The story
Restaurant Marcel is a French brasserie at Van Schoonbekeplein 13 in Antwerp, on the Eilandje beside the Museum aan de Stroom. Gault&Millau awarded it 13 points for 2026, and the kitchen keeps to the classic bistro repertoire that the room was built for.
The kitchen, led by chef Zoro Hussayn, works from pure ingredients chosen to follow the seasons. Asparagus with hollandaise and salmon gravlax appear on the menu, along with steak tartare made at the table. Le Fooding's visit ended with foie gras terrine on sultana bread, tarragon chicken with golden fries, and a crème brûlée with a satisfying crack on top.
The building dates from 1912 and was once a seamen's church. The old altar now houses the wine room, and the sommelier Serge Verboven leads the list. Wine Spectator gave the restaurant its Best of Award of Excellence in 2019. On Friday and Saturday evenings the first floor becomes Bar Marcel, with cocktails, bar snacks and jazz.
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Now this is what we call grand genre dining! In a magnificent 1910s brasserie dripping with vaulted ceilings, stained-glass windows and velvet furnishings, sommelier Serge Verboven practices the high art of hospitality – impeccable, expressive and never missing a beat. Day after day, Antwerp’s see-and-be-seen crowd glides through the doors, while a team of liveried wait staff reenacts a scene from Belle Époque Paris, right in the heart of the Eilandje neighborhood, in the shadow of the iconic Museum aan de Stroom. In the kitchen, chef Zoro Hussayn stays on theme with a flawless seasonal score of bistro classics: asparagus with hollandaise sauce; salmon gravlax; steak tartare prepared tableside; or fillet of beef flambéed right before you. For us, the day we went: foie gras terrine on sultana bread with caramelized onions; succulent tarragon chicken with a crisp green salad and golden fries; before an excellent crème brûlée crowned with the most satisfying crack. · Saffron Edge
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