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There are 2,500 taverns in Antwerp—one for every 200 inhabitants—and the city is the club-going capital of Belgium, which means that the centers of nightlife are abuzz until the wee hours of the morning. The narrow winding streets of the Grote Markt, around the cathedral in particular, are packed with cafés, bars, restaurants, and a few clubs; it's an area that's very popular with visitors and locals looking for a traditional ale or a nice meal. For the hipper, more artsy crowd, Mechelseplein is an area just coming to life and finding its feet, with plenty of the hip cafés, bars, and theaters. Alternatively, head south to Leuvenstraat, especially around the Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst (MuHKA), which teems with bars and clubs. You might even be able to catch a cabaret performance.
Along the waterfront at Vlaamse Kaai and Waalse Kaai, there's a large parking square where you'll find some of Antwerp's biggest clubs as well as a group of smaller pubs. Be advised, though, that they share the area with Antwerp's red-light district.
A hefty tome of a menu details the brewery, style, and country of a worldly range of craft ales and Belgian favorites. There are up to 11 beers on draft and around 150 bottled, but if you're at a loss, just ask---the staff are extremely knowledgeable. Grab a board game and settle down for the day, or head upstairs for some excellent Flemish home cooking. It's closed on Tuesday.
This has long been cited as one of the world's great beer bars, and it draws reverential beer pilgrims from around the globe. When open (it closes on Sunday and seemingly shuts its doors on a whim), Kulminator stocks some 600 brews, with many hailing from little-known or long-since-defunct breweries. Its interior is best described as "old clutter," and so long as you don't expect a warm welcome, you'll leave happy. Get here soon however—after more than 50 years of service the owners are in failing health, and the bar's long-term future is uncertain.
This long-running pub is a beer lover's paradise that stocks around 500 Belgian ales.
This typical brown café (old-style bar, all dark wood and nicotine-stained walls) has been operating since 1929, and little has changed. It's been in the same family for three generations and serves up a good selection of beers, particularly some unusual gueuze and kriek (lambic beers) at a decent price—much to the delight of its dedicated locals.
