Antwerp’s 13: Best Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants in Belgium

If you desire to get a taste of real Belgian food in a nostalgic setting, then Ciro’s is the right place to set your eyes on. Situated in the pulsing center of Antwerp, it is a local institute that has been serving the community for over 60 years. The interiors are like a leap back in time with a working-class atmosphere. The dining space is narrow and long, consisting of rich polished wood walls, cream-colored tile flooring, modern lamp fixtures, and dark leather furniture with white tablecloths.

The kitchen team is headed by Chef Claude Sondag, who presents French-Belgian brasserie cuisine. Diners can relish scrumptious classic dishes like veal sweetbread​​ croquettes, toasted haddock liver, grilled gray shrimp topped with seafood bisque, sirloin steak with Belgian fries, cod in tartare sauce, veal kidney in mousseline sauce, and traditional beef stew with garlic bread toast. In desserts, enjoy amazing sweet dishes, such as la dame blanche with vanilla ice cream, homemade rice pudding, and choux pastry filled with cream and topped with chocolate sauce. Pair your meal with an elegant coupe glass of blanc de blancs delighting the eye with its magnificent perlage.

Average bill – €65

Located in a house on a narrow side street near the Grote Markt, InVINcible is a small French-style bistro that has one of the best wine collections in the city. The owner Kenny Burssens is both the chef and sommelier of the establishment, which is the reason why the beverages and food are paired here so well. The interiors are subtle and minimalistic in atmosphere, created using modern design elements like bright light fixtures, tall leather chairs, linoleum floorings, and whitewashed walls. The highlight of the restaurant is the open kitchen with glass partitions and a wine bar next to it, from where you can see the culinary action unfold.

The menu served here is seasonal and consists of refined Mediterranean cuisine. Some of the mouthwatering items you can sample are creamy pasta pancetta finished in Parmesan wheel, dorado fish baked in a salt crust, sirloin steak with roasted baby potatoes, baked mackerel with cauliflower, and spit-roasted pheasant with caramelized onions. Elevate your meal with a diverse wine list of over 200 labels with special selections from Germany and South Africa.

Average bill – €98

The brainchild of Chef Junko Kawada, Ko’uzi is an illustrious fusion restaurant that offers creative fare combining European flavors with Japanese authentic cooking skills. The outstanding Chef Kawada presents a menu where she prepares individual sushi portions as well as artistic lunch kits that include soup, fish, and chopped vegetables. Diners can relish delicious morsels of fresh seafood with dishes like snow crab with wakamé (algae) in lime mayo, Wagyu beef carpaccio with sansho pepper, Obsiblue shrimp with kaffir leaf oil, tuna tataki with yuzu chili emulsion, salmon tartare with radish, and smoked eel with beetroot.

To complement your meal, the establishment also has a drinks menu consisting of green teas, Japanese craft beers, sake, and Asian white wines. Ko’uzi is a lunch-only restaurant with a sleek and minimalistic interior that has a modern office-style decor. The space is made up of white acrylic tables, tall metal chairs, wooden furnishings, and charming elements like Asian teapots and books. If you are interested in sushi making, join Chef Junko Kawada's occasional cooking lessons and tea ceremonies for an unforgettable experience.

Lunch kit – €18
Average bill – €28

Nestled in the completely redesigned Vlaamsekaai district, L'amitié is an upscale bistro restaurant where you can enjoy delectable Mediterranean cuisine and oriental-inspired tapas dishes. This Michelin Bib Gourmand establishment possesses an elegant and sleek ambiance created using leather-furnished chairs and sofa banquettes, smooth polished wood tables, anthracite gray marbled floors, high ceilings, black granite countertops, and bright contemporary lights.

The menu is seasonal and seafood-centric, with some delicate meat and vegetarian options. Indulge your taste buds in gastronomic delights, such as runny burrata with almonds topped with slivers of smoked paprika, Iberico ham croquettes, smoked eel withered beetroot, burned mackerel with green herbs, pork belly with kimchi, and haddock with bell pepper salsa. In desserts, do not miss out on their crème brûlée, lemon pie, and warm fig tartlet with yogurt ice cream. For excellent pairing suggestions refer to L'amitié’s in-house sommelier advice, or choose from the extensive wine list of international labels.

Average bill – €60

If you are a fan of traditional Belgian-French cuisine, then Bizie Lizie is the place for you. It is a brasserie-style restaurant with a vintage atmosphere. Bizie Lizie is a unique spot that offers four attractively decorated dining rooms to choose from. Their main hall is chic and warm, with a wooden open bar counter, modern lamp lights, red-colored walls, and polished oak furniture. Besides the front of the house, they also have three homey private areas: one for business conferences and the other two for intimate family gatherings.

The kitchen team prepares a seasonal brasserie fare using the finest local ingredients. Some of the amazing creations you can relish at Bizie Lizie are homemade shrimp croquettes, braised pork cheeks with celeriac, clams linguine, veal kidneys in mustard Madeira cream, crispy duck breast filet in red Porto sauce, and candied lamb shoulder with potato gratin. They also feature a cozy terrace seating to enjoy the warm weather while sipping on a glass of local wine.

Average bill – €58

Named after the legendary Viennese staple, Schnitzel is Chef Geert Weyn’s flagship establishment in the Antwerp University district. It is an unpretentious neighborhood restaurant with an understated decor. Do not be fooled by the name (since the actual schnitzel is a pretty common dish available everywhere in Germany and Austria), Geert’s creativity leads to incredible flavors, complemented by one-of-a-kind hospitality. The atmosphere is pleasant and inviting, made up of a simple design featuring wooden furniture, lamp lights, brick-lined walls, a semi-open kitchen, and a peach color tone.

Schnitzel offers a 5-, 6-, and 7-course menu consisting of carnivorous delights created by Chef Weyn and his talented sous chef, Koen Lenaerts. You can find flavorsome seasonal dishes like paella with squid, gnocchi in pesto with oyster mushrooms, pan-fried haddock with chard in mustard-lime emulsion, grilled steak with baby broccoli, char-grilled pork sausages with pickled vegetables, and roasted cod in radish foam. Schnitzel also features a wine list with at least 30% organic and biodynamic labels curated by Lisanne Van Son – their knowledgeable in-house sommelier.

5-course menu – €45
6-course menu – €55
7-course menu – €59

Situated near the Antwerp Central train station, Ni Shifu is the benchmark of Sichuan-style cuisine in the city. It is a popular little restaurant that has been serving generous portions of Chinese food for several years. The decor is simple and minimalistic with bright colors, as you would expect from a traditional Asian eatery. The dining space is adorned with dark wooden furniture, dim lighting, lots of potted plants on the window sills, and a vibrant red-gray palette.

The kitchen is run under the guidance of Master Ni, who has been practicing and perfecting the art of Sichuan cuisine for 18 years. You can experience a myriad of textures and strong, sharp flavors. Patrons of the eatery can indulge in authentic dishes, such as pork wontons swimming in hot sauce, crispy duck marinated in Peking sauce served with pickled cucumber, homemade noodles with minced pork in black bean sauce, shrimp fried rice with kung pao chicken, and vegetarian noodles with sweet & sour sea bass. To quench your thirst, Ni Shifu offers some red and white house wines, an assortment of tea, and soft drinks.

Average bill – €48

5 Flavors Mmei is a modest Chinese restaurant that serves some of the best Cantonese cuisine in Antwerp. This Michelin Bib Gourmand place also won the prestigious Asian of the Year award from Gault & Millau. It has recently become a popular neighborhood establishment thanks to its exotic combination of salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami flavors. Despite its unassuming exteriors, 5 Flavors Mmei delivers on its promise of great food as soon as you take your first bite.

The menu is designed and created by Chef Micheal Leung, who is known for his dim sum and wok dishes. Start your Asian gastronomic journey with an assortment of dim sums along with a soup. Move onto their oriental entrées like spicy wok tossed tofu, shrimp in 5 spice sauce with egg fried rice, Singapore noodles with black bean beef, steamed whole sea bass with ginger and spring onion, typhoon lobster with salted eggs, and veal ribs in black pepper sauce with mushrooms. 5 Flavors Mmei also features a 2- and 4-person menu, as well as a dim sum tasting option.

2-person menu – €37.50
4-person menu – €47.50
Dim Sum tasting menu – €33.00

The skillful team at L'ilot knows how to recreate the elegant, minimalistic chic of a Parisian bistro like no one else. The cozy ambiance of this Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded little gem envelopes the guests with the light colors of wood furniture, tastefully combined with deep dark cyan accents. The gargantuan floor-to-ceiling façade windows let Antwerp's old-town charm seamlessly fuse with L'ilot’s gezelligheid.

The menu of the place is petite yet well-balanced, featuring fresh and homemade specialties accompanied by fine Austrian, French, Italian, and Spanish wines. L'ilot’s culinary philosophy revolves around preparing plain and simple delicacies, such as Korean fish fritters with chili and spring onion, beef tartare with tarragon pesto, watercress, and horseradish, and grilled halibut with wild mushrooms. Creamy and tender, their cheesecake with Greek kataifi is an ideal sweet culmination of your meal.

Fixed lunch menu – €33

BÚN is a great example of how to combine multiple vibrant design elements, colors, and textures without overdoing it. Keeping the focus on delectable and organic Thai fusion food, the gourmet restaurant invites you to relax in its spacious interiors, highlighted with a wicker gazebo, geometric metal and concrete shapes, ornamental pillows, and lush green plants. Let’s be frank: all these objects mentioned in one sentence sound bizarre, to say the least. But at BÚN, they miraculously merge into one stylish culinary haven.

We suggest starting your foodie journey by ordering an apéritif – a spiced duo of grapefruit soda and tequila. Their set menu comes in 3, 4, and 5 courses featuring dishes, such as fresh North Sea catch of the day cooked in banana leaves and served with red rice, Wagyu phở bò, and three weeks dry-aged Galloway entrecôte with cabbage salad. The sweet delights offer a contemporary take on Thai classics: chè chuối – banana pudding with ginger and coconut milk, kem me – tamarind sorbet, and kem cà phê – coffee ice cream with condensed milk.

3-course menu – €49
4-course menu – €69
5-course menu – €84

Bistrot Benoit, which was awarded a Bib Gourmand in 2022, is another precious Thumbelina in the world of rapidly changing posh culinary giants. Maintaining a very homely and welcoming atmosphere, the front of the house is adorned with vintage crystal chandeliers, books, various memorabilia on the wooden shelves along the walls, and crisp white tablecloths indicating the fine-dining status of the establishment.

The kitchen presents a 3- and 4-course menu, as well as a vegetarian selection. The exquisite offerings you get to relish here include juicy pigeon or plaice with fennel, almonds, and dates, venison tartare with truffle, mushroom consommé with pistachio and shiso, and pheasant with buckwheat and radicchio. To complement your meal at Bistrot Benoit, order a glass of 2020 Grüner Veltliner from Weingut Allram in Austria. The mineral character of this wine will elevate the fantastic dishes without overpowering them.

3-course menu – €49,5
4-course menu – €64,5

There are many perks of paying a visit to Instroom. First off, it boasts two awards by the Michelin Guide – a Green Star, and a Bib Gourmand, which indicate that your culinary experience here will make your taste buds dance chapelloise while relishing seasonal organic dishes prepared with the utmost respect for local produce and sustainability. Secondly, your meal will be served in a spacious, industrial-looking dining hall filled with warm natural light. And finally, the whole concept of Instroom is about so much more than just food. Chef Seppe Nobels has developed this F&B project in support of people from underprivileged backgrounds acquiring professional skills and finding employment.

Here, you get to meet friendly and accommodating staff members from all over the world who are passionate about their work. Overlooked by Chef Nobels, the kitchen will pamper you with scrumptious delicacies: Ethiopian injera bread with beef, tomato, and zucchini, fresh mussels with okra and watercress, and maqluba with lamb, eggplant, potatoes, and saffron. Don’t miss out on their decadent dessert – a milky cake loaded with cherries and blackberries. Come over and see for yourself what social gastronomy looks like.

3-course menu – € 45
4-course menu – € 60
5-course menu – € 75

At the finishing line of this rather lengthy culinary expedition in Antwerp, we would like to introduce you to Glou Glou – a gastronomic wine bar in the very heart of the tiny Borgerhout district. Like the surrounding area, the place is also small yet very charming, exuding a welcoming vibe with bright flower arrangements, ivory walls, terracotta leather seating, and plain monochromatic light fixtures.

The innovative dishes on the menu, created by Chef Christophe Van Remoortere, are modern and intercontinental, including succulent beef steak, loaded tacos, spicy kimchi, burrata with cauliflower and sour cream, beef tartare with smoked Parmesan, and salmon with beetroot quinoa salad. The impressive wine list of Glou Glou reflects their passion for biodynamic produce. Let the staff members recommend a pairing and see for yourself whether organic farming methods implemented in viticulture are your cup of tea.

Average bill – €70

We have reviewed a great deal of Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurants in many cities all over the world, and one can’t help but wonder: is there an ultimate recipe for setting up a successful dining venue? If given a chance, what kind of establishment would you like to run? Share your thoughts with our community in the comment section below. And for more ideas, check out our latest reviews and food & travel guides.