The story
In the heart of the vibrant Borgerhout district, Glou Glou brings the spirit of a French bar à vin to Antwerpen. The name itself is onomatopoeic — the gentle glug of a bottle being poured — and it signals the restaurant’s philosophy: light, easy-drinking natural wines with good acidity and minerality, served alongside food that begs to be shared.
Chef Christophe Van Remoortere leads the kitchen, crafting a modern bistro menu with worldly influences. Every dish revolves around day-fresh produce, resulting in a seasonal, ingredient-driven take on French-Fusion cuisine. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, built for lingering over a glass and a succession of small plates.
The wine list is the heart of the operation, focusing on biodynamic and natural bottles that the team believes are the purest expression of terroir. This commitment to quality and value has earned Glou Glou a Michelin Bib Gourmand, a recognition that rewards good cooking at a reasonable price.
Recognition
Details
History
good quality, good value cooking
In 2021, the four musketeers Ruth Dreessen, Christophe van Remoortere, Johan Heuninck and Michael Roelants opened their bar for hunger pangs on Moorkensplein, a highbrow-artistic hotspot in the Borgerhout district. Having sharpened their knives with the godfather of good food in Antwerp, Geert Weyn, chef of the funky Schnitzel, the gang clearly has plenty going for them. Untreated wood, vintage tiles and a jungle of plants, all complemented by a drool-worthy natural wine cellar. Spectators in a hurry from the neighboring concert hall come early for their fill before giving way to a second, more relaxed service, at the end of which Glou Glou becomes a bar where you can chat until late. Out of the open kitchen flies tapas-style plates, making for a lovely series of dishes: spot-on asparagus with karnemelk (a Batavian version of buttermilk); dapper fennel and gray shrimp; a creamy tarragon vichyssoise; delicious langoustines with artichokes and fregola sarda; hanger steak tataki, cucumber kimchi and puffed rice… Glou for all and all for Glou! // Kiko Zushi
Location
