The Antwerp region, our 2026 restaurant shortlist
Good restaurants reward patience, and the Antwerp region has more of them than the city limits suggest. We visited each of these addresses ourselves, paid our way where it mattered, and kept only those that justified the return.
Updated June 2026
Restaurant review: Essenz
In Antwerp Zuid, Essenz is a five table Belgian and French restaurant led by chef Joris Hoefkens. We visited for the five course menu and left convinced that the kitchen punches well above the size of the room.
The space is sober and modern, and with only five tables the atmosphere stays calm even on a full evening. The format sits closer to a chef's table than a brasserie.
Hoefkens brings serious credentials, with stops at Nuance (two stars), Hof Van Cleve (three stars), Hofke van Bazel (one star), Volta and Verso Café. His cooking takes regional Belgian and French flavours and lifts them with restraint rather than theatrics.
We chose the five course menu. The progression was well balanced, the amuses sharp, and the homemade bread better than most. One member of our group is allergic to shellfish, and the kitchen handled the substitutions without dropping the level.
The dorade royale with bergamot and red meat radish was a highlight, as was the pheasant with kale and porcini jus. The wine pairing was solid, explained by the lady owner with knowledge and warmth. A dessert pairing is offered as an add on.
For readers looking for a small room, a serious kitchen and attentive service in the south of Antwerp, Essenz justifies the booking.
Michelin Guide price indicator: €€€
Essenz Kronenburgstraat 35, 2000 Antwerpen, Website
Restaurant review: The Finch
The Finch sits a short walk from the historic centre of Antwerp and serves Asian fusion under chef and owner Aiko. We visited for an evening of small plates and left with a clear sense that this is one of the more interesting Asian addresses in the city.
The room is dressed in black and green, polished but not stiff. On warm days, the terrace is the better seat in the house. The kitchen leans into freshness, colour and creative pairings, with a drinks list that covers good cocktails and well chosen wines. The format is flexible. You can drop in for a two dish lunch, or, as we did, share a longer sequence of small plates. Nine plates were enough for four of us, finished with pastries from the kitchen.
Aiko's signature is a careful blend of Asian tradition and modern technique. Nothing feels forced. The young team is informed, attentive and visibly invested in the room.
The Finch Vinkenstraat 1, 2018 Antwerpen
Restaurant review: Pane e Vino
Pane e Vino in Schoten, just north of Antwerp, is our reference point for Italian cooking in the greater Antwerp region. We have returned several times, and both kitchen and service have remained consistent.
photo: ©Travel Magazine Belgium
The restaurant occupies an old house in the centre of Schoten. The room is warm, rustic and well lit, with comfortable seating. When fully booked the acoustics tip towards loud, which is the only consistent reservation we have.
Chef Giorgio, who is Italian, cooks with care. The menu balances Italian classics with seasonal dishes that change through the year. Ingredients are treated with respect, portions are honest, and the hospitality is direct.
For us, Pane e Vino delivers what proper Italian dining should: warm welcome, food cooked with intention and a setting that feels both elegant and relaxed.
Tip: book ahead for weekends.
Restaurant Pane e Vino,
Paalstraat 98, Schoten 2900, Belgium
Pane e Vino website
Reservations via telephone or email.
Restaurant review: O&O Sint Willebrord
We had watched O&O on v several times before driving across the border to Sint Willebrord in the Netherlands. The room has the calm, considered feel of a Michelin starred restaurant, but the highlight of our evening was the terrace, with heaters and gently warmed seat cushions that made dining outside comfortable on a cool night.
Each course was introduced by chef Danny Tsang himself. The wine pairing was carefully built, with clear explanations from the sommelier, and the service from the owners' son and daughter was warm and precise. This is the level of attention we expect at the upper end of the segment.
A conversation with Danny and Helena Tsang
After dinner, we spoke with Danny and Helena Tsang, the couple behind the restaurant. Their commitment to Asian cuisine, and to a hospitality model built around the family, came through clearly. The Tsangs have brought their children into the business over time. Monica runs the floor as maître d', Wendy welcomes guests as hostess and sommelier, and Mike works as both sous chef and finance manager. The menu has evolved with them, opening up from a focused Cantonese base to draw from Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, with a measured French accent.
The kitchen
The 'Taste of O&O' is a thirteen course menu that crosses Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and a French influence woven through. It is a long evening, but the pacing holds.
O&O is a Michelin starred restaurant with 15,5/20 in Gault&Millau. We will return.
Awards: Aziaat van het Jaar 2022 and Gastvrouw van het Jaar 2016.
Restaurant O&O, Dorpstraat 138, 4711 EL Sint Willebrord, Netherlands
https://restaurantoeno.nl/
Restaurant review: Il Divino Di Milano
Il Divino Di Milano is a modern Italian restaurant in Gooreind, Wuustwezel, a short drive north of Antwerp. We have dined here several times, and the kitchen has been consistent in quality.
The menu covers a wide range of Italian classics, with pasta, risotto, seafood and pizza fired in a Morello Forni oven. The dining room is warm and inviting, and the large outdoor terrace is the right choice in summer.
The kitchen is reliable. The service is friendly, with Italian flair, although it can tip into chaotic when the room is full. For a relaxed lunch or a casual dinner, the food earns the trip.
Tip: book ahead for weekends.
Il Divino Di Milano, Theo Verellenlaan 87, 2990 Gooreind
Restaurant review: Café Restaurant Bourla
Café Restaurant Bourla sits on the Graanmarkt in the centre of Antwerp, just behind the Bourla theatre. We returned recently for a warm evening on the terrace, in one of the most attractive squares in the city.
© photo: Travel Magazine Belgium
The room channels a Parisian brasserie style, with fair prices and a mixed crowd of regulars, theatre goers, tourists and the occasional public face. The atmosphere is open and unpretentious.
We started with oysters, then ordered moules aux herbes du jardin and a classic tomates aux crevettes with fries. The cooking is simple, fresh and well executed. Our young waiter held the pace even with a busy terrace.
For an honest brasserie meal in a setting that captures a part of Antwerp's character, Bourla is a safe and pleasant choice.
Cafe-Restaurant Bourla, Graanmarkt 7, 2000 Antwerpen
Website
Restaurant review: Huize Alberic in Kalmthout
Huize Alberic in Kalmthout, north of Antwerp, is one of the more assured small restaurants in the region. The dining room is intimate, the welcome sincere and the service warm without being theatrical. The owner sets the tone early, and the sense that every table matters is felt immediately.
Culinary quality in a defined setting
The kitchen is consistent and well balanced, with creativity grounded by comfort. The open kitchen places the cooking in plain sight, which adds an honest dimension to the meal.
A historic home with a cultural layer
The restaurant occupies the former home of blacksmith artist Alberic Plettinck. The interior combines modern lighting and rich colour with the bones of the original building. A partnership with a local art gallery brings rotating exhibitions into the room, which adds a cultural layer that few competitors offer. During our last visit, we bought a painting by German artist Petra Amtsberg Hoffmann.
Recognised by the guides
Huize Alberic holds 14/20 in Gault & Millau and a Michelin Guide listing. Owners Ann, who looks after the room, and Bram, who runs the kitchen, have built something coherent and personal. The terrace and garden add to the appeal in the warmer months.
Tip: book ahead.
Huize Alberic, Kapellensteenweg 69, B-2920 Kalmthout
website: Huize Alberic
Restaurant review: L'Excelsior Brasschaat
L'Excelsior sits in Brasschaat, one of our preferred towns north of Antwerp. We visited for a summer evening on the terrace and were left with a strong impression of the room, the kitchen and the service.
© photo: Travel Magazine Belgium
Service that stands out
The team combines professionalism with warmth. Attention is precise without being intrusive, and we left feeling looked after rather than processed.
A strong start with oysters
We began with Gillardeau oysters, fresh, clean and properly presented.
Filet pur and lobster
For the main course, the filet pur with green pepper sauce, fries and a fresh salad was cooked correctly and balanced by a confident sauce. The lobster, ordered at the table, was rated by our companion as one of the best she has eaten. L'Excelsior holds 13/20 in the Gault&Millau guide.
L'Excelsior, Armand Reussensplein 9-11, B-2930 Brasschaat. Website
Restaurant review: De Zilverden
De Zilverden in Kalmthout serves a confident menu in a stylish room, but the acoustics work against the experience. We have returned recently, and the issue persists.
© photo: Travel Magazine Belgium
Four courses worth ordering
The four course menu is the right format. The cooking is balanced, the flavours clear, and the value is solid for the level of execution. This is refined dining without unnecessary decoration.
Service that is attentive but slightly impersonal
The team is well trained and welcoming. Part of the floor is staffed by students, and the personal touch is sometimes missing. The professionalism is there, but the warmth varies.
A stylish setting, with one persistent flaw
The dining room is modern and lively, but the noise level is high. Conversations from neighbouring tables carry, and we found ourselves raising our voices. This is not a one off, it is the room. Anyone planning an intimate dinner should know this before booking. For diners who value well executed cooking in a modern, busy setting, De Zilverden remains a credible recommendation. For a quiet evening, it is the wrong choice.
Restaurant Zilverden, Kapellensteenweg 454, B-2920 Kalmthout, Website: De Zilverden