Antwerp International Airport (Deurne)

Antwerp's Deurne Airport is charmingly compact, and its dining scene reflects that intimate scale rather than the sprawling food courts you'd find at a major hub. The main terminal building houses a small but decent café-bar where you can settle in with a proper Belgian coffee and a fresh croissant before your flight. It's the kind of unhurried spot where staff actually remember your order, and the atmosphere feels more like a neighbourhood brasserie than an airport concession stand.

For something more satisfying, look for local Belgian staples that occasionally rotate through the café's daily specials — think warm croquettes de crevettes made with the tiny grey shrimp the Belgian coast is famous for, or a thick slice of bread topped with aged Herve cheese. Belgian waffles appear reliably, and while they're not the elaborate confections you'd find in Ghent's old town, they're honest and good. Pair one with a Trappist beer from the short but respectable drinks menu and you'll leave feeling genuinely well looked after.

Because the airport sits right on the edge of Antwerp proper, many savvy travellers grab a meal in the city before heading out — the drive or tram ride is short enough that you can squeeze in lunch at one of Deurne's neighbourhood cafés or even a quick bite near the Grote Markt. That said, if you're short on time, the terminal café handles the basics with warmth and efficiency. It won't win any culinary awards, but it sends you off on a good note, which is really all you can ask for.