Antoine Lehebel's 20 favourite wine bars and restaurants in Belgium 2024

Wine bars, fine dining restaurants and relaxed bars. The diversity when it comes to wine in Belgium is vast, and you can both find the niche venues and the ones that have pretty much everything. Here, Star Wine List's ambassador Antoine Lehebel, has selected his favourite spots in the country.

  1. Phone: +32 81 30 65 36

    Address: Place des Jardins de Baseilles 14, Namur

    Even though the restaurant is located in a commercial zone, and honestly you would not expect such a good restaurant in a location as such, this is the kind of secret address you would give to good friends and wine lovers only. Modern décor, open kitchen, classical cooking at its best and great value, the highlight is the carefully chosen selection of wine Anouck has made! She is passionate, can be extremely technical about tasting and knows her subject so deeply you could spend hours talking wine with her. Trust her choice blindfolded and you will never be disappointed.

  2. Phone: +32 81 26 00 51

    Address: Rue des Brasseurs 61, Namur

    Both a wine bar and a wine shop, this is the place, right in the center of Namur, where Marc will take care of you in the best possible way. The place is tiny yet you feel home and at your ease the moment you step in. Food is well sourced, and always delicious and you can enjoy the great selection of wines chosen by Marc during his different trips in wine regions. What I like best is that Marc is passionate and he has his own likings, so the best way to enjoy the place is to leave every prejudice out at the door, take a comfortable seat and overall, take the time to discuss of nothing and ev...

  3. Phone: +32 2 503 62 59

    Address: Rue Haute 198, Bruxelles

    In one of the busiest street in the area of Les Marolles, you would easily walk past it without noticing it. But this is the kind of place to keep in mind, and the kind of place where you would never go wrong. It is one of my favourite addresses because it is like a warm bistro, with efficient service and good bistro food, made with the freshest of ingredients. But overall I love to go there for the short but exciting wine list. No effort of presentation, it is a plain excel sheet but where else can you find some older vintages of Jura, plus other gems. Vincent Thomaes, after years of work...

  4. Phone: +32 2 512 98 30

    Address: Chaussée de Wavre 167A, Ixelles

    Vivien, Baptiste and the whole team at Titulus have made a great reputation for themselves in Brussels for being one of the finest importers of carefully chosen wines and producers, mainly from France but also with the likes of Jason Ligas in Greece plus a beautiful selection of eaux-de-vie from Laurent Cazottes. To be honest, this is more of a wine shop but a couple of tables in the background are a clue to the fact that they also serve some food. So I love to go there, share a couple of plates with friends and playing around to test some wine pairings. Moreover, Vivien is a big fan of Saké...

  5. Phone: +32 2 534 64 34

    Address: Rue Africaine 31, Saint-Gilles

    At first sight it does not look like any wine bar you have come across in you life: pink lights, wooden panels etc… you’d rather expect a trendy shoe/clothes shop but it is one of the sexiest wine bars in the neighborhood. The wine selection is precise, mainly French and at fair prices, and the food is typical wine bar with boards of good cheeses and charcuteries. Located in one of the trendiest area of Brussels, the wine bar attracts a clientele wanting to enjoy simple pleasures in life, and I love going there for the top selection of wines, which is changing often so you always have somethi...

  6. Phone: +32 2 512 68 91

    Address: Place de la Chapelle 5, Bruxelles

    Located right at the bottom of the Sablon, one of the most central part of old Brussels, what strikes you first is the typical, out of time decoration, very “art nouveau” with old polished wood, a beautiful bar and dimmed lights. It feels good during our cold and grey Belgian winters, and it feels like a jump back in times the rest of the year. The food is typical, classical and sometimes plain old fashion but everything is cooked perfectly and homemade. Personally I go there for the amazingly good “Vol-au-vent”, and at the right season for the “Zenne pot”, THE signature dish of Dirk Myny, wh...

  7. Phone: +32 2 374 31 63

    Address: Avenue du Vivier d'Oie 75, Bruxelles

    This has remained one of the most famous restaurants in Belgium since the end of WWII and has long influenced the Belgian gastronomic scene. The past ten years have seen a real revival of the restaurant, and recently it has been completely and magnificently revamped. Plus, Yves Mattagne has taken over the kitchen and offers high gastronomic pleasure in terrific surroundings. The place has been packed since re-opening after the lockdown, and is probably now the hotspot for fine dining in Brussels at the moment. Both the wine list of the Villa and the former Sea Grill have been joined, and that...

  8. Phone: +32 2 644 64 11

    Address: Avenue Louise 326, Bruxelles

    That is exactly what a wine bar should be. The choice of wine is extensive, well-chosen and will suit every budget, plus it changes on a regular basis so you can never really get bored, even if you go there often. Angie Ceccarini manages the whole operation like a star, and also makes brilliant wine choices. The place is rather big and can feel loud and crowded but it’s the right place to be when you want atmosphere, fun and plenty of people around you who are also enjoying wine. This is the place to head for after-work drinks and bites. They also sell wine to go and, no matter how picky you...

  9. Phone: +32 2 343 45 23

    Address: Rue du Doyenné 87, Uccle

    This is the place to go when in love (or waiting to fall in love) with anything Italian. With a simple setting and a comfy atmosphere, this Italian restaurant is a must in Brussels. You will find two different rooms, one where you can grasp some typical Italian bites of the highest quality, followed by the “pasta of the day”, and the other where you will have more of a full-blown Italian meal with primi, secondi and all. Their speciality is the pasta Rigatoni Salsiccia e Limone. Still, I have never been disappointed by any of their dishes, so trust the whole team to look after you in the best...

  10. Phone: +32 2 425 73 60

    Address: Boulevard d'Ypres 33, Bruxelles

    Best Short List of the Year Belgium 2023

    This place is about simplicity and high quality, both in the plate and the glass. The décor is less refined, but you feel that the all the love and passion has been put into the fantastic plates and wines that match. The pitch is about working with short supply chain, local craftsmen and producers as much as possible, in short, highlighting the best Belgium has to offer in terms of food. Gregory had some experiences in some of the best gastronomic restaurants in the country, and put his efforts in what matters most: quality in the plate, the glass and the service. This is a true no-nonsense ga...

  11. Phone: +32 02 503 00 00

    Address: Rue Baron Horta 3, Bruxelles

    Best Medium-sized List of the Year Belgium 2023

    Karen Torosyan is one of the most gifted cooks in Belgium, and his restaurant one of Brussels’ most prestigious. He says he is first and foremost a craftsman - and that is the main reason why you go there. He is a master of all the French classics, and nobody can beat him when it comes to the likes of pâté en croute and pithiviers. However, be aware that in order to enjoy Torosyan’s classic dishes, you will need to book at least 48 hours ahead, but the upside to this is that you can also order a good bottle from the carefully curated wine list, and ask the sommelier to prepare it in advance...

  12. Phone: +32 02 540 89 37

    Address: Rue Eugène Cattoir 14, Ixelles

    The minute you step inside this restaurant, you know wine will be the main focus. It is located in the former cellars of “Mouchart”, an old Belgian négociant, and you sit right next to the former “foudres” which were used back in the days when Belgians used to import their wines in bulk and bottle them themselves. The legend goes that one of the “foudres” is still full of a Bordeaux from the beginning of the 80’s. The food is very classical French, delicious and comforting with typical dishes such as game when in season, sweetbreads, and quenelles on the menu. But the place is most well known...

  13. Phone: +32 02 642 95 90

    Address: Chaussée d'Ixelles 353, Ixelles

    Best Medium-sized List of the Year Belgium 2023

    One of my favourite Italian restaurants in the heart of the Flagey area. It has an open kitchen with a comptoir, little negozio (shop) when you enter, showing off some of the best food and drink Italy has to offer. The feeling in the restaurant is relaxed, and the place is buzzing with life. The food is Italian at the highest level, and cooked with consummate skill - the simple yet amazing tomato jelly you are likely to get as an appetizer is simply gorgeous! The wine list is massive, and proudly Italian. Every single region is well represented, with both up and coming to the most well kno...

  14. Phone: +32 081 83 51 70

    Address: Rue Emile Lessire 1, Floreffe

    Best Medium-sized List of the Year Belgium 2023

    Maxime Sanzot is one of the best young sommeliers in the country. He has been recognized as such by a couple of guides already, after opening his bistro/restaurant early in his career. Situated near a river, the setting is peaceful and quiet, with a veranda at the back and a cosy and comfortable dining room at the front of the restaurant. The food is classic French fare, nicely cooked with a distinguished touch to it. I very much like the wine on offer as you feel the passion Maxime puts into his selection, and the real work done on food and wine matching.

  15. Phone: +32 02 420 09 20

    Address: Place Reine Astrid 34, Jette

    This place, located on a nice square in Jette, is more a wine shop than a restaurant, offering a wide selection of bottles from around the world, all carefully chosen and priced. But there is a tiny space at the bottom of the shop where you can sit and enjoy the menu put up by owner Eddy Münster. The plates are creative, fresh and lively and fantastically cooked. There is no wine list, as the shop IS the wine list. So have a look around, choose your bottle and bring it back to your table to enjoy.

  16. Phone: +32 02 520 57 39

    Address: Rue du Postillon 6, Uccle

    Ivresse is a restaurant with a more casual bistro at the front that ticks all the boxes. The food is gorgeous, made with the best ingredients and perfectly executed, and you get the definite impression that the young and dynamic staff really love what they are doing. The atmosphere is definitely laid back yet professional, and last but not least, the wines are perfectly in line with everything else. A great selection of craft winemakers are included on the list, with wines on the natural/bio/biodynamic sides, but always clean. I loved the approach of the pairing drinks as it takes you a bit o...

  17. Phone: +32 02 762 99 80

    Address: Avenue Salomé 1, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

    You would not expect to find one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the country in this bourgeois villa in the middle of such a residential area to the south of Brussels, but be assured it’s well worth the trip! Even more surprising is to find such a brilliant wine list put together by wine lover/chef Hau. It is not massive, but it follows his preferences, and you will definitely find something really good here - great producers, with a leaning towards natural wines, and older vintages at attractive prices will help make your decision making easier. Not everything is on the list as Hau lov...

  18. Phone: +32 0471 98 54 63

    Address: Rue du Moulin 52, La Bruyère

    Located in Bovesse, in the courtyard of an organic farm (yes you need to make an effort to reach it), Basile De Wulf started his restaurant with a very clear idea of what he wanted. Young and ambitious, he has been trained under the tutelage of some of the best chefs in the country. But even better is the fact that he’s a genuine wine lover and takes as much pride delivering beautiful wines to his guests as cooking delicious dishes day after day. The wine list there is going from strength to strength, with offerings that will match his cooking and the fine wines, which are mainly French, thoug...

  19. Phone: +32 02 771 58 60

    Address: Avenue du Roi Chevalier 24, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

    Da Mimmo is a long-standing institution in the city, and had changed hands a couple of times before Louis Verstrapen took over the property in 2023. It's now a typical neighbourhood restaurant, with a warm and comfy setting which makes you feel right at home the minute you sit down. The cooking is Italian executed at a high level, and the wine list follows suit. You will find some classical references, from Champagne to all the Italian classics, but this is undoubtedly a work in progress, with Verstrapen aiming to create a great wine list, representative of some of the best wines around. And...

  20. Phone: +32 0470 62 42 11

    Address: Avenue Chazal 200, Schaerbeek

    Opened at the tail end of 2023, Bab’s is a very welcoming wine bar in the up and coming neighbourhood of Schaerbeek, north-east of Brussels. Located at an angle, with a pretty terrace, and right next to the park Josaphat, it has a vibrant, exciting feel. The place is packed every night with locals, making you feel they had been long waiting for somewhere like this to open up. With a short yet balanced wine list created by Barbara (Babs), the selection is always spot-on, and is changed according to the season, ensuring there is always something nice and different to discover. You can get a coup...