Au Vieux Port
Eilandje, Antwerp
Restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium
The Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
A weekday, wine-led Antwerp pick near the port, better for dine-in meals than takeaway planning. Au Vieux Port makes sense for a date, client lunch, or restrained celebration, especially if a Star Wine List signal matters more than a clearly published cuisine or price tier.
About Au Vieux Port
Au Vieux Port is an Antwerp restaurant with verified lunch and dinner hours from Monday to Friday. It is best considered when the timing, smart-casual dress code, confirmed Star Wine List recognition matter more than unverified details about cuisine, pricing, or menu format.
A weekday choice with confirmed recognition
Au Vieux Port is recognized by Star Wine List in 2026. That is the clearest verified recognition available here, so the safest way to frame the restaurant is as an Antwerp meal with a confirmed accolade. Specific claims about takeaway, delivery, menu structure, dishes, chef, prices, drinks, or seating should be confirmed directly with the venue before planning around them.
The verified schedule is Monday to Friday, 12–2 PM and 6–9:30 PM, with Saturday and Sunday closed. That makes it a weekday lunch or dinner option rather than a weekend plan. If the occasion depends on a particular menu, price level, or service style, check the current details before booking.
Who should book, who should cross-shop
Book if the priority is a weekday meal in Antwerp, smart-casual setting, a venue with confirmed Star Wine List recognition. Skip it if the decision hinges on a Saturday or Sunday slot, or on details that are not verified here, such as cuisine type, tasting-menu format, price tier, or group capacity. In that case, use our full Antwerp restaurants guide to compare by format before committing.
For broader planning, pair this decision with our full Antwerp hotels guide if the meal anchors an overnight stay, or consider other Antwerp options if the better move is dinner here followed by a separate stop. The key is to keep the booking grounded in what is confirmed: weekday lunch and dinner hours, smart-casual dress, Star Wine List recognition.
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Au Vieux Port reads like a piece of Antwerp history translated to the table. The copy ties the kitchen directly to the city’s port legacy — centuries of trade and access to coastal fish, foreign spices and Rhine and French wines — and that lineage underpins the restaurant’s refined character. The award-winning wine list further signals a polished, considered approach: bottles are part of the argument here, not afterthoughts. The overall feel is quietly sophisticated and historically rooted, a place where provenance and craft shape both the wine program and the plated French dishes.
Best For
This is a natural choice for evenings when the bottle matters. The restaurant is already framed as a go-to for date nights, business dinners and special occasions, and its White Star recognition makes it particularly suited to guests who want to explore curated wine lists alongside classic French cooking. Expect a composed, mature dining experience focused on thoughtful pairings and provenance-driven ingredients — ideal for couples, colleagues closing a deal, or small celebratory groups who appreciate a wine-forward, refined setting.
Ordering Tips
Treat the wine list as the starting point. With a White Star from Star Wine List and an explicit focus on curation, the selection is the restaurant’s calling card; lean on it when choosing bottles to complement richer, traditional French dishes. Consider pairing signature items such as Canard à la Rouennaisse, Paling in't Groen or the Tarte au Boudin Basque with wines that emphasize regional provenance. If you want to highlight the restaurant’s strengths, center the evening on bottle-pairing rather than à la carte experimentation and ask front-of-house staff for their recommendations from the curated list.
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Bistrot L'îlot, Farm to table, €€
- Bacchus, Notable alternative
- Pont neuf, Seafood, €€€
- The London, Notable alternative
- Upton, Italian, €€€
Restaurant context
How it compares in Antwerp
Choose Au Vieux Port if the brief is an easier weekday booking with a wine-led feel near the port. Bistrot L'îlot is the clearer value play on paper because its farm-to-table format and €€ tier are defined. If price certainty matters, start there rather than guessing what the final bill will look like here.
Pont neuf is the stronger cross-shop for seafood and a more explicit €€€ spend, so it fits diners who want the occasion to feel more clearly structured. Upton gives you Italian at €€€, which is easier to sell to a mixed group than a less-defined format. For a wine-minded pair or business meal, Au Vieux Port is the calmer choice; for a group that needs a cuisine everyone understands, Upton is safer.
Bacchus and The London are worth checking when availability is the deciding factor and the plan needs to stay in Antwerp. If you cannot get the timing you want here, Bistrot L'îlot is the practical fallback for value, while Pont neuf is the better substitute when the meal needs a more occasion-ready seafood frame.
Explore Antwerp
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Au Vieux Port guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Au Vieux Port
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Au Vieux Port | Antwerp | , | Star Wine Lists 20262026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence | , |
| Bistrot L'îlot | Antwerp | Farm to table | Michelin Guide Belgium & Luxembourg 2026We're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 Michelin Plate2024 Michelin Plate | €€ |
| Bacchus | Antwerp | 2026 Michelin Plate2025 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2025 Michelin Plate2024 Michelin Plate | , | , |
| Pont neuf | Antwerp | Seafood | Michelin Guide Belgium & Luxembourg 20262025 Michelin 1 Star2024 Michelin 1 Star | €€€ |
| The London | Antwerp | No published awards | , | , |
| Upton | Antwerp | Italian | Michelin Guide Belgium & Luxembourg 20262025 Michelin Plate2024 Michelin Plate | €€€ |
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How Au Vieux Port Antwerp compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a first-timer know about Au Vieux Port?
Au Vieux Port is a restaurant in Antwerp with Star Wine List recognition in 2026. It is open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner, from 12–2 PM and 6–9:30 PM, is closed Saturday and Sunday. The verified dress code is smart casual.
Is Au Vieux Port good for a special occasion?
It can be a good fit if your special occasion works with a weekday lunch or dinner in Antwerp and you value confirmed Star Wine List recognition. For details such as menu, price, or group arrangements, confirm directly with the venue before booking. The London is another option to compare if you are weighing different occasion styles.
Is Au Vieux Port good for solo dining?
Au Vieux Port may work for a solo meal if you want a weekday lunch or dinner in Antwerp and are comfortable with a smart-casual setting. The verified hours make it possible to plan around either midday or evening service from Monday to Friday. Bacchus is another option to compare if you are considering a different atmosphere.
What are alternatives to Au Vieux Port?
For comparison, consider Bistrot L'îlot, Bacchus, The London, Pont neuf, or Upton depending on the kind of meal you want. Au Vieux Port is the clearer pick when verified weekday hours, smart-casual dress, Star Wine List recognition are the deciding factors.
Is lunch or dinner better at Au Vieux Port?
Both lunch and dinner are verified options from Monday to Friday. Lunch runs 12–2 PM, dinner runs 6–9:30 PM. Choose based on timing; any preference based on menu, price, or service format should be checked directly with the venue.
What should I wear to Au Vieux Port?
The verified dress code is smart casual. Confirm directly with the venue if you need more specific guidance for the occasion.
Can Au Vieux Port accommodate groups?
Group capacity is not verified here, so check the venue's official channels before planning for a party. The confirmed schedule is Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, with Saturday and Sunday closed. Pont neuf or The London may also be worth comparing depending on the kind of gathering you want.
