Restaurant Marcel

Who Should Book Restaurant Marcel

Restaurant Marcel is the right choice for wine-serious diners who want a setting with genuine character rather than corporate polish. If you are planning a long lunch or a deliberate dinner in Antwerp's het Eilandje neighbourhood and you want a wine list that can hold its own against the leading in the city, this is where to go. Solo diners, couples, and small groups of four or fewer who prioritise depth over spectacle will get the most from it. It is not the place for a rushed midweek business dinner — book when you have time to use the list properly.

The Venue

Restaurant Marcel occupies a converted sailor's church on Van Schoonbekeplein in het Eilandje, the former harbour district north of Antwerp's centre. The building's history gives the space a physical presence that newer dining rooms in the city cannot replicate — high ceilings, stone, and the kind of structural calm that settles a meal from the first glass. The kitchen works in a French register described as pure cuisine, which in practice means the sourcing and preparation are doing the heavy lifting, not layered sauces or theatrical presentation. For a diner who finds that approach honest rather than austere, Marcel delivers on it.

Chef H. Zargami runs the kitchen, and Serge Verboven, who also serves as General Manager and Wine Director, owns the restaurant alongside Helena De Ridder. That combination of ownership and floor presence from the person responsible for the wine program is not common, and it shows in how the list is maintained. Jon Stalmans works alongside Verboven as Sommelier, giving the wine operation genuine depth of coverage.

The Wine Program

The wine list is the primary reason to book Marcel if you are coming from outside Antwerp. The program holds a 3-Star accreditation from the World of Fine Wine, which places it among a small number of restaurants in Belgium operating at that credential level. Star Wine List ranked it three consecutive times in 2023, which confirms the list's consistency rather than a single good year.

The selection runs to 760 choices across a 7,500-bottle inventory. Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Italy are the stated strengths, and the pricing sits at the mid tier: many bottles available under $50 alongside serious bottles at higher price points, with a corkage fee of $40 if you want to bring something specific. For a wine-focused explorer who wants range rather than a list curated for maximum margin, that structure is genuinely useful.

Food pricing is $$ by Pearl's measure , a typical two-course meal in the $40–$65 range excluding drinks. Against the wine list quality on offer, that food pricing makes the overall spend reasonable. The restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, and lunch is worth considering: you get the full wine experience with more of the afternoon ahead of you.

Know Before You Go

Booking

Marcel books easily by Antwerp standards. You do not need to plan weeks in advance the way you would for Hertog Jan at Botanic or Zilte. A few days' notice should be sufficient for most weeknights, and a week out covers most weekend slots. That accessibility is part of the case for booking here: you get a credentialled wine program in a distinctive space without the reservation-window stress of Antwerp's top-tier tasting menu restaurants.

If you are combining a trip to Antwerp with visits to other serious Belgian dining rooms, Marcel fits naturally into a multi-day itinerary alongside restaurants like Boury in Roeselare, Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem, or Willem Hiele in Oudenburg for the coastal angle. For context on everything else the city offers, see our full Antwerp restaurants guide, our Antwerp bars guide, and our Antwerp hotels guide.

How It Compares