2024
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Since 1893, Léon has been a local institution and an almost obligatory stopover in Brussels for discovering the real mussel-fries.
Mussels and chips and still the Vanlancker family at the helm. In 1893, Léon Vanlancker set up his "friture" in an estaminet in old Brussels. Today, Léon has a dozen rooms, 400 seats and always a warm atmosphere. Other specialities such as grilled steak, vol-au-vent, lobster, dumplings in tomato sauce, stoemp-sausage... some 120 references. The portions are generous and the fries well browned. This is where Léon de Bruxelles was born, and the people of Brussels have not forgotten this and still go there.
Further information
Opening time and information on CHEZ LÉON
Open daily from 12pm to 11pm; Fridays and Saturdays until 11:30pm. Mussels from €17.75 (free up to age 12 when ordered à la carte by an adult).
Message from Management
In 1888, Léon Vanlancker opened a 5-table restaurant called "A la Ville d'Anvers", located near the Grand Place. In 1893, he moved a few meters further to create "Friture Léon", an establishment specializing in the sale of French fries. Over the years, the restaurant grew steadily.
In 1958, during the World Fair, Brussels became famous for its emblematic dish of moules-frites, marking a major turning point for the Vanlancker company. From then on, the company grew rapidly and now occupies nine buildings, serving over a thousand customers every day in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
However, "le bon Roi Léon", as he was nicknamed, didn't stop there. In 1989, the Vanlancker heirs opened a new Léon restaurant in Brussels, in Bruparck, near the Atomium. Expansion continued with the opening of a further 85 restaurants in France over the next twenty-five years, as well as several more Léon restaurants in Belgium.
In 2021, a turning point in the history of Léon came with the passing of the torch from the 5th to the 6th generation. Rudy hands over the reins to Kevin, ensuring the continuity of the family tradition for many years to come.
Members' reviews on CHEZ LÉON
Le personnel très gentil, aimable.
Le cadre sympa, à la belge, j'ai adoré et j'y retournerai.