Hotspot: De Vleeshalle, Mechelen

Can’t you figure out what you want to eat or are you in need of a night off? Then there is a place in Mechelen where you must have been as a food lover: De Vleeshalle. It’s a cozy place where you can enjoy plenty of different dishes.

De Vleeshalle was originally a marketplace where butchers offered their merchandise, but now it has blossomed into a beautiful hall where various stallholders prepare their best dishes to eat on the spot. All these dishes are made with fresh ingredients and take you on a journey of taste.

Plenty of choice

On the bottom floor, you will find twelve exhibitors and one pop-up that will give you a taste of all kinds of typical traditional dishes from different origins. So there is something for everyone! From the one and only Kitty O’Shea’s Cottage Pie to a tasty Mezze. Also for the healthy people among us, there is plenty of choices, dishes with fresh fruit and vegetables are also present, not to mention the delicious dishes with avocado.

The nicest thing about this concept is that you don’t have to choose just one dish, you can order from different stalls to taste meals from all kinds of cultures and share amongst friends and family. It’s a bit like a market as we all know it, all kinds of stalls whose aromas will attract you. There is plenty of space to eat your food at ease. In the middle of the hall is the bar where you can try the local beers of Mechelen. The kitchens are open so you can see the dishes being prepared, which is a spectacle in itself.

“The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating.” –  John Walters

More than food

On the second floor are the ‘gangmakers’, they give color to de Vleeshalle. For example, are you interested in a new tattoo or piercing? Or would you like to surprise your partner with a bouquet of flowers? Then the ‘gangmakers’ will be happy to help you on your way. All kinds of businesses are located on the second floor, you can go there for all kinds of things. Interior designers, personal trainers, offices, a make-up shop, and a furniture shop, nothing is too crazy.

Another great detail about de Vleeshalle is that you’re free in the choices you make. There’s no impatient waiter at your table to take your order and you don’t have the stress of choosing which restaurant to go to. As a family it is even common for one person to feel like a tasty burger while the other is more likely to dream away at a delicious pizza. And this helps to avoid the unnecessary disputes about what to eat because there is something for everyone! Because we all know these kind of conversations right?

Cashless

Last but not least, in de Vleeshalle it is only possible to pay with the card or the Bancontact app. The stress of having enough cash with you or sucking up with change is totally unnecessary, so there’s more time to enjoy the delicious food and drinks. You don’t even have to stand up to order, by the order website you can immediately order your favorite dish, and choose to take it with you or eat it there!

If you want more informations about the opening hours of Vleeshalle, the different stands or others, you can visit the website of VisitMechelen.be.