Upton

The story

Upton, Antwerp: Modern Italian Cooking on Napelsstraat in Cadix

Upton is a modern Italian restaurant at Napelsstraat 42, 2000 Antwerpen, listed as Michelin Recommended in 2026. Chef Gianfranco Van de Maele runs the kitchen with fresh pasta at its core.

Pasta learned from his nonna

As a child, Gianfranco watched his Italian grandmother shape many kinds of pasta by hand, and he wanted a restaurant of his own almost from then on. Erik works the stoves beside him. Gault&Millau gave Upton 14 points in 2026 and picked out the fagottini with baccalà and lobster, finished with yuzu kosho.

A contemporary menu with Italian roots

The kitchen describes its style as contemporary, with Italian influences and the occasional Eastern touch picked up on travels. The à la carte has a separate pasta course, with tortellini al burro e salvia, spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino with tagliata di manzo, and mezza luna with prawn, lemon verbena and Noilly Prat. Mains run from grilled halibut with artichoke sformato to BBQ Scottona with salsa verde. Dessert might be cherries with ricotta and honey. A lunch menu costs €40, and a four-course menu €75.

Terrace and service

The restaurant sits in the Cadix district on the Eilandje, in the north of the city, and has a terrace where dogs are welcome. Evelien looks after the room with a personal touch. The space can also be hired privately for receptions and business events, and a meeting room seats groups of up to ten.