Cobra

Verdict

Cobra earns two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) at a €€ price point, which is the most compelling thing about it in the context of Antwerp's dining scene. If you want a sharing-format meal that punches above its price tier, this is the booking to make. It is not a splurge destination and it does not need to be — the value equation is the point. Book it for a relaxed weekday dinner when you want something credibly ambitious without the ceremonial weight of Antwerp's higher-end tables.

The Portrait

Leopoldplaats sits at the civic heart of Antwerp, one of the city's main squares, and Cobra occupies a position that makes it accessible on foot from the main shopping streets and the cathedral quarter. The square itself is open and airy rather than tucked away, so arriving here does not feel like hunting down a side-street address. That openness carries into the atmosphere inside: a sharing-format restaurant at this price level tends to feel communal and lively rather than hushed, and the ambient energy at Cobra reflects that. Expect a room that is animated without being deafening — this is a place where conversation works, particularly earlier in the evening before the pace picks up.

The sharing format is the structural choice that shapes everything else about how you eat here. Dishes come to the table for the group to divide, which means the rhythm of the meal is collaborative rather than individual. This works well for parties of two to four where everyone is eating in roughly the same direction. For groups with strong diverging dietary preferences it requires more coordination, but it is not an obstacle , it simply needs flagging when you book. The format also means the kitchen's output is designed to be read across multiple plates rather than a single composed dish, so ordering range matters more than at a conventional restaurant.

On the wine side, a sharing-format restaurant at the €€ tier invites a practical question: does the drinks program keep pace with the food, or does it lag behind? At Cobra, the Michelin recognition across two years suggests the kitchen is operating with enough consistency to warrant a wine approach that matches rather than undercuts it. For food and wine enthusiasts, the move is to lean into the list rather than default to a single bottle , the sharing format pairs naturally with a more exploratory approach to ordering by the glass or selecting two or three bottles across the meal. Belgian wine retail is strong and Antwerp specifically has a well-developed wine culture, so a €€ restaurant with credible Michelin recognition is reasonably likely to have a list that reflects that context. Confirm the specifics when you arrive or call ahead if wine depth is central to your decision.

Timing matters here. Midweek evenings are the practical sweet spot: the room is active enough to have energy but not so crowded that service gets stretched. Weekend evenings at a Michelin-recognised sharing restaurant on a central Antwerp square will be fuller and noisier , still manageable, but a different register. If atmosphere is important to you and you want the food to be the main event, a Tuesday or Wednesday dinner gives you the leading of both. Lunch service, if available, would suit a slower pace, but confirm hours directly before planning around it.

For the explorer who wants to place Cobra in a wider Belgian context: it sits in a tier below the country's most decorated tables, such as Hof van Cleve - Floris Van Der Veken in Kruishoutem, Boury in Roeselare, or Willem Hiele in Oudenburg, but the price-to-recognition ratio is more favourable. It is also worth considering alongside the sharing format more broadly: IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada in Zurich and Agnes in Sint-Martens-Bodegem are two reference points for how sharing-format restaurants can operate at different levels of ambition and price. Cobra sits accessibly within that spectrum. Within Antwerp itself, it competes on different terms from the city's leading creative tables , see Zilte and Hertog Jan at Botanic for that register , and it fills a gap that those restaurants do not: credibly recognised, genuinely affordable, sociable in format.

Google reviews sit at 4.4 across 215 ratings, which is a solid signal for consistency at this price point. A high volume of reviews at a strong average score suggests this is not a venue coasting on a single good season. The crowd-sourced endorsement aligns with the Michelin Plate recognition rather than contradicting it, which increases confidence in the booking.

For the wider Antwerp picture, see our full Antwerp restaurants guide, and explore the city further with our Antwerp hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide. Within the neighbourhood you can also consider Bar Raket and l'Amitié for different moods, or Schnitzel if you want something more casual before or after. Bozar Restaurant in Brussels and Bartholomeus in Heist are worth the trip if you are extending your Belgian itinerary. Castor in Beveren is a short drive and worth knowing about. Check our Antwerp wineries guide for producers to look for on the list.

Practical Details

Cobra is at Leopoldplaats 3, 2000 Antwerpen. Price tier: €€. Awards: Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Booking difficulty: easy. Midweek evenings are the recommended timing. The sharing format suits groups of two to four. Confirm hours and dietary accommodation directly before booking, as neither is available in the current record.

Quick reference: Leopoldplaats 3, Antwerp · €€ · Sharing format · Michelin Plate 2024 & 2025 · Google 4.4/5 (215) · Easy to book.

FAQ

• What should I order at Cobra? The database does not include menu specifics, so dish-level recommendations are not possible here. What the Michelin Plate recognition across two years tells you is that the kitchen has a consistent point of view worth trusting. In a sharing format, order more broadly rather than more cautiously , the format is designed for range, so lean into it and follow the server's steer on current strengths.
• Is Cobra good for a special occasion? It depends on what kind of occasion. For a relaxed celebration where the priority is good food and a sociable atmosphere without the formality of a tasting-menu restaurant, yes. For a milestone dinner where ceremony and privacy are part of the point, the €€ sharing format may feel too casual , in that case, Zilte or Hertog Jan at Botanic would serve you better.
• How far ahead should I book Cobra? Booking difficulty is rated easy, which means you are unlikely to need more than a week's notice for most dates. Weekends on a central Antwerp square may fill faster, particularly in spring and autumn when visitor numbers in the city are higher. A few days' notice should be sufficient for weeknights.
• Does Cobra handle dietary restrictions? No contact details or dietary policy are available in the current record. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if dietary requirements are a factor , this is especially relevant in a sharing format, where the kitchen's ability to adapt individual dishes is more constrained than in an à la carte setting.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at Cobra? Menu format specifics are not confirmed in the database. At the €€ price tier with Michelin Plate recognition, the value case for whatever structured format they offer is strong by Antwerp standards , you are getting credentialed cooking at a price point well below the city's starred tables. If a tasting menu is available, it is likely the leading way to see the full range of the kitchen's output in a sharing format.
• What are alternatives to Cobra in Antwerp? For a step up in ambition and price, Zilte is Antwerp's most decorated creative table. Hertog Jan at Botanic offers modern Flemish cooking at the €€€€ tier. For French in a more traditional register, Bistrot du Nord at €€€ is the closest price-adjacent alternative. If you want something looser and more bar-forward, Bar Raket is worth considering. See our full Antwerp restaurants guide for the complete picture.