Point at the size cone you want and choose a sauce, mayonnaise is the classic default, but most frituurs offer a dozen options. Expect to pay around €3 for a large cone, hand-cut and double-fried.
Discover Authentic Antwerp: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
Ask the right person in Antwerp and you'll skip the tourist traps. Recommended by the team at Mercure Antwerp City South. That's exactly what this page offers: honest picks for restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods, an interactive map, and answers to the questions guests ask before they book.
Our map pins local favourites such as the MAS, Het Steen and The Chocolate Line, alongside our Mercure hotels.
Top 5 Things to Do in Antwerp
Frituur 't Stad
In the heart of Het Zuid, this frituur draws locals as much as visitors for classic Belgian frites, hand-cut, fried twice, about a centimetre thick, the way it's meant to be done. A large cone runs around €3, and picking a sauce is half the ritual.
The Chocolate Line
Set inside the Paleis op de Meir, this shop plays with flavour combinations you won't find in a standard pralines box, think spicy chili chocolate and mojito truffle, at €2 to €3 a piece. It's a five-minute detour from the Meir's main shopping stretch.
Vrijdagmarkt
A small square that turns into a proper flea market every Friday, with vintage furniture, old prints and odd trinkets spread out under the surrounding gabled houses. It rewards an unhurried browse rather than a quick pass-through.
Het Zuid
This former dockland district has become Antwerp's arts-and-food quarter, all cutting-edge galleries, cosy cafés and views over the Schelde. The first Friday of the month brings gallery openings across the neighbourhood, worth timing a visit around if you can.
deSingel International Arts Centre
A striking modernist venue for dance, music and architecture, tucked right by the business district and popular with locals for its programming rather than its postcard looks. It's a one-minute drive from the hotel, making it an easy evening out.
Explore Antwerp's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Antwerp
We've mapped local spots in Antwerp, from a medieval fortress to award-winning chocolate.
History & museums
Het Steen
Built between 1200 and 1225 as the gateway to a castle of the Dukes of Brabant. Today this riverside fortress houses a visitor centre and The Antwerp Story – the perfect place to start.
Old town, on the Scheldt · Medieval fortress · Ideal for starting your visit
MAS – Museum aan de Stroom
Neutelings Riedijk's red tower on the Scheldt tells Antwerp's story across ten floors, from trade to art and traditions. Keep climbing: the rooftop view is free.
Eilandje · Museum · Perfect for history and views
ZOO Antwerpen
Founded in 1843, one of the oldest zoos in the world and Belgium's oldest animal park. More than 5,000 animals – elephants, penguins, an aquarium – in landscaped gardens right by Central Station.
Next to Central Station · Zoo · Great for families
Gardens, chocolate & fashion
Den Botaniek
Created in 1825 to grow medicinal plants for the neighbouring St Elisabeth hospital, now a green pause in the city centre. Rose and water gardens, 2,000 herbs and cacti.
City centre · Botanic garden · Ideal for a quiet break
The Chocolate Line
Vodka-passion fruit, blueberry skulls… Named Chocolatier of the Year 2023 by Gault&Millau, The Chocolate Line likes it bold. Watch the chocolatiers at work in the Antwerp shop.
Antwerp · Chocolatier · Made for chocolate lovers
Fashion shopping streets
Go beyond the Meir. Kloosterstraat for vintage and interiors, Kammenstraat for eclectic boutiques, Nationalestraat for Belgian designers such as Dries Van Noten.
City centre · Shopping · Perfect for fashion lovers
Food & drink
Le John
A trendy spot on Kasteelpleinstraat, blending Belgian and French cooking with local produce.
Restaurant · Great for a gourmet dinner
Fiera
Fine dining under the soaring roof of the Handelsbeurs, Antwerp's 19th-century trade exchange.
Handelsbeurs · Restaurant · Ideal for a special occasion
Tinsel
Breakfast and lunch done right: seasonal plates, great coffee and Belgian suppliers.
Café · Perfect for brunch
FAQ
No, the hotel sits just outside it, which makes arriving by car more straightforward than for hotels closer to the historic centre.
Every Friday, as the name suggests, with vintage furniture and odds and ends spread across the square beneath the surrounding gabled houses.
Antwerp's largest museum, on the Scheldt in the Eilandje district, with ten floors of exhibitions and a rooftop view.
The Chocolate Line, named Chocolatier of the Year 2023 by Gault&Millau.
The Meir, plus Kloosterstraat for vintage, Kammenstraat for boutiques and Nationalestraat for designers.
Where to Sleep in Antwerp
See Mercure hotels in Antwerp, all within reach of these picks.