De Pelgrim is an old Antwerp cafe opposite the De Koninck brewery. So you know to ask for a bolleke. The cafe was rescued in 2014 by new owners who brought in a design team to renovate the interior.
The designers decided to keep the original tiled floors, wood panelling and cafe mirrors. They added a bar using wood old salvaged from Antwerp cafes. And decorated the walls with newspaper articles and historical photographs that chart the history of De Koninck and De Pelgrim.
The conservatory at the back of the café looks vaguely Oriental with its cane chairs, carpets and house plants.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
