Local Table & Tap

Mechelen Is Like a Mini Bruges Without the Crowds — Here’s How to Visit Belgium's Best-kept Secret

"For dinner, the four of us made our way to the old Vismarkt (fish market), a historic square that Anne and I had scoped out earlier, where several open-air restaurants beckoned with moselen (mussels), frietjes (“French” fries — which were invented in Belgium, by the way), and waterside views. We chose Local Table and Tap, settling into a table right on the square. As we shared a toast, our glasses rattling in the delight of discovering this under-the-radar Flanders jewel, I realized we hadn’t even reached Mechelen’s many museums, parks, or famous public library, occupying a baroque monastery ruin. Next time!" - Barbara Noe Kennedy