The restaurants worth a reservation in Antwerp, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Antwerp. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Le Pristine in Antwerp is Sergio Herman's modern Belgian-Italian dining room in a 1960s modernist building. Crudo, wood-grilled fish and pasta.
Signature: Crudo plates, Wood-grilled fish, Pasta of the day
Order: The crudo of the day and a wood-grilled fish; the pasta course rotates with what was shopped that morning.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The Cafe two doors down is the better-value breakfast and lunch option.
BÚN in Antwerp is a Vietnamese bar and restaurant on Volkstraat, listed in the Michelin Guide for fine-dining Vietnamese on Belgian organic produce.
Signature: Bún noodle bowls, Bánh mì, Vietnamese small plates
Order: The bún noodle bowl with grilled pork and a glass of natural wine from the Vietnamese-leaning list.
Tip: The smaller Little Bún noodle shop is the takeaway sibling for quicker counter eating.
Nage relocated from Reyndersstraat to a Congresstraat corner space in the 2060 quarter and now serves casual seasonal cooking with a natural-wine list.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Orange-wine pairings
Order: A spread of small plates paired with the natural-wine flight.
Tip: Open Friday to Monday only; reserve a week ahead for weekend service.
Bar Pêche on Bollandusstraat, just off Britselei, is chef Semmy Roumans's small bistro built around seasonal fish, vegetables and natural wine.
Signature: Seasonal fish course, Vegetable starter of the day, Natural-wine pairing
Order: The day's fish main, paired off the list with a glass of natural white.
Tip: The intimate dining room books up fast; reserve a fortnight ahead for weekend tables.
RAS in Antwerp sits on the riverfront on Ernest Van Dijckkaai with a Scheldt terrace listed in the Michelin Guide. Located in Historisch Centrum.
Signature: North Sea fish, Mussels in season, Belgian seafood plates
Order: Whatever is in season from the North Sea; the chalkboard rotates with the day's catch.
Tip: The Scheldt-facing terrace fills first in summer. Reserve the inside river view for sunset dinners.
Brewers' Kitchen on Oude Beurs is a small Belgian-French dining room where the chef pairs seasonal plates with craft beers from local breweries.
Signature: Hand-cut steak tartare, Filet américain, Dame blanche
Order: The hand-cut steak tartare to start and the dame blanche to finish, both house signatures.
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The chef works the room and the stove, so the pace is unhurried; book the early sitting on busy nights.
Hiro in Antwerp is an informal Japanese izakaya on Napoleonkaai overlooking the MAS. Located in Eilandje. Priced at €€€. Booking recommended.
Signature: Sushi, Japanese-inspired small plates
Order: The omakase counter seat; the chef builds plates around the day's fish and a short list of Japanese-inspired.
Tip: Sit at the counter to follow the knife work. The basement room is louder; reserve upstairs for a quieter dinner.
Bocadero in Antwerp is a beach-bar brasserie at Rijnkaai 150 on the Eilandje waterfront. Outdoor seating, casual plates and a long summer aperitivo.
Signature: Fish and chips, Bowls, Burgers
Order: The fish and chips; the harbour terrace fills mid-afternoon on sunny days.
Tip: Open seasonally with shorter winter hours. Reservations only on the indoor side; the beach is first-come.
Marolus in Antwerp is a lunch restaurant on Hendrik Conscienceplein, a tree-lined square between the cathedral and the Carolus Borromeus church.
Signature: Belgian lunch plates, Pasta, Salads
Order: The Belgian dish of the day; the kitchen rotates a stoofvlees, a fish plate and a vegetarian option.
Tip: Lunch only, no dinner. The square's terrace seating is the better seat in summer.
Camino in Antwerp is a Korean kitchen on Muntstraat in the old centre. The room serves traditional Korean BBQ alongside sibling outlets Osaka and Tap Out.
Signature: Bibimbap, Korean BBQ, Bulgogi
Order: The bibimbap and a portion of bulgogi off the grill menu.
Tip: The Muntstraat room is the calmer of the two Antwerp Caminos. Reserve, especially Thursday to Sunday.
Patine in Antwerp is a wine bistro on Leopold de Waelstraat in Het Zuid. The kitchen pairs short, ingredient-led plates with a deep cellar list.
Signature: Charcuterie, Belgian wine-bar plates
Order: The charcuterie plate and a glass from the orange-wine page; both rotate daily.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The small kitchen runs four mains a night; arrive before 19:30 for full choice.
WOLF Sharing Food Market took over the Felix Pakhuis warehouse on Antwerp's Eilandje in December 2024; ten global kiosks, three bars and a wide terrace.
Signature: Rambo smashburgers, Mission Masala Indian curry, Local Dealer Mexican tacos
Order: Mix kiosks: a Rambo smashburger plus a Curry Club bowl plus an oyster from 't Werftje to taste.
Tip: Open daily from noon. The Scheldt-facing terrace is the room's sell, but the warehouse rafters are the architectural showpiece inside.
Dôme in Antwerp is a French brasserie under an 1893 rotunda in Zurenborg. Frédéric and Evangeline Chabbert run the room on Grotehondstraat. Priced at €€€.
Signature: Sole meunière, Côte de boeuf, Classical sauces
Order: The côte de boeuf for two with béarnaise; the wine cellar runs deep across Burgundy.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book the round table directly under the dome.
Berlin in Antwerp is an all-day brasserie on Kleine Markt. The kitchen serves breakfast through to late-night plates, popular for unbookable weekend brunch.
Signature: All-day breakfast, Brunch plates, Burgers
Order: The brunch plate with eggs and the in-house granola; the kitchen runs it from open until 16:00.
Tip: Walk-in only on weekends. Arrive before 11:00 if you don't want to queue.
Mampoko in Antwerp is an all-day brasserie in a restored corner building on Amerikalei. Located in Het Zuid. Kitchen leans belgian brasserie.
Signature: Brasserie classics, Mussels in season
Order: The mussel pot in season and a glass of Bolleke from the De Koninck tap.
Tip: The corner terrace opens with the weather. Lunch is busier than dinner with the local office crowd.
Hoffy's in Antwerp is the city's best-known kosher restaurant, on Lange Kievitstraat in the diamond district. Kitchen leans kosher hungarian.
Signature: Cholent, Schnitzel, Hungarian goulash
Order: The Friday-night cholent slow-cooked overnight; the schnitzel and gefilte fish are the everyday staples.
Tip: Take-out at the front, dining room at the back. Supervised by Machzike Hadas; closed Friday afternoon and Saturday.
InVINcible in Antwerp serves traditional Gallic bistro fare on Haarstraat. Located in Historisch Centrum. Kitchen leans french-belgian bistro.
Signature: Seabream in sea salt crust, Veal kidneys, Holstein entrecôte
Order: The Holstein entrecôte with bone marrow; the veal kidneys are the chef's enduring signature.
Tip: The wine cellar runs deep across Loire and Burgundy. Book ahead, the room is small.
Soixante in Berchem is a Michelin-listed bistronomie room near Antwerp Centraal-Berchem station. Priced at €€€. Kitchen leans bistronomie, seasonal.
Signature: Turbot, beurre blanc, trout roe, Mussels with pumpkin and crispy polenta, Lunch menu
Order: The five-course menu at 83 euros, or the 48-euro weekday lunch.
Tip: Tables are tightly packed; reserve well ahead. Two tram stops from Antwerp Centraal makes it an easy out-of-centre dinner.
Bistrot Benoit on Zirkstraat is a modern Franco-Belgian bistro on a quiet square at the edge of the old centre. Located in Historisch Centrum.
Signature: Vol-au-vent, French onion soup, Menu Benoit
Order: The Menu Benoit, a three-course tasting at 57.5 euros with optional wine pairing.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Friday and Saturday dinner is Menu Benoit only; book a weeknight for a la carte.
Buchbar in Antwerp is a cafe-restaurant on Scheldestraat in Het Zuid. The kitchen runs all-day brunch, lunch plates and pours small-batch coffee.
Signature: Brunch plates, Lunch counter dishes
Order: The brunch plate with eggs and bread from the in-house counter; the filter coffee is roasted in Antwerp.
Tip: Closed Monday. The patio fills first in summer; book ahead for the weekend brunch.
Otomat in Antwerp on Van Schoonbekeplein serves pizzas built on Belgian beer-dough and beer-paired toppings. Each pizza is matched to a specific Belgian brew.
Signature: Beer-dough pizza, Belgian craft beer pairings
Order: The Lupulus pizza; the kitchen pairs every pie with a specific Belgian brew named on the menu.
Tip: The Antwerp branch is the original; chain expansion came later. Walk-in friendly mid-week.