The best restaurants Belgium

Young Rémi Colombe and Martin Tfelt have taken over the well-known Ucluse brand. A large mural by Brussels artist Denis Meyers, featuring 200 words dear to the masters of the house, is the visual backdrop. In the kitchen, Franco-Asian influences, with products sourced from quality suppliers and producers. "We are the third generation of owners and we want to continue to develop the restaurant," says Rémi Colombe, who makes no secret of his ambition to one day win a Michelin star.

In a neighborhood known for its popular Saturday market, David Martin has brought gourmets back to the abattoir area. In a Belle Époque setting, the brasserie serves in a more stylish spirit than in the days when chevilleurs ate elbow-to-elbow! What's on the menu? Refined cuisine inspired by the Belgian-French tradition (mussels smoked in hay, Bresse poultry...), using noble ingredients but with Japanese accents - a cuisine the chef particularly appreciates - and from the South-West, his native region. Double starred and double deserved!

Frédéric Bruneel welcomes his guests to his establishment, where old stones and fine cuisine come together in perfect harmony. It's a must to discover all the finesse of Ardennes cuisine, with a gastronomic twist. Game, in season, is obviously part of the package. The terrace is pleasant, thanks to its location slightly removed from the hubbub. The restaurant doubles as a cosy hotel combining comfort and contemporary charm. It's a particularly good place to (re)settle.

At the helm are Gérard and Stanny, who have been sharing their 15 years of experience in the kitchen and dining room. The dishes are prepared in the house, which has a pretty room with exposed brick walls, but they can be enjoyed on the terrace, a must in summer. You can enjoy fresh pasta, a speciality of the house, following Italian recipes or others made with local ingredients. A seasonal suggestion card completes the menu. We loved the Bauletti with porcini mushrooms, oyster mushroom cream, fine herbs with a hint of garlic

Giant clock, suspended passageways, old drawer cabinets and above all this lively brewery atmosphere. A magnificent setting for a kitchen where oysters, fish, seafood and regional recipes are put in the spotlight. The menu changes twice a year and plays transparency with the traceability of the products. Like those from their own farm for Bresse chicken and other meats. Some biodynamic wines complete the menu. La Quinc' has an induction kitchen allowing low temperature cooking and minute preparations.

This is one of the most pleasant addresses with its large terrace on the banks of the Meuse in the summer. At the head of the updated sign, Max Guldentops and Gregory Franchi. Here the decoration is modern, very clean and bright, offering an absolute view of the river. A place that offers dishes ranging from the simplest brasserie dishes (prepared American, scampi friti, vitello tonato...) to the noblest such as lobster or cod back and other fresh fish, so that you can open their menu to all wallets and desires.

A bright and renowned neighbourhood brasserie, the cuisine features hearty cuts of beef and is also popular for its home-style dishes and its "banc d'écailler" (from September to May inclusive). Lobsters (in four ways) and fish take the lion's share of the menu. People flock here all year round, especially from the neighbouring RTBF (French-speaking Belgian radio and television) and take advantage of the conviviality of the half-floor to feel at home. And it's been going on for thirty years and still with Costa Loulas at the helm.

Remarkable and respectable, everything is superb both inside and outside, thanks to the careful attention of Pascal Devalkeneer and his dynamic team. Total disconnection when you arrive in this quiet area bordering the Forêt de Soignes. Here, everything is done to make you feel good, with comfort and service included. A gastronomic and creative cuisine made from carefully selected products, most of which are organically grown, from small producers, small-scale fishing and local produce. Note: double starred!

Here's an old mansion transformed into a wine bar, offering nearly 70 wines by the bottle and 25 by the glass. The room is decorated in a chic recycled style, with a cosy, trendy feel. From here, the open-plan kitchen offers permanent show cooking (which you can visit if you wish), as well as a vegetable kitchen. The à la carte menu includes momenties, tapas combining French and Mediterranean cuisine, and a bistronomic menu offering 3 or 5-course menus, including an entirely vegetarian menu featuring seasonal vegetables.

The French Kiss is as much land as it is sea. Chateaubriand to be shared by two for lovers of grilled meats; lobster, oysters or sole meunière like so many other undeniable classics. The foie gras is strutting around with the words "homemade" and if the fries have the right to be mentioned, it's because they are treated with care. The atmosphere is most pleasant with its brick walls and the bar in oak barrels. The efficient service makes it a pleasant meeting place in the neighbourhood. Snacks and take-away meals next to the restaurant.

Xavier Winkel and his son have reopened the establishment, which was closed for fourteen years: a real cultural bistro-resto with personality and a warm decor (exposed bricks and a beautiful silk paper light on the ceiling). The menu is in the same tone and plays up the quality dishes under the leadership of chef Michel Fabry (tapas, gazpachos, salads, quiches, spaghetti...). Large sunny terrace with a view of the beautiful residences on Avenue Bertrand. Regular concerts and exhibition of artists.

This small restaurant with its contemporary decor is a well-known address for pasta lovers: the chef offers revisited versions of traditional Italian fresh pasta recipes. The menu is rounded out by an extensive list of seasonal suggestions of the day, and a number of fine wines, mainly Italian but also Spanish, have been carefully selected by the owner. What we love here are the generous plates, the flavors crafted with top-quality, fresh ingredients and the very moderate prices.

The name says it all: here, the specialty is lobster. This noble animal is served on a 750 g plate in plain, grilled, thermidor, Armoricaine or waterzooi (a typical Ghent stew) versions. Other house specialties include shellfish platters (oysters, various shellfish, langoustine, crab, razor clams, gambas, shrimp, lobster, etc.), bouillabaisse (which can be garnished with crab or lobster), à la carte fish of the day (sole meunière, swimming halibut, etc.), and traditional Belgian mussels and French fries. The dining room is rather small, so book ahead.

Completely in tune with the times, Djo defines itself as a "bistro-bar" where the preparations - like tapas - are to be shared. Hot, cold, meat, fish and vegetables, the dishes follow one another with Mediterranean accents or local flavours. The formulas are adapted to small and large appetites, with a particular attention to the quality of the products. Wood and raw materials for the decoration fit well in this old mansion. Nice cocktails for the aperitif or any other moment of the day.

Chou is the nickname of Dominique Aubry, who has created a fine epicurean address on the foundations of a well-known former bistro. In the kitchen, which opens onto the dining room, chef Hakim Akandar works with products of certified origin. You can even leave the orders to him for a menu that always has a pleasant outcome, but varies according to your mood. On the menu, you'll find cabbage, but not only cabbage, and meat has a special place. Transparency is the key word here, as the beautiful wine cellar is visible from the dining room floor.

Here, no Asian kitsch decorations. The atmosphere is muffled and the setting current. Shanghai (open since 1963) offers refined dishes. We let ourselves be tempted by the lobster sauté flavoured with ginger or by the matchstick beef sautéed with onions, house specialties. The outstanding wine list offers more than 40,000 bottles in a ripening cellar located under a church. We don't say whether the wine is blessed there, but the hygrometric and temperature conditions reach the heavens! Each dish is thus matched to the wine that suits it best.

Taken over at the end of 2023, this institution of Liège's gastronomic landscape has benefited from a refreshment while retaining the unique style of the place. The traditional Art Deco brasserie is unique in the region. The kitchen offers a variety of lobster dishes. The menu evolves with the seasons. The seafood platter features oysters, clams, mussels, langoustines, half clams, shrimps and periwinkles. You'll also appreciate the shrimp croquettes, considered the best in the city, as well as the genuine Liège coffee.

We love a fondue specialist! We're not in Savoie, but on the edge of the Hautes-Fagnes. La Faitafondue offers no less than fifteen different types of fondue, from the most classic to the most unexpected. Prices vary according to choice, but the fondues are always all-you-can-eat. Another original feature is that the staff's decor and costumes change every four months. No doubt to make you want to return more often. And to round things off, the meals continue, in costume, on the dance floor!

This Mons gastronomic mecca now has a new, more spacious setting. Lisa Calcus reigns supreme in the kitchen, Nicolas Campus in the dining room. From fish and game to fine poultry and choice meats, they offer a varied menu featuring grilled lobster. The cellar master knows perfectly how to accompany it with fine, exclusively European wines. The cheeses on offer are mature, and the gourmet desserts and fresh bread are homemade. The menu follows the seasons and is renewed every two weeks.

At the entrance to the city, the tavern offers a variety of menus and daily specials. Pan-fried Irish entrecôte, vol-au-vent, homemade meatballs and old-fashioned knuckle of pork are just a few of the must-tries served at Champs-Élysées. Seafood is also a highlight. In fact, everything is homemade, in keeping with the traditions of an authentic brasserie. The owner is a sommelier by passion, and it's a pleasure to discuss wines with him. The dining room and veranda are spacious, as is the terrace, heated in winter and shaded in summer.

Mr. and Mrs. Caby love what they do, and Frit'House'L is immediately reassuring when you notice the cooking and the organization that goes with it. The fries are naturally "homemade" and cooked twice in beef fat. The menu includes a dozen burgers based on pure beef burgers, grills, main courses and sandwiches or wraps. Specialties include bamis (oriental pasta croquettes), Ragouzi (croquettes filled with béchamel sauce, chicken and vegetables) and Lucifer (explosive meat in a pancake).

If you're in a hurry, don't bother: here, you'll find time to enjoy a wide range of dishes, often late into the night. The establishment is nestled in a pretty villa in a shady park. This is real cooking, just the way we like it. Spaced-out tables offer the comfort and discretion appreciated by a clientele of regulars. Service is friendly, efficient and attentive throughout the meal. The establishment has four comfortable guest rooms. Definitely an address not to be missed in the Condroz.

Its name comes from the first owner, whose father was a veterinarian. She is said to have put a pig fetus in a jar of formaldehyde! In April 2017, Thierry Vanbrabant and his wife Sandra took over this old establishment dating back to 1747. They kept the name - but not the jar! - and decided to fit out the rooms with exposed beams and a vaulted cellar. The menu is traditional, with homemade dishes and, wherever possible, local produce. It's best to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Over the years, the house has kept its charm and its old classified staircase. The menu is really audacious, using rare ingredients, game, vegetables of yesteryear... Like this fillet of doe, its pumpkin and chestnut mousse, fried parsnips, cranberries and light mustard sauce... A revelation. The hake fillet, fried potato mousse, with parmesan crumble and burnt onion juice is just as invigorating. To conclude: a waffle from Liege, with its pear infused with bergamot and its pear - tonka bean sorbet. A real trip.

A well-balanced mix of conviviality, exchange and reflection... At the start of a "project kot", four young people enthusiastically launched this café-citizen where debates and other militant events are organized. The menu is praiseworthy and includes a number of seasonal specialities, both organic and home-made (pasta, quiches, soups, sandwiches...). With special beers and some cocktails from far away places. Nice decoration and concert evenings, including regular jam sessions. Don't hesitate to check their Facebook page for the calendar.

It's a truly charming house, built of local stone on the outside, with a warm decor inside that marries wood and stone to perfection. And when it comes to cooking, the emphasis is not on gourmet cuisine, but on an honest family spirit that emphasizes gourmet pleasure and conviviality. In addition to a few fine bottles of wine, special beers and a menu of non-industrial spirits that takes us out of our usual habits: whisky, gin, peket... A pleasant stopover on the shores of Lake Neufchâteau. It's fast, it's cheap and it's good!

In an elegant setting, chef Philippe Burton offers classic but well-crafted gastronomic dishes: beef tartare and hollow oysters from Brittany flavored with lemon oil, aubrac entrecôte, "bordelaise" potato mousseline... For several years now, he has even been developing a low-calorie, slimming menu. It's one of the few French gastronomy restaurants in Liège that holds its own, with quality service. On the downside, it's best to book in advance.