Wallonia
Artful gastronomic takes on traditional plates, with familiar ingredients appearing in surprising ways, are the hallmarks of this enjoyable restaurant…
Must-see restaurants in Belgium
Brussels
Beer-based twists on typical Belgian meals are served in a delightful if slightly cramped restaurant. The walls are plastered with bottles, grinders and…
Leuven
This friendly place has been serving vegetarian delights since 1967. Its high-ceilinged front room faces Stadspark from an otherwise residential street…
Antwerp
The look, the flavours, the punning menu and even the authentic masala chai (Indian-style tea) all buzz with the colourfully spicy verve of a Kolkata…
Liège
Decorated with gilt-framed mirrors, copper pots and gingham tablecloths, this lovable spot could audition for the role of bistro in any mid-20th-century…
Bruges
By the time this glass-roofed restaurant’s doors open, a queue has usually formed outside, full of diners keen to get vegetarian fare direct from de bron …
Wallonia
The interior is slightly bland, but Le Pinacle's enviable street terrace shares a quiet square with a breastfeeding Madonna and a view of the cathedral…
The Ardennes
The Swiss cottage decor with lots of local hunting horns and rearing boars is fun if a little kitschy, especially the comic paintings of game animals…
Liège
The concept in this spacious, slightly classroom-like space is to order around five small dishes to share between two. Menus change regularly to use the…
Wallonia
A typical grey-stone building on Couvin's main road combines an excellent restaurant, specialising in carefully sourced French and local produce, and a…
The Ardennes
This cosy, well-run restaurant in Durbuy castle’s former concierge quarters features colourful antlers and a decor of clocks in one room, and a somewhat…
Wallonia
The self-described 'roi des moules' (king of mussels) is the best place in town to get your bivalve fix. Chez Bouboule serves generous (1.2kg) pots of…
The Ardennes
With a slightly off-line terrace poking onto Place St-Remacle, this super-friendly place serves handmade pasta, thin-crust pizza and, in summer, a good…
Namur
Riverside at Wépion's northern edge, Lodge's brasserie section turns out tasty, generous portions of Belgian standards. Service can be tardy, but the…
Northeast Belgium
This 18th-century brick house fronts the beautiful Tuinen van Hoegaarden formal gardens and has a wisteria-shaded terrace that is a delight in summer. The…
Bruges
Checked olive banquettes, candles, an upright piano and shelves cluttered with knick-knacks make you feel like you’re dining in a family home. Seafood,…
Liège
This friendly, intimate restaurant is on the northern edge of the bar district. Its speciality is pierrade – cook-it-yourself meat or seafood barbecues on…
Brussels
Modern minimalism wraps around an internal ‘Zen garden’ while French-Japanese fusion food works wonders on your plate. Hope that your yeux fermés …
Bruges
Duck the tourist crowds at this popular lunch spot for well-heeled locals. The monochrome boutique styling is a bit formal, but it’s a friendly place and…
Antwerp
Whether in the upper-market glass box of a dining room or at one of the summer tables fanning out along the walkway, RAS is a superb place to be dazzled…
Leuven
This bright, simple, six-stool counter cafe is named for a semisweet pastry twist (sold for €2 here), but it's the super-authentic noodles, freshly…
The Ardennes
With dark wooden furniture stylishly set off against white-tiled butcher's-shop walls, this upbeat central place offers an intriguing range of dishes,…
Northeast Belgium
This beautiful old corner building hosts a female-run cafe that's a great choice for breakfasts of smoothies and blueberry pancakes, or lunches including…
Northeast Belgium
Always one of the most popular spots on the magnificent Grote Markt, Sava offers authentic, seasonal tapas to be savoured with an exclusive brand of cava…
The Ardennes
L'Acacia's staff are vocational-training students attempting top-notch cuisine and learming to serve it…with mixed success, hence remarkably low prices…
The Ardennes
A step ahead of most La Roche offerings in terms of style and service, Signé Jeanne produces brasserie food with a lot of extra zest, delightful amuse…
Ghent
This hip, if mildly ostentatious, modern brasserie-bar-restaurant is set in a magnificently restored former textile warehouse. It retains the original…
Liège
This distinctive little restaurant, tucked away in a hidden yet central alley – worth a wander at any time – serves menu options that are eccentrically…
Wallonia
At this warmly lit space in the upper town, owner and head chef Caterina Cesari cooks up seasonally inspired dishes using recipes handed down through the…
West Flanders
This bistro’s French-style shuttered facade contrasts with a bold semi-minimalist interior; the terrace fills a tree-lined pedestrianised square behind…
Bruges
Take away or eat in, this sleek little café/bar is a great location for a jumpingly fresh seafood lunch, right by the fish market. Crab sandwiches, smoked…
Antwerp
There's a fancy Chinese-style gateway on Van Wesenbekestraat, but otherwise its numerous East Asian restaurants are mostly bland-looking box-rooms…
Wallonia
Nivelles’ unique culinary speciality is tarte al djote, a creation that’s somewhere between pizza and quiche but flavoured with fragrant green chard. Try…
Bruges
Not being able to choose from the 40 luscious flavours of freshly made ice cream at this gelateria is a good thing, as it means you’ll be offered small…
Ghent
This easy-going eatery is popular with students and hipsters for its classy interiors and good value. It serves big meaty or vegetarian balls (a bit like…
Antwerp
Good-value, richly flavoured Thai food served in airy, paired-back, high-ceilinged rooms within a classic step-gabled old house. The mains dishes include…
West Flanders
This spacious family-oriented brasserie features lots of old bare brickwork, red steel beams, convivial lighting and an undulating ceiling. There's a good…
Ostend
Ostend isn't known for its trendiness, but this little cafe with pared-down decor, a mosaic floor and old-school furniture hits the mark. The menu…
Ostend
Atmosphere-wise, this is a class apart from anything else on the seafront. This small arty cafe has art deco touches, a communal farmhouse table, jazz…
Bruges
A chintzy but appealing tearoom serving a variety of teas, gloopy hot chocolate, milkshakes and indulgent homemade sweets including crème brûlée,…
