Folia | Fine Dining Restaurant — Restaurant in Antwerp

I had the pleasure of discovering Folia, a semi-gastronomic restaurant tucked away on Mechelsesteenweg. From the moment you step inside, the atmosphere is calm and elegant — a perfect balance between intimacy and sophistication.

At the heart of the experience is chef Bart Gauwloos’s refined, vegetable-forward cuisine. This isn’t just vegetarian food — it’s a thoughtful, creative expression of seasonal ingredients, where vegetables take center stage with surprising depth and character. Each dish is beautifully composed, both visually and in flavor, with an impressive attention to detail.

The wine pairings were spot on, enhancing each course without overpowering it. The service was equally impeccable: professional, attentive, and warm, adding to the overall sense of care that defines the entire dining experience.

For those who prefer more flexibility, Folia also offers fish and meat options — always treated with the same level of finesse and integrity.

In short, Folia is much more than a meal — it’s a culinary journey that showcases just how vibrant and exciting...

Fantastic fine dining experience with a unique creativity that ensures you’ll be coming back for more. My partner tried the vegetarian 5 course and I tried the flexitarian to get the full experience. All 5 course and put multiple starter tasters were phenomenal and always a pleasant surprise when we learned how the ingredients were utilised and the flavour profiles of each dish were a pleasure to taste.

Our host was cheerful and engaging, educating us on the dishes and the story behind the recommended wine. Very happy to switch to English when he learned that I have yet to master the Dutch language! He was prompt with the a la carte ordering and the check when the time came.

The atmosphere was lovely, not so quiet as to make one uncomfortable yet not so loud that the noise was a distraction, even though every table was full!

I would highly recommend grabbing an evening table and trying out the 5 course menu, either vegetarian or flexitarian - you won’t be...

We did return here after previous excellent experiences. Having a meal in this restaurant is a perfect walk through the realm of plant based culinary art. You are welcomed professionally and friendly. The 5 course vegetarian menu has a flexitarian option in which two of the courses are prepared with a fish and a meat variant without changing the basic dish concept. Every dish and the wine pairing are well introduced and perfectly presented. The chef succeeds in creating a vegetarian dish of the highest standards every time. Every week, one course at the time, a new creation is tried out with always a beautiful presentation. Excellent...