The story
Bar Pêche is a bistro at Bollandusstraat 2 in Antwerp, Belgium, and Gault&Millau awarded it 14 points for 2026. The restaurant occupies an unassuming corner building near the Britselei, where the bistro kitchen stays simple and direct.
Semmy Roumans cooks in full view of the dining room. Le Fooding describes dishes rooted in tradition, including mackerel tartare with horseradish mayonnaise and rhubarb juice. Oxtail with cream of potato and mushrooms is another dish the guide singles out, alongside homemade blood sausage on mustardy cabbage with potatoes and bacon.
Esger Van Lysebetten hosts, and he sets a warm tone for a room that seats only sixteen. The bistro has outdoor seating and suits solo diners as well as pairs. Dame Blanche closes the meal.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
At the corner of an improbable crossroads, lost in an anonymous part of central Antwerp, Semmy Roumans and Esger Van Lysebetten thought they were setting themselves up for a happy, hidden life by locating Bar Pêche outside of the trendy circuit. Their plan has failed, as the sixteen-seater micro-bistro quickly became a foodie trap. But the two friends remain defiant in the face of the onslaught, holding course with a combo of friendly vibes and unadorned simplicity. Semmy (Ex-Veranda) is at home in the open kitchen, sending out dazzling dishes rooted in tradition: mackerel tartare, horseradish mayonnaise and rhubarb juice as an overture – although it was a tight toss-up with the oxtail with cream of potato and mushrooms; ecstatic homemade blood sausage served on a bed of mustardy cabbage and potatoes with bacon; before a suave Dame Blanche to seal the deal. // Kiko Zushi
Right near the Britselei, you'll find Bar Pêche, an intimate unpretentious restaurant in an unassuming corner building where simplicity and authenticity reign. Host Esger Van Lysebetten creates a warm atmosphere. In the open kitchen, chef Semmy Roumans serves a ...
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