Nage

The story

Nage in Antwerp: Contemporary French Bistro Cooking on Congresstraat

Nage is a French bistro at Congresstraat 42 in Antwerp, and Le Fooding listed it in 2026. Koen Lenaerts and Niki opened the restaurant together, with Koen in the kitchen and Niki hosting the room. The bistro serves a contemporary French menu built around products that speak for themselves.

A kitchen built on simple products

Koen trained as a sous-chef at Veranda and Dôme, two Antwerp kitchens where he worked on modern French cooking. The restaurant describes its approach as quality and simplicity, with a focus on ingredients that need little help. Before Nage, his work also took him through fish and shellfish, and through butchery and charcuterie at a meat bistro in Hove.

Dishes from the dinner menu

Le Fooding's account of the dinner menu starts with caviar toast and an oyster to whet the appetite. Shrimp bisque and beetroot-glazed cuttlefish follow. The sea bass comes with daikon, apple, three types of caviar, rhubarb, wild garlic and basil oil. The bread is baked in-house, and Le Fooding singles it out as a highlight. The à la carte menu, cooked to order, also lists wood-oven oysters and a monkfish with borlotti beans.

Room, wine and service

The interior is understated and somber, with space for about 25 guests in an informal bistro setting. Niki's service is a large part of the mood, which Le Fooding describes as elegant yet casual. Michelin named Nage a Recommended restaurant in 2026. The wine list leans toward natural wines, and all bottles are organic, biodynamic or natural. A pairing option accompanies the multi-course menu.