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Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Most restaurants in Brussels include VAT, which currently stands at 6%, and a service charge of 16%, within their prices. Nevertheless, most diners will round up their bill to leave a few extra francs or leave around an extra 5% of the bill if the service is very good. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including VAT and service charge, unless otherwise stated. Gastronomic Comme Chez Soi The fame of this intimate little restaurant, decorated in Belle Epoque style, extends worldwide. Chef Pierre Wynants, with help from his son-in-law Lionel Rigolet, serves food to justify its three Michelin stars. Specialities include fillets of sole with a mousseline of Riesling or prawn and apricot soufflé with crunchy pistachios and red fruits. Advanced booking is strongly recommended. Closed Sunday and Monday. 23 place Rouppe Tel: (02) 512 2921. Fax: (02) 511 8052. Price: BFr2850/EUR71. Wine: BFr1600/EUR40. De Bijgaarden Situated some 20 minutes’ drive from central Brussels, De Bijgaarden is the territory of chef Olivier Schlissinger – his creations in this wooden panelled restaurant have been awarded two Michelin stars. Specialities include duck and goose foie gras and Colchester oysters with champagne. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday. Van Beverenstrat 20, Groot-Bijgaarden Tel: (02) 466 4485. Fax: (02) 463 0811. E-mail: debijgaarden@skynet.be Price: BFr3500/EUR87. Wine: BFr1000/EUR25. La Truffe Noire Italian chef Luigi Ciciriello is passionate about his truffles, used in just about every dish at this gastronomic, Michelin-starred but friendly restaurant, located close to avenue Louise in central Brussels. After its annual August closure, the restaurant reopened completely refurbished in rich wood and warmer, gentler tones. Specialities include carpaccio truffles with olive oil and parmesan, lobster risotto with truffles, and, for dessert, black chocolate truffle with spun sugar and raspberry sauce. An extensive wine cellar of fine Italian and French bottles, offers the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Special business menus are available at lunchtime and private lounges on the first floor may be booked for groups of up to 20 guests. Closed Saturday lunchtime and Monday. Those with a passion for truffles but without time to linger should head for the sister establishment, the cheaper L’Atelier de la Truffe Noire (avenue Louise 300), which is ideal for a quick but delicious lunch. Closed all day Sunday and Monday lunchtime. Boulevard de la Cambre Tel: (02) 640 4422. Fax: (02) 647 9704. E-mail: luigi.ciciriello@truffenoire.com Website: www.truffenoire.com Price: BFr3000/EUR74. Wine: BFr900/EUR22. La Villa Lorraine Located in the Uccle district, on the edge of the Bois de la Cambre, this very smart restaurant, with impeccable, white tablecloths, has large windows overlooking dense greenery. In summer, there is a lovely garden for alfresco dining. The cuisine, created by chef Freddy Vandecasserie, is classical French and specialities include sole Lorraine, broccoli terrine with wild asparagus or lobster with turmeric and coconut milk. There is an extensive wine list, ranging from agreeable, reasonably priced wines to vintage wine from the Villa’s cellar. To impress a client, there is no better way than inviting them to lunch at La Villa Lorraine. The establishment offers a series of gracious, private rooms, which are ideal for business lunches and banquets – special business menus can be created to order. Chaussée de la Hulpe 28 Tel: (02) 374 3163. Fax: (02) 372 0195. E-mail: info@villalorraine.be Website: www.villalorraine.be Price: BFr3000/EUR74. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Restaurant Bruneau Chef Jean-Pierre Bruneau, one of the city’s finest and most innovative chefs, has been awarded three Michelin stars for his classic cuisine with a contemporary twist. Located in the Ganshoren district, close to the Koekelberg Basilica, designer dishes are served at Restaurant Bruneau against the backdrop of a modern decor and serious atmosphere. This is a temple of fine food – offering a choice of seafood, meat and game dishes. Dishes include coucou de malines (chicken stuffed with truffles), ravioli filled with celery and truffles or lobster with truffles and light vinegar sauce. Closed Tuesday evening and Wednesday. Avenue Broustin 75 Tel: (02) 427 6978. Fax: (02) 425 9726. E-mail: bruneau@rest.be Website: www.bruneau.be Price: BFr3000/EUR74. Wine: BFr1200/EUR30. Business La Maison du Boeuf The Hilton’s gourmet restaurant, La Maison du Boeuf (‘House of Beef’), specialises in roast beef and steaks, cooked to a Michelin-starred level of perfection. The decor is contemporary and unobtrusive and the service is discreet, making this an ideal venue for high-level business meetings. Hilton Brussels (First Floor), boulevard de Waterloo 38 Tel: (02) 504 1334. Fax: (02) 504 2111. Website: www.hilton.com Price: BFr4000/EUR99. Wine: BFr1500/EUR37. La Maison du Cygne Karl Marx sweated over his Communist Manifesto at this address, when it was a bustling tavern. These days, La Maison du Cygne (‘The House of the Swan’) is a refined gourmet restaurant, decorated in wooden panelling and beams, with paintings on the wall. It serves classic dishes, such as foie gras and truffles, in the best location possible in Brussels – the Grand-Place. At lunchtime, this is a favoured venue for businesspeople lucky enough to dine on their expense account. Closed Saturday lunchtime and Sunday. Rue Charles Buls 2 Tel: (02) 511 8244. Fax: (02) 514 3148. Price: BFr2400/EUR59. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Le Fils de Jules Close to restaurant Le Quincaillerie in the Ixelles district, this popular brasserie, decorated in Art Deco style, specialises in cooking from the Basque country and southwest France, such as hot duck foie gras with prunes or tuna steak with onions. There is also a fine selection of French and Spanish wines. Relaxed, friendly and tourist-free, this is a good place to do a business lunch. Closed lunchtime Saturday and Sunday. Rue du Page 35 Tel: (02) 534 0057. Fax: (02) 534 5200. E-mail: info@filsdejules.be Website: www.filsdejules.be Price: BFr1500/EUR37. Wine: BFr720/EUR18. Sea Grill Brussels’ top fish and seafood restaurant, located in the SAS Radisson Hotel and decorated in muted style, is a cauldron for chef Yves Matagne’s creative cooking. Food of this quality (the Sea Grill has been awarded two Michelin stars) does not come cheap. However, it is an ideal venue for business lunches for those who are intent on impressing their clients with mouthwatering dishes such as baked sea bass with truffles and thyme. The marée du jour lunch menu costs BFr2700/EUR67, including wine. Closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Rue du Fossé-aux-Loups 47 Tel: (02) 227 3120. Fax: (02) 219 6262. E-mail: info@bruzh.rdsas.com Website: www.radisson.com/brussels.be Price: BFr3500/EUR87. Wine: BFr1000/EUR25. Symphony Symphony, formerly known as Nico Central, is quite a recent arrival on the Brussels dining scene. Located in the Renaissance Hotel (formerly the Swissotel), close to the European Parliament, this modern restaurant draws a sophisticated, business clientele. Belgian chef Philippe Le Comte, who trained at the Palace Hotel and the Sheraton, serves imaginative and contemporary French cuisine, inspired by London chef Nico Ladenis. Entirely renovated in April 2001, the Symphony has a contemporary decor with subtle colours. The varied menu includes gnocci with wild mushrooms, sole meuniere and foie gras. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Rue du Parnasse 19 Tel: (02) 505 2581. Fax: (02) 505 2555. Website: www.renaissancehotels.com Price: BFr2000/EUR50. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Trendy Bonsoir Clara Bonsoir Clara distinguishes itself from the host of trendy eating places in the boutique-lined rue Antoine Dansaert by its theatrical decor (a whole wall is decorated in colourful, patchwork squares) and imaginative, international cuisine. The menu excels in its fish dishes – a house speciality is salmon marinated in spices – but there are also good meat and vegetarian options. The clientele is chic and arty. Closed Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes. Rue Antoine Dansaert 22-26 Tel: (02) 502 0990. Fax: (02) 502 5557. Price: BFr2000/EUR50. Wine: BFr600/EUR15. Fin de Siècle As the name suggests, this restaurant is decorated in fin de siècle style, with high ceilings and an original Belle Epoque bar. The venue, which was once a café-theatre, is now a relaxed café-restaurant, staying open daily until around 0100. Specialities include aromatic lamb, with aubergine, tomato and aniseed flower. Closed Monday. Rue des Chartreux Tel: (02) 513 5123. Price: BFr1500/EUR37. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Le Living Room The open invitation to feel at home in this former hotel turned ultra-trendy eating place, located in the St Gilles district, is hard to turn down. On the menu at the light and airy restaurant is Asian-inspired cuisine, including sushi and sashimi, served in a cosmopolitan atmosphere to a hip clientele. Closed Sunday. 50 Chaussée de Charleroi Tel: (02) 534 4434. Fax: (02) 539 1590. Price: BFr2000/EUR50. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Les Baguettes Impériales This Michelin-starred Vietnamese restaurant, decorated in contemporary style, is located in Laeken, close to the Heysel exhibition halls. Specialities include stuffed pigeon and foie gras, and there is an extensive wine list. Closed Sunday evening and all day Tuesday. Avenue Jean Sobieski 70 Tel: (02) 479 6732. Fax: (02) 479 6732. Price: BFr3000/EUR74. Wine: BFr900/EUR22. Lola Located close to the antiques quarter, Lola serves classic French cuisine, lifted with a contemporary touch, to an arty, 30-something crowd. The long, narrow interior is sleek and modern but has a 1960s retro feel. Chef Larbi Ouriaghi’s specialities include duck with mango, although vegetarians will enjoy the vegetable risotto (flavoured with garlic, mushrooms, parmesan and fresh basil) and copious salads. Place du Grand-Sablon 33 Tel: (02) 514 2460. Fax: (02) 514 2653. Price: BFr2000/EUR50. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Budget Bleu de Toi Corinne Ceuleman’s intimate two-floor restaurant, with its welcoming blue façade and rich, decadent interior, serves brasserie-style cuisine in a relaxed environment. The house speciality is bintje (Dutch potatoes), which come with a wide choice of stuffings, from lobster to smoked salmon, caviar, veal or snails. Desserts include ice cream with spéculoos (Belgian ginger biscuit) and oriental nougat. Guests can choose to dine in the chilled-out blue room or more buzzy, red room upstairs. Group bookings (for up to 16 people) are available. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday. Rue des Alexiens 73 Tel: (02) 502 4371. Fax: (02) 502 4371. Price: BFr600/EUR15. Wine: BFr800/EUR20. Chez Léon This popular brasserie chain is best known for its generous portions of mussels and chips, although it also serves other traditional brasserie fare. Visitors seeking a relaxing or romantic atmosphere should not opt for Chez Léon – the tablecloths are paper and everyone (staff and diners included) seems to be in a bit of a rush. However, this centrally located venue, a stone’s throw from the Grand-Place, does offer an authentic experience of basic, Belgian cuisine. Rue des Bouchers 18 Tel: (02) 511 1415. Fax: (02) 514 0231. Price: BFr1005/EUR25. Wine: BFr500/EUR12. Le Grain de Sel Grégory Yarm’s unpretentious family-run restaurant, beside the Ixelles lake and close to place Flagey, is a top budget option. Specialities include delights such as tomato with goat’s cheese, tuna carpaccio, pigeon with lentils or salmon tartare with cucumber and horseradish. Yarm also serves his favourite family recipes, such as his Portuguese grandmother’s recipe for sole with Elvira banana. The decor is gentle, with pretty Venetian chandeliers and simple wooden tables. In summer, there is a lovely rose garden for alfresco dining. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday. Chaussée de Vleurgat Tel: (02) 648 1858. Fax: (02) 646 3579. E-mail: grandesel@skynet.be Price: BFr900/EUR22. Wine: BFr490/EUR12. Raconte-Moi des Salades Salad lovers will enjoy the many vegetarian and meaty options offered at this friendly restaurant, decorated with comfortable wickerware chairs and candlelit in the evening. Meat dishes include grilled beef with rosemary on a roquette and parmesan salad, while vegetarian options range from five vegetables served with salad and vinaigrette to pasta dishes. The atmosphere is relaxed and prices, bearing in mind the chic location in Ixelles, are very reasonable. In summer, there is the chance to enjoy alfresco dining. Popular with a trendy young crowd, it is wise to book in advance. Closed Sunday. Place du Châtelain Tel: (02) 534 2727. E-mail: salades@resto.be Website: www.resto.be/salades Price: BFr1200/EUR30. Wine: BFr600/EUR15. Touch and Go A resolutely good-humoured staff serve tasty pitta bread stuffed with a wide variety of salads and sauces at this popular restaurant chain. There are several branches of Touch and Go across the city – the rue Saint Boniface branch has recently been redecorated with colourfully painted walls and large paintings. Closed Sunday. Rue Saint Boniface 12 or rue Edith Cavell 113 or rue Grétry 43 Tel: (02) 513 8502. Price: BFr1000/EUR25. Wine: BFr500/EUR12. Personal Recommendations Aux Armes de Bruxelles The winding streets surrounding the Grand-Place are oozing with restaurants but many are tourist traps. It is always a safe bet to dine at Aux Armes de Bruxelles, which serves Belgian traditional cuisine, such as Waterzooi (fish or chicken in a creamy soup with vegetables), oysters or chips with mayonnaise. The surroundings are crisp and unfussy, and the service friendly and efficient. Closed Monday. Rue des Bouchers 13 Tel: (02) 511 5550. Fax: (02) 514 3381. E-mail: arbrux@beon.be Website: www.armebrux.be Price: BFr1300/EUR32. Wine: BFr995/EUR25. Blue Elephant This popular restaurant, intricately decorated with outsized plants, Buddhist statuary and comfortable bamboo chairs, serves high-class Thai cusine, using fresh ingredients flown in from Bangkok. Karl Steppé’s first venture, Brussels’ Blue Elephant, opened in the 1980s to great acclaim, and the winning formula has now been exported to London, Lyon, Dubai and New Delhi. Specialities include beef paneng and Thai chicken curry, while tofu dishes offer good alternatives for vegetarian diners. The Blue Elephant can cater for banquets and conferences. Closed Saturday lunchtime. Chaussée de Waterloo 1120 Tel: (02) 374 4962. Fax: (02) 375 4468. E-mail: Brussels@blueelephant.com Website: www.blueelephant.com Price: BFr1500/EUR37. Wine: BFr650/EUR16. La Quincaillerie La Quincaillerie is one of the most renowned of the many restaurants clustered around the place du Châtelain in the Ixelles district, and it is always busy. A former ironmonger’s shop, the interior retains much of the original decor, including a wrought-iron staircase, designed by students of Victor Horta (Brussels’ renowned Art Nouveau architect) in 1903. Chefs Patrick Amourette and Olivier Bellaches serve refined brasserie fare, with an emphasis on fish and seafood dishes, such as red mullet fillets with crab vinaigrette sauce. Closed Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes. Rue du Page 43-45 Tel: (02) 538 2553. Fax: (02) 539 4095. E-mail: info@quincaillerie.be Website: www.quincaillerie.be Price: BFr1500/EUR37. Wine: BFr850/EUR21. La Tour D’y Voir Located in a 14th-century chapel in the antiques quarter, on the first floor above Les Vieux Sablon art gallery, this is the ideal restaurant for a romantic tête-a-tête in the evening or relaxed business lunch. Owners Pascal and Tania Anciaux create an informal and creative environment with their Surprise and Prestige menu. Guests are invited to choose a fish, meat or vegetarian theme from the menu, leaving it up to the chef to improvise and come up with a mouthwatering and inventive dish. Place du Grand-Sablon 8/9 B6 Tel: (02) 511 4043. Tel: (02) 511 0078. E-mail: tourdyvoir@skynet.be Website: www.tourdyvoir.com Price: BFr1395/EUR35. Wine: BFr600/EUR15. Les Brasseries Georges This bustling restaurant, located opposite Bois de la Cambre, specialises in oysters, but also serves standard brasserie fare. Popular with Brussels’ modish set, this is a good place to see and be seen, and enjoy the Belle Epoque decor. Avenue Winston Churchill 259 Tel: (02) 347 2100. Fax: (02) 344 0245. Price: BFr2000/EUR50. Wine: BFr1000/EUR25. |
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