Must-see restaurants in Belgium

  • Le John

    Antwerp

    Sit at 1960s-style school chairs in a pair of artily sparse shopfronts while the chefs perform in a glass-fronted show kitchen. The short, monthly…

  • Leblanc

    Liège

    Yes, it's a butchers' shop, and having shimmied past the counter you have to walk over a cow – a model, fortunately, grazing surreally beneath a glass…

  • Tero

    Brussels

    Stunning and spacious with a bewitching mix of wood, woolen wall art and marble, Tero serves organic and seasonal little dishes to share. Most of their…

  • Bistro Arthies

    Bruges

    Managed by Arthies – an interior designer who looks like a dashingly gothic Billy Connolly. He uses a projected clock, giant black flower bowls and…

  • Officina Clandestina

    Leuven

    This very original place is unusual for its great feeling of space between tables, for the big open kitchen, for its philosophical tract on good eating…

  • Le P'tit Gabriel

    Wallonia

    For a fun night out among friends, head to this cosy space around the corner from Collégiale Ste-Gertrude. The speciality is fondue bourguignonne –…

  • LOA

    Antwerp

    Overlooking St-Jansvliet square, this tiny shop-cafe and takeaway peddles an interesting selection of good-value, international street food including veg-…

  • Le Pesage

    Brussels

    Overlooking the old racecourse in the Drohme Park, le Pesage restaurant by Lionel Jadot (JAM hotel) looks as if a pop bomb had exploded. Amidst the green…

  • La Quincaillerie

    Brussels

    A central Victorian stairway and station-style clock dominate this brasserie-restaurant. Wooden box-drawers, gleaming copperware and a green wrought-iron…

  • Govinda's

    The Ardennes

    If you're looking for good vegetarian food in the Durbuy area it's worth the 4km drive to Govinda's, the house restaurant of Radhadesh, the Krishna…

  • Faubourg 101

    The Ardennes

    One of Arlon's most reliable choices for Franco-Belgian pub-style food, salads and seasonal mussels, this thoroughly modernised, three-level brasserie…

  • Books and Brunch

    Bruges

    This fabulous little cafe with exceptionally friendly and helpful staff is the perfect place to start your day, whether you're a late starter or an early…

  • Les 4 jeudis

    Brussels

    Veritable vegetarian delights are served up at Les 4 jeudis, a sun-baked corner restaurant where the chef’s elaborate lacto-fermented processes are said…

  • Nieuwscafe

    Northeast Belgium

    Tucked behind Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk, Nieuwscafe has remained fresh and inviting for two decades. By day it offers a calm, modern brasserie experience with…

  • In ’t Nieuwe Museum

    Bruges

    So called because of the museum-like collection of brewery plaques, money boxes and other mementos of café life adorning the walls, this family-owned…

  • Wagon Léo

    The Ardennes

    Open since 1946, the genteel restaurant section of this spot is fronted by a 1940s tram carriage with wooden-inlay walls. Meals here can be quite…

  • Gran Kaffee De Passage

    Bruges

    A mix of regulars and travellers staying at the adjoining hostel give this candlelit, alternative art deco–style bistro one of the best atmospheres in…

  • De Broers van Julienne

    Antwerp

    Serving all-vegetarian dishes apart from a couple of fish offerings, this enticing place opens with a deli section purveying huge takeaway quiche slices…

  • Chez Léon

    Brussels

    This long-time tourist favourite serves the original ‘Mussels from Brussels’, and makes a good place to try them if you don’t mind that portions (mostly…

  • Pollux

    Liège

    Facing Liège's cathedral, Pollux is the city's classic choice for gaufres liégeoises – waffles freshly made while you wait.

  • Kokob

    Brussels

    A warmly lit Ethiopian bar/restaurant/cultural centre at the bottom of Rue des Grands Carmes, where well-explained dishes are best shared and eaten from…

  • Fenikshof

    Northeast Belgium

    In the the courtyard of Grimbergen Abbey, this buzzing brasserie offers standard meat, fish and pasta dishes plus well-presented salads and, from 2pm to…

  • Agua del Mar

    Ostend

    This business-casual restaurant features imaginative mussel-shell-mosaics, and the arc of its raised terrace surveys the western beaches. The upmarket…

  • A Table

    The Ardennes

    In summer, this central yet relatively peaceful, fountain-facing terrace is an ideal lunch spot for freshly made sandwiches and healthy plates of salad…

  • Kanal Street Food Market

    Brussels

    The ground floor of the Kanal Centre Pompidou museum has a 500m2 dainty street market with stalls for every mood. Hit Pistola for a juicy Black Angus…

  • La Dona Trattoria

    The Ardennes

    Some of Belgium's tastiest pizza along with home-made pasta is served in this unpretentious but friendly trattoria, 350m west of Pl du Rome on the N62, in…

  • Couleur Basilique

    Wallonia

    On Rochefort's restaurant-lined main drag, this fresh, youthful bistro has a fine front terrace for watching the city stroll past. The small but wide…

  • L'O à la Bouche

    Namur

    Chef Olivier Vanden Branden calls his cuisine 'artisanal' rather than gourmet, but the standards are very high and some French-Belgian classics get an…

  • Den Artiest

    Ostend

    The tables of this casual brasserie are arranged on different levels within a spacious high-roofed hall to quite an effect. Long brass-tube lamps and fun…

  • L’Atelier Européen

    Brussels

    Tucked down an alley and fronted by a hedged courtyard, this former wine warehouse has a pared-back but sophisticated menu of meat and fish dishes, such…

  • Fin de Siècle

    Brussels

    From carbonade (beer-based hotpot) and kriek (cherry beer) chicken to mezzes and tandoori chicken, the food is as eclectic as the decor in this low-lit…

  • Vilaine Fille, Mauvais Garçon

    Wallonia

    Artful gastronomic takes on traditional plates, with familiar ingredients appearing in surprising ways, are the hallmarks of this enjoyable restaurant…

  • Restobières

    Brussels

    Beer-based twists on typical Belgian meals are served in a delightful if slightly cramped restaurant. The walls are plastered with bottles, grinders and…

  • Lukemieke

    Leuven

    This friendly place has been serving vegetarian delights since 1967. Its high-ceilinged front room faces Stadspark from an otherwise residential street…

  • Mission Masala

    Antwerp

    The look, the flavours, the punning menu and even the authentic masala chai (Indian-style tea) all buzz with the colourfully spicy verve of a Kolkata…

  • Chez Nathalie

    Liège

    Decorated with gilt-framed mirrors, copper pots and gingham tablecloths, this lovable spot could audition for the role of bistro in any mid-20th-century…

  • De Bron

    Bruges

    By the time this glass-roofed restaurant’s doors open, a queue has usually formed outside, full of diners keen to get vegetarian fare direct from de bron …

  • Le Grill du Valais

    The Ardennes

    The Swiss cottage decor with lots of local hunting horns and rearing boars is fun if a little kitschy, especially the comic paintings of game animals…

  • Le Pinacle

    Wallonia

    The interior is slightly bland, but Le Pinacle's enviable street terrace shares a quiet square with a breastfeeding Madonna and a view of the cathedral…

  • Nulle Part Ailleurs

    Wallonia

    A typical grey-stone building on Couvin's main road combines an excellent restaurant, specialising in carefully sourced French and local produce, and a…

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