“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.

With its cheeky French bulldog mascot, Billie's is a great local spot to explore the Antwerp beer scene. The cozy pub space features a downstairs bar with high-top tables and limited outdoor seating, and there is also a loft upstairs with smaller tables. A rotating menu of on-tap beers spotlights Belgian producers as well as international favorites like Brooklyn's Other Half Brewery, and there's a fixed menu of primary Belgian bottled beer. You can also order typical bar snacks like fries, wings, sausages and croquettes. A five-minute walk from the bar, Billie's also operates a beer shop, where you can also sample your purchases in a back garden.

Housed in a historic building on the cobblestoned Graanmarkt, Bourla's relaxed and charming atmosphere holds appeal for travelers and locals seeking a good meal in a cozy place. The interior has an old-school vibe with crystal chandeliers, burnt orange walls and a piano that is opened up on select evenings. Seating is also available street-side beneath the trees and white umbrellas. While the traditional cuisine—like rib roast and stuffed tomato—is certainly a draw, this is also a spot where travelers may just sit outside to enjoy a coffee, a glass of wine or a Belgian beer.

Indagare insider Boris Vervoordt prefers Caffenation for a cup of coffee in Antwerp. The roastery focuses on the entire journey of the coffee bean, from where it’s grown and harvested to who is selling it. The company strives to provide information on bean traceability, transparent pricing and in-season beans. You can also buy coffee and other coffee-centric items on their website.

Indagare insider Boris Vervoordt calls CRU “a fresh market offering the best quality and locally cultivated food grouped under one rooftop.” And with 10 different types of culinary crafts represented, including butchers, cheesemongers, fishmongers, greengrocers, a catering department, and a bakery with sourdough bread, you’re sure to find everything you need for a great meal here. They also sell flowers and beverages.

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!”