Antwerp September 2007 – VLM Magazine

RESTAURANTS
WITH FRIENDS

Funky Soul Potato

76 Volksstraat

Tel. 03 257 07 44


Restaurants come and go on the

trendy south side, but this little gem

has stood the test of time. Maybe

because of its simplicity? A baked

potato with your choice of topping,

a drink and that’s that. Good homely

cooking with a lively atmosphere.

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT

De Kaai

Hangar 26

Tel. 03 233 25 07

A popular lunch stop on the north

side with spectacular views of the

Scheldt. The diverse menu with fresh

fish, generous steaks and fresh-fromthe-market salads is sure to please

the toughest client. If it’s sunny, book

ahead for a table on the river terrace.

CLOSING THE DEAL

Dôme

2 Grote Hondstraat

Tel. 03 239 90 03

When you need to pull out all the stops,

there’s only one place in town. French

chef Julien Burlat’s refined cuisine

follows the seasons, and even with only seven starters and seven mains it’s

hard to opt for one over another. The €30 (£20) weekday lunch is a steal.

BARS
STYLE

Velvet Lounge

6 Luikstraat

Tel. 03 237 39 78

In a town where hip and trendy is

practically a requirement, this lounge

bar is a step above the rest. Sink into its hyper-modern couches, order one

of the ab fab cocktails and let the

signature lounge music hypnotise you.

Before you leave, buy a Velvet Lounge

CD to enjoy the vibe at home.

RELAX

Patine

1 Leopold De Waelstraat

Tel. 03 257 09 19

This bohemian wine bar-cum-tea room

is a haven of quiet right across from

the Fine Arts Museum. Wonderfully

light lunches, tasty cakes and early

afternoon wine and olives all mix well

together here. Try the lovely pavement

café if the sun’s out.

MUSIC

Buster

1 Kaasrui

Tel. 03 232 51 53

Right off the Grote Markt, this nonprofit‘ open podium’ hops practically

every Tuesday through Saturday.

Everything from jazz to stand-up

comedy to alternative rock. Practically

all the shows are free, so it’s rather

informal. Doors open around 8pm and

shows tend to start at 9pm.

HOTELS
VALUE

Marnix Bed & Breakfast

16 Welvaartstraat

Tel. 03 238 79 91

An authentic home-away-from-home

located in a grand old townhouse on

the south side, Marnix offers eclectic

rooms, each with their own unique

style. Singles from €50 (£33).

BUSINESS

Crowne Plaza Hotel Antwerp

10 Gerard le Grellelaan

Tel. 03 259 75 00

Recently refitted, this popular hotel

right off the outer ring features brilliant

new superior rooms with flat-screen

TVs and in-room workstations. With

ample onsite parking, new conference

facilities and still the best pool in town,

your stay is sure to be a happy one.

BESPOKE

Charles Rogier XI

11 Karel Rogierstraat

Tel. 0475 29 99 89

This private guesthouse is pure

paradise – not a detail is left out. Opt

for one of three gorgeously decorated rooms: Lady Bertinelli, Charles or

Vendôme. Your hostess Katrin shares

all her dining and shopping secrets to

ensure that your visit is simply perfect.

Don’t miss the generous breakfast

served in ‘Le Petit Salon’.

KNOWLEDGE
Feel like a walk in the park? Head over

to the Middelheim Open Air Museum

(www.middelheimmuseum.be). While

you are there, check out the bizarre

inflatable sculptures from American

artist Paul McCarthy. His exhibition

of works, Air Born – Air Borne – Air

Pressure, runs until the end of October.

A Story of the Image celebrates MuHKA

(www.muhka.be) or the Museum of

Contemporary Art’s 20th anniversary.

Part of a two-part exhibition and

book, it is the first time that the entire

collection will be examined. After

Antwerp, this exhibition will head off to

a new temporary home in Singapore.

Rather small in size, Antwerp is best

discovered on foot. To enhance your

stroll around town, stop in at the tourist

office (www.antwerpen.be) and pick

up a walking tour booklet suited to your

tastes. The various themed walks take

you everywhere from the historical

old neighbourhoods to the trendy

new docklands and cover practically

everything from Rubens to fashion. Pick

what you fancy and start strolling!

Serious chocolate fans wanting a

truly authentic cocoa bean fix should

head to Del Rey (www.delrey.be), the

preferred chocolate and cake address

for most diamond dealers in town.

Order a light lunch, leaving plenty of

room to top it off with your selected

cake – or pick some chocolates to take

home and share.

SECRETS
Belgium is known for its beer and

Antwerp is extremely proud of its

home brewery: De Koninck. Drafts of

its amber nectar, known and loved by

the locals as a ‘bolleke’, are served in

a classy stem glass complete with the

brewery logo – and enjoyed in pubs all

over town. www.dekoninck.com

Country Code: +32

Jenn Schlegel