The 5 coolest places to eat in Brussels

Philippe Emanuelli has created a stylish fish restaurant with an industrial interior of brick walls, rough wood tables and school classroom chairs. Locals come here to taste chef Yoth Ondara’s sublime blend of Asian and European styles, such as octopus with roast pork belly and fresh figs.

Richard and Mathilde have created a warm, welcoming place that feels like their private home. Richard does the cooking in an open kitchen, where he creates contemporary French-Belgian dishes with hints of his travels in Vietnam and Australia.

This friendly little restaurant feels like you are eating in an Italian family kitchen. It’s quite a crush inside on a busy evening, but the mood is upbeat as staff squeeze between the tables and try not to trip over small children. The menu is fairly basic, with four starters and four pasta dishes, but everything that comes out of the kitchen is fresh and interesting, while the wines are organic. It all adds up to a perfect Italian experience. 

One of the most exciting spots to eat in town, La Buvette occupies a former butcher’s shop furnished with the original polished wood, tiled walls and steel meat hooks. The young French chef Nicolas Scheidt offers two set meals involving some sublime dishes including his signature chocolate tart.

This bustling restaurant has carved out a reputation as a modern Brussels bistro. It has a cool white interior decorated with an eccentric collection of hanging lamps. The menu looks like a newspaper, listing unexpected dishes like Provençal soupe au pistou along with some surprising wines.