Guidebook for Mechelen

Jolien

Joined in 2013

Drinks & Nightlife

Our favourite places to enjoy a drink.

Zapoi

Cosy bar with lots of locals and friendly owners, our favourite :). Good place to taste some beers. Sometimes they have concerts in the basement. They also serve great food, with 1 vegetarian and 1 non-vegetarian suggestion.

8 locals recommend

Zapoi

117 Onze-Lieve-Vrouwestraat

8 locals recommend

Cosy bar with lots of locals and friendly owners, our favourite :). Good place to taste some beers. Sometimes they have concerts in the basement. They also serve great food, with 1 vegetarian and 1 non-vegetarian suggestion.

KUUB

Cool bar with mostly younger crowd. They usually have a party or concert during the weekends. Check their Facebook page for events. Ideal for sunny days, relax on their great terrace in the sun!

6 locals recommend

KUUB

3A Minderbroedersgang

6 locals recommend

Cool bar with mostly younger crowd. They usually have a party or concert during the weekends. Check their Facebook page for events. Ideal for sunny days, relax on their great terrace in the sun!

Unwined

Cosy wine bar, with a wide variety of wines for every budget.

13 locals recommend

Unwined

22 Steenweg

13 locals recommend

Cosy wine bar, with a wide variety of wines for every budget.

O'Fiach's

Irish Pub with gourmet burgers and fish & chips.

O'Fiach's

24 Grote Markt

Irish Pub with gourmet burgers and fish & chips.

Makadam

New name: Bar Makadam. They have a lare selection of (special) beers. Take some time to discover them, while relaxing on their sunny terrace. They also serve lunch and snacks.

Makadam

11 Grote Markt

New name: Bar Makadam. They have a lare selection of (special) beers. Take some time to discover them, while relaxing on their sunny terrace. They also serve lunch and snacks.

The Golden Fish

Local bar in art-nouveau style. Terrace by the water.

8 locals recommend

The Golden Fish

7 Nauwstraat

8 locals recommend

Local bar in art-nouveau style. Terrace by the water.

Sightseeing

St. Rumbold's Cathedral

Climb up the tower and enjoy the view. Best done with sunny weather.

42 locals recommend

St. Rumbold's Cathedral

12 Onder-Den-Toren

42 locals recommend

Climb up the tower and enjoy the view. Best done with sunny weather.

Joods Museum van Deportatie en Verzet VZW

Memorial, museum and research centre on Holocaust and Human rights

27 locals recommend

Joods Museum van Deportatie en Verzet VZW

153 Goswin de Stassartstraat

27 locals recommend

Memorial, museum and research centre on Holocaust and Human rights

Parks & Nature

Vrijbroekpark

Big city park, great to enjoy a walk or bring a pic-nic.

27 locals recommend

Vrijbroekpark

65 Ridder Dessainlaan

27 locals recommend

Big city park, great to enjoy a walk or bring a pic-nic.

Mechels Broek

A nature reserve outside the city centre, but nice to discover by foot or by bike.

16 locals recommend

Mechels Broek

16 locals recommend

A nature reserve outside the city centre, but nice to discover by foot or by bike.

Sinte Mettetuin

Cosy park hidden in the city centre.

Sinte Mettetuin

Schaalstraat

Cosy park hidden in the city centre.

Food Scene

Café de Wei

Café that serves simple but good food. Also recommended for vegetarians.

Café de Wei

6 Nauwstraat

Café that serves simple but good food. Also recommended for vegetarians.

La Boya

Moroccan restaurant that serves tajines and tapas-style dishes.

6 locals recommend

La Boya

16 Gebroeders Verhaegenstraat

6 locals recommend

Moroccan restaurant that serves tajines and tapas-style dishes.

Funky Jungle

Vegetarian/vegan restaurant

Funky Jungle

7 Onder-Den-Toren

Vegetarian/vegan restaurant

Het Anker

The city brewery with amazing beers! Also good if you want to try the Belgian cuisine. Their specialty is 'stoofvlees', a typical beef stew made with Carolus beer. Also in vegetarian option with seitan!

21 locals recommend

Het Anker

49 Guido Gezellelaan

21 locals recommend

The city brewery with amazing beers! Also good if you want to try the Belgian cuisine. Their specialty is 'stoofvlees', a typical beef stew made with Carolus beer. Also in vegetarian option with seitan!

Graspoort

It's recommended to make a reservation.

7 locals recommend

Graspoort

28 Begijnenstraat

7 locals recommend

It's recommended to make a reservation.

Sister Bean

Great brunch buffet during the weekends! Also good lunch options during the week.

8 locals recommend

Sister Bean

26 Vismarkt

8 locals recommend

Great brunch buffet during the weekends! Also good lunch options during the week.

Foom

Stop here for breakfast or a delicious high-tea! During weekends, brunch needs to be booked in advance.

6 locals recommend

Foom

2 Sint-Katelijnestraat

6 locals recommend

Stop here for breakfast or a delicious high-tea! During weekends, brunch needs to be booked in advance.

Niki's bakery

16 Guldenstraat

ViaVia Joker Reiscafé Mechelen

World kitchen with a nice and quiet terrace in the park.

7 locals recommend

ViaVia Joker Reiscafé Mechelen

50 Zandpoortvest

7 locals recommend

World kitchen with a nice and quiet terrace in the park.

Bar Klak

Coffee bar with terrace

Bar Klak

5/6 Schoenmarkt

Coffee bar with terrace

Bokes & Co (Tapas)

Specialized in 'bokes'; open sandwiches. Cozy retro-inspired interior

Bokes & Co (Tapas)

53 Korenmarkt

Specialized in 'bokes'; open sandwiches. Cozy retro-inspired interior

l'Artista

Modern Italian restaurant with cosy patio.

l'Artista

5 Begijnenstraat

Modern Italian restaurant with cosy patio.

Noen

Great place for breakfast, lunch, coffee & cake!

8 locals recommend

Noen

24 Leermarkt

8 locals recommend

Great place for breakfast, lunch, coffee & cake!

Cosma Food House

Fine dining in a modern-chique setting. Food sharing concept, ideal if you want to try many of their great dishes.

6 locals recommend

Cosma Food House

24 Befferstraat

6 locals recommend

Fine dining in a modern-chique setting. Food sharing concept, ideal if you want to try many of their great dishes.

Marcello

Best pizza in town!

Marcello

32 Borzestraat

Best pizza in town!

Arts & Culture

Joods Museum van Deportatie en Verzet VZW

If you are interested in World War 2 and the Holocaust, this is a must-visit. Very interesting museum on this topic.

27 locals recommend

Joods Museum van Deportatie en Verzet VZW

153 Goswin de Stassartstraat

27 locals recommend

If you are interested in World War 2 and the Holocaust, this is a must-visit. Very interesting museum on this topic.

Mechelen Cultural Center

Check their website for their current programme.

Mechelen Cultural Center

5 Minderbroedersgang

Check their website for their current programme.

kunstencentrum nona

NONA builds bridges between visitors and artists, the local and the international, art and education and encourages interaction between maker, medium and visitor. Each season NONA organizes a varied programme of Flemish, Dutch and international art that walks the tightrope between popular and elitist.

kunstencentrum nona

27 Begijnenstraat

NONA builds bridges between visitors and artists, the local and the international, art and education and encourages interaction between maker, medium and visitor. Each season NONA organizes a varied programme of Flemish, Dutch and international art that walks the tightrope between popular and elitist.

Museum Hof van Busleyden

Newly renovated city museum, step into this majestic and magnificent Renaissance palace in Mechelen, the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. In this museum they look back at the city’s glorious history and look ahead to the future.

8 locals recommend

Museum Hof van Busleyden

65 Frederik de Merodestraat

8 locals recommend

Newly renovated city museum, step into this majestic and magnificent Renaissance palace in Mechelen, the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. In this museum they look back at the city’s glorious history and look ahead to the future.