Coffee in Antwerp | Normo

I felt kind of stupid asking the people from Normo if I could write about them on my blog. Most of the time I write about places that are not that known. Normo is very popular and I doubt that my little blog with its few readers will make them even more successful, but I thought "what the heck". It's so damn good, cool and cosy that I felt like writing about it. The people who work there are so nice and the coffee is so good that I just couldn't risk any tourist to miss out just because I was too shy to ask them if I could take some pictures.

Normo is very well located. It's near the city center and close to the university and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts which makes it very tempting to stop by and grab a coffee after a long day of shopping or a long day at uni. I had a delicious latté and my friend went with a flat white. They also have their own brand, so if you're lazy and don't feel like going out for a coffee everyday you can simply purchase a bag of their delicious Normo coffee and do it yourself at home. 

Apart from the location, coffee and people that work there, I also love the interior. If you love the cofeebars in London and New York, but can't afford to go there every weekend, you should definitely try out Normo. There are many ways to sip your coffee at Normo; you can sit on one of the benches outside and enjoy the sun, do some work on the large wooden table, sit on a high chair staring out of the window, have a talk with your friend at a marble table or enjoy a good book in one of their sofas. 

I haven't tried their cakes and pies yet, but I'll do that once I've lost that extra christmas weight.

Let me know if you are planning on visiting Normo, or if you've already been... Let me know what you think.

X Jeanneke

NORMO
Minderbroedersrui 30, 2000 Antwerp
http://www.normocoffee.be/

Breakfast in Antwerp | Maison Tartine

http://reneevanzadelhoffphotography.tumblr.com/

Sometimes I have to remind myself that it is perfectly okay to have a few very close girlfriends instead of a big group of boys and girls to go out with. 
When I first started university I had this image in my head that I was going to meet so many great people and that I would go partying with them every single week. I did try for a few months to go and sit next to strangers, starting awkward conversations and in the end concluding that you have absolutely nothing in common apart from the fact that you both think it's too cold outside.

When I finally had some time to meet up with the girlfriends I've known for a while, I realized that I should be happy with the few very lovely friends I have. Not having to think too much about what you're going to say. Never having enough time to say everything you want to say to them. Meeting up twice in one day, because there's never enough time. Making plans for summer. Talking about food. Planning a christmas party. Wearing the same watch. Asking them to come to your class, because two hours goes by way faster with your close friends next to you.
Last but not least, having a lovely breakfast with them at one of my favourite places in Antwerp. 

Maison Tartine is most popular for its great tartines, as the name suggests. Many young people go there for lunch since it's located quite closely to the Academy of modern arts and the University of Antwerp. Having a very big menu isn't always a good thing, because you have to make sure that everything on there is delicious. You know what they say: "Quality over quantity." And I totally agree with that, but Maison Tartine gets every single recipe right.
We went quite early in the morning and there was a very cozy atmosphere. I don't think there were any christmas decorations up yet, but the lighting and music were just very warm and suiting.

We really enjoyed our breakfast! I went for cruesly with greek yoghurt, dried fruit, nuts and fresh fruit, Julia got the tartine with omelet and bacon and Renée got a boiled egg with "soldiers" and a "plistolé" with nutella. For drinks I went with a tea and a cappuccino (yes two drinks because my friends overslept and were half an hour too late).
Make sure to check out this hotspot if you're in the neighborhood. It's totally worth a visit.

Why go to Maison Tartine? 
Cosy atmosphere, delicious tartines, big menu, lovely staff, good coffee, letterkoekjes!

Breakfast in Antwerp | Eten Vol Leven

Yes, it's me again, with another breakfast post. I will never understand people who skip breakfast. I mean how do you survive an entire morning without eating anything? Maybe I'm one of the few that's extremely active in the mornings. I just love riding my bike down the empty streets on my way to the bakery. Normally Sundays are for sleeping in, but I get up extremely early just to make sure that I wouldn't arrive at a sold-out bakery. When you're craving that one specific pastry all week and the employee tells you they ran out of exactly that one... We want to avoid that right?

Although I do love me a big Sunday brunch with eggs and pastry, I usually have a very healthy breakfast. In fact, I'm always very motivated in the mornings to start a healthy day and then I give up around midday. But it's a good thing that I can balance things out a little by starting my days with a healthy breakfast.

Today I'll be introducing you to Eten Vol Leven, a place where you will not get seduced by pancakes or French Toast, because they only serve healthy and fresh food. So if you're someone like me who always ends up getting the unhealthiest, most decadent thing on the menu, this is the place to go if you don't want to slip up again.

I went for their Lifefood Granola and a Chai latte with cashew milk. I really enjoyed this lovely breakfast. The Chai Latte was heartwarming (I think I might have heard them make my cashew milk on the spot, I mean I heard something mixing so I guess they were mixing the cashews?). The granola was nothing like an average granola bowl, it was very light and the ingredients where out of the ordinary. The granola was made out of sprouted buckwheat and millet served with nuts, dried fruit and almond milk. 

The interior is also very pretty and there are piles of magazines everywhere. The people who work there are extremely friendly! They even gave me a little healthy snack to take away, because I was going to write this article about them. No one has done anything like that for me before and it made my day.

I strongly recommend Eten Vol Leven, for people who are interested in healthy, raw, vegan, gluten free food or for those who just love to try out something different.

Breakfast in Antwerp | Koek & Zopie

Before I went to university, I used to pass by Koek & Zopie twice a day on my way to school and back. So that means I've passed this lovely cafe a billion times without going inside. If only I knew back then what I was missing. I'm talking beautiful interior, great menu, pleasant staff, and delicious breakfasts!

I could've gone for the yoghourt and granola, but I thought I'd go all the way and order me some french toast with clotted cream, mint and berries. When my plate arrived it almost screamed "made-with-love"! I loved how the thick slices of bread seemed to be of a very good quality with beautiful poppy seeds on the crust. I always try to get a little piece of every single ingredient on my fork, so that all the flavours unite and my tastebuds can have a little party. First a berry, then a piece of french toast topped with a spoonful of clotted cream and lastly a bit of mint which gives you that fresh taste. 

I ordered a cappuccino to warm me up a little, and it came on this wooden tray which made my cappuccino taste even better. I'm not that person that thinks you eat with your eyes and presentation is everything, but I have to admit that everything looks better on a wooden chopping bord, tray or table. I can't wait to go back and try something else, because literally everything on their menu screamed my name. 

Breakfast in Antwerp | Coffeelabs

I don't really dare to say that I'm creating a little guide about breakfast in Antwerp, because as soon as I try to commit to something I give up. But I have to admit that I love writing these articles! 
I feel like tourists always seem to get lost without even knowing they're lost. I mean that they think they've seen Antwerp, but in fact they haven't seen anything. You won't find treasures "op de Meir" or "rond de Grote Markt". Don't get me wrong; I do love our waffles, chocolate and fries, but the real good and cozy places are a little bit hidden. Tourists or maybe even people who live in Antwerp probably have been only 20 meters away from Coffeelabs without even knowing it's there. 

Coffeelabs is a place where you can go for breakfast, lunch, sweets or drinks. They're mostly known for a place to go when you feel like taking things out of the office. You'll see many laptops and Iphones there, but also people reading books (like me) or friends getting together. 

They've got a pretty big breakfast menu and I can't wait to try everything out! This time however, I asked the lady, who very kindly served me, what the best thing on the menu was, to make sure that it'd be worth telling you guys about. She told me that the cappuccino and the avocado on toast were the best selling breakfasts. I obviously ordered what she recommended and even though I have a major sweet tooth in the morning, I really enjoyed this healthy breakfast. She even served my cappuccino together with my toast, so that I could take pictures without my cappuccino getting cold! 
The next time I go there I will probably try something else (sweeter) like their granola, vegan scones or french toast!

In summer, Coffeelabs is located on the top floor with a rooftop terrace. Now that it's getting colder they've moved downstairs and I have to say that I like this location better. It's so cosy!

So if you ever find yourself with a hungry stomach on the Meir, think about the little side streets!

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoffeelabsAntwerp/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/coffeelabs_antwerp/

Breakfast in Antwerp | September.

People are often afraid to go somewhere by themselves. Me, however, I love a little me-time. When you travel alone, you have no choice but to go eat somewhere by yourself. That's how I learned to love it. A beautiful interior, good music, delicious food, warm drinks and a good book is all I need not to feel lonely. Seriously, I think you should try it. Just make sure not to get too antisocial and ask a friend to join you from time to time.

I grew up in Borgerhout. In my eyes it used to be a neighborhood where you would only come if you lived there or came to visit someone. But they recently took things to another level. Small events, markets, coffeeshops, restaurants, bakeries and parties began to show up. One of these restaurants / coffee places is September.

You can go there for coffee, tea, wine, breakfast, lunch or pie on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. And they serve dinner on Mondays and apericena on Fridays. Check out their website for the Monday evening menu (vegetarian every other week). It's just around my corner so I often get tempted to grab my books and go study at September. I think anyone would pick studying on a marble table over studying at home.

This was the first time I went there for breakfast and I will definitely do it again. I got a rose tea and granola with lime and ginger confit which was delicious. Everything is also very reasonable priced which is always a beautiful bonus.

I strongly recommend paying a visit to September for those of you who live in Antwerp or those who are planning to visit this beautiful city.

Info:
Webiste
Facebook

Lunch in Antwerp | Perruche

Friends are those who ask you over brunch if you're willing to have dinner with them. Friends are those who photograph your food because you're too awkward to do it yourself. A friend is Oona. Check out her website for more of her lovely work!

Let's talk about Perruche, one of the many places you'll find me sipping coffee.
Perruche might be one of the most popular bars in Antwerp for sandwiches, coffee and homemade lemonades. On saturdays their terrace is crowded with people who just finished shopping at the 'Vogeltjesmarkt' down the street. 
Oona and I both went for a sandwich with goat cheese, beetroot and homemade chutney. It was de-li-ci-ous. 

Another thing to love about Perruche is that it isn't only a coffeebar, but they also serve wine, cava and other lovely drinks. In fact, after I graduated I want straight to Perruche for a glass of cava. We leant our backs against their window, closed our eyes and enjoyed the sun. 

So why Perruche?

Sandwiches, coffee, lemonades, wine, cava, sun, flowers and most of all very friendly waitresses!