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The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The categories serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Most restaurants in Brussels include VAT, which currently stands at 6%, and a service charge of 16%, within their prices. Nevertheless, most diners will round up their bill to leave a few extra Euros or leave around an extra 5% of the bill if the service is very good.

The restaurants below have been grouped in four different price categories:
$$$$ (over €100)
$$$ (€60 to €100)
$$ (€35 to €60)
$ (up to €35)
The prices quoted are for an average three-course meal for one, and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they include service charges and taxes but not tip.

Gourmet

Comme Chez Soi
The fame of this intimate little restaurant, decorated in belle époque style, extends worldwide. Chef Pierre Wynants, with help from his son-in-law Lionel Rigolet, serves French cuisine to justify its three Michelin stars. Specialties include fillets of sole with a mousseline of Riesling or prawn and apricot soufflé with crunchy pistachios and red fruits. Advanced booking is strongly recommended. Closed all day Sunday and Monday, plus Wednesday lunchtimes.

Place Rouppe 23
Tel: (02) 512 2921.
Website: www.commechezsoi.be  
Price: $$$$
De Bijgaarden
Situated a 20-minute drive from central Brussels, De Bijgaarden is the territory of chef Olivier Schlissinger - his French-style creations in this wooden panelled restaurant have been awarded two Michelin stars. Specialties include duck and goose foie gras and Colchester oysters with champagne. Closed Saturday lunchtime and Sunday, and throughout August.

Isidoor van Beverenstrat 20, Groot-Bijgaarden
Tel: (02) 466 4485.
Website: www.debijgaarden.be  
Price: $$$$
La Truffe Noire
Italian chef Luigi Ciciriello is passionate about his truffles, used in just about every dish at this gastronomic, one-Michelin-starred (but friendly) restaurant. Located close to Avenue Louise in central Brussels, the restaurant is characterized by its rich wood and warm, gentle tones. Specialties include carpaccio truffles with olive oil and parmesan, lobster risotto with truffles, and, for dessert, black chocolate truffle with spun sugar and raspberry sauce. An extensive wine cellar of fine Italian and French bottles offers the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Special business menus are available at lunchtime and private lounges on the first floor may be booked for groups of up to 20 guests. Closed Saturday lunchtime and Sunday.

Those with a passion for truffles but with less time to linger should head for the sister establishment, the cheaper L’Atelier de la Truffe Noire.

La Truffe Noire
Boulevard de la Cambre 12
Tel: (02) 640 4422.
Website: www.truffenoire.com  
Price: $$$$

L’Atelier de la Truffe Noire
Avenue Louise 300
Tel: (02) 640 5455.
Website: www.atelier.truffenoire.com
Price: $$$
La Villa Lorraine
Located in the Uccle district, on the edge of the Bois de la Cambre, this very smart restaurant, with impeccable, white tablecloths, has large windows overlooking dense greenery. During summer, there is a lovely garden for alfresco dining. The cuisine, created by chef Freddy Vandecasserie, is classical French and specialties include sole Lorraine, broccoli terrine with wild asparagus or lobster with turmeric and coconut milk. There is an extensive wine list, ranging from agreeable, reasonably priced wines to vintage wine from the Villa’s cellar. Ideal to impress that important client. The establishment offers a series of gracious private rooms, which are ideal for business lunches and banquets - special business menus can be created to order. A suit is required dress (for men) here. One Michelin star, closed Sunday.

Chaussée de la Hulpe 28
Tel: (02) 374 3163.
Website: www.villalorraine.be  
Price: $$$$

Trendy

Bonsoir Clara
Bonsoir Clara distinguishes itself from the host of trendy restaurants in the boutique-lined rue Antoine Dansaert by its theatrical décor (a whole wall is decorated in colorful, patchwork squares) and imaginative, international cuisine. The menu excels in its fish dishes (a house specialty is salmon marinated in spices) but there are also good meat and vegetarian options. The clientele is chic and arty. Closed Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.

Rue Antoine Dansaert 22-26
Tel: (02) 502 0990.
Website: www.bonsoirclara.be  
Price: $$
Brussels Café
French-style fish and shellfish dishes are the order of the day in this modern, but not over-priced brasserie in Place St Catherine, a little to the north of the city center. However, there is also a selection of meat specialties for those less inclined towards seafood. Open daily.

Place St Catherine 3
Tel: (02) 502 3573.
Website: http://sites.resto.com/brusselscafe  
Price: $$
In’t Spinnekopke
The name translates as ’In the Spider’s Web’ but despite its bizarre appellation, this is an extremely popular venue, offering a wide selection of local beers in this inviting tavern atmosphere. Old beer posters on the walls and wainscot and wooden benches help to create this relaxed style. There are also interesting and tempting menu items available at very reasonable prices, including Flemish specialties such as waterzooi, poached kabeljau (cod) and a variety of mussel casseroles - with sauces including white wine, curry or waterzooi.

Place du Jardin aux Fleurs 1
Tel: (02) 511 8695.
Website: www.spinnekopke.be  
Price: $$
Le Variétés
Specialising in spit-roast meats, but also catering for vegetarians, this inexpensive restaurant is situated on the corner of the art deco Flagey radio building in the Ixelles district. Specialties include knuckle of ham, rib roast, whole bass and andouillette as well as chicken spit roasted with a variety of sauces. Although relatively small, it is popular with a cosmopolitan clientele. Outdoor terrace available when the weather permits.

Place Sainte Croix 4
Tel: (02) 647 0436.
Website: www.levarietes.be  
Price: $$
Lola
Located close to the antiques quarter, Lola serves classic French cuisine, lifted with a contemporary touch, to an arty 30-something crowd. The long, narrow interior is sleek and modern but has a 1960s retro feel. Chef Larbi Ouriaghi’s specialties include duck with mango, although vegetarians will enjoy the vegetable risotto flavored with garlic, mushrooms, parmesan and fresh basil, as well as the copious salads. Closed throughout August.

Place du Grand-Sablon 33
Tel: (02) 514 2460.
Price: $$$

Budget

Bleu de Toi
Corinne Ceuleman’s intimate two-floor restaurant, with its welcoming blue facade and rich, decadent interior, serves brasserie-style cuisine in a relaxed environment. The house specialty is bintje (a special Netherlands-developed potato variety), which come with a wide choice of stuffings, from lobster to smoked salmon, caviar, veal or snails. Desserts include ice cream with spéculoos (Belgian ginger biscuit) and oriental nougat. Guests can choose to dine in the chilled-out blue room or more buzzy, red room upstairs. Group bookings (for up to 16 people) are available. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday.

Rue des Alexiens 73
Tel: (02) 502 4371.
Website: www.bleudetoi.be  
Price: $$
Chez Léon
This popular brasserie chain is best known for its generous portions of moules frites (mussels and chips), although it also serves other traditional brasserie fare. Visitors seeking a relaxing or romantic atmosphere should not opt for Chez Léon - the tablecloths are paper and everyone (staff and diners included) seems to be in a bit of a rush. However, this centrally located venue, a stone’s throw from the Grand-Place, does offer an authentic experience of Belgian cuisine. Outdoor seating in summer.

Rue des Bouchers 18
Tel: (02) 511 1415.
Website: www.chezleon.be  
Price: $$
Le Grain de Sel
Grégory Yarm’s unpretentious family-run restaurant, beside the Ixelles lake and close to place Flagey, is a top budget option. Specialties include such delights as tomato with goat’s cheese, tuna carpaccio, pigeon with lentils or salmon tartare with cucumber and horseradish. Yarm also serves his favorite family recipes, such as his Portuguese grandmother’s recipe for sole with Elvira banana. The décor is gentle, with pretty Venetian chandeliers and simple wooden tables. During summer, there is a lovely rose garden for alfresco dining. Closed Saturday lunchtime, Sunday and Monday.

Chaussée de Vleurgat 9
Tel: (02) 648 1858.
Price: $$
Raconte-Moi des Salades
Salad lovers will enjoy the many vegetarian and meaty options offered at this friendly restaurant, with comfortable wicker chairs and candlelit in the evening. Meat dishes include grilled beef with rosemary on a roquette and parmesan salad, while vegetarian options range from five vegetables served with salad and vinaigrette to pasta dishes. The atmosphere is relaxed and prices, bearing in mind the chic location in Ixelles, are very reasonable. During summer, there is the chance to enjoy alfresco dining. Popular with a trendy young crowd; it is wise to book in advance. Closed Sunday.

Place du Châtelain 19
Tel: (02) 534 2727.
Website: www2.resto.be/salades    
Price: $
Touch and Go
A resolutely good-humored staff serves tasty pitta bread stuffed with a wide variety of salads and sauces at this popular restaurant chain. There are several branches of Touch and Go situated across the city - the rue Saint Boniface branch has colorfully painted walls and large paintings. Closed Monday.

Rue Saint Boniface 12
Tel: (02) 513 8502.
Price: $

Rue Grétry 43
Tel: (02) 217 7730.
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Aux Armes de Bruxelles
The winding streets surrounding the Grand-Place are oozing with restaurants but many are tourist traps. It is always a safe bet for visitors to dine at Aux Armes de Bruxelles, which serves Belgian traditional cuisine, such as waterzooi (fish or chicken in a creamy soup with vegetables), oysters or chips with mayonnaise. The surroundings are crisp and unfussy and the service friendly and efficient. Closed Monday.

Rue des Bouchers 13
Tel: (02) 511 5550.
Website: www.armebrux.be  
Price: $$
Blue Elephant
This popular restaurant, intricately decorated with outsized plants, Buddhist statuary and comfortable bamboo chairs, serves high-class Thai cuisine, using fresh ingredients flown in from Bangkok. Karl Steppé’s first venture, Brussels’ Blue Elephant, opened in the 1980s to great acclaim and the winning formula has now been exported to London, Lyon, Dubai and New Delhi. Specialties include beef panang and Thai chicken curry, while tofu dishes offer good alternatives for vegetarian diners. The Blue Elephant can cater for banquets and conferences. Closed Saturday lunchtime.

Chaussée de Waterloo 1120
Tel: (02) 374 4962.
Website: www.blueelephant.com/brussels  
Price: $$$
La Quincaillerie
La Quincaillerie is one of the most renowned of the many restaurants clustered around the place du Châtelain in the Ixelles district and is always busy. Housed in a former ironmonger’s shop (hence the name), the interior retains much of the original décor, including a wrought-iron staircase, designed by students of Victor Horta (Brussels’ renowned art nouveau architect) in 1903. Specialties include shellfish, oysters and lobsters. Closed Sunday lunchtimes.

Rue du Page 45
Tel: (02) 533 9833.
Website: www.quincaillerie.be  
Price: $$
La Tour D’y Voir
Located in a 14th-century chapel in the antiques quarter, on the first floor above Les Vieux Sablon art gallery, this is the ideal restaurant for a romantic tête-a-tête in the evening or relaxed business lunch. Brick-face walls, low lighting and high windows create a gothic air of mystery. Owners Pascal and Tania Anciaux create an informal and creative environment with their Surprise and Prestige menu. Guests are invited to choose a fish, meat or vegetarian theme from the menu, leaving it up to the chef to improvise and come up with a mouthwatering and inventive dish. For diners who would rather choose, the menu includes such imaginative delights as grilled ostrich with ratatouille and jacket potatoes or risotto of green Breton crabs and Canadian crabmeat. Closed Saturday and Sunday lunchtime and Monday.

Place du Grand-Sablon 8
Tel: (02) 511 4043.
Website: www.tourdyvoir.be  
Price: $$$
L’Idiot du Village
This is a tiny but very popular venue serving such specialties as rabbit stew with bacon or sea bass with lentils. It is necessary for guests to book in advance, as there are only eight tables. It is worth the effort. The décor is intimate and refined in blues and whites, while the menu changes regularly. Diners will, however, most likely be able to choose French favorites such as foie gras, coquilles Saint-Jacques and tatin de boudin. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Rue Notre-Seigneur 19
Tel: (02) 502 5582.
Price: $$$



Nightlife:

Brussels’ location at the heart of Europe encourages top artists and budding stars to tour here. However, the city has a thriving home-grown scene of its own. Jazz has been strong since the 1920s and there is year-round live jazz in a cluster of venues, climaxing in the annual Brussels Jazz Marathon in May. The club scene is relatively new, drawing the crowds after much lingering in the city’s many bars and Irish pubs that overflow with expatriates. The legal drinking age in Belgium is 16 years.

Aside from the tacky discos for tourists, there is the big-name-DJ-drawing The Fuse (see Clubs below). The best send out their sounds into the night, around Place de St-Géry, Manneken-Pis and in the Marolles district. Clubs open at 2300, heat up at midnight and survive until about 0600. Being foreign and dressed in tune with the club’s image helps the admission process along considerably. Entrance is sometimes free but will more likely cost around €7.

Fnac, in the City 2 complex on Rue Neuve (website: www.fnac.be), is the best place for club tickets, although the tourist office on Grand-Place may also be of help. Perhaps the highlight of the clubbing year is the Klinkende Munt outdoor music festival, held every July in Brussels at the Place de la Monnaie, Petit-Chateau and the Beursschouwburg.

Listings and information on nightlife events in Brussels can be found online (website: www.noctis.com). Tels Quels magazine (in French) has the most comprehensive gay nightlife listings.

Bars: Belgium is justly famous for its superb selection of beers, not least those created by Trappist monks at various monasteries around the country. Brussels, furthermore, has its own idiosyncratic varieties, notably the spontaneously fermented Gueuze and the fruit flavored Kriek varieties. Centrally located beer havens include La Bécasse, Rue de Tabora 11, A La Mort Subite, Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères, and La Rose Blanche, Grande-Place 11.

Le Soleil, Rue des Capucins 63, is an intimate little bar, tailor-made for an evening of good beer and good chats. A number of bars transform into clubs as the night wears on, including lively Le Sud, Rue de l’Ecuyer 43-5, open Thursday to Saturday. A quieter evening is on offer at the Théâtre de Toone VII, Impasse Schuddeveld 6, off Petite Rue de Bouchers, where puppets form a backdrop to the drinking. For the younger audience, the bars around Place St Géry are popular venues.

Clubs: Brussels offers around 100 dance venues. Top international DJs play techno, house and jungle at Le Fuse, Rue Blaes 208 (website: www.fuse.be). Bazaar, Rue des Capucins 63 (website: www.bazaarresto.be) is a large and popular restaurant/nightclub complex in Les Marolles. Le You, at Rue Duquesnoy 18 is a prime House, Funk and R’n’B venue with a gay night every Sunday (website: www.leyou.be). The Brussels trendy set goes to Les Jeux d’Hiver, Bois de la Cambre (website: www.jeuxdhiver.be).

Live Music: Jazz dominates the live music scene in Brussels. There is jazz on Saturday and most Sundays at L’Archiduc, Rue Antoine Dansaert 6 (website: www.archiduc.net). Sounds Jazz Club, Rue de la Tulipe 28, is another popular venue for this genre. Mainstream rock acts regularly appear at Ancienne Belgique, Boulevard Anspach 110 (website: www.abconcerts.be). Everything from Electro to jazz can be experienced at Beursschouwburg, Rue Orts 20 (website: www.beursschouwburg.be).

The main venues for touring big-names are the Forest National, Avenue du Globe 36 (website: www.forestnational.be), Botanique, Rue Royale 236 (website: www.botanique.be), and Cirque Royal, Rue de l’Enseignement 81, for smaller acts (website: www.cirque-royal.org).

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