is an example from less than a week ago, central station to Leidseplein busy with tourist (kind of what you explained), 1-2 minutes away…
Don’t want to suggest there is something wrong with Haarlem as a base. However even if you don’t like the city (all good), in my experience you reduced Amsterdam to something I don’t recognize, hence I wanted to share my view from living here’s since many years.
Happy to show you my Amsterdam whenever you come next time 
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Dear God, wake me when its over. Why cant you just leave my opinion alone. Go for a walk or have a glass of wine. Take it out on someone else.
If that’s how you feel, perhaps keep your opinion to yourself or post it in a blog or some other you focused social media might work better, rather than posting it in an online forum designed for engagement and conversations?
Except for the very last part, everything else what for everyone else who might read your opinion.
There we go, rise and shine.
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I live in Belgium, and would certainly recommend a day trip to Ghent or Leuven, both not too distant from Brussels. Plenty of good restaurants with decent wine lists.
Bruges is beautiful as well but, as others have mentioned, crowded by tourists.
Brussels has never been my favorite place, but I know of others who adore it. Personal tastes differ.
For a wine minded restaurant, Marcel in Antwerp is solid.
Enjoy your trip!
Brussels was the least interesting of the cities we visited in Belgium. I would probably do Ghent if I had the option. Antwerp was also nice but Ghent is like a cooler, less touristy Bruges.
Brussels by all means, for architecture and museums (including Wiertz, ignore haters).
The Belgian coast is quite unique; where else you can go on a tram ride along the beaches? Delvaux museum is worth a detour.
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