Le Pain Quotidien

The founder of the Le Pain Quotidien chain, Alain Coumont, so longed for the sort of rustic bread made from natural ingredients he had loved as a child that he opened a bakery that bakes bread in an artisanal and labour-intensive manner. Take a seat at the communal table and try the brownies-with-a-difference, made without flour, or an irresistible chocolate bomb.

Information

addressIjzerenleen 35, Mechelen
phone+32 15 41 54 24
websiteVisit website

Beans

Beans is a convivial espresso bar on the Ijzerenleen. Sarah, a real barista, will prepare the perfect cup of coffee for you using freshly-ground beans. She loves what she does and you can taste that in every cup! You’ll discover some surprising blends too. Be sure to try the Brazilian Bomb, an award-winning latte macchiato with hazelnut syrup and Brazil nuts.

Brasserie Het Anker

Het Anker comprises not only a brewery and a hotel, but also a large brasserie serving a typical Belgian beer-based cuisine. Each dish is prepared with one of Het Anker’s beers. The brasserie was recently renovated, but still exudes the authentic atmosphere of a ‘brown café’. The speciality of the house is the ‘Mechels stoofpotje’, a stew prepared using Carolus beer. But Mechelen’s most typical dish - ‘Mechelse koekoek’ - is also on the menu and well worth trying.

De Zondvloed

De Zondvloed is a unique concept in Flanders. The shop is stacked floor to ceiling with new and second-hand books and remainders and on the top floor is a coffee salon, serving healthy juices, but also novelties like Iranian tea. So here you can enjoy a quiet drink, while leafing through the newspaper or just chilling out.

Kaffee-ine

Kaffee-ine is sometimes referred to as the Mechelen (but cheaper) alternative to Starbucks. However, it is best known for its organic slow coffee. Above the coffee bar is a pleasant lounge area. Be sure to try the Hollywood: a coffee with cream and Malteser flakes. And non-coffee-drinkers will love Kaffee-ine’s delicious hot chocolate.

Puro

This large, stylish cafe and restaurant housed in the old offices of the Lamot brewery pursues a concept of serving ‘pure cuisine’, starting with wholesome, quality ingredients. It prides itself on being a place where you can go for a deliciously healthy breakfast, a drink and a snack throughout the day or a full-scale meal.

Sister Bean

Two sisters, Marijke and Sara, brought the conviviality of Limburg with them to Mechelen and gave their coffee bar a warm, homely feel. The interior is vintage and has a couple of cosy corners where you can sit over a cup of coffee, guzzle cakes and put the world to rights. The coffee cocktails, served in real cocktail glasses, have proved a particular hit.

ViaVia Mechelen

After Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven, Mechelen now has its own ViaVia Reiscafé. ViaVia Mechelen enjoys a unique location: the Mill House is a remainder of the largest watermill complex in the Low Countries dating from the fifteenth century. It is the meeting place for everyone who appreciates three of the most important things in life: culture, nature and good food.

Le Pain Quotidien

Mechelen