Wijnbistro Goddaard

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A 500-Year-Old Setting for Serious Wine

In the historic centre of Antwerp, on the Grote Goddaard, stands a building that has been standing since 1505. Once a guild house of the Colveniers and the Coopers — histories still legible in the stained-glass panels of the facade — the property has been fully restored to its original character. Wijnbistro Goddaard occupies this space with a clear sense of purpose: to offer a moment of calm and quality in a city that rarely slows down.

The result earned the restaurant a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2023, one of the guide's most respected recognitions for wine programs of exceptional depth and breadth.

One of Antwerp's Largest Wine Cellars

The wine list is the centrepiece. With more than 700 references drawn from rare producers across the globe, Wijnbistro Goddaard describes itself — without exaggeration — as a mecca for wine lovers. Each bottle has been selected with care, and the team's in-house wine collector is on hand to guide guests through the range, tailoring recommendations to individual taste rather than defaulting to the obvious.

The monthly spotlight on a featured wine house gives a sense of the depth on offer. A recent focus on Ca'Marcanda — the Bolgheri estate acquired by Angelo Gaja in 1996 — illustrated the kind of serious, story-rich producers that populate the list: wines under the watch of oenologist Guido Rivella, from a 100-hectare estate planted with merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah, and sangiovese.

Bar Food and Private Gatherings

Alongside the wine, Goddaard offers a considered selection of small plates — bar food chosen to complement rather than overshadow the glass in hand. The atmosphere leans toward relaxed luxury: a place to linger after a day of shopping or sightseeing, within walking distance of the Groenplaats and the Grote Markt.

The space is also available for private events — corporate evenings, celebrations, group tastings — on request. For those looking for a characterful location in Antwerp, the 16th-century interiors double as a historic photo setting unlike anything purpose-built could offer.

Why It Belongs on This List

Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence is granted to restaurants that go beyond a solid list — it signals genuine curatorial ambition. At Wijnbistro Goddaard, that ambition is housed in one of Antwerp's most atmospheric addresses, making it a rare combination of place, program, and expertise.