French restaurant guide Gault&Millau captured the attention of food lovers across the country on Monday as it published its 21st edition of the Belux Guide, listing the finest restaurants in Belgium and Luxembourg.
After visiting the best restaurants in Belgium in 2023, critics create a guide with over 1,385 addresses – five more than in 2022.
Restaurant Boury in Roeselare (West Flanders) run by chef Tim Boury (40) shot up in the ranking to 19/20, putting the establishment in joint first position with L'air du temps in Walloon Lierneux (Liège province). However, no restaurant managed to beat the record score of 19.5 that Peter Goossens held for 20 years at Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem (East Flanders).
The latest list of top restaurants in the country also includes three in Brussels. In 12th place with a score of 17.5/20 is the iconic Comme Chez Soi on Place Roupe near Grand Place. Le Chalet de la Forêt – an "oasis of peace" in Uccle – received the same score, as did David Martin's La Paix in Anderlecht, where French tradition is fused with Japanese influences.
The highest newcomers this year are Otoro in Hasselt (Limburg province) with a score of 15.5/20; La Table Benjamin Laborie in Lasne (Walloon Brabant) with a score of 15/20; and Menssa in Brussels with a score of 16.5/20. Another of Brussels' rising stars, Humus x Hortense, was awarded 16/20.
Celebrating chefs
Gault&Millau crowned Maxime Collard of La Table de Maxime in Paliseul (Luxembourg province) as 'Chef of the Year'. Gault&Millau CEO Marc Declerck praised Collard for his cooking style, traditional dishes and creativity.
"Raising the level of his creations is a constant for Maxime and his team. In all his dishes we find excellent basic techniques, respect for the seasons, aesthetics and respect for original flavours," Declerck noted.
Last year, Nick Bril of Antwerp's The Jane claimed the title, lauded for his innovation and for "taking his guests into a separate world of experience."
Credit: Màloma Comptoir Culinaire
In addition, three new talents have been voted best 'Young Chefs of the Year', one from each Belgian region: Georges Athanassopoulos of Màloma Comptoir Culinaire in Schaerbeek, Brussels; Marius Bosmans of Arden in Rochefort (Namur province); and Niels Brants of EssenCiel in Leuven.
This year's 'Annual Thematic Laureates' included Da Mimmo in Brussels for 'Italian of the Year', and Aster (also in Brussels) as the best discovery of the year.
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Earlier this year, Gault&Millau released the very first edition of the wine guide to promote Belgian wines. Within that framework, this year's restaurant guide featured a new 'Wine List of the Year' award, which was given to L'Impératif d'Eole in Quévy-le-Grand (Hainaut province).
Gault&Millau also launched a new project this year: 'H!P' ('Here Is the Place'), an award for the best "casual dining" addresses. The new section "brings together trendy and hip restaurants where concept and atmosphere are central, but where the quality of food and beverage always meets the high Gault&Millau standard."
In Brussels, Mission Masala's recently launched Bombay BBQ was the winner, along with Bar Raket in Antwerp and Boa in Arlon (Luxembourg province).
Discover the full selection of restaurants included in this year's guide on the Gault&Millau website.
