Every region has its speciality, but Flanders can boast dozens of superb dishes. The most popular dishes include Flemish beef stew, steak béarnaise, eel in green sauce, tomatoes stuffed with shrimp, vol-au-vent, steak tartare, and dame blanche for dessert. At these eateries, you are guaranteed to find one or more of these classics.
Tomatoes stuffed with shrimp at Ciro's
It goes without saying that hose looking for a good steak béarnaise or tomatoes stuffed with shrimp can find it at Ciro's. Here is where you can enjoy good old-fashioned Flemish food. The interior has been unchanged since the 1960s, the serving staff are dressed in flawless black and white outfits, and on the white table cloths you can be served other traditional favourites such as shrimp croquettes and dame blanche.
Amerikalei 6
Flemish beef stew at De Arme Duivel
Directly between Bourla and the fancy Schuttershofstraat is De Arme Duivel, where you can feast on an amazing beef stew with fries. Not a clump of fat in sight – just pieces of succulent meat. The mayonnaise is, of course, home-made and the accompanying beer is straight off the tap. You can also find steak tartare, shrimp and cheese croquettes, and vol-au-vent on the menu. And all in a cosy, traditional pub atmosphere.
Armeduivelstraat 1
Vol-au-vent at The Butcher's Son
Whoever says that you can only get blobs of something 'on a bed of' or 'a cloud of' at a Michelin-starred establishment certainly needs to stop by at The Butcher's Son. At the site of Brouwerij De Koninck, you can enjoy a vol-au-vent deluxe with black leg chicken, veal sweetbreads, and hollandaise sauce, for example. You can only order it for two, but the puff pastry top is a feast for the eyes.
Boomgaardstraat 1
Shrimp croquettes at Aux Vieux Port
In this ultra-French-style brasserie, everything is home-made and diners can even watch traditional preparations in front of them, such as the pressing of a duck carcass for the ultimate jus. Another speciality you'll gladly sink your teeth into is their artisanal cheese and shrimp croquettes. Accompanied by fried parsley, of course.
Napelsstraat 130
Eel in green sauce at Het Nieuw Palinghuis
In this monument of a fish restaurant by St Anna's Tunnel, you can feast on both sole meunière and eel in green sauce. The restaurant prides itself on only using wild-caught eel. The herb sauce, using chervil, among others, is also truly divine!
Sint-Jansvliet 14
Steak tartare in Bar(t) à Vin
In the centre of Antwerp's former abattoir district is this wonderful wine restaurant. The fact that this used to be a pig deboning premises is still noticeable from the authentic wall tiles with scenes featuring pigs from 1942. Try ordering the Mac Bart alongside the rare version. The steak tartare is then briefly seared so that it stays beautifully pink inside.
Lange Slachterijstraat 3-5
Steak béarnaise at Bistrot du Nord
Hidden behind Sint-Jansplein is a brilliant restaurant with the looks of a classic Parisian bistro. Chef Michaël Rewers learned his craft in Antwerp's former abattoir district and a string of Michelin-starred establishments. As a result, he even earned a star himself in 2013. The meat here melts in your mouth and the fries are out of this world. Make it a classic three-course menu by starting with shrimp croquettes and finishing your high-point with actually one of best dame blanches ever.
Lange Dijkstraat 36