Den Engel, Antwerp 🇧🇪

Location: Grote Markt 3, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium

Year of Inscription: 2022

Venue Type: City Centre Bar / Historic Belgian Café

EBG Rating:8.5/10
Choice/
Quality of Drinks
❤️❤️❤️
Antwerp classics, on a compact but effectively normal, everyday menu, supplemented with some bottle choices. It’s Belgium so a gueuze may be casually placed in there.
Style/
Décor
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
One of the bar’s strongest features is its characterful historic interior with almost scorched ceiling from years of smoke and heat, something almost playfully referenced by helmets from the fire brigate and police department. Retro signage, breweriana, long bench seating and stools at the bar. Really a classic setup.
Atmosphere/
Character
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Local life abounding even in the centre of the Grote Markt, this is pretty much the epicentre of Antwerp’s social scene, and it knows it. But what makes that special is the democracy – there are no class barriers in here.
Amenities/
Events
❤️❤️❤️
Limited snacks, outdoor seating, fire
Value For Money❤️❤️❤️
Surprisingly reasonable given prime location on the central square. Fair prices kept that way to keep loyal customers and presumably due to an equally honest operation.
DescriptionOne of Antwerp’s and therefore Belgium’s finest bars, characterful local life of all classes gather here in what feels like the epicentre of Antwerp’s social activity and rumour mill. Even when it isn’t jam-packed the place still feels like where you’d go to pick up on the latest events or find a friend having a quiet drink. That says a great deal. This is before you get to the wonderfully characterful venue with its scorched ceiling, steam heater, array of fire and police hats and tiled floor. Much to see and enjoy – at fair prices too, an honest operation and a great bar. (Added July 2022)