Antwerp doesn’t try too hard, which is exactly why it works. The city has serious fashion credentials, six designers from the Royal Academy changed how the world thinks about Belgian design, but you won’t find plaques everywhere announcing this. Our Luxeparel boutique sits on Mechelsesteenweg near the National Bank where the locals shop instead of the tourist center where everyone’s buying waffles. Here’s how to make the most of it!
We open at 11am Tuesday through Saturday so spend time here! Our vintage Hermès belts and pre-loved Chanel bags deserve more than a quick scroll-through, and we actually know the stories behind the pieces. The Prada pumps you’re eyeing aren’t going anywhere in the next twenty minutes.
If you buy something and want to keep exploring, we can hold it while you walk the neighborhood.
Five-minute walk from our store, inside the iconic WATT tower (that brutalist concrete landmark you can’t miss). Belgian-Thai chef Tan Chollada Phimpharua runs the kitchen, serving brunch classics with an Asian twist. Industrial stainless steel interior, homemade chili garlic oil and the best matcha yuzu lemonade in Antwerp.
Indian restaurant doing sharing plates and modern street food. The thali concept lets you try multiple dishes without committing to one. Reservations recommended because locals know about this place.
Plant-based restaurant that proves vegetables don’t need to be boring. Seasonal menu, natural wine, wraparound counter where you can watch the kitchen work. They save some walk-in seats but book ahead if you want a table.
Two-minute walk from Luxeparel. If you have kids or know someone who does, this is where you’ll find designer children’s clothing that doesn’t look like miniature adult fashion. Jellycat plushies, Bobo Choses, play-friendly but still considered pieces.
Antwerp’s fashion museum. Check their website first because they close between exhibitions. When it’s open, the shows are serious: past retrospectives covered Raf Simons, Dries Van Noten, and Maison Margiela. This isn’t costumes on mannequins, this is actual fashion history.
Shopping street with a mix of independent boutiques, galeries and Belgian brands. Less crowded than the Meir, more interesting than chain stores.
Intimate sixteen-seat bistro with a seasonal menu that changes based on what’s actually good right now. Three starters, three mains, proper technique. The Dame Blanche dessert is worth ordering even if you’re full. Book well ahead because this place fills up fast.
The Harmonie neighborhood has clusters of bars and restaurants where locals go after work. Less polished than the city center, better for a cool night out.
Getting here: Train from Brussels takes 45 minutes to Antwerp Central Station. From there, tram 11 or 24 gets you to Mechelsesteenweg in 15 minutes. Or take a walk! It’s 20 minutes and you’ll see more of the city.
Timing: Most shops open 10-11am. Restaurants book up for dinner Thursday-Saturday. Many places close Monday.
Language: Everyone speaks English, but learning “hallo,“ “dank je,” and “tot ziens!” gets you surprisingly far.
Start at Luxeparel and work your way through the neighborhood from there. We’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-6pm, and every first Sunday of the month.
