Tasty food in Antwerp, Belgium

This one is nothing original, but salads have been dominating the food scene of most countries of the world, at least for the last hundred years. Caesar salad is one of the most common types of food available today, its ingredients being the most democratic mix of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Interesting and not too complex - just what a big city like Antwerp would offer in abundance.

Zilte is probably the best place to start.

The next offering for Antwerp plays into its heritage and pedigree, offering a little bit more class than the usual kinds of popular food. Sometimes, markets sell scallops already prepared in the shell, with only the meat remaining, and in restaurants, they are served both with the shell and out of it. The actual choice depends on whether you want to deal with getting the tender meat of the scallop from the hardened casing. All in all, it's not the food to get full, but a food to feel the taste.

Visbistro Mojo is a great option here.

Our next offering is both healthy, moderately sophisticated, and simple enough in terms of recipes to be popular among all kinds of people in Antwerp. Eggplants have plenty of minerals and vitamins, as well as antioxidant compounds that may reduce cholesterol. There are many recipes involving fried eggplants in many different cuisines, and sometimes they are served as a standalone dish in restaurants that can get a chef skilled enough to make the food taste the best.

Ni Shifu SICHUAN is an Asian place that offers just that.

The next offering was named after the Tatin sisters, who invented it and served it in their hotel as its signature dish. Tarte Tatin is composed of a fruit, most commonly an apple, caramelized in butter and sugar before being carefully baked to create a candy-like result. The pastry is quite popular due to its recipe being rather basic, but resulting in a uniquely tasting dish with healthier components than actual candies or fatty sweet desserts usually offered in restaurants around the world.

Staff's Kantine will cover your needs in this department.

This offering is quite refreshing due to the simplistic nostalgic nature of the very phrase "apple pie". In Western culture, this brings back memories of olden times, of country roads and family gatherings. Naturally, modern apple pies taste nothing like the granny's recipe, but they can still make even a picky eater feel good. It all depends on how well the chef at your restaurant can combine apples with dough and sugar to make the result taste the absolute best.

Caffe Mundi is the first place that comes to mind.

In today's world, pizza cannot surprise anyone when it comes to exploring the food scene of almost any city. However, if you want to learn different flavours and compare how they are made locally, specific variations like pizza Margherita will surely help. This is a kind of Neapolitan pizza, made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. The taste differs from plain regular pizzas usually found at public eating spots, so try and find a real restaurant.

Otomat Antwerpen is a safe bet.

If you're not in the mood for meat, dough, and fruit, you can always try a very old kind of food that's perfect for a less obvious dessert. Halva is a type of confectionery originating from the Middle East, the term itself actually covers a variety of recipes, the basis always being a thick paste based on flour or semolina, finely ground seeds or nuts, and sweetened with sugar or honey. It's sweet, strong, and not too heavy, making halva a universally beloved finisher for a good meal.

Sail & Anchor Antwerp is one of the places where you can find halva.

Here's another dish that isn't as obvious as ice cream or burgers, but absolutely befitting a large city like Antwerp. Halo-halo is a cold dessert originating from the Philippines and made up of crushed ice, evaporated milk or coconut milk. Secondary ingredients may include ube jam, sweetened kidney or garbanzo beans, coconut strips, sago, gulaman, pinipig, boiled taro or soft yams in cubes, flan, slices or portions. The result is refreshing, tasty, and quite original compared to alternatives.

Hechi is a place to check out for this kind of dessert.

Unlike the offerings from various parts of the world listed above, this one is all-Belgian. Dame Blanche is the name for a specific sweet dessert consisting of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, and warm molten chocolate. As you can imagine, this combination is very potent in terms of satisfying any sweet tooth. It has been said that the American sundae was directly inspired by Dame Blanche, and this is not too hard to believe.

Authentic Belgian Dame Blanche is recommended to anyone visiting Bistrot Du Nord.

The final entry on our list this time is the dish that Belgians usually make into a starter. Vol-au-vent is very special in its shape, it usually comprises a hollow case of puff pastry made by cutting two circles in rolled out puff pastry, cutting a hole in one of them, then stacking the ring-shaped piece on top of the disc-shaped piece. The dish is traditionally cooked, then filled with any of a variety of savoury or sweet fillings. In Belgium, vol-au-vent is a common main dish that can be found on the menus of most restaurants.

De Arme Duivel is one of them.

Antwerp is a big, old, yet ever-modern city. Exploring its corners and enjoying the wonders it has to offer is a pleasure in its own right. Do have fun when you're there.