Restaurant ‘t Hofke – Antwerp, Belgium

Right Down Our Alley

Restaurant ‘t Hofke – Antwerp, Belgium

Visited: September 2024

Our favorite restaurant on our trip to Belgium in 2024, was Restaurant ‘t Hofke located in Antwerp. It was so delicious, we dined here twice, which doesn’t  happen very often on vacation. t’Hofke is a family-run restaurant hidden down de Vlaeykensgang, a narrow, cobbled alley way which is the oldest alley in Antwerp dating from 1591. Close friends of Rubens (yes, that Rubens) lived here along with shoemakers, bell ringers and a host of others over the centuries.

The family (mother, two sons and cousins) has run the restaurant for the past 30 years. Over the course of the evening, we met a few members of the family and learned that their mom was on a well-deserved vacation to New York. Not to fear, the tiny kitchen was hopping and the food was fabulous.

Dine under the ancient fig tree in the courtyard, down the narrow steep steps to the cellar, in the enchanting dining room, or the cozy causeway, take your choice. Each space is quaint and comfortable.

On this evening, we, along with traveling companions, Kim and Mary, sat in the brick courtyard softly lit with bistro lights.

From the website, the menu is filled with “deliciousness.” It was such a calm and peaceful place to dine, and what a great meal.

I started with a Burgundian escargot with garlic, followed by the Filet Stroganoff with frites. Both dishes were really, really good. Tracy’s tagliatelli with shrimp, pieces of chicken and wok vegetables in a light curry sauce earned a Wow!

As did Kim’s New Zealand lamb with pesto, vegetables of the Provence and rosemary cream. Wow! Mary eschewed her usual fish choices (miracoli) and ordered a Steak Filet Mignon with salad, and mushroom or pepper sauce (I don’t recall which one she chose.)

Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert but we did see an amazing one being assembled (possibly the Sweet Sin t’Hofke?) in the kitchen on our way out.

The next day as we were roaming Antwerp, Tracy said we should return for lunch it was that good. We opted to dine in the outside courtyard, which was now covered with umbrellas in case it rained. Tracy ordered a Kir Royale, while I quaffed a local beer.

We were not quite as hungry as the evening before so I had the beef carpaccio with balsamic crème and parmesan while Tracy had the soup de jour of leek and spinach with a seeded loaf of bread.

Wow! Such deliciousness in its simplicity.

There were so many things we wanted to try on this menu but we had so little time and apparently not much room in our stomachs! There are also fixed menus for lunch and dinner. We highly recommend you try this hidden gem of a restaurant when you are in Antwerp. Hopefully, it will be right down your alley, too.

Restaurant ‘t Hofke
Oude Koornmarkt 16
2000 Antwerp
Monday – Friday 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23;45
Saturday – Sunday 12:00 – 23:45
Kitchen Open Until 22:00
No groups on Saturday evening