Het Gebaar | Roger van Damme
Het Gebaar | Roger van Damme

Het Gebaar

Roger van Damme

Discover a fairy-tale house in the heart of Antwerp’s Botanical Garden. This delightful ‘gingerbread’ building with its tranquil terrace overlooking the garden, was once the home of the hospital’s apothecary. Today it houses Roger van Damme’s Michelin-starred Het Gebaar restaurant. Roger’s versatility, technical skill and repertoire has earned him a host of awards and accolades, including the coveted Michelin star. His cuisine is labour intensive, high-tech and informed by his travels … and by his great-grandfather, a baker by trade who left a lasting impression on this star of Antwerp’s culinary scene.

Chef of the Year – Gault Millau 2010

Best Pastry Chef in the World – The Best Chef Awards 2017

Roger, his wife Cindy and their enthusiastic team are passionate about making every lunchtime adventure or teatime treat at Het Gebaar a perfect experience. Creativity, innovation and exciting twists are Roger’s forte. Savoury starters and mains are a testament to his inquisitive creativity – anyone for gambero rosso with notes of yuzu and jalapeño, or how about their signature dish of beef tartare? Every morsel is a scintillating surprise rich in sumptuous yet balanced flavour. Given Roger’s fame as a pastry chef, it is unsurprising that the pièces de resistance are the desserts! No visit to Het Gebaar is complete without a taste of his world-renowned sweets.

Awards & Accolades

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GUIDE MICHELIN
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GAULT&MILLAU 2023
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OPENING TIMES
Het Gebaar
Capacity

40 covers

Lunch & Dessert

11am to 5.30pm

Roger van Damme
‘Sharing knowledge is multiplying knowledge. This makes us stronger and provides the motto for our core team – a brilliant group of people who have put their hearts and souls into Het Gebaar’s concept and reality for many years.’

Roger van Damme

Michelin Guide 2022

‘Roger van Damme’s reputation for stellar desserts needs no introduction and this is the place to sample his creations from a truly wicked dame blanche (vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate) to a mille-feuille vanilla slice to die for! But the pastry chef is also a wizard savoury chef, as a trip to his modern “gingerbread house” near the Stadsschouwburg theatre will convince you. Following a swish revamp, Het Gebaar sports a luxurious, yet casual vibe. Van Damme’s attention to detail is visible at every stage of your meal and nothing leaves the kitchen that hasn’t been puzzled over and preened to perfection. His distinctive, supremely elegant recipes celebrate familiar flavours, albeit with a creative twist. His talent for traditional dishes such as Beef Wellington is second to none thanks to his consummate pastry skills. The establishment, which only serves lunch and dessert, closes at 6pm, but, beware, the tables are often snapped up fast, so book ahead!’

Stargazing Het Gebaar
Originally a patisserie specialist, over the years Roger’s love for savoury cuisine has grown and grown, but the pâtissier’s passion for detail is visible in all of his dishes. Roger loves working with Royal Belgian Caviar, there is always a dish with this home-grown delicacy to be found on the menu.
Only the best ingredients will do for Het Gebaar. A major part of the restaurant’s success rests on lasting relationships with suppliers who are just as passionate about quality and flavour as they are. Roger’s attention to detail and respect for the product transforms classic dishes into breathtakingly good contemporary creations.
Using warm colours and regionally sourced materials, Het Gebaar’s complete makeover in spring 2022 resulted in a luminous, stylish and sustainable interior.
Stargazing Restaurants
at the Botanic
  • Gert de Mangeleer & Joachim Boudens with 2 Michelin-starred restaurant Hertog Jan

  • Jacob Jan Boerma & Thomas Diepersloot with Michelin-starred restaurant Fine Fleur
  • Roger van Damme with Michelin-starred Het Gebaar
  • A second Bar Bulot in Belgium

  • Restaurant 1238 showcasing the best of Belgian cuisine