Antwerp - revisits - June 2024

Simon, Andrew and Richard at Antwerpse Brouw Co (ABC)

On my eighth visit to Antwerp (Thursday 20 June to Sunday 23 June 2024) to allow a seventh visit to Beer Passion Weekend festival, there was time to revisit several favourite bars in addition to those visited for the first time (Antwerp first visits - June 2024).

This post will follow a top down order from the key in the rough map above starting with Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie taproom. The top photo shows Simon and Andrew both wearing their decades old Bierpassie Weekend t-shirts on Saturday 22 June. I joined them in the courtyard, seated near a wedding party, after my first visit to 't Licht der Dokken and the viewing tower at Red Star Line museum. 

When there was a rain shower we moved inside to a raised corner of the taproom near the fermentation vessels and a view of the bar. I enjoyed a 33cl glass of Cheerio!, a limited edition 8% abv Tripel beer aged on natural fruit (raspberries, blackberries and sweet cherries (5 euros).

At the end of this post, the chart above showing posts about previous visits to Antwerp bars, provides blog post weblinks for more photos and descriptions of all the bars revisited.

Bar Paniek

Enjoying a quayside location, Bar Paniek is in the corner of a warehouse building now used as a workshop housing a fascinating collection of industrial equipment and products.

Classic tunes playing here included All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix) and appropriately Sitting on the Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding).  

Curved staircases lead to a mezzanine level above the bar. Many tables have games boards on them and pinball and darts can be played. The basic toilet facilities are accessed from outside. 

Dr Beer

The next Saturday afternoon visit was to Dr. Beer where we met up again with (L to R) Jennie, Paul and Linda. There was a long table against the far wall, beyond the bar, where we could sit together.

One of the many distinctive features of this cosy bar is that 500ml measures of beer are served in clinical measuring jugs!

Tim's 500ml jug of Johannes De Weize II brewed by Dok Brewing Co (Gent), served from tap 6, cost 8.40 euros. We ordered some late lunchtime food here e.g Croque Monsieur. Andrew treated us to a taste of his hot edamame beans. Tim met Jeroen Peeters, the owner, on his March 2024 visit so was glad to have another chat with him before we left. Jeroen had explained that at busy times only a single bill for a group can be paid by card but on this occasion he was able to accept two separate payments to accommodate us.

Dr Beer is a verified venue for Untappd allowing current beers on tap to be checked in advance.

Our subsequent visit to 't Waagstuk features in  the Antwerp - first visits June 2024 blog post.

The Northerner

We ended up at The Northerner on Friday 21 June after a day in Lier and and an evening at the Bierpassie Weekend festival in Groenplaats. It was the night of the Netherlands v France Euro 2024 football match and, unsurprisingly as we were in Flanders, the bar was crowded with Dutch supporters both inside and outside. Without hesitating, Simon weaved his way to the bar and emerged with a tray of Saison Dupont for us and we stood outside drinking until the match ended and there was space for us to go inside and sit down.

The bar emptied out later and there was a chance to get a photo showing the wheelback chairs, dark floor tiles and relatively low ceiling. I remembered it as a bigger space but in fact it is rather compact.

After midnight, Andrew fetched our table another round of drinks including a draught Brussels Beer Project Juice Junkie IPA for me, served in a stemmed glass (4.20 euros). As closing time approached the change in the music encouraged us to drink up although all the other chairs were stacked away before we actually left, without needing any direct requests to do so.

The Northerner is also an Untappd verified venue.

Jazzcafe De Muze

Having enjoyed two visits to De Muze in March, Tim was able to persuade the group to visit at the end of our first evening in Antwerp. It's located at Melkmarkt 15, just across the street from De Pelikaan.

Our table, in the 'tram compartment', between high backed wooden seats gave a side view of the stage and we particularly appreciated the trumpet player's musical abilities. Admission is free but there's an extra 50 cents per drink once the music starts.

Paters Vaetje

Paters Vaetje has a small frontage with a red canopy in Blauwmoezelstraat on the other side of the cathedral from Groenplaats.

Soon after arriving on Thursday evening, I met up with Andrew and Richards at a ground floor table near the entrance and enjoyed the familiarity of returning to an often visited bar where the service is always friendly. Simon would join us after a delay to watch the England v Denmark Euro 2024 match on a TV in a bar near Brussels Midi station. On this occasion we put the small kitchen to the test and enjoyed dishes of lasagne served in the pot or spaghetti bolognaise with parmesan cheese.

As tradition dictates, Tim's first beer in Antwerp was a draught Bolleke De Koninck.

De Ware Jacob

De Ware Jacob is an authentic traditional cafe bar featured in Belgian Cafe Culture by Regula Ysewijn. It's high on Tim's list for revisiting as the small range of draught beers includes Avec Les Bons Voeux from Brasserie Dupont (9.5% ABV). The menu includes a range of local beers on the first page. One can be sure of good service from Guy Dockx or his staff here.

Het Souke

Nearby, on a corner of pedestrianised Hoogstraat, is Het Souke, another of Tim's favourites now run by Jacob Gouka and also featured in the Belgian Cafe Culture book but under its previous ownership as 't Half Souke. Although it was initially empty inside there were customers outside and it would later fill up inside after the Belgium v Romania Euro 2024 game ended (2-0).

There are 5 draught beers and the bottled beer range is on display at the bar as well as being listed in the beer menu. Tim's freshly poured draught Val-Dieu is also on the bar in this photo. 

De Vagant

Another essential revisit, De Vagant was Tim's last bar of the day on Saturday after Het Souke and now after midnight! Cherry Chouffe on draught was an easy choice here. Owner Bart Daems can be seen behind the bar and a row of Jenever bottles.

Weblinks for blog posts  about previous visits to these bars

Name                         Blog link                                                         No of photos

Antwerpse Brouw Co https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html                         1

Antwerpse Brouw Co https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2019/07/antwerp-friday-28-june-2019.html                 5

Antwerpse Brouw Co https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2016/07/antwerp-2-seef-bier.html                         3

Antwerpse Brouw Co https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2018/07/antwerp-saturday-2362018.html                         8

Antwerpse Brouw Co https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/ABCrevisit.html                                         6

De Muze         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html                         4

De Vagant https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-revisits.html                                 3

De Vagant https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2022/07/Antwerp-2022-Hoogstraat.html                         6

De Vagant https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html                         1

De Ware Jacob https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2019/07/antwerp-thursday-27-june-2019.html                 3

De Ware Jacob https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2022/07/Antwerp-2022-Hoogstraat.html                         9

De Ware Jacob https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-revisits.html                                 3

De Ware Jacob https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html                         1

Dr Beer         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html                         2

Dr Beer         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-first-visits.html                         3

Het Souke https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-revisits.html                                 2

Het Souke https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2022/07/Antwerp-2022-Hoogstraat.html                         6

Het Souke https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2019/07/antwerp-thursday-27-june-2019.html                 1

Paniek         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2019/07/antwerp-friday-28-june-2019.html                 2

Paters Vaetje         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-revisits.html                                 1

Paters Vaetje         https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2019/07/antwerp-friday-28-june-2019.html                 4

The Northerner https://beereurope.blogspot.com/2023/07/antwerp-2023-first-visits.html                         3

Brussels - first visits - June 2024

With two nights in Brussels, after three nights in Antwerp for Bierpassie Weekend, there was a chance to visit some beer bars for the first time with Richard and Andrew on Monday and solo on Monday evening after their return to London.

Monday 24 June was warm and mainly sunny. We met up and enjoyed a relaxing start to the day in the shade of the trees in Parc Bruxelles with its fountains, bandstand and a choice of kiosks with outside seating for customers at the southern end. Fritz Kola or coffee were our initial choices from the Woodpecker kiosk.

From here it was mainly downhill, past several Brussels landmarks including St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral and the west entrance to Galeries Royale Saint-Hubert to reach our first traditional bar of the day.

Au Bon Vieux Temps

Tucked down an alley off Rue du Marche aux Herbes which is also accessibe from Galerie du Centre, we had our pick of tables inside Au Bon Vieux Temps as there were no other customers when we arrived.

Europop music was playing from the radio and there were incongruous 'No Smoking' stickers on the walls, both of which seemed inappropriate for the traditional setting which includes stained glass windows and a strange stovelike structure, with brass knobs, on that protruded from the big fireplace next to our inner corner table.

Richard and Andrew enjoyed glasses of Tripel Karmeliet while my lower strength and price choice was Lindemans Kriek (5 euros) served courteously by the lady at the bar. The simple menu includes a limited range of draught and bottled beers. 

We didn't have an opportunity to also visit A l'Imaige Nostre-Dame situated off an adjacent alley but to visit both would be a sensible option for visitors.

Le Corbeau

We reached Le Corbeau (The Raven) at Rue Saint-Michel 18, after a ten minute walk, mainly in a north easterly direction along bus pedestrian shopping streets, passing Primark en route.

Le Corbeau is a traditional brasserie, dating from 1874. The long room has a bar midway down one side next to an alcove and kitchen entrance towards the rear.

We chose a table on the opposite side to the bar giving us further views of the rear with a charming Stella Artois publicity image and the front entrance with etched glass and a model Atomium above the inner porch.

Our waistcoated waiter asked if we wanted food because none was available at this time today. Now it was my turn for a Tripel Karmeliet while Andrew and 'Beer Fridge engineer' Richard chose large chunky glasses of Hoegaarden.

Among the many enamel brewery signs on the walls is one for Non Peut-Etre brewed by De Proef Brouwerij near Ghent. Spotting this Richard commented that the name is a Brussels usage meaning Yes surely although literally it is No perhaps. Google confirmed this anomaly!

The music playing here was more to our taste and selections included Welcome to Tijuana by Manu Chao and Mr Jones by (appropriately) Counting Crows. (Tim's SoundHound App proved useful in identifying these tunes.)

The raven / crow theme is cleverly featured on wall decorations including a blue neon outline by the kitchen and film posters with adapted titles or altered images on the wall behind our table.

The red seat coverings are looking rather worn but the wear on the table tops gives them an interesting patina. Some research shows that this wear may be due to people dancing on the tables at night when the bar takes on a different personality!

The long room shape and the tables in lines layout at Le Corbeau reminded me of Le Coq and A la Mort Subite. I'm not a fan of Le Coq but warmed to Le Corbeau on a quiet afternoon. 

The renowned A la Mort Subite, visited in several previous years, would be our next destination and this is where Tim bid farewell to Richard and Andrew outside, before they headed to Brussels Midi for their Eurostar train back to London. 

Now left in sole charge, Tim headed north back to his Apart Hotel in Schaerbeek via the Botanical Gardens.

Interesting landmarks passed included 'The Container', a public artwork by Luc Deleu at the roundabout on Boulevard Pacheco. (Tim's first job was in freight forwarding and this role included booking space in shipping containers destined overseas for UK exporters.) 

After a walk through the green spaces of the Botanical Garden he looked inside Le Botanique cultural centre with its impressive orangery to find that, apart from the ticket office, it was closed on Mondays.

L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles

A little later in the day and after a decision to spend the evening in the Saint Gilles area, to the south of Brussels Midi station, Tim caught a #3 tram from Thomas stop (above ground) to Parvis de Saint-Gilles premetro station (underground).

The broad paved pedestrian area, to the east of St Gilles church, was busy with cafe customers enjoying the warm weather outside and buzzing with the sound of their conversations and music from the cafes.

It's only a few minutes walk to the cream coloured L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles with an entrance on the corner of Rue de Moscou and Rue de la Forge, just downhill from Brasserie de l'Union. 

With large windows, white walls and a blond wood bar, the space seems light and airy. There's a feature spiral staircase to an upper floor at the end of the bar. The colourful graphics and minimalist furniture give the taproom a contemporary feel. 

My beer choice was a 25cl glass of 5.5% ABV Le Pendu 'Une NEIPA mettant en avant les houblons Enigma, HBC 586, Amarillo et Bru-1. Bombe aromatique!' (4.80 euros) from tap XII. This was after a sample from the only working handpump (X) of Le Grand Oeuvre 7% ABV grape ale which was flat and too sour for my taste. 

You can find out what is on the taps 'The Tarot Deck' at L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles using the Untappd App as it's a verified venue. 

Music played here included How Soon is Now? by the Smiths.

Pizzas and snacks are served here and it's open daily from 5pm.

There's a stylish staircase down to the toilets, accessed from near the corner entrance to the bar.

Note that this bar is different from the original rustic style Brasserie L'Ermitage brewery and taproom at Rue Lambert Cricx 26 which is near Brussels Midi station and Cantillon in Brussels and only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Brasserie de l'Union                       Brasserie Verschueren

Tim spent the rest of this warm evening at the previously visited Brasserie de l'Union and Brasserie Verschueren in Saint Gilles.

Antwerp - first visits - June 2024

Our group of friends was in Antwerp from 20-23 June primarily to support Beer Passion / Bierpassie Weekend in Groenplaats but we also had time to visit local bars and sights.

While Simon recovered from a late finish on Friday and Richard recovered from a run around the triangular Stadspark on the Saturday morning, Tim set off on foot from Hotel National near Groenplaats to reach 't Licht der Dokken, following tram tracks for most of the way.

At Oudaan, a pedestrian shopping street features a small brass sculpture on a concrete pedestal under a tree of 'Den deugniet', the rascal.

Photo: Brasserie du Bocq

The Deugniet nickname and image is also used for a strong golden ale brewed by Brasserie du Bocq near Namur.

The Oudaan Winkelcentrum shopping centre composed of hexagon shapes, immediately west of Korte Gasthuisstraat, is in the shadow of the Politietoren a 15 storey brutalist tower built for Antwerp police but currently empty.

Oudaan Winkelzentrum is the location for both Uncharted Brew Co and Station 1280 which is just across a passage. They were both closed when I visited but a look through the windows of Uncharted Brew Co revealed some small brewing vessels. 

There is a bar, and tables for customers inside Station 1280 with a blackboard listing beers behind the bar, from breweries including Uncharted Brew Co, The Kernel, Cloudwater, Oskar Blues and Dok Brew. Days of opening are from Tuesday to Saturday. Perhaps a proper first visit can be achieved on a subsequent visit to Antwerp.

Boerentoren - view from Meirbrug

Tim now took a route north to Meirbrug and followed the tram tracks along Sint Katelijnevest and Sint Paulusstraat before turning towards the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS). 

Next to MAS there was a display of  human balancing skills above Bonapartedok. 

't Licht der Dokken

After this unusual entertainment, 't Licht der Dokken was found at the junction of Amsterdamstraat and Verbindingsdok Westkaai.

There were already some customers at tables outside but as the only customer inside there was an opportunity to take photos and sit at the best table by the window with a cup of coffee. The draught beers here are Stella Artois, Belle-Vue Kriek, Tripel Karmeliet and Bolleke De Koninck. I didn't see the bottled beer menu but the point of sale advertising suggests that Tripel d'Anvers, Seef Bier, Nonkel Pater and Super 8 Flandrien would be available.

The cafe bar with patterned floor tiles is traditionally furnished and the multiple mirrors make the space look bigger inside. Wall displays also indicate that cyclists are welcomed here. With Belgium playing a Euro 2024 football match this evening, the bar owner busied himself at mounting a flat screen TV on an external railing while standing on a table, thankfully without any damage.

I was tempted to order a Kriek if others would soon arrive but WhatsApp messages suggested a later rendezvous at the nearby Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie taproom was the plan so instead I used the time for a brief visit to the funnel shaped tower which can be accessed free from the Red Star Line shop and museum entrance.

Of course, there are splendid views in all directions from the top including some with the river Scheldt.

The subsequent visits to Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie and Dr Beer will be covered in a separate post for revisited Antwerp pubs. 

't Licht der Dokken - Photo: Google

There will surely be an opportunity to drink a beer at 't Licht der Dokken with friends on a subsequent visit to Antwerp's redeveloped docklands area.

If you're lucky, you may also see nearby Londenbrug being raised / lowered to allow vessels to pass.

't Waagstuk

Like 't Licht der Dokken, 't Waagstuk is a cafe bar featured in the 'More great cafes in Belgium' list at the back of the Belgium Cafe Culture book by Regula Ysewijn. Tim is hoping to tick all these one day and was pleased that the group agreed that this should be our next destination after visiting Dr Beer, only a ten minute walk away.

Stadswaag - Photo:Google

 't Waagstuk is situated on a corner of Stadswaag, a pleasant square filled with trees and several permanent long benches. There are several other bars in the same square. 

It is normal to order at the bar at 't Waagstuk and my order for Richard, Andrew, Simon and myself comprised 3 x 33cl glasses of Troubadour Magma NEIPA and a 33cl glass of Vicaris Triple Geuze from the taps.

We didn't sit in the courtyard but instead found a table in the main room next to the room with a billiards table. 

Paul and Simon

There was room for Paul, Jennie and Linda as well at our big wooden table.

This room has some enamel brewery signs and the unique light fittings have a light bulb set behind a semicircle of upturned beer bottles.

My position at the table opposite the window also gave a view towards the bar area which can be closed off by two sets of dungeon like steel gates. The floor is paved with traditional square tiles

There was an opportunity to get a photo of the entire bar area with its bar stools and ceramic beer mugs hanging from the rafters when we left. Situated near the University and with a reputation as one of the best student bars in Antwerp there must be many students with fond memories of this view! The option to sit at the bar in this high ceilinged room would surely appeal particularly to any individuals or couples. 

Expect the clientele here to change depending on whether it is university term time or not. 

It was nice to get around to ticking off this traditional bar with its interesting features but it's not high on my list for a revisit, especially with it's off centre location.