3 Best Restaurants in The Meir, Diamantwijk, and Centraal Station, Antwerp and the Northeast

Brussels may be the city best known for its frites, but that hasn't stopped this high-end Dutch friture from muscling in. Created by three-star Michelin chef Sergio Herman, its Antwerp branch was the first in Belgium (now in Ghent and Brussels), and its elaborate sauces, from "deep truffle" to seasonal specials like "olive and Catalan cream," make it something special. If you're looking for dinner, be aware that this places closed at 7.

The iron framework of the 19th-century Maison du Peuple, a building designed by famed Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta, supports this brasserie. It siphons a hip crowd from trendy Hopland Street and keeps a sunny feel with large mustard-yellow industrial beams and windows all around. The kitchen sends out brasserie favorites like Aberdeen Angus rib steak and frites, as well as tempting contemporary dishes with lighter wraps, bagels, and salad options for lunch.

This busy café-bar is found deep in the hipster spawning grounds of Mechelseplein, and while the menu is limited to a half dozen Flemish and French crowd-pleasers (beef carbonnade/stoofvlees, vol-au-vent, and the like) and burgers, it executes them extremely well—and at a good price. High, ornate ceilings, a long bar, and closely packed tables help perpetuate the communal vibe that carries most evenings along. It's a very chill spot, and the beer selection is pretty good.