Brussels punches above its weight on the European dining scene. The Belgian capital’s restaurants range from 100-year-old institutions (Comme Chez Soi opened in 1926) to two-Michelin-star modernists, vibrant brasseries serving carbonnade flamande and moules-frites, and the country’s first vegan Michelin star. The best restaurants in Brussels reward both first-time visitors looking for traditional Belgian cuisine and serious food travellers chasing world-class fine dining. This guide covers the 20 best restaurants in Brussels for 2026 across every budget and style.

Brussels’ Dining Scene at a Glance

Brussels currently holds 17 Michelin stars across 14 restaurants — including 2 two-star and one three-star establishment (Bon-Bon, the most decorated). Beyond the stars, the city has dozens of excellent neighbourhood bistros, beer-paired Belgian classics, and thoughtful brasseries serving everything from Sablon antique-quarter lunches to late-night Saint-Géry feasts.

The cuisine itself draws on French tradition (Brussels was historically French-speaking), Belgian terroir (North Sea fish, Wallonian beef, Ardennes game), and increasingly global influence — the Brussels expat scene is one of Europe’s most international, supporting strong Italian, Japanese, and Middle Eastern restaurants.

Best Restaurants in Brussels by Tier

Three Michelin Stars

Bon-Bon (Christophe Hardiquest). Brussels’ only three-Michelin-star restaurant, set in a relocated 1900 hôtel particulier in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. Christophe Hardiquest’s cuisine elevates Belgian terroir to international fine dining — North Sea sole, Brittany langoustines, foraged herbs. Tasting menus run €245-€295; allow three hours for the experience.

Two Michelin Stars

Comme Chez Soi. The 1926 Brussels institution, set in a fully preserved Art Nouveau interior by Henri Houthuis. Currently two Michelin stars under chef Lionel Rigolet (great-grandson of founder Georges Cuvelier). The window into the kitchen is a Brussels rite — diners watch the brigade work the meal. Reserve weeks ahead.

La Paix. A two-Michelin-star modern Belgian restaurant in Anderlecht (a 10-minute taxi from central Brussels). Chef David Martin’s cooking blends Belgian heritage with French technique and Japanese precision. The restaurant occupies a 19th-century brasserie space; the cooking is anything but traditional.

One Michelin Star

Bozar Restaurant. Inside Victor Horta’s Centre for Fine Arts (Bozar), the restaurant offers traditional Belgian cuisine with modern technique. Chef Karen Torosyan earned the star in 2023.

Le Pigeon Noir. A small terroir-focused Brussels restaurant with one star. Unpretentious dining room, ambitious cooking, no tasting menu — pick à la carte.

La Villa in the Sky. Located on the 25th floor of the IT Tower with panoramic Brussels views. Chef Alexandre Dionisio’s cuisine emphasises seasonal Belgian ingredients in modern French preparations.

humus x hortense. Belgium’s first vegan Michelin-starred restaurant, in Ixelles. Chef Nicolas Decloedt’s cooking proves vegetable cuisine can compete at the highest level.

Menssa. Modern Belgian-Japanese fusion in Saint-Gilles. The 5-course menu runs €110.

Best Brasseries and Belgian Classics

Brasserie Bozar (sister to Bozar Restaurant)

Lower-priced, more accessible sibling of the Michelin-starred main restaurant. Excellent Belgian classics — moules-frites, carbonnade flamande, and the country’s best vol-au-vent.

Le Cirio

The Belle Epoque tavern across from the Bourse, established 1909 with original interiors largely intact. Famous for its half-and-half (sparkling white wine + Vermouth) and classic Belgian dishes. Closer to a dining experience than fine cuisine, but a Brussels rite.

Restobières

The Belgian beer pairing restaurant of choice — every dish on the menu is paired with a specific Belgian beer. Excellent carbonnade flamande, waterzooi, and stoofvlees. Reservations essential.

Nüetnigenough

A Saint-Géry beer-pairing restaurant beloved by locals. Modern Belgian cooking with seasonal beer pairings. The carbonnade is among the city’s best.

Aux Armes de Bruxelles

A Rue des Bouchers institution since 1921. Touristy location but the food is genuinely good — try the eel in green sauce, a Brussels speciality.

Chez Léon

The Mussels-and-frites restaurant of Brussels. Operating since 1893 on Rue des Bouchers. Crowded, fast, fun, and the moules-frites is among the city’s most reliable.

Brasserie Belga (at The Dominican)

Modern Belgian seasonal cooking inside the atmospheric Dominican hotel. Three-course lunch around €38; à la carte at fair prices for the quality.

Bocconi (at Hotel Amigo)

Hotel Amigo’s Italian restaurant draws Brussels’ political class for lunch. The pasta course is exceptional.

Best Modern and International Restaurants

Wine Bar des Marolles

A small, unpretentious wine bar in the Marolles flea market district. Excellent natural-wine list and seasonal small plates. No reservations; arrive early.

Crab Club

A modern seafood restaurant near Place Sainte-Catherine focused on North Sea sustainable seafood and natural wine. Casual atmosphere, serious cooking.

Caracas

South American-Belgian fusion in Saint-Gilles. The arepas are among the best outside Caracas itself.

Yokohama

Reliable Japanese in Avenue Louise area. Fresh sushi, properly grilled robata, and authentic ramen.

Toukoul

An Ethiopian restaurant in Saint-Josse with one of Brussels’ most distinctive dining experiences — sharing platters eaten with injera bread, hands only.

Best Restaurants in Brussels by Neighbourhood

Pentagon (Inner Centre): Comme Chez Soi, Le Cirio, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Chez Léon, Brasserie Bozar, Bocconi, Wine Bar des Marolles, Restobières, Crab Club. Most concentrated dining district.

Avenue Louise: Yokohama, La Villa in the Sky, several Italian and French bistros. Higher-end average.

Saint-Géry / Sainte-Catherine: Nüetnigenough, Crab Club, dozens of small bistros. Best for evening dining and a younger crowd.

Saint-Gilles / Ixelles: Menssa, humus x hortense, Caracas, Bozar Restaurant, Le Pigeon Noir. The trendy modern dining belt.

Marolles / Sablon: Wine Bar des Marolles, several Sablon bistros, Brasserie Belga (Dominican). Antique-quarter charm.

European Quarter: Mostly business-lunch territory, but a few solid options including Tour & Taxis area newcomers.

How to Reserve at the Best Restaurants in Brussels

Michelin-starred restaurants: Reserve 2-4 weeks ahead via the restaurant’s own website or TheFork. Bon-Bon often books out 6 weeks ahead. La Paix and Comme Chez Soi 4 weeks.

Mid-range and brasseries: 3-7 days ahead. Saturday evenings and Friday lunch are the busiest. TheFork (which is widely used in Brussels) often shows last-minute availability the website doesn’t.

Casual bistros: Same-day usually works for lunch; reserve for dinner especially Friday-Saturday.

Touristy Rue des Bouchers restaurants: Walk-in usually works. Choose carefully — the lane has both classic restaurants (Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Chez Léon) and tourist traps with industrial food.

Tasting menus: Most Michelin-starred Brussels restaurants prefer or require advance ordering of their tasting menus. Confirm dietary restrictions at booking, not arrival.

What to Eat: Brussels Restaurant Classics

Moules-frites. Belgian mussels with frites. Best from September to April when North Sea mussels are in season. Chez Léon is the institution.

Carbonnade flamande. Beef stewed in dark Belgian beer with bread and mustard. Rich, beer-deep, perfect winter dish. Restobières and Nüetnigenough excel.

Stoofvlees. The Flemish version of carbonnade — slightly different beer base, same comfort.

Waterzooi. Chicken or fish stew with cream and root vegetables. Belgian comfort food.

Vol-au-vent. Puff pastry case filled with creamy chicken-and-mushroom ragout. A Belgian Sunday lunch staple. Brasserie Bozar makes one of the best.

Eel in green sauce (anguilles au vert). Eel in a herb-and-spinach sauce. Deeply traditional Brussels dish; not for everyone but worth trying once.

Steak tartare and mitraillette. Casual fast-food Belgian classics, served at brasseries and friteries.

Best Restaurants in Brussels: Quick Reference

Restaurant	Tier	Cuisine	Reservation Lead
Bon-Bon	3 Michelin	Modern Belgian	4-6 weeks
Comme Chez Soi	2 Michelin	Classic Belgian-French	3-4 weeks
La Paix	2 Michelin	Modern Belgian	3-4 weeks
Bozar Restaurant	1 Michelin	Modern Belgian	2-3 weeks
Le Pigeon Noir	1 Michelin	Belgian terroir	2 weeks
La Villa in the Sky	1 Michelin	French-Belgian	2 weeks
humus x hortense	1 Michelin	Vegan	2 weeks
Menssa	1 Michelin	Belgian-Japanese	2 weeks
Brasserie Bozar	Brasserie	Belgian classics	1 week
Le Cirio	Brasserie	Belgian classics	3 days
Restobières	Beer pairing	Belgian + beer	1 week
Nüetnigenough	Beer pairing	Modern Belgian	3-7 days
Chez Léon	Casual	Moules-frites	Same day
Bocconi (Hotel Amigo)	Hotel	Italian	3 days
Brasserie Belga	Hotel	Modern Belgian	1 week

Useful Resources for Brussels Diners

For travellers exploring the best restaurants in Brussels:

• Michelin Guide Brussels — official Michelin coverage of Brussels restaurants.
• visit.brussels Gastronomic Restaurants — official tourism office curated list.
• TheFork Brussels — most widely used reservation platform.
• Belgian Wikifood — Belgian food culture and dish history.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best restaurant in Brussels?

Bon-Bon, the city’s only three-Michelin-star restaurant, is widely considered the best for fine dining. For traditional Belgian classics, Comme Chez Soi (two stars, 1926) is the historic gold standard. For modern affordable Belgian, Brasserie Belga and Nüetnigenough lead.

How many Michelin stars does Brussels have?

Brussels currently holds 17 Michelin stars across 14 restaurants — including one three-star (Bon-Bon), two two-star (Comme Chez Soi, La Paix), and 11 one-star establishments. The total is updated annually in the November Michelin Guide release.

How much does a Michelin meal cost in Brussels?

One-Michelin-star tasting menus run €110-€175. Two-star: €175-€225. Three-star (Bon-Bon): €245-€295. Wine pairings add €70-€140. Lunch tasting menus at all tiers tend to be 30-40% cheaper than dinner.

What is Belgium’s national dish?

There’s no single national dish, but moules-frites, carbonnade flamande, and waterzooi are the closest contenders. Frites are also genuinely Belgian (despite the “French fries” name).

Where do locals eat in Brussels?

Locals favour Saint-Gilles (Caracas, Menssa), Ixelles (Le Pigeon Noir, humus x hortense), Saint-Géry (Nüetnigenough, Crab Club), and the small bistros around Place Flagey. Tourist-leaning Rue des Bouchers is generally avoided by Brussels residents — Aux Armes de Bruxelles being one of the few exceptions.

Are Brussels restaurants vegetarian-friendly?

Yes, increasingly so. humus x hortense holds a Michelin star for vegan cooking. Most modern Brussels restaurants offer at least one solid vegetarian option, and several (including Caracas, Wine Bar des Marolles) cater seriously to plant-based diners.

Final Thoughts

The best restaurants in Brussels offer one of Europe’s most underrated dining destinations — three Michelin stars at the top, dozens of brasseries serving century-old recipes, and an emerging modern scene led by Belgian-Japanese fusion and the country’s first vegan Michelin star. Whether you book Bon-Bon for a tasting-menu pilgrimage or grab moules-frites at Chez Léon, you’ll find Brussels rewards every level of food curiosity. For more on planning your trip, see our complete Brussels food guide, best chocolate shops in Brussels, and Belgian beer guide Brussels resources.