Belgians have a highly developed nose for good food: they like it to be seasonal, based on good-quality ingredients, cooked with fine judgement, good value for money – and they won’t stomach pretension. So all should be well and good in Brussels, which boasts a diverse and high-calibre restaurant scene that has garnered more than 30 Michelin stars. There is the small matter of avoiding a scattering of lacklustre tourist restaurants, but the best advice is: if in doubt, listen to what the Belgians recommend, and eat where the Belgians eat.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Brussels. Find out more below, or for more inspiration, see our guides to the city’s best hotels, bars, and things to do.
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Best all rounders
Restaurant Vincent
Entering past the display of fresh meat in the window and the fuss of the kitchen, you get a real sense of the individuality of Restaurant Vincent. Its atmospheric dining room, adorned with grand painted tile murals depicting maritime scenes, turns out traditional Belgian seafood, mussels, Américain préparé (steak tartare) and chateaubriand steaks – it’s good, robust, hearty food prepared without fuss.
Area: Ilot Sacré
Nearest metro: Bourse, Gare Centrale
Website: restaurantvincent.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Selecto
There’s a growing number of restaurants in the Rue de Flandre, and Selecto is one of the more well-established options. It serves an excellent range of seasonal and inventive French and Belgian dishes in a style aptly called bistronomique (bistro food with gastronomic flair). Picture smoked quail salad, goujonnettes of sole, Black Angus beefburger and slabs of sauced steak and fish. The main bistro-style restaurant is elegant, tightly packed and lively, but you can also take up one of the eight places in the kitchen, such is the chefs’ supreme confidence in their skills.
Area: Place Sainte-Catherine
Nearest metro: Sainte Catherine
Website: leselecto.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Colonel Louise
This is the kind of restaurant Brussels does so well: a specialist in high-quality, carefully aged beef (see the display cabinet of the marbled raw product), but where everything on the menu is worthy of attention, from the cured meats and scallops to the skrei (Norwegian Arctic cod). The restaurant is large, modern, stylish and busy, with an open kitchen. It’s also close to the Avenue Louise, so a good place to stop off for a fine lunch of marrowbone, filet pur (Belgian fillet steak) or slow-cooked monkfish if shopping or on the way to the Horta Museum.
Area: Louise
Nearest metro: Louise
Website: colonelbrussels.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Belga Queen
The first, eye-catching attraction of Belga Queen is the setting: a palatial, pillared hall of a former bank, beneath a barrel-vault of Belle-Époque stained glass. The second attraction is the food: served elegantly with the kind of formality the surroundings deserve. There’s a proud Belgian emphasis to the menu, with dishes such as croquettes aux crevettes grises, waterzooi (creamy fish stew) and coucou de Malines (a breed of chicken prized for its tender, flavourful dark meat). This would be a good place to come for a special occasion – or just to enjoy the reasonably priced lunch menu beneath the sun-filled vault.
Area: Monnaie
Nearest metro: De Brouckère, Gare Centrale
Website: belgaqueenbrussels.be
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
La Quincaillerie
The name means “hardware store”, and that is what it is: an old shop ingeniously converted into an unforgettable brasserie, complete with ironwork galleries. Dating from 1903, and originally designed by pupils of Victor Horta, it is perfectly located for visitors to the nearby Horta Museum, who can enjoy an above-average and well-priced lunch menu with such dishes as terrine de lapereau (rabbit) and dos de cabillaud (cod). The extensive full menu includes plateaux de fruits de mer and a tasting menu.
Area: Ixelles
Nearest metro: Porte de Hal, Hôtel des Monnaies
Website: quincaillerie.be
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Lola
Occupying an attractive spot in the Sablon area, close to the Place Royale and the Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts, Lola ticks off all the eternal Belgian requirements: excellent cooking, sleekly professional, and popular with its well-to-do local clientèle because it is reliable and well-priced. The dining room is modern, with a mirrored cocktail bar, and linen-covered tables; outside tables overlook the square. An indoor window gives a glimpse of the kitchen where a good range of fish and meat (and some vegetarian) dishes are prepared, among them some classics of Belgian cuisine, such as croquettes aux crevettes grises (shrimp croquettes) and tartare de boeuf avec frites (beef tartare with fries).
Area: Sablon
Nearest metro: Louise, Porte de Namur, Gare Centrale
Website: lola-restaurant.be
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Best for families
Aux Armes de Bruxelles
This traditional brasserie, established in 1921, has long been a cherished institution – a noble exception in the area close to the Grand Place, otherwise overpopulated with solicitous tourist restaurants. New management (since 2018) has given it a makeover and a boost, but has respected the legacy of crisp white linen, old-fashioned professionalism, and its list of archetypal Belgian dishes such as croquettes aux crevettes, moules-frites, waterzooi, and anguilles au vert (eels in green herb sauce). It’s a good place to get a measure of this noble and solid tradition – but vegetarians are also catered for.
Area: Ilot Sacré
Nearest metro: Bourse, De Brouckère, Gare Centrale
Website: auxarmesdebruxelles.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
La Roue d’Or
Expect a good choice of Belgian dishes in this relaxed and joyous brasserie-restaurant, close to the Grand Place, with traditional wood furnishing offset by Magritte-esque murals. Chicons, mussels and chips, waterzooi de volaille (chicken in a creamy broth), carbonnades à la Flamande (beef stew cooked in beer), boulettes à la liégoise (meatballs in a sweet sauce) – they are all here. It gets busy, but the “cuisine non-stop” means that you can eat comfortably at off-peak hours. As it is very close to the Grand Place, you might think La Roue d’Or runs the risk of pandering to tourists, but a stout Bruxellois authenticity prevails here.
Area: Grand Place
Nearest metro: Bourse, Gare Centrale
Website: larouedor.brussels/fr
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Brasserie Greenwich
A grand and glorious brasserie dating from 1904, adorned with wood-panelling, mirrors and stained glass (it also has some of Europe’s oldest functioning urinals). Magritte came here to play chess, and you can borrow a set to play yourself. The food is Belgian-style pub grub, such as carbonnade flamande, boulettes de viande à la sauce tomate, chicons gratin and stoemp saucisses, plus hamburgers, pasta and pizzas – in other words, something for everyone. It is right next to Fin de Siècle (also in this guide) where – there’s no disguising it – you’ll eat better, but this certainly wins on décor and history. At least stop by for an apéritif or digestif as you pass.
Area: Place St-Géry
Nearest metro: Bourse, Sainte-Catherine
Website: greenwich.brussels
Prices: ££
Reservations: Not usually necessary
Le Pré Salé
An old stalwart of the now-foodie-hub Rue de Flandre, Le Pré Salé is an excellent place to sample moules-frites (mussels and chips), and where – a word of warning – each serving comes by the kilo in a deep casserole. It’s a lively, busy place occupying an old, tiled butcher’s shop (the name refers to salt-marsh lamb), with three rows of close-set tables. The extensive menu also includes many typical Belgian and Bruxellois dishes, such as stoemp saucisse (sausage with mash) and boulettes (meatballs), all produced at pace from its open kitchen.
Area: near Place Sainte-Catherine
Nearest metro: Sainte-Catherine
Website: lepresale.be
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Best for cheap eats
EXKi
The name is a transliteration of exquis (exquisite), which might err on the side of hyperbole, but if you are looking for a wholesome light meal this is a pretty good option. Founded in Brussels in 2001, EXKi has grown into a self-service chain based on a formula of ethically and sustainably sourced salads, sandwiches and some hot dishes, to eat in or take away. It’s bright, cheery and good value, and the large Bourse branch in particular is conveniently central, on the edge of the pedestrianised zone. A Fuji energy salad (organic red rice, hummus of red lentils, broccoli and edamame beans) can be just the refuelling you need for your ongoing perambulations.
Area: Bourse
Nearest metro: Bourse
Website: exki.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Wolf
Brussels is very much an international city, and you can sample the flavours of the world, at very reasonable prices, in this large, smart and modern “food market”, set in a converted, Art Deco bank building. Grab a dish of your choice and eat at any table in the court or on the pavement terrace. Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mexican, Syrian, Greek, Chinese (dim sum), pizza, burgers – and Belgian (shrimp croquettes). Wolf also has its own micro-brewery. It’s a great place for an interesting, low-cost meal just a short walk (500m) from the Grand Place.
Area: Monnaie
Nearest metro: De Brouckère, Gare Centrale
Website: wolf.be
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Billie
Sometimes on your travels, you just want a simple, cheap and filling meal, and Billie may be just what you are looking for. This large, atmospheric, wood-panel-and-mirror pub has a dining-room attached called “Bolo” – as in spaghetti bolognese, which is what it primarily serves. Here it’s well-cooked, and served in generous portions, with copious grated parmesan; even the kid-size serving called ketje (Bruxellois for a kid) may be sufficient. With simple desserts and wine at reasonable prices, this could just hit the spot.
Area: Place Sainte-Catherine
Nearest metro: Sainte-Catherine, Bourse
Website: billie.brussels
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Friterie de la Chapelle
A cornet of Belgian frites – hot, crispy and with a dollop of mayonnaise on top – is more than just a snack, it’s the stuff of dreams. But where to find it in Brussels, especially now that the traditional chip stands are few and far between? Well, here is one, and it does a fair job to match its customers’ exacting standards. Buy the smallest portion (it’s plenty) and choose your sauce from the selection of many. Then sit on a bench or on the steps next to the church and feel quintessentially Belgian.
Area: Marolles
Nearest metro: Anneessens, Louise
Prices: £; cash only
Reservations: Not possible; join the queue
Best for fine dining
Comme Chez Soi
A revered name in the Brussels restaurant firmament, with a Michelin star to underpin its reputation. Comme Chez Soi prides itself on beautifully prepared and presented food of the highest standard in the French haute cuisine mould – with prices to match (five courses for €185/£166). The celebrated chef Pierre Wynants established its reputation over several decades, before handing over to his son-in-law Lionel Rigolet in 2006. The Art Nouveau-style dining room is small, with only 40 covers, and the kitchen is in full view. The starter of pan-fried mackerel with crayfish, asparagus from Mechelen and a light fennel flower cream will set the tone.
Area: Grand Place
Nearest metro: Anneessens
Website: commechezsoi.be
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Palais Royal
This is the kind of restaurant where every morsel feels like an adventure. In a limited selection of tasting menus, everything has been tested to perfection by a young and gifted team led by Michelin-starred chef David Martin. At heart, it’s Belgian and French, but with inspired twists, often Japanese – such as a tartlet of akami tuna, codium seaweed and truffle. As the main restaurant of the luxurious five-star Corinthia Hotel, it is classically elegant, but also intimate. If it’s not a special occasion, it will certainly feel like one.
Area: Quartier des Libertés
Nearest metro: Botanique, Madou
Website: palaisroyal.brussels
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
iOda
The young crew behind this small bistro are so confident and passionate about their cooking that they serve just two tasting menus, changing with the seasons: one pescatarian, and a completely vegetarian version of it. It’s astonishingly refined, beautifully presented and often revelatory: baked watermelon with oysters enrobed in a brilliant-red watermelon jus, for instance; tomato ice-cream. The non-alcoholic alternative to the (very interesting) wine flight is equally inventive, while the team’s choice of contemporary music provides another sensory layer. Unsurprisingly, this place is the talk of the town, so book sooner rather than later.
Area: Saint-Gilles
Nearest metro: Hôtel des Monnaies, Porte de Hal
Website: ioda.be
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Les Brigittines
At the gateway to the Marolles district, packed with antiques and bric-a-brac shops, step into this large fin-de-siècle dining room, sparkling with chandeliers and mirrors, to join a happy throng of serious eaters feasting on seasonal, imaginative and locally-inspired dishes. Chef Dirk Myny likes to be front-of-house, visiting tables to serve, explain and discuss his dishes, such as mousse of eel on a slice of bloempanch (Brussels black pudding), chuck steak slow-cooked for 15 hours and served with a rich red wine sauce and milk ice cream with gin and cucumber. A cherished venue for local Bruxellois in the know – and with good reason.
Area: Marolles
Nearest metro: Anneessens, Louise
Website: lesbrigittines.com
Prices: ££
Reservations: Essential
Best for walk-ins
Noordzee / Mer du Nord
This little fish-shop-turned-street-food-outlet is now a well-established favourite in the city, and deservedly so. Located on the edge of the Place Sainte-Catherine, traditionally Brussels’ centre of seafood and now a revitalised foodie hub, it serves first-class fishy snacks – everything from croquettes aux crevettes and whelks, to fish soup and crab. You could make a tapas-style meal of it, but you’ll have to sit or stand at a table on the pavement to eat and seek a dessert elsewhere (if you’re looking for a suggestion, try a pastry from Charli, the wonderful bakery at No 34).
Area: Place Sainte-Catherine
Nearest metro: Sainte-Catherine, Bourse
Website: noordzeemerdunord.be
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Frank La Monnaie
In a quiet but central street opposite La Monnaie opera house, this branch (one of two) of Frank is a good place for breakfast, brunch, lunch and tea (closes 4pm). Spacious and airy, also with a large, traffic-free pavement terrace, it serves sourdough toast, yoghurt and granola, pancakes, eggs benedict and excellent cakes, plus more elaborate and changing seasonal dishes, along with its guest coffees and selected wines and beer. With a strong emphasis on local and sustainable sources, all is prepared from scratch and assembled in an open kitchen.
Area: Monnaie
Nearest metro: De Brouckère, Gare Centrale
Website: frank.brussels
Prices: £
Reservations: Not needed (except for groups of 8 or more)
Fin de Siècle
As its name suggests quite literally, this brasserie invokes the late 19th century with its wooden tables and chairs and music-hall posters, but a modern, youthful buzz comes from its sheer popularity. Here you can find excellent Belgian dishes (plus more exotic fare) at very reasonable prices: rabbit cooked in kriek beer, stuffed Belgian endives, carbonades of beef (cooked in beer). There are vegan and vegetarian options too, such as “chili sin carne”. The atmosphere is friendly, brisk and lively. It’s not possible to book, so expect to queue, or arrive early.
Area: near Place St-Géry
Nearest metro: Bourse, Sainte-Catherine
Website: findesiecle.be
Prices: ££
Reservations: Walk-ins only
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller’s taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.