The best Belgian restaurants Belgium

A handful of à la carte options, and that's it! The cuisine is highly inventive, sophisticated and flexitarian (with vegetarian options), featuring light emulsions, vegetables full of freshness, color, rare scents and tastes and, a house specialty, decorative flowers. For starters, the mi-cuit of organic beef, beet, micro-herb salad, almonds, aged goat's cheese and balsamic vinaigrette was divine, as was the peach of the day (lemon verbena sauce) and its mashed potatoes and organic celeriac.

This gourmet restaurant occupies the majestic dining room of the Héritage Relais & Châteaux hotel in the heart of Bruges. White tablecloths, a fireplace and princely decor combine with impeccable service and top-notch dishes. Chef Raoul de Koning uses top-quality seasonal and local produce. Noble yet classic ingredients are magnified by exotic touches, such as lamb curry with fried asparagus or veal fillet in a wine sauce with marrow. A very fine address!

The restaurant at Le Moulin is an impressive sight in front of the abbey. In the tasting rooms, tavern and terrace on the first floor, you'll enjoy plates garnished with local produce such as Herve or des Moines cheeses, served under cloche, as well as vol-au-vent or omelette du Val, a delicacy washed down with a beer. All are happy to meet here: loyal lovers of the place, locals and tourists alike. A great Belgian getaway, whatever your choice of stop. Don't forget to take a look at the mill's impressive trough wheel.

Elegant, welcoming, old-French setting in the former Tanneurs workshops, now the Hôtel des Tanneurs. The chef is Hubert Quairiat, equally at ease with products from both land and sea, and capable of combining creativity, tradition and presentation without false notes. The easiest way to see for yourself is to opt for one of the menus (Espiègle, Balade or Gourmand), a total mastery. There's a reason why this restaurant, which has been one of Namur's top addresses since 1988, attracts so many gourmets.

Formerly Au Gré des Saisons, the restaurant underwent a transformation at the end of 2023: following renovation work, it changed its name to L'Empreinte. Still at the helm, young and innovative chef Manu Fiévet offers chic and trendy gourmet dining. He combines creativity and taste with market and seasonal cuisine, using fresh produce. His dishes are tasty, aesthetically pleasing and colorful. The plates are highly refined in nouvelle cuisine style. The dining room is as elegant as the plate.

Owned by the Trappist beers of Chimay, the Auberge represents the beers and cheeses of the same name in the store or on the menu. A must-see destination, the Auberge offers a restaurant with Chimay flavors, a brewery, a boutique, a hotel and the famous Chimay Experience Museum. In addition to the numerous dishes cooked with the local Trappist, Poteaupré is a privileged place to discover the particular vintages and almost all the Chimay on cask. To digest all this, several walks start from the inn.

A good, old-fashioned address, where the ambient red (gingham tablecloths, tables and chairs...) is enhanced by dedications from personalities and artists who have one day tasted this cuisine in the form of a love affair with local produce. Local and international. On the menu, jambonneau au gratin, groin de cochon, entrecôte de boeuf and cassoulet are all firm favourites. You'll also want to come for the warm welcome: boss Dominique Renson is a dry wit who doesn't take any crap! He produces an exclusive and delicious aperitif, the Florange.

Frédéric Maquin is one of the most discreet, focused and perfectionist chefs in Liège. The menu changes regularly with the seasons, accompanied by a suggestion of the moment. Inventive and imaginative, it revisits the classics. Dishes that reflect her cuisine include filet de biche served with poivrade, cranberries, parsnips, chanterelles and chicon, or cod with cabbage, charlotte crush, ginger and peanuts. The lobster menu is available by reservation only, and must be ordered 48 hours in advance.

Restaurant located near the center of Philippeville

Restaurant with local cuisine and regional products

Restaurant with vegetarian menu

Closed the 2nd fortnight of February and the 1st fortnight septembre

The patroness in the dining room, the patron in the kitchen
Regional dishes: Hemptinne Foie gras, cooking at low temperature with tomato confit and garlic, chutney with sweet peppers, tomato and pepper of gray espelette, Petits gris de Warnant simmered with SAUTERNE and vegetables, chopped parsley in crumble, Magret of duck of Hemptinne enamelled with acacia honey, mashed broccolis, pink berries and skewer of fried liver, Rabbit with "Schwendi" beer and nettles (speciality of Philippeville)

The Eating Garage is a natural extension of Brussels' most famous foodtruck, El Camion. In direct connection with the Pêle-Mêle bookstore in Ixelles, one can go from one to the other to satisfy one's thirst for knowledge and entertainment, but also one's appetite for quality food... One can stop there to have a bite to eat at lunchtime or in the evening, savor a piece of cake with a coffee in the afternoon to take a breather, taste natural wines or artisanal beers, or even have brunch with one's family on the weekend.

In this former medieval butcher's shop of the 15th century, you can taste the products of Eastern Flanders in the form of tapas at affordable prices, that you pick with your glass, unless you opt for the dish of the day. The building is impressive. A glazed and heated prefabricated structure was built inside to eat in warmth in winter. In the summer, the tables are spread out under the roof. All products are bought directly from the producers and sold in the adjacent store: cold cuts, cheeses, mustard, juniper...

Housed, as its name suggests, in a former malt factory, this small restaurant serving French and Belgian cuisine offers carefully prepared dishes in a family atmosphere. Chef François Nicolas' passion for local produce is evident both on the menu (which features only fresh, seasonal produce) and in the adjoining store, which features beer and cheese. Trout escaveche, poultry stuffed with Chimay cheese, sweetbreads braised with Chimay rouge... tasty, well-presented dishes, many of them concocted with beer.

Eddy's, its checkered tablecloths, its old butcher's shop setting... The cuisine is a range of Brussels-Brabant classics. We eat the best vol-au-vent within a 10 km radius, the American is prepared or served with all the ingredients to season it yourself, the duo of blood sausages is copious and absolutely sticks to the idea we have of it, compote and home-made purée. We validate the toast with mushrooms and we recall the inevitable mussels in season. The "royal" French toast does not usurp its qualification: soaked in milk, currants and vanilla ball.

To say that this is a trendy brasserie would be an understatement. The Art Nouveau decor and atmosphere are very pleasant and the terrace offers a free observation point of the passers-by. But the main motivation for a visit remains the menu. The beer menu (more than 90 beers, 6 of which are on draught) and the brewery dishes. The quality depends on the day. At times it is very good, at others the cooking is below their capabilities, but this shows that the cuisine is not formatted. A positive point, in short.

Here, it's the trout that sets the tone; meunière, i.e. salted, peppered and pan-fried, in the same way as it has been for forty years, accompanied by bacon potatoes. There's also sauerkraut in winter, and touffaye (order 48 hours in advance), a regional dish based on pork ribs, sausage from Gaumaise and those delicious potatoes known as "plates de Florenville". As well as the famous trout, the menu includes an omelette, ham on the bone, quiche with Orval cheese and pâté gaumais. The place is wonderfully secluded in the forest.

Lift a veil on the soul of Brussels by entering this "Mouche folle". It plays the Belgian card to the hilt: you sit on beer racks, record covers of the greatest artists of the 1960s and 1980s adorn the menus and walls... On the menu, you will find the dishes of grandmothers: carbonnades, chicon au gratin, chicken compote... and of course, French fries. All homemade, at a reasonable price. Nice beer list. On Saturdays, you can sway to the sounds of DJ-Has-Been or dance to the Thé Dansant of DJ Naphtaline on Sundays.

Carl Gillain remained at the helm but Agathopède changed its name to a more corporate name. More convivial and with less fuss, the restaurant of the Royal Snail hotel opted for bistronomy. We eat at the bar or on low tables if we wish, we have an unpretentious aperitif before continuing with the plates served à la carte. The ex-second-in-command of Comme Chez Soi opted for a 90-degree turn in the spirit of the times, another emblematic address where he also made his mark. Bosses break codes and we love it!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this restaurant run by Agnès and Eric with a wooden frame, you feel at home. On the menu: salads mainly, but also soups, focaccia sandwiches. What is special here is the composition of the very hearty salads, such as the Mallard: smoked duck breast, caramelized apples with honey, salad, raw vegetables, dried fruit, balsamic cream. We enjoy homemade aperitifs such as dandelion wine, violet lemonade, rhubarb wine, but also speculoos coffee, cuberdon milkshake and homemade desserts.

Meatball bars are springing up everywhere! Meatball's Bar has chosen the Rue de Marcinelle as its location, spilling out onto the sidewalk with tables and high chairs. The contemporary industrial decor completes the ambience. At the table, you can choose from five types of meatballs (beef, vitoulet - a mix of pork and veal -, veggie...), four sauces (tomato, chef's curry...) and a side dish (fries, pasta, vegetables...). You can also put dumplings in soup or slice them on bread, sandwich-style. A good-natured, trendy bar.

For the great bite, this address near the Grand Place serves as a huge boeuf of beef, gambas and large ribs. The service is charming, and the summer is a pleasure to enjoy the terrace with views of the Draps and St Martin's Cathedral. Here is a family restaurant all for good eating (and in quantity) or for a small break in the afternoon.

Pasta, salads, sandwiches and other snacks make up the unpretentious menu of this little eatery, all prepared with ultra-fresh, well-matched ingredients in generous quantities. The decor is authentic, as is the name "de werf", which means "the building site". Even the waiters wear work belts like builders! The terrace is more than pleasant, even in winter when it's colder, thanks to the heat lamps and small blankets. There's also a good selection of local craft beers to wash down your meal.

This former brewery was once an annex of the town hall... hence its name. In July and August, the terrace is very popular. The interior, for its part, has kept its charm with its old stones. The food is simple, tasty, rather copious and, to say the least, original with, for example, the menu of dishes served only with beer, such as the cooked plaice fillet, white butter sauce flavoured with Hommel beer, tomato, mushrooms and shrimps, Flemish carbonade à la Trappiste Rochefort, endives salad and French fries.

De Mayeur is a restaurant synonymous with convivial cuisine. The chef, Patrick Vandecasserie, was at the helm of Villa Lorraine and son of another chef legend, Freddy Vandecasserie. The combination of these two conceptions of local cuisine results in an address that smells of slow-cooked dishes, traditional preparations and respected taste. When tradition meets legend, a Ruisbroek restaurant that has been somewhat forgotten by the younger generation is given a new lease of life. At the back, a terrace allows you to enjoy the fresh air.

Enter a universe where comfort and zenitude are the key words. After a few steps over a pool, you can sit down in the restaurant with its contemporary and natural decor or on the terrace. Chef Ivan Puystiens offers a fair and original cuisine based on fresh products with the aim of surprising (especially the Oh Experience Menu), in the marriage of flavours and presentation. As a starter, the truffle risotto was delicious, as was the grilled turbotin as a main course. Everything is homemade, the pastries, the macaroons and even the bread.

The "Onzième Commandement" is a café-brasserie with a baroque decor of religious statues and stoup charms. Not surprising, given its location opposite Notre-Dame Cathedral. A fine selection of beers and Belgian specialties on the menu. The restaurant has quite a reputation. The honey-coatedribs were divine, as was the reasonably priced rabbit with plums. The place is worth a visit, but it's quite touristy. Probably because it's on the "World's best bars" list (www.worldsbestbars.com)...