Recently I went on a writing assignment to Antwerp, Belgium, where I was wined and dined in between incredible tours of art museums, cathedrals, and even an 11th-century castle. Although I was there as a member of the press covering a major art museum reopening, the multi-course meals made quite an impression on me as well.
Here’s a photo essay on the delicious foods available throughout Antwerp and even one in Ghent. Enjoy!
My food adventures started while I was waiting for my hotel room. After traveling for about 20 hours, I found myself at a little coffee shop called Exki. It might be a chain restaurant similar to Panera here in the states; coffee, danishes, soups, and the like.
For lunch, I achieved one of my goals for the trip: to eat a Belgian waffle from a street vendor. It was worth every calorie.
That evening I enjoyed a press event at an amazing venue called Leienpaleis. Mingling, networking, a tour of the building, and a progressive dinner.
The next day was the grand tour of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA), which included one impressive offering after another.
That evening, I rested my feet while in a cozy chair inside Fiera, with another round of food that was so delicious there were flavors I couldn’t even identify.
Lunch on Friday afternoon was served at the Ruben House; here, the location and history itself took all of my attention. We had a standing lunch, and that evening I went to dinner at Graanmarkt 13 with a few fellow writers and new friends.
The next day I took a train from Antwerp to Ghent, where I toured a castle, went on a quaint boat ride, and got to see the world-famous “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” altarpiece. In between these excursions, I had a meal at Du Progres that was so delicious I had to keep pausing to enjoy the flavors. In American terms, it was similar to a chicken pot pie, but much more “elevated,” as they say.
Lastly, I grabbed a relatively quick dinner at a place called Wasbar. It turns out that this was also a laundry mat, but you wouldn’t guess it from the front of the restaurant, and I had to look twice to confirm there were washers and dryers next to the tables. Great salad, though!
There you have it! My #foodporn from Belgium. Did I track my Weight Watchers points? No. Did I count my steps with a pedometer? No. I just enjoyed the visit, every moment, every bite.
I hope you enjoyed this, and that it inspires you to eat well, my friends – we only live once!
Until next time,
Cherie Dawn
Related article: 11 Tips on Traveling Alone and/or Abroad
LifeSoup by Cherie Dawn Haas 
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