Antwerp · Food · Restaurants

Nostalgia in the North

One thing I love about Antwerp, besides Elixir d’Anvers, is the fact that – wherever you find yourself walking – it surprises you with little cosy places like this one. The “Caravan” (translated: the trailer) is a lunch bar in the north of Antwerp, very close to the Park Spoor Noord, which makes it a number one destination in Summer (in high season you can even have a picnic basket to go).

The area, better known by locals as “Den Dam”, is quite isolated from other areas in town and was recently renovated. For example the Park Spoor Noord, which used to be a large terrain that was owned by the Belgian Railroads for repairing and maintenance of trains, is now renovated into a new green lung of the city. It didn’t take long for restaurants and bars to emerge in this part of town, once economically revolved around old abattoirs (or slaughterhouses).

“Caravan” is decorated with secondhand and vintage-furniture, which gives customers the feeling of being at home. Chairs and tables of different styles and sizes, a cupboard that could’ve been owned by my grandmother, an old armchair, even the tableware makes me feel all nostalgic. The menu offers breakfast formulas with a twist, such as the “hangover breakfast”: a strong breakfast with some aspirin on the side. Lunch also looks delicious: from country food to world kitchen. And everything is as fresh as morning’s dew! “Caravan” obviously deserves a place in my top 5 of favorite breakfast & lunch bars. Oh and did I mention they have cheesecake?

“She graduated high school I bought her a trailer
In a little park by the side of the road
I could’ve had the Army
I could’ve had the Navy
But no I had to go for a mobile home”

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Trailer

De Caravan, Damplein 17, 2060 Antwerpen, T: +32 (0)3 297 68 52.

Open every Monday to Sunday between 10pm and 9am, closed on Tuesday.