The Solo Scale:

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If you’re visiting Antwerp for the day, you’re going to need to find a lunch spot. Downtown, you’re going to have so many options that it could feel paralyzing. For me, I’d passed a number of fantastic restaurants and found even more when searching some local recommendation forums, but the trouble was that I had a very specific craving. Maybe it was because we’d seen the sea on our way in, but all I wanted was seafood. Luckily, right near the cathedral in the heart of the city, I found Fish a’Gogo.

It’s easy to miss. The shopfront is extremely narrow. Even with a map, I wound up walking by it at first and doubling back. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a hole-in-the-wall, but it certainly is a bit of a secret unless you’re paying attention.

When it comes to the menu, you can order to stay or to go. If you want to stay, there are two little tables out front, otherwise there’s a dining area upstairs. Careful going upstairs, The stairs are extremely narrow and winding stairs (reminiscent of what you might also see in Amsterdam), so be careful!

If you do choose to stay, the chef behind the counter is extremely efficient. If you have multiple people at a table, you’re only permitted a single payment. No split cheques for a single table. Then, you get an order number and head upstairs to wait for your food to be delivered. Extra kudos to the wait staff here for bringing trays of food and beer up those stairs all day. Plus, it’s one way up and one way down, so make sure there isn’t too much traffic. The chef will make sure you’re ready to order if you’re in line. If not, you get punted out. When you are, the order is taken quickly, which helps make the wait super short.

The menu itself boasts what you might expect. Lots and lots of fish. If you sit upstairs, you’ll see pictures from the chef’s own album showing off his fishing prowess. The whole upstairs area is really nicely “sea” themed.

When you’re ordering your food, don’t forget about the drinks. They serve the Tripel d’Anvers on tap here, which is a great local Belgian beer that was first made in Antwerp. It was a hot day in the middle of a bit of a heatwave, so the cold beer was an absolute perfect pairing to the food.

As for the food, I had a shrimp croquette, fries, and tried the fish & chips, served with tartar. Every single dish was amazing and came with lots of bread and dipping mayo in the included price. Given the taste, the quality, and the value, this was an absolutely amazing lunch find seeing as I was craving seafood.

While the restaurant doesn’t have a website, you can check out their Instagram page to see what they’re about and get a few more details. Give them a follow! If you’re in Antwerp, downtown, and want something relatively affordable, quick, and delicious, then I highly recommend a visit to Fish a’Gogo!

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