The restaurants worth a reservation in Brussels, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Brussels. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Comme Chez Soi opened in 1926 under Georges Cuvelier and moved to the Place Rouppe Art Nouveau dining room in the 1930s. Located in Sainte Catherine.
Signature: Filets de sole Prince Albert, Classical French-Belgian tasting menu
Order: The filets de sole Prince Albert, the kitchen's signature since the 1970s, with a glass of Mosel Riesling.
Tip: Closed Monday, Tuesday and Sunday. Book three weeks ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner; the chef's table seats six.
La Truffe Noire in Brussels has been the city's truffle restaurant since founder Luigi Ciciriello opened in 1988. Kitchen leans modern french.
Signature: Perigord truffle a la croque au sel, Carpaccio prepared tableside
Order: The Perigord truffle a la croque au sel, the kitchen's signature, and the tableside-prepared beef carpaccio.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Lunch service Tuesday to Friday, dinner Monday to Saturday; the garden terrace is the seat to ask for from April.
Menssa in Brussels is chef Christophe Hardiquest's second act in the building that held his two-star Bon Bon until 2022. Located in European Quarter.
Signature: Cuisine instinctive tasting menu, Belgian seasonal seven-course dinner
Order: The tasting menu in full; the wine pairing draws heavily on small Belgian and German growers.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book the counter for the open-kitchen view; the dining room takes parties up to six.
Le Chalet de la Foret in Brussels sits on the edge of the Sonian Forest in Uccle. Pascal Devalkeneer has held two Michelin stars here since the early 2010s.
Signature: Flame-cooked Breton scallops, Aveyron lamb with garden herbs
Order: The flame-cooked scallops from Brittany and whatever lamb course is on the seasonal menu.
Tip: Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. Relais and Chateaux property: book a fortnight ahead and ask for the conservatory tables.
La Paix in Brussels has run since 1892 in a neo-classical building opposite the Anderlecht abattoir. Priced at €€€. Kitchen leans modern belgian.
Signature: Slow-cooked Belgian beef, Seasonal grill plate
Order: Whatever the menu calls the day's slow-cooked beef course; the kitchen is butcher's-row by lineage.
Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Lunch only on Friday; the dining room runs Japanese-minimalist with origami above the tables.
Au Vieux Saint Martin in Brussels has held the corner of Place du Grand Sablon since 1968. The Niels family invented Belgian filet americain here.
Signature: Filet americain, Shrimp croquettes
Order: Filet americain prepared at the table, and shrimp croquettes to start.
Tip: Open every day from noon to midnight. The terrace looks straight at the Sablon church; book ahead for Sunday lunch.
Chez Leon in Brussels has run on Rue des Bouchers since 1893, when Leon Vanlancker opened five tables. Located in Sainte Catherine. Priced at €€.
Signature: Moules-frites, Carbonnade flamande
Order: Moules marinieres with frites, and a glass of gueuze from the beer list.
Tip: Open every day from noon to 23:00. Ask for the original 1893 dining room over the recent expansions on either side.
Aux Armes de Bruxelles on Rue des Bouchers has been running since 1921, with Calixte Veulemans opening as a brasserie. Located in Sainte Catherine.
Signature: Waterzooi de poulet, Moules-frites
Order: Chicken waterzooi in the broth, with a Trappist beer or a glass of Sancerre.
Tip: Open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 22:30, closed Monday. The salon at the back is quieter than the front dining room.
In 't Spinnekopke in Brussels is an 18th-century estaminet on Place du Jardin aux Fleurs. Located in Dansaert. Kitchen leans belgian estaminet.
Signature: Rabbit in gueuze, Eels in green sauce
Order: Rabbit braised in gueuze, with bloempanch on the side and a Cantillon Geuze to drink.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The wooden banquettes are 1762 vintage; the cellar lambic list runs 30 bottles deep.
Restaurant Vincent in Brussels has run on Rue des Dominicains since 1905, with Maurice Grimme's 1912 ceramic murals still on the walls. Priced at €€€.
Signature: Chateaubriand, Flambeed steak
Order: Chateaubriand flambeed at the table, with a side of pommes pailles.
Tip: Open seven days. The narrow row of side tables along the open grill is the seat to ask for at dinner service.
Noordzee Mer du Nord on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Brussels is the standing-only seafood counter the city is built around. The kitchen runs fish soup.
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.
Les Brigittines in Brussels sits on Place de la Chapelle in the Marolles in an Art Nouveau dining room. Priced at €€€. Kitchen leans belgian bistro.
Signature: Carbonnade flamande, Pied de cochon
Order: Carbonnade flamande with frites, or whichever offal cut is on the chalkboard menu that night.
Tip: Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday. The terrace at the back is the quietest seat in summer.
La Quincaillerie in Brussels' Ixelles sits in a 1903 former hardware shop on Rue du Page, with the original mezzanines and oak drawers preserved.
Signature: Oysters by the dozen, Steak frites
Order: Six oysters from the bar and steak frites from the grill, with a bottle of Loire white.
Tip: Closed Sunday lunch. The upstairs mezzanine seats are the quietest; book a fortnight ahead for Friday or Saturday.
Le Varietes in Ixelles sits on the ground floor of the Flagey Liner on Place Sainte-Croix. Brasserie-rotisserie cooking off a Belgian classics carte.
Signature: Spit-roasted chicken, Belgian beef tartare
Order: Spit-roasted chicken with house jus.
Tip: Kitchen runs lunch and dinner Mon-Fri, then non-stop noon to 22:00 Saturday and Sunday. Book a window seat for the Flagey square view.
Racines in Brussels' Ixelles is Francesco Cury and Ugo Federico's Italian-Belgian dining room on Chaussee d'Ixelles. The kitchen runs natural-wine pairings.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Italian-Belgian tasting menu
Order: Whichever pasta course is on the chalkboard, with a glass of the house orange wine.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bar seats give the open-kitchen view; lunch is the budget pick.
Le Selecto on Rue de Flandre runs a bistronomie carte in the Sainte-Catherine quarter. Bib Gourmand listed, modern Belgian cooking off a short seasonal card.
Signature: Belgian beef tartare, Seasonal market plate
Order: The lunchtime two-course set; the kitchen leans on Belgian sourcing and the daily ardoise.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Friday and Saturday dinner runs through to 23:00; book a week ahead for weekend service.
Brasserie de l'Expo in Brussels sits on the Heysel plateau in Laken, two metro stops from the Atomium. Priced at €€. Kitchen leans belgian brasserie.
Signature: Stoemp with sausage, Vol-au-vent
Order: Stoemp with sausage and bacon, or vol-au-vent with frites for two.
Tip: Open seven days, lunch and dinner. The 1958 marquetry in the back room is worth the seat; closes at 22:00 on weekends.
Kamo in Brussels is chef Tomoyasu Kamo's omakase counter on Chaussee de Waterloo. Located in Ixelles. Priced at €€€€. Kitchen leans japanese.
Signature: Omakase sushi, Tempura course
Order: The omakase in full; the sake pairing is by the bottle, not the glass.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter seats book six weeks ahead; the back table seats four.
Humphrey in Brussels' city centre runs a Filipino-inspired sharing-plates kitchen blending Belgian produce with Asian flavours. Located in Sainte Catherine.
Signature: Sharing plates with Filipino flavours, Adobo-influenced mains
Order: The tasting menu in full; the open kitchen leans on sharing plates with Filipino seasoning.
Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Counter seats face the kitchen; the back table is the spot for groups of four.
Premier Comptoir Thai is the standing Saint-Gilles Thai room on Chaussee de Charleroi, with daily-fresh prep, a small summer garden and one of the most.
Signature: Pad Thai, Green curry
Order: A green curry and a plate of pad thai to share, with the house garden seating in summer.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Monday lunch. Reserve evenings, the room fills fast with regulars.
Toukoul in Brussels is the city's canonical Ethiopian restaurant. Located in Dansaert. Order the a vegetarian beyaynetu for the table. Priced at €€.
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 here; tej (honey wine) is the drink.
Henri in Brussels' Dansaert is the neo-bistro on Rue de Flandre that runs a tight modern French carte. Priced at €€€. At Rue de Flandre 113.
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; the dining room books a week ahead for evenings.
La Villa in the Sky in Brussels sits on the 25th floor of the IT Tower above Avenue Louise. Located in Ixelles. Kitchen leans modern french.
Signature: Modern French tasting menu, Seasonal vegetable courses
Order: The full tasting menu with wine pairing; lunch is the budget entry to the same kitchen.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book sunset slots for the best skyline; the lift is shared with the office tower.
Garage a Manger in Brussels' Ixelles is the wood-fire restaurant on Rue Washington, in a former mechanical workshop. Kitchen leans modern belgian.
Signature: Open-fire grilled mains, Seasonal small plates
Order: Whichever fire-cooked main is on the chalkboard, with charred greens and the natural wine pairing.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The counter seats give the best view of the open fire; bookings recommended.