Sergio Herman Antwerp: Le Pristine Closes, Frites Atelier Burgers
Sergio Herman's Le Pristine in Antwerp has no burger and closes in December 2026. His burgers are at Frites Atelier; here is where else to eat one.
Le Pristine, Sergio Herman’s Antwerp restaurant, does not serve a burger. It cooks Italian food with Zeeland roots on Lange Gasthuisstraat, and it closes at the end of December 2026. Herman announced the closure on 2 May 2026; two days later the restaurant lost its Michelin star. For a Sergio Herman burger in Antwerp, go to Frites Atelier at Korte Gasthuisstraat 32, a short walk away. It is his premium fries chain, and this shop, its first in Belgium, opened in 2017. All facts were last checked on 10 October 2026.
Note: Le Pristine has no burger. I started this piece expecting to write about Le Pristine’s “signature burger”. It does not exist. The Michelin Guide and the restaurant’s own site both describe Italian cooking with Zeeland roots, and neither lists a burger. Herman’s burger story happens at Frites Atelier, so that is where this article takes you.
Sergio Herman in Antwerp: the short answer
In October 2026, Sergio Herman has one Antwerp restaurant left, Le Pristine, and it closes at the end of the year. His private kitchen, PrivéPrivée, has already shut. If you want a burger, the Herman address is Frites Atelier on Korte Gasthuisstraat.
| Venue | What it is | Address | Status (10 Oct 2026) | Burger? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Pristine | Italian-Zeeland restaurant, Michelin-listed (€€€€) | Lange Gasthuisstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen | Open, closing end of December 2026 | No |
| PrivéPrivée | Private kitchen in Het Zuid | Verlatstraat | Closed in May 2026; coming back as pop-ups | No |
| Frites Atelier | Premium fries chain (first Belgian shop, opened 2017) | Korte Gasthuisstraat 32, 2000 Antwerpen | Open | Yes, Herman created burgers for the chain |
Map of central Antwerp: Le Pristine (Lange Gasthuisstraat 13), Frites Atelier (Korte Gasthuisstraat 32) and the burger spots Quite Frankly (Minderbroedersrui 52), Maijard (Hoogstraat 44), Tap Out (Schermersstraat 15), Rambo (Godefriduskaai 30), Plump (Kronenburgstraat 17), Jimmyz (Melkmarkt 6) and Le Boys (Suikerrui 30). Add markers in the embed (Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Iframe embed 800×600; download a local static poster tile)
Le Pristine Antwerp closing: what happened in May 2026
Le Pristine Antwerp closes at the end of December 2026. Sergio Herman announced it on 2 May 2026, and it lost its Michelin star on 4 May 2026. De RestaurantKrant and VRT NWS both reported the closure. No last-service date has been published. If you see one quoted, ask where it came from.
Herman was 55 when he made the announcement. He said he would also stop running PrivéPrivée, his private kitchen on Verlatstraat in Het Zuid. His reason, quoted by VRT NWS, was “a quiet call to return to nature, to myself and to the pure love of cooking”.
PrivéPrivée was meant to run until the end of the year. It never reopened after the announcement. According to VRT NWS on 6 May 2026, it will return as pop-ups at Herman’s new home and at selected locations around the world.
Did Le Pristine lose its Michelin star?
Yes. Le Pristine Antwerp lost its Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Belgium 2026, presented on 4 May 2026, two days after the closure announcement, as Culinaire Ambiance reported. The current Michelin listing still includes the restaurant, without a star.
What stays open: Tokyo, Singapore and Frites Atelier
Only the Antwerp Le Pristine is closing. Le Pristine Tokyo and Le Pristine Singapore stay open, and Herman’s partnership with Hyatt Hotels Corporation continues, according to VRT NWS and De RestaurantKrant. Frites Atelier is not affected either. Besides Antwerp, it operates in Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London, Hong Kong and Australia.
What Le Pristine Antwerp serves (and why there is no burger)
Le Pristine serves what its own site calls “NEW ITALIAN cuisine by Sergio Herman, a contemporary tribute to pure Italian flavors and Sergio’s deep-rooted Zeeland heritage”. Michelin classes it as Italian Contemporary at the €€€€ price level. Neither the official site nor the Michelin listing mentions a burger.
A Sergio Herman dish served at three-Michelin-star Oud Sluis in 2012, showing the Zeeland fine-dining style that later shaped Le Pristine (2448×3264) (Photo: Harry Van den Bulck, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oud\_Sluis\_-\_Sergio\_Herman\_gerecht\_5,\_2012.jpg))
The room explains why people expect one. Michelin describes an American-style diner look in Antwerp’s fashion district, with vintage design and Tuscan touches, an all-day cocktail bar and an open-kitchen restaurant. The Danish studio Space Copenhagen did the interior. The dishes Michelin names are bouchot mussels, house-made pasta and tiramisu. It looks like a diner and cooks Italian-Zeeland food. My guess is that the burger rumour started with that mismatch.
- Address: Lange Gasthuisstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
- Phone: +32 3 376 33 76
- Opened: 2020
- Michelin: one star until May 2026; listed without a star since the 2026 guide
- Closing: end of December 2026
- Hours: Michelin’s published hours may be out of date, so call before you go
Historic view of Lange Gasthuisstraat at the corner of Arenbergstraat, the Antwerp fashion-district street that is home to Le Pristine at number 13 (archive slide, 1536×1024) (Photo: unknown author (Inventaris DIA#421), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lange\_Gasthuisstraat,\_hoek\_Arenbergstraat,\_Antwerpen.jpg))
My advice: if you have never eaten Herman’s cooking, the last weeks of 2026 are your last chance to do it in Antwerp. Order the mussels and the house pasta Michelin singles out, and phone ahead instead of trusting the hours you find online.
Why Sergio Herman is famous: from Oud Sluis to Antwerp
Sergio Herman is a Dutch chef from Zeeland. He made his name at Oud Sluis, in the town of Sluis, which held three Michelin stars from 2006 until it closed in 2013. Since then he has built a group of restaurants and brands in Belgium, the Netherlands and Asia. Le Pristine is the most recent.
The Oud Sluis building in Sluis, Zeeland, where Sergio Herman held three Michelin stars from 2006 until the restaurant closed in December 2013 (photo 2022, 960×720) (Photo: Harry Van den Bulck, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OSH\_gebouw.jpg))
Sergio Herman in the Oud Sluis dining room in September 2012, a year before he closed his three-star restaurant (2448×3264) (Photo: Harry Van den Bulck, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oud\_Sluis\_-\_Sergio\_Herman\_in\_eetzaal.jpg))
| Year | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Oud Sluis (Sluis, Zeeland) wins its third Michelin star | Wikipedia |
| 2010 | Opens Pure C at the Strandhotel in Cadzand-Bad | Wikipedia |
| June 2013 | Announces that Oud Sluis will close | DutchNews |
| 22 Dec 2013 | Oud Sluis closes | Wikipedia |
| 10 Feb 2017 | First Belgian Frites Atelier opens in Antwerp | RetailDetail |
| 2020 | Le Pristine opens in Antwerp | De RestaurantKrant |
| 2021 | Leaves The Jane, Antwerp | VRT NWS |
| 2023 | Leaves Pure C and AIRrepublic, Cadzand | VRT NWS |
| 2 May 2026 | Announces that Le Pristine Antwerp and PrivéPrivée will close | VRT NWS |
| 4 May 2026 | Le Pristine loses its Michelin star | Culinaire Ambiance |
| End of Dec 2026 | Le Pristine Antwerp is due to close | De RestaurantKrant |
Sergio Herman timeline, 2006 to 2026: third Michelin star at Oud Sluis (2006), Pure C (2010), Oud Sluis closes (22 Dec 2013), first Belgian Frites Atelier in Antwerp (10 Feb 2017), Le Pristine opens (2020), closure announced (2 May 2026), star lost (4 May 2026), Le Pristine closes (end of Dec 2026). Horizontal SVG chart on desktop, vertical on mobile, built from the article’s timeline table (Chart: Burger Breton original SVG, data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), DutchNews, RetailDetail, VRT NWS, Culinaire Ambiance, De RestaurantKrant)
Video: Sergio Herman presents his cookbook of simple, quick dishes on Dutch TV show DWDD in October 2017 (Dutch audio, 1280×720) (Video: DWDD, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kookboek\_Sergio\_Herman.webm))
Sergio Herman burger: Frites Atelier Antwerp
Herman does make burgers, just not at Le Pristine. They are at Frites Atelier, where he created a burger line to go with the chain’s premium Belgian-style fries. The first Belgian shop opened in Antwerp on Friday 10 February 2017, at Korte Gasthuisstraat 32.
Korte Gasthuisstraat 32, Antwerp, the listed building that became Sergio Herman’s first Belgian Frites Atelier in February 2017 (heritage inventory photo from 2007, before the shop opened; 591×1036) (Photo: Kris Vandevorst (Onroerend Erfgoed), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antwerpen\_Korte\_Gasthuisstraat\_32\_-\_38073\_-\_onroerenderfgoed.jpg))
Mind the street name: Korte Gasthuisstraat, not Lange Gasthuisstraat, where Le Pristine is. The Dutch designer Piet Boon did the interior, and the Brussels Times describes a gilded ceiling and a marble counter. That is a lot of gilt for a cone of fries. The fries are made from Zeeland potatoes and seasoned with Zeeland samphire salt, which ties them back to Herman’s home region.
Fries in a traditional paper cone with mayonnaise and curry ketchup, the Low Countries frietkot classic that Frites Atelier takes upmarket with Zeeland potatoes and samphire salt (illustrative, not Frites Atelier; 2736×2735) (Photo: Jon Åslund, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frituur\_fries\_frikandel\_mayo\_curry\_ketchup.jpg))
Which burgers has Frites Atelier served?
Two Herman burgers are on record: a Crispy Chicken Burger and a Very Veggie Aubergine, both reported by FavorFlav at Frites Atelier Amsterdam. The article is undated and comes from the COVID period. Treat the prices as historical, not as today’s Antwerp menu.
| Burger | Key components | Price then (Amsterdam) |
|---|---|---|
| Crispy Chicken Burger | Chili-garlic, marinated ginger, miso powder, wasabi mayonnaise, shiso leaf | €13.50 |
| Very Veggie Aubergine | Crispy aubergine, aioli, harissa, pickled vegetables, pointed cabbage | €13.00 |
Price comparison bar chart: Sergio Herman’s Frites Atelier burgers (Crispy Chicken Burger €13.50, Very Veggie Aubergine €13.00, Amsterdam, COVID-era prices) next to Quite Frankly’s €16–35 range in Antwerp (Chart: Burger Breton original SVG, data from FavorFlav and Le Fooding)
The chicken burger leans Japanese, with miso, wasabi and shiso. To me the aubergine burger is the more interesting idea. It is a vegetable burger with as many layers as the meat one, not a grilled mushroom added to tick a box. I could not confirm the current Antwerp line-up or prices, so check the board at the counter.
For another three-star-trained chef who moved into burgers, read our profile of Ron Gastrobar Amsterdam and Ron Blaauw’s wagyu burger. It is the closest parallel to Herman’s story in our series on Michelin chefs and burgers.
Best burger in Antwerp now: chef-led and smashburger spots
For a burger in Antwerp in 2026, Quite Frankly is the chef-owned option and Maijard has the strongest international ranking. Tap Out, Rambo, Plump, Jimmyz and Le Boys make up the city’s smashburger wave. Our Antwerp burger guide covers the city in more depth. The list below names the founders and chefs behind each place, which most roundups skip.
Quite Frankly: a chef-owner on Minderbroedersrui
Of the Antwerp burger spots run by a chef, Quite Frankly is the best documented. Chef Steven Vijverman trained at Kastrol and Zero53, and he runs the place with Chantal Van Zanten. According to Le Fooding, the burgers are cooked on a plancha and served alongside house-cured pastrami. It is at Minderbroedersrui 52 and opens from 11:00 to 15:00, closed on Mondays, with prices from €16 to €35. Le Fooding is my only source here, so I give no opening year and no burger names. If I had a single burger lunch in Antwerp, I would book it here. A trained chef curing his own pastrami tells me more than a ranking does.
Maijard: Belgium’s top entry on the World’s 101 Best Burgers
Maijard, at Hoogstraat 44, ranks #34 on the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers list. The only other Belgian entry is Mosh in Bruges at #100. Maijard is a Dutch smashburger concept from Amsterdam, and Antwerp is its first Belgian location.
A double smash burger with fries, the format most Antwerp smashburger spots serve; Maijard on Hoogstraat ranks #34 on the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers (illustrative, not taken in Antwerp; 4032×2650) (Photo: Wiki.cullin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Double\_Smash\_Burger\_with\_Fries.jpg))
Tap Out and the 2026 smashburger wave
Tap Out, at Schermersstraat 15, is known for two burgers. One is a butter burger with salted butter and caramelised onion. The other is a tempura-style fried chicken burger with Korean mayo and pickled cabbage. The Infatuation reviewed it on 11 September 2026, and ELLE.be put it in its April 2026 roundup.
| Spot | Address | Background (ELLE.be, 14 Apr 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Rambo | Godefriduskaai 30 | Founded in Brussels in 2021 |
| Plump | Kronenburgstraat 17 | From the founders of Burgers & Grapes (Mechelen); all halal |
| Jimmyz | Melkmarkt 6 and Groendalstraat 5 | Two Antwerp addresses |
| Le Boys | Suikerrui 30 and Verschansingstraat 3 | Founded by Beka Gogeshvili |
Close-up of a smash burger with crisp, lacy patty edges, the style behind Antwerp’s 2026 wave at Maijard, Tap Out, Rambo, Plump, Jimmyz and Le Boys (illustrative, photographed in Opole, Poland; 3000×2000) (Photo: Kamil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Smashburger\_close.jpg))
If smashburgers brought you here, our deep dive into Junk Smash Burgers in Paris shows how a smash chain grows from one shop to a dozen. Heading south? Our best burger in Brussels ranking and the Brussels city guide cover the capital, where Frites Atelier also has a shop. Every city we cover is listed on the Restaurants hub.
How I checked this article
I built this piece from primary and reputable secondary sources, all checked on 10 October 2026: the Michelin Guide listing, Le Pristine’s official site, VRT NWS, De RestaurantKrant, Misset Horeca, Culinaire Ambiance, RetailDetail, the Brussels Times, Le Fooding, ELLE.be, The Infatuation and the World’s 101 Best Burgers list. Anything reported by a single unverified summary stayed out. That means no exact opening day for Le Pristine, no history of the building, no business partners, no last-service date and no current Frites Atelier prices. I will update this article in January 2027, once Le Pristine Antwerp has closed.
FAQ: Sergio Herman, Le Pristine and burgers in Antwerp
Is Le Pristine in Antwerp closing, and when? Yes. Le Pristine Antwerp closes at the end of December 2026. Sergio Herman announced it on 2 May 2026, and no exact last-service date has been published.
Why is Sergio Herman closing Le Pristine and PrivéPrivée? Herman described it as “a quiet call to return to nature, to myself and to the pure love of cooking”. PrivéPrivée closed right away in May 2026 and will return as pop-ups.
Did Le Pristine lose its Michelin star? Yes. It lost its one star in the Michelin Guide Belgium 2026, presented on 4 May 2026, two days after the closure announcement.
Does Le Pristine serve burgers? No. Neither the Michelin Guide nor the official site lists a burger. The diner-style decor is misleading: the menu is Italian with Zeeland influences.
What kind of food does Le Pristine serve? New Italian cooking with Zeeland roots, at the €€€€ price level. Michelin mentions bouchot mussels, house-made pasta and tiramisu.
Where can I still eat Sergio Herman’s food after Le Pristine Antwerp closes? At Le Pristine Tokyo, Le Pristine Singapore, any Frites Atelier, and PrivéPrivée pop-ups once they are announced.
What burgers does Frites Atelier serve, and where is it in Antwerp? Frites Atelier Antwerp is at Korte Gasthuisstraat 32. Herman’s recorded burgers are a Crispy Chicken Burger with wasabi mayo and shiso and a Very Veggie Aubergine with harissa and aioli. Check the current menu in store.
Why is Sergio Herman famous? What was Oud Sluis? Oud Sluis was Herman’s restaurant in Sluis, Zeeland. It held three Michelin stars from 2006 until it closed on 22 December 2013, which made him one of the best-known chefs in the Low Countries.
Where is the best burger in Antwerp? Maijard on Hoogstraat ranks highest internationally (#34 on the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers). Quite Frankly is the chef-owned pick. See our Antwerp city guide for the full list.
