2 Best Sights in Oude Stad and Het Eilandje, Antwerp and the Northeast

De Groote Witte Arend, in a secret courtyard near the Jordaens house, is in a former convent. The background music tends to be Vivaldi or Telemann, the atmosphere is genteel without being snobbish, and there's a good selection of draft beers and tasty sandwiches.

This place has gobs of atmosphere; it's crammed with more than 400 plaster saints and angels salvaged from old churches. Het Kathedraalcafé is tucked into a tiny street between the Grote Markt and the cathedral and serves traditional, hearty Vlaamse fare with a large selection of Trappist beers. It also has a pleasant terrace.