Antwerp - March 2026

This brief trip to Antwerp preceded a trip on a European Sleeper train to Decin in the north of the Czech Republic. This train from Brussels to Prague only runs on three days each week and Antwerp is the first stop. Arriving in Brussels on a Eurostar train from London on Tuesday 10 March 2026, we were able to connect with a SNCB train to Antwerp despite a strike on Belgian railways.

It's always a pleaure to arrive at Antwerpen Centraal. However, on this occasion an escalator from a low level platform was out of service but a lift provided the necessary elevation for us and our luggage to the original entrance. After a walk in the rain we reached Citybox, our economical contemporary accommodation for the night.

De Hovenier

An evening in Antwerp provided the opportunity to walk towards the cathedral and visit some bars. De Hovenier, Sint-Jacobsmarkt 26, wasn't busy at 18.45.

For the first beer in Antwerp, it was a simple choice to order draught De Koninck Bolleke, brewed nearby (€2.90 / 25cl). There are three other draught beers and 15 bottled beers, including Seef Bier and Tripel Westmalle (€4.30) on the laminated drinks menu.

The marble topped tables, traditional tiled floor, wood panelling and furniture make this a good example of a traditional bar. The landlord was jolly and a large drawing of his smiling face is pinned on a wall near the internal steel chimney pipe for the log burner. After settling for our drinks in cash it was nice to be invited to return another day. De Hovenier can be recommended as a place to call in for a beer for anyone not bothered by the choice of schmaltzy music that may be playing. 

Cafe de Kat

We arrived at Cafe de Kat, Wolstraat 22, at 19.45 and found a free window table. The laminated beer menu lists 3 draught beers including De Koninck(€3.60) and 18 bottles including Seef (€5.20) and Westmalle Tripel (€4.60).

Tim's choice was Westmalle Dubbel (€3.70). Despite the stylish Drinkt De Koninck neon sign behind the bar, this is a classic beer cafe with marble topped tables, traditional tiled floor, mirrors, wood panelling and furniture.

Mirror on far wall reflects neon sign above the bar

It is one of 16 Antwerp bars featured in Belgian Cafe Culture by Regula Ysewijn.

Jazz Cafe de Muze

Arriving at De Muze, Melkmarkt 15, by 8.45pm, before the 9pm jazz start, allowed us to find a table near the stage and order drinks before the 50 cent surcharge on drinks. Tim enjoyed a glass of Lupulus NEIPA with music from De Muze 5, the regular Tuesday night band. The handwritten beer menu card lists 10 draught beers including De Koninck Bolleke (€4.1) and 19 bottled beers including Seefbier (€5.4) and Westmalle Tripel (€5.3).

The dimly lit large space has a high ceiling, heavy light fittings, exposed beams and brickwork with two staircases to an upper level.

De Muze is near the Cathedral of our Lady which is illuminated at night.

Kassa 4

It's about a 15 minute walk from De Muze to Kassa 4, Ossenmarkt 21, near Citybox and the university. There were customers outside and we were able to find a table inside at 10.15pm. It was nice to discover plenty of traditional original features inside including floor tiles, marble table tops, wooden panelling and furniture.

A variety of enamel brewery signs are displayed on upper levels of the walls. A large blackboard above the bar lists the available beers, six on draught including De Koninck (€4) and 22 bottles priced at €4, €4.50 or €5 (maximum). Tim's last beer of the evening was a bottle of Troubadour Magma (€5). 

De Koninck Bar

The first beer of the afternoon on Wednesday was a Bolleke (€3.50) at the De Koninck Shop which has a bar and seating area.

The main De Koninck Bar is separated from the shop area by an internal opening.

Main bar with high seating and copper vessel in far room

This access was closed with a curtain due to a later opening time but there was an opportunity to get a photo. After many visits to Antwerp this was Tim's first visit to De Koninck brewery and with curiosity satisfied, probably the last. 

Speciale Belge Taproom

In contrast, a first visit to Speciale Belge Taproom is unlikely to be Tim's last.

Cobbled entrance to Taproom with blackboard listing beers

About a 12 minute walk towards Zurenborg from De Koninck Brewery, it is situated in the PAKT courtyard area that includes other enterprises including Caffenation PAKT for coffee. 

View towards bar with tank beers above and Untappd beer menu on screens

It's a friendly place with a slightly alternative feel to it. The brewery motto 'Goed Bier  Goed Volk' is displayed on an overhead banner.

Brewery vessels to the right of the bar can be observed through a glass screen.

From the 'home brewed' beers, Tim chose Al Blondy (€4.50) served in a stemmed glass with the brewery logo and tasting pleasantly fruity.

Ipadawan, a hazy DDH Session IPA (€5.5) proved equally enjoyable. Leaving at 5.15pm we had time to walk back to Citybox, collect our luggage, eat a quick meal at Thai Wok Express and buy cold beers at Proxy Delhaize, Astridplein, ready for the overnight train journey, departing at 20.02 hrs from a low level platform.

The chilled Leffe Blond and Tripel Karmeliet from the supermarket were enjoyed travelling through Belgium and the Netherlands before sleep across Germany until approaching Berlin.

Thursday 7.15am in Berlin - view from European Sleeper train

Antwerp - June 2025

On the annual trip to Antwerp for Beer Passion Weekend in late June, our group also visited Brussels and Lillo (Tim) or Ghent (Andrew, Keith, Richard & Simon) as described in separate posts:

Antwerp - Beer Passion Weekend 2025 at Handelsbeurs

Antwerp & Lillo by Waterbus 20 June 2025 + Ghent

As usual, we also visited several bars and taprooms in Antwerp during the trip including several favourites mentioned in previous posts. This post will start with a first visit to Station 1280 and include a few details of bars earmarked for a visit in future. 

Station 1280

In previous years, Station 1280 was always closed when an attempt was made to visit this bar, tucked away inside a neglected arcade of shops known as the Beehive, Winkelcentrum Oudaan, which lies just east of a landmark tall building, Politietoren.

Inside the main building, Station 1280 is next door to Uncharted Brew Co, a microbrewery which was closed as on previous visits.

Right: Andrew, Keith & Richard outside Station 1280

Having just met up with Andrew, Keith and Richard outside a favourite bar, Oud Arsenaal, which was closed this week, Station 1280 was Tim's first opportunity for a beer in Antwerp, the others having already enjoyed a beer at De Kroon van Hopland. On Thursday 19 June, Simon was still on his way to Antwerp.

Inside, there was a limited range of draught beers including some imported beers. The bar's current tap list with prices can be found on Untappd. Tim enjoyed Saison Dupont Biologique. Cheers to Richard who paid for our round of beers.

Bars to visit in future

The weather was very warm and it was tempting to stop at every bar but some had not yet opened and the temptation was resisted in other cases.

On the south side of Paardenmarkt, near the university, there are two colourful beer cafes that may be popular with students - Cafe Cousteau and Cafe Het Kleintje.

Bar Nest     +    Bar Noord

In the green area of Park Spoor Noord which is reclaimed railway land near the docks, with little shade to offer, there are two buildings which include contemporary spacious bar cafes with pleasant views and shade - Bar Nest and Bar Noord.

Near Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) and the docks are traditional warehouses including Felix Pakhuis which now includes a Wolf Sharing Food Market on the ground floor. There are various street food type kiosks and food / drinks are ordered online with a notification when ready for collection.

The draught beer range includes two Wolf beers - Wolf Blond and Wolf White both brewed at nearby Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie. Other beers include Cristal Pils and Triple d'Anvers.

Favourite bars and taprooms revisited

Panorama at Pelikaan with Simon, Keith, Andrew and Richard

Later on the Thursday evening, we chose Cafe de Pelikaan, on a Melkmarkt corner, near the cathedral, as a rendezvous for Simon. With tables inside, facing the bar, we were in a convenient position for service and to observe the constant activity behind the busy bar. The doors and windows were open on this warm evening. 

There's a good range of draught beers including Westmalle Duo and Tripel d'Anvers. Tim later ordered a local bottled beer not previously noticed - Bolder. This Antwerp brewed 7.5% Belgian Pale Ale, served in a delicate stemmed glass, was on the dry side and cost €4.60. A variety of music was playing including tracks by Nick Cave and Sam & Dave. On a busy Thursday night we stayed here until it was late before walking back to our various destinations, all quite near to the central station. 

On Friday, after a boat trip on the river Scheldt, Tim revisited De Ware Jacob and his visit to this favourite bar is covered in the Antwerp & Lillo by Waterbus post.

On Saturday, after Richard's traditional Saturday run, a double circuit of triangular Stadspark when in Antwerp, our lunchtime rendezvous was at the Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie taproom in Eilandje, the docks area. Tim's 9000 step walking route here was via Park Spoor Nord where Bar Nest and Bar Noord are located.

As one of the brewery's original crowdfunders, this visit is a tradition encouraged by Keith. We sat outside at a table with a parasol and went inside the taproom to order beers from the bar. New beers on this visit included Cadix Pils 'the only and original Antwerp Pilsner', a smooth and refreshing 5.2% ABV lager, not to be confused with Super Cadix, a dry hopped IPL variant. From the bottle, Martin's Populus is a limited edition 8% ABV lime blossom Tripel. 

However, draught Eilandje, named after the neighbourhood and now a regular ABC beer was Tim's favourite beer of those selected on this hot afternoon. It has tropical flavours and is an 'Antwerp interpretation of NEIPA'.

On the way to Dr Beer we had a look inside the historic Felix Pakhuis. However, after getting separated in the maze-like interior, both sub groups gave up on the idea of ordering a drink from the bar which is part of the Wolf Sharing Food Market.

Reunited at Dr Beer, Tim was excited to spot Boskeun, the strong Easter beer from De Dolle brouwers on draught tap 6. Apparently Boskeun is a childhood nickname given to Jo, one of the two Herteleer brothers and brewers, and means a hare. This would prove to be his favourite beer of the day.

Left: Simon & Richard + Right: (photo: Richard R) Tim & Andrew

While most customers, including Keith, Richard and Simon were outside, Andrew persuaded Tim to take advantage of a suspended cane chair for a unique seating experience! 

Jeroen Peeters arrived before our departure and Tim appreciated being greeted by the bar's owner just as we were leaving. 

Het Souke, on a corner of pedestrianised Hoogstraat, looked different with an A-board for LePlan outside and a Le Plan sign above the window. The translation of the words chalked on the A-board is 'More than 40 Antwerp beers' and several of these are from Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie as illustrated by the red enamel Seef sign at the entrance. 

Subsequent research revealed a March 2025 report that Erwin Liekens (41) is the new operator of Het Souke. Tim remembers visits in previous years when Jacob Gouka ran the bar with a friendly attitude and an interesting choice of music.

LePlan is the name of a relatively new brewery based in Westmalle linked to Dirk Vermeersch, a former rally driver who also owns a Rhone vineyard. Draught LePlan Extra 5 (photo above left) was Tim's first beer at Antwerp Beer Passion in Handelsbeurs on Friday, but the 4.8% ABV Blonde was too dry for his taste.

Near Het Souke and up the road from De Ware Jacob, De Vagant has been a group favourite for many years. Once it was the bar to enjoy flavoured Jenevers before or after a meal at De Groote Witte Arend opposite. 

Since May 2022, run by Bart Daems, it has become an uncluttered natural space with high windows and ceiling, a table reserved for chess and a well chosen range of beers including seven on draught. On Saturday evening, Tim enjoyed a bottle of Radio Minerva Tripel (€4), now a regular Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie beer which is named after a popular Antwerp radio station.

Antwerp - Beer Passion Weekend 2025

The 24th Bierpassie Weekend had a new (to Tim) setting in 2025 - Handelsbeurs Antwerpen. 

Since Tim's first attendance in 2016, the festival has been held in the paved open space of Groenplaats with views of the cathedral. 

However, longer serving members of the Belgian beer loving group, that Tim joined in 2016, advise that Handelsbeurs (Old Trade Exchange) was the setting for the first two events in 2000 and 2001.

The entrance to the festival is via Twaalfmaandenstraat, off Meir, Antwerp's main pedestrian street, near one of the inconspicuous entrances to Antwerpen Meir metro station.

At the entrance counter, one can purchase an entrance package including a tasting glass and beer tokens. Those returning with a tasting glass from a previous session or year can simply purchase the number of plastic beer tokens they require. This year tokens cost €3.50 for each 20cl tasting glass pour. 

A useful illustrated programme with a plan (above), music programme and tasting notes by beer sommelier and festival organiser Ben Vinken is also available.

The official opening was at 5pm on Friday 20 June. Tim arrived at 7pm and was joined by Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon about half an hour later. 

Richard & Andrew    +     Keith, Tim & Simon

Seats were available on one of the two long tables covered with white tablecloths. With a view of the stage from the middle of the room, this was our base for the rest of the evening.

Friday's musical entertainment was supplied by Floris and the Flames - a high energy set featuring Floris Willem playing violin.

Out of seven beers tasted at this session, Tim's favourite was Kasteel Tropical (7% ABV) with four others rating highly: Duvel Imperial Blond (10% - limited edition),  Paix Dieu Nova (6%), Stuut Juicy Dolly (5.8% - NEIPA) and Gulden Draak Blond (8%). These were all new beers since the last festival, marked Nieuw in red in the programme.

Handelsbeurs proved a welcome change of setting for the festival. As well as being good for socialising in an historic environment, another benefit was toilet facilities that were free to access, in contrast to the charge made at Groenplaats. We were among the last to leave at midnight.

Our group returned to Handelsbeurs on Saturday 21 June around 8.30pm and were again able to find seats at one of the central tables.

Saturday's musical entertainment was provided by Big Band Ekeren Brasschaat.

Tim's first two beers were disappointing but Brugse Zot Blond (6% ABV) was as good as ever.

Andrew's kind gift of a surplus token was a welcome chance to enjoy another glass of Kasteel Tropical before we left. Cheers!

Dates for the 2026 Bierpassie Weekend at Handelsbeurs, Antwerp, have been announced: 19-21 June.