Restaurants in Brussels
Traditional Belgian cuisine consists of seafood, market-fresh produce and meaty beer-based dishes but in Brussels you can taste everything from fragrant Greek to Ethiopian. Restaurants surround the Grand'Place and line touristy rue des Bouchers, home to Chez Léon. Place Sainte-Catherine is home to the best fish restaurants, including La Belle Maraîchère. Art Nouveau interiors grace La Quincaillerie in trendy Châtelain while contemporary design defines Cospaia off smart Avenue Louise. Tip if service is good.
La Belle Maraîchère
Fresh seafood
Dining places come and go but this Place Sainte-Catherine restaurant
continues to please, with its excellent but simply served seafood and fresh
fish. Brothers Eddy and Freddy Devreker set up shop over 30 years ago; now
their sons have joined forces in the kitchen. Try the house speciality, the
fisherman's pot.
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Opening Hours
Fri-Tue 12pm-2.30pm & 6pm-9.30pm
Address
11A, Place Ste-Catherine, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 512 9759
Cospaia
Designer food
Great for people-watching or romantic dining, Cospaia is just off smart
Avenue Louise. Dress up and choose from terrace dining among the bamboo, the
dazzling main room or private dining decorated in black velvet. You'll be
seduced by foie gras with figs, lamb with thyme, or the chocolate dessert
created by renowned chocolatier Pierre Marcolini.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm & 7pm-10.30pm (until 11pm Fri-Sat)
Address
1, Rue Capitaine Crespel, Brussels 1050
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 513 0303
Le Fourneau
Belgian tapas
Le Fourneau stands out from the traditional fish restaurants on Place
Sainte-Catherine, with its innovative cuisine. Diners choose tasty titbits
prepared before their eyes by chef Evan Triantopoulos as they sit on the
communal table surrounding the open kitchen. Bookings are only taken between
7pm and 7.30pm.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 12pm-2.30pm & 7pm-10pm
Address
8 Place Sainte-Catherine, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 513 1002
Bon-bon
Michelin-starred cuisine
Inspired by the terroir (local produce), chef Christophe Hardiquest
serves up super-fresh, olive oil-based Mediterranean cuisine. Dishes range
from sea bream in a salt crust to roast saddle of lamb. Located on a leafy
avenue in St Gilles, Bon-bon's understated decor of blonde wood and beige
furniture allows the food to shine.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm; Tue-Sat 7.30pm-10pm
Address
93, rue des Carmélites, Brussels 1180
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 346 6615
Notos
Sophisticated Greek
Notos serves up 'slow food', reinventing old recipes with seasonal produce.
Try the starter of poached ravioli and spiced yoghurt sauce or the veal
fillet with fresh garlic and Assytriko vinegar for main. The wine list is a
treasure trove of unusual Greek bottles. After dinner, stroll along bustling
rue du Bailli.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 12pm-2pm; Mon-Sat 7pm-11pm
Address
154, rue de Livourne, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 513 2959
La Quincaillerie
Chic Brussels brasserie
Step into this former hardware store from the 1900s, now converted into an
Art-Nouveau brasserie. The menu features plenty of meat and fish as well as
market-fresh oysters. La Quincaillerie is also a bit of a celebrity hotspot
- John Malkovich, Javier Solana and Catherine Deneuve have all eaten in this
classic Châtelain haunt.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm; daily 7pm-12am
Address
45, rue du Page, Brussels 1050
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 533 9833
Café des Spores
Mushroom paradise
Located in St Gilles, Café des Spores is one of Brussels' most original
gourmet restaurants - dedicated to the mushroom. From shiitake to death's
trumpet, the vegetable is delicately woven into traditional dishes, such as
fondue or savoury crème brûlée. The wine list is designed not to overbear
the delicate flavours.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 7pm-11.30pm; Tue-Fri 12pm-2pm
Address
103, Chaussée d'Alsemberg, Brussels 1060
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 534 1303
Kokob
Ethiopian spices
Injera is a millet pancake that is Ethiopia's answer to cutlery. Order
a selection of dishes: wat, a spicy meat and vegetable stew, doro wat;
(chicken) or kofta (mince meat) along with vegetables and cooling lettuce
and scoop it all up with the help of the pancake. Order ahead if you want
fragrant Ethiopian coffee at the end of your meal. Kokob is located near the
Grand'Place.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Wed 6pm-12am; Thu-Sun 11am-1am
Address
10, rue des Grands Carmes, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 511 1950
Raconte-moi des Salades
Salad bar
Raconte-moi des Salades serves over 30 different types of salads. Crunchy
lollo rosso, pungent rocket or crisp romaine make up the base for Thai (with
marinated chicken), Jewish (with pastrami) or vegetarian salads. The straw
chairs, mosaic tables and old wooden floors make this cosy restaurant a firm
favourite with the Châtelain crowd.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm & 7pm-11pm
Address
19, Place du Châtelain, Brussels 1050
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 534 2727
Gusto
Traditional Italian
Don't be put off by the kitsch red and white checked tablecloths - Gusto
looks so traditional it's actually hip. Situated near the bustling rue du
Bailli, just off Place du Châtelain, Gusto serves up fresh colourful Italian
cuisine. Expect cold and hot antipasti, garlicky scampi,
ricotta-stuffed pasta or veal Milanese.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm; Mon-Sat 7pm-11pm
Address
32, rue Fourmois, Brussels 1050
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 534 9400
Chez Léon
Mussels and chips
A stone's throw from the Grand'Place, Chez Léon has been serving pots of
steaming mussels and sides of fries for over a century. Green and white
paper tablecloths, snappy service and a warm welcome attract tourists and
locals alike.
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Opening Hours
Daily 11.30am-11pm (until 11.30pm Fri & Sat)
Address
18, rue des Bouchers, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+ 32 (0) 2 511 1415
Arcadi
Cheap quiches
A popular place for lovers of quiches and fruit tarts, Arcadi also serves
pasta and salads, along with plenty of vegetarian options and cakes. Set at
the end of Galeries Saint-Hubert's covered arcade, this informal eating
place can get packed at lunch, so come earlier or later.
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Opening Hours
Daily 7am-11.30pm
Address
1b, rue d'Arenberg, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 511 3343
Transport
Gare Centrale metro
Perroquet
Pittas and Art Deco
The relaxed Perroquet (Parrot) is five minutes' walk from Place du Grand
Sablon, but it's off the tourist trail. Locals come to this Art Deco café
with original stained-glass windows and woodwork for the huge choice of
spicy pitta fillings and hearty pasta dishes. In summer, there's terrace
dining.
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Opening Hours
Sun & Mon 10am-11.30pm; Tue & Wed 10am-12am; Thu-Sat 10am-1am
Address
31, rue Watteeu, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 512 9922
Transport
Tram 92 or 94 to Grand Sablon; Gare Centrale metro
Le Pain Quotidien
Friendly organic brunch
Known for its communal tables where people share pots of jam and newspapers,
Le Pain Quotidien is a Belgian success story. Families and couples come for
brunches of salads, omelettes, sandwiches or pastries, and takeaway bakery
products after the kitchen closes. There are branches throughout Brussels,
but the Sablon one is very popular.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 7.30am-7pm; Sat & Sun 8am-7pm
Address
11, rue des Sablons, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 513 5154
Maison Antoine
Chips on the go
Made with Bintje potatoes and served in a paper cone with a side of
mayonnaise or curry sauce, frites (chips) are a true Belgian
delicacy. Take away a cornet from one of Brussels' favourite
frietkot (chippies), Maison Antoine, on Place Jourdan.
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Opening Hours
Daily 11.30am-1.30am
Address
1, Place Jourdan, Brussels 1040
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 230 54 56
