Experience a two-, three-, or four-course meal at lunchtime, or a five-course meal for dinner, at Album, where seasonal produce and fresh fish take center stage, accompanied by fresh pastas, fine cheeses, and other rotating menu items. Artichokes with North Sea shrimp and sea buckthorn have appeared, as well as mackerel and oysters with celeriac and Buddha’s hand.

“My favorite place for lunch and dinner with local and international friends is always Arte Restaurant,” says Indagare insider Boris Vervoort. “It’s owned by a Sardinian/Belgian family, and they serve Italian food in the best possible way: casual, authentic, and real.” Dishes include scampi tagliolini, beef with green pepper sauce, gorgonzola, and Béarnaise, pizzas, veal, tuna tartare, and plenty more. Take a peek at the lengthy dessert menu, which includes panna cotta and zabaglione.

At the Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, Bar Bulot by Hertzog Jan is a cosmopolitan brasserie serving primarily seafood. The design inside is clean and contemporary, with white tablecloths and blue velvet banquettes. There is an à la carte and a tasting menu on offer, with highlights being the signature brandade with cod, a poached farm egg, mousseline sauce and Zeebrugge brown shrimps and the scallop appetizer. This is a hot spot in Antwerp, and it works well for lunch or dinner.

Down the block from the Sapphire House in a fabulous old trading hall, this restaurant has a great bar and tables in an interior courtyard space. The atmosphere is festive, and the delicious is inspired by the cities of the world.

Fiskebar prides itself on working exclusively with European fish and shellfish and collaborating with local farmers. Plates include sea bass, lobster, oysters, whelks, mussels, shrimp and more. Don’t skip dessert, which can include things like tonka ice cream with coffee shoyu butterscotch and crème brûlée with passion fruit.

Located in the Botanic Sanctuary hotel, in the center of Antwerp, Hertog Jan is a tranquil escape from bustling city life currently holding two Michelin stars. They serve a Japanese omakase (chef’s choice) menu, where fixed dishes shine with seasonal products like wild turbot, Breton lobster ragout, and duck with beurre rouge. Set in a greenhouse with an herb garden and beehives, Hertog Jan has an intimate and relaxed atmosphere that’s great for leisurely lunches and dinners.

This Michelin-starred restaurant is the brainchild of chef Nicolas Misera, who focuses on fish and shellfish dishes in a restaurant bedecked in white tablecloths and china. Fine dining options are à la carte, and an open kitchen plan allows diners to peek at the creations the chef thinks up. Nicolas strives to tell personal stories with his food, giving guests a glimpse into his life and upbringing with each and every dish.

The restaurant at Huis de Colvenier bases its dishes on fresh products sourced straight from the market. Choose from three to seven courses, and talk with chef Patrick about what works best for your palate and wine selections. Langoustines, asparagus and lamb are always available, but you’ll also find daily choices like foie gras, fish and game. Ask to check out the wine cellar, where you’ll peruse more than 20,000 bottles of wine and enjoy aperitifs while going over the menu with the chef.

Putting a spin on the street food of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Shuk serves from-scratch Middle Eastern fare like fresh hummus and falafel, fire-roasted eggplant, sabich pita and weekly specials like chraime (spicy fish stew) and ktitzot (meat or veggie patties). “Lunch is always at Shuk for the best Middle Eastern mezze,” says Tania Beasley-Jolly, an Indagare insider. “It was started by old friends, Molly and Ika Zaken. They met in Paris many moons ago as two young chefs. I leave very full and fueled!”

Inside the former chapel of a military hospital, The Jane offers a tasting menu that typically includes fish and shellfish and one or two meat courses, followed by two dessert courses. The set menu is available at lunch and dinner, and it usually takes about four hours to experience the full tasting. All tables have views into the open kitchen, and there’s a lengthy wine list for pairings.