Volle Gas is a belgian brasserie restaurant in Ixelles, Brussels.
Volle Gas in Brussels' Ixelles is a 1924 Art Deco brasserie on Place Fernand Cocq. The kitchen runs nearly 30 mussel preparations and a Belgian carte of meatballs and steak.
Signature dishes: Mussels, Carbonnade flamande
Must order: Whichever mussel preparation looks new on the chalkboard, with frites and a Tripel Karmeliet.
Tip: Open seven days, kitchen runs late. The Art Deco interior is the seat; book the corner banquette.
Address: Place Fernand Cocq 21, 1050 Ixelles, Brussels
Racines in Brussels' Ixelles is the Italian-Belgian dining room on Chaussee d'Ixelles. Francesco Cury and Ugo Federico cook a tight modern menu with natural wine pairings, Bib Gourmand listed.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Italian-Belgian tasting menu
Order: Whichever pasta is on the chalkboard, with a glass of the house orange wine.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bar seats face the open kitchen; lunch is the budget pick.
Au Stekerlapatte in Brussels' Marolles is the wood-panelled bistro on Rue des Pretres. Boudin noir with caramelised apples, shrimp croquettes, the chalkboard runs Brussels classics.
Signature: Boudin noir with apples, Shrimp croquettes
Order: Boudin noir with caramelised apples, and shrimp croquettes to start.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Open evenings only; the dining room fills with the same Marolles regulars night after night.
Noordzee Mer du Nord in Brussels' Sainte-Catherine is the standing-only seafood counter. Fish soup, oysters and grilled langoustines run to the steel bar all day, no tables anywhere.
Signature: Shrimp croquettes, Fish soup
Order: A bowl of fish soup, croquettes aux crevettes, and a glass of muscadet from the wine fridge.
Tip: No tables. Order at the counter, listen for your name, then carry the plate to a high-top across the street.
Friture Rene in Brussels' Anderlecht has run since 1932 on Place de la Resistance. Pre-war fritkot-bistro hybrid: hand-cut beef-fat fries, steak from the grill, white-shirt waiters.
Signature: Hand-cut frites, Steak frites
Order: Steak frites or moules-frites, then anything from the long beer list.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Lunch service runs to 14:30; the dining room books out on weekends.
Racines in Brussels' Ixelles is the Italian-Belgian dining room on Chaussee d'Ixelles. Francesco Cury and Ugo Federico cook a tight modern menu with natural wine pairings, Bib Gourmand listed.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Italian-Belgian tasting menu
Order: Whichever pasta is on the chalkboard, with a glass of the house orange wine.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bar seats face the open kitchen; lunch is the budget pick.
Henri in Brussels' Dansaert is the neo-bistro on Rue de Flandre. Tight chalkboard menu, focused natural-wine list, beef tartare and cheese souffle as the through-line.
Signature: Beef tartare, Cheese souffle
Order: Beef tartare prepared at the table, with the cheese souffle for two.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Lunch set is the value pick; book ahead for evenings.
Toukoul in Brussels is the city's canonical Ethiopian restaurant. The kitchen serves spongy injera with stews from the central pot, on Rue de Laeken near the Dansaert quarter.
Signature: Doro wat, Vegetarian beyaynetu platter
Order: A vegetarian beyaynetu for the table, plus doro wat, all rolled into the injera with no cutlery.
Tip: Open daily for dinner. Vegetarian and vegan platters are the value; tej (honey wine) is the drink.
