Antwerp Shopping Tips by belgianchocolate Top 5 Page for this destination

BURIE!: Antwerps best known 'chocolatier' Chocolates Review

Before I put this tip up I have checked ,
checked if they would still have enough for me
if I 'advertise' this shop. 'Burie is by far the best
know chocolatier in town. Please , if you want
to read about them have a look at the website
added below. Burie is know for his outrageous
window shop creations. A few I will remember for
a long time are for instance a big royal palace
for the wedding of prince Laurent , a real life
size ostrich to celebrate Easter , a giant
snowman in white chocolate...

So even if you don't like chocolate ,
go and have
a look at the shop.

What to buy:
They sell a lot of 'pralines' and most of them they
have them in milk chocolate and dark chocolate
creation. They are filled with nuts , cream , liquor ,
and anything delicious they can imagine...

Watch out , you can't keep every chocolate fresh
for ages. Ask for advice in the shop.

My favorite item they got is the 'choco'...
I like it so much I sometimes eat it without
smearing it on bread. ;-)

Address: Korte gasthuisstraat 3 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions:
Not far from the 'groenplaats' ,
in a nice pedestrian area.

Phone: 03 232 36 88

Theme: Food and Drink

Website: http://www.chobel.be/

Lambrechts Guy-David!: Manchetknopen! Antiques Review

The 'Mechelsesteenweg' was long time ago
the street with more exclusive shops.
These days you can still find some special
shops here. But this road is long , there is
a lot of traffic...


But if you go to see the 'national bank' or
the old 'justiepaleis' (palace of justice)
you might want to take a quick look at this
shop. He sells antiques and a Belgian
wine from the provincie Antwerpen.
(who cares , it is probably chateau migraine
and sold to a way too high price AND there has
been some fraud with it in the past.)


But the nice thing is he has got a collection of
cufflinks. (you know , those buttons to keep
the sleeves from old fashioned skirts together.)
The nice thing is he got them from famous people
and has them on displays with the scene
from the movie or with a picture of that person
wearing that design of button.

For collectors and a nice have-to-got-thing.

Address: Mechelsesteenweg 22 , 2018 Antwerpen

Directions:
Lots of public transport near the national bank.
(tram 7 , 8 , 12 , 24 ...)
On the other side of 'Brasserie Leopold'.

Other Contact: lgd@pandora.be

Phone: mobile 0477557376

Theme: Other

De vagant!: Among my favorite shops! Food and beverages Review

'De vagant' is one of Antwerp finest shops.
That has nothing to do with the decoration in
the shop but everything with what they sell.
Belgium is not only a country that is blessed
with all these kinds of beer but also a lot of
other alcoholic drinks are produced in small
family runned breweries. (stokerijen).

Now , de vagant is a café. One of those cozy
brown pubs where you can taste a lot of 'jenevers'.
But I don't like those very much...I'll go for the
cordials and the elixir's. The nice thing is that
if you like the drink you can buy it in the store
at the other side of the street. 400 Belgian
brewed drinks are on display.


Now isn't that a great tip for a souvenir
(for yourself as well?) The nice thing is they
also got some choice in miniatures!
Great for collectors and to try some at home.

Address: Reyndersstraat 25 , 2000 Antwerpen

Phone: (++ 32 )(0)3 233 15 38

Theme: Food and Drink

Website: http://%cb %fa http://www.devagant.be/

Mekanik strip.: An ideal souvenir? Music, books Review

Mekanik strip is the largest shop I know in it's
kind. Belgium is know for its comic books.
We call them strips...

This huge shop sells them and everything
related to them. It isn't a strictly Belgian shop.
They got them from all over the world.
Sometimes they got the artists themselves
to sign yours.

Anyway if your interested , check the website
and go and have a look.

What to pay:
The collectable objects are quit expensive ,
as well as computergames and chess plays.
But they are something unique...Normal
prices for baaks.

Address: Sint-Jacobsmarkt 73 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions: Go from meir through the 'Jezusstraat'
cross the street , it is just behind the corner.

Phone: 0032(0)3 234 2347

Theme: Books

Website: http://www.ximeralabs.com/mekanik/

WALTER®: The least you can say , colorful Cloths, shoes, fashion Review

Shop? It is a garage. I was walking the city
with Frederik when we stood in front of this
strange window shop in front of a garage
entrance. We got quit scared up when the
gate opened. The was Walter , waving from
behind the desk with a weak hand...another
familiar faces 'yoohood' at us. We had to get
a grip on ourselves in order not to burst into
a laugh.

Walter Van Beirendonck was born 4 februari 1957.
He studied in Antwerp at' the Royal Academy of
Fine Arts .Soon he became famous as parth
of the Antwerp six. They still are. You can say
he is the most rebel like of the six.
In 1997 U2 choose to wear T-shirts for their
Popmart-tournee. In the fashion year he became
curator of 'landed/geland'. Everybody in Belgium
knows Walter now...And you?

Oh yes , The shop is designed by the B-architecten.
A real hype...I don't like them. They put in some
colors and a lot of blabla. They design for
instance decors for plays with some lines
on the floor. I don't like Walter either. It is all
a bit too blatant for me...

Address: Sint. Antoniusstraat 12 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions:
In the fashion district , a side street from
the nationalestraat.

Theme: Men's Clothes

Website: http://%cb http://www.waltervanbeirendonck.com/index.html

Ganterie a. Boon.: A one item shop... Cloths, shoes, fashion Review

This shop opened it's doors in 1884 and it
has kept that special something. I never bought
something here. But I would love to , if I win the
lottery. Anyway you should do the effort to see
this shop , they sell gloves. Only gloves?
Yes only gloves!.

They got about 10000 pairs , in 496 boxes.
This shop breaths nostalgia with all those
little drawers. They got 7 sizes for gents and
6 for the ladies. The materials go from deer
leather to peccary and lamb leather....

What to pay: A quick look in the window tell you prices
up to 150 and 250 euro.....

Address: Lombardenvest 2 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions:
Just round the corner of the groenplaats ,
near 'modenatie' , Nationalestraat ,
behind the central post building.

Phone: 03/232 33 87

Theme: Other

KLEINBLATT!: Kosher ! Beer and liquor and delicatesses Review

This page would not be complete without men-
tioning 'KLEINBLATT'. Kleinblatt is in the
provinciestraat over a hunderd years. The
neighbourhood has changed in that time.
When the Bakery first opened it was in the
middle of the rich jewish citizens houses.
Now the main parth of the street are moroccan
shops , a polish supermarket , some Turkish
bakeries and a lot of telephone and internetshops.
The jewish community has moved to the
other side of the railway - near the city park.
The street doesn't looks so fresh anymore.
I find it an interesting street and I love it there
but it isn't popular with most 'Antwerpenaars'

What to buy:
But let's talk Kleinblatt. ;-) There is nothing
special about the bakery itselve. It is what they
sell. A good friend of mine always let me stop
for their special bread. German bread with sour-
dough. The cheesecake they sell per weight is
irresistible.


My personal favorites are the little breads with
all sorts of seeds and grains. And if the season
is there , buy their pastry filled with blueberries.

You'll see that everything is in different sections,
pavé etc. If they are not too busy they'll explain
to you what it all means. And you will understand
why it is also a bit more expensive.

Address: Provinciestraat 206 , 2018 Antwerpen

Directions:
Behind the zoo , near the Plantin-moretuslei.
Tram 11 stops almost in front of the door.
off the beaten path for sure.

Phone: 03 233 75 13

Theme: Food and Drink

Sjokkel!: Almost everything for children. Curiosity shops/toy shops Review

Everytime I buy something for myself I have it
wrapped like it is a gift. And it is a gift , for myself!
Their moto says : almost everything for
little children. Whatever.

I bet everything they sell was fashionable when
they were young. Tin toys , special puzzles ,
good old fashioned toys. I see them sometimes
even more as decorative items then as toys.
In December they even got a collection of
glass handmade christmas balls.

These people aren't really managers either.
The shop isn't really comfortable , you have to
lookn around for a while before it makes sence.
And last but not least they don't accept
banc cards. (really , yes really!)

But it is mayby that what makes this shop
so charming and original.

Address: Wijngaardstraat 4 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions:
Near the concienseplein , the popular pub
'quinten matsijs' , ....in a pedestrian area.

Phone: 03 234 28 27

Theme: Toys and Games

Chine Collection: Elegance , style , flowers... Cloths, shoes, fashion Review

If I were a woman I would know where to go.
Have a look at their website!
I always pass by this shop when I go to work.
The materials always seem to be very feminin ,
soft. They often got prints with flowers ,
stylish peacock prints and special accesoires.

It's 'prêt-a-porter 'but from an outstanding quality.
AND it is a ' Belgian brand.'

Address: Lombardenvest 37 , 2000 Antwerpen

Directions:
Lombardenvest is part of a pedestrian shopping
area with loads of special and nice shops.
The second store in Antwerp can be found
'Schuttershofstraat 50 , 2000 Antwerpen'.

Theme: Women's Clothes

Gerda de Vrij - Goudsmid.: One of a piece jewels... Jewelry Review

'Gerda de Vrij' designes jewelry and
makes them herself. She studied goldsmith in
Schoonhoven and design in Pforzheim in
Germany.She makes original jewels ,
artisanal made...

What to buy: Wedding rings?
Every coupple gets unique pieces made with
ideas from her own collection or after an idea
of the fiancees.

What to pay: The price is calculated by the weight
of the jewels and by the gemstones.

Address: Wijngaardstraat 6 , 2000 Antwerpen.

Directions:
Near the 'concienseplein' not far from the
oldest pub in Antwerp 'quinten matsijs'...5
minutes from the 'groenplaats'

Other Contact: %cb %fa gerda.de.vrij@pandora.be

Phone: 03 231 72 93

Theme: Jewelry