‘Indulge yourself’! Michelin announces new selection of Bib Gourmand restaurants

It’s Michelin season! Ahead of the announcement of its gastronomic stars on 26 February, the guide welcomes 15 new Bib Gourmand restaurants in Belgium.

The 2024 Michelin Guide Belgium and Luxembourg has dished out the accolade to six restaurants in Brussels, six in Wallonia and three in Flanders.

Acknowledging excellent value and high quality food, the Bib Gourmand has been a popular category for the prestigious gourmet bible since 1997.

The appeal for diners is that it recognises a variety of cuisines and dining concepts, from mezze and tapas to ethnic and brasserie-style cuisine.

“These addresses, which achieve the feat of combining quality cuisine and reasonable prices, are a real invitation to indulge yourself,” says Benelux Michelin Guides selection director Werner Loens.

“Diverse and eclectic, the new restaurants that we are presenting this year offer a most interesting gastronomy panorama for all gourmets to explore,” he adds.

Inspectors were impressed by the commitment shown by newcomers in the capital to combining moderate prices with pleasure and quality in their dishes.

Kline in the Dansaert area (pictured) likes to focus on local seasonal ingredients, giving them an original twist with global flavours. Both simple and luxury produce receive the Kline treatment, such as Brussels mushrooms with a salsa verde mole, pork belly served with crispy chilli kimchi and Scheldt delta oysters topped with a caper garnish.

Along with a surprise menu, St Kilda in Uccle (pictured) wins accolades for its sharing plates – full of seasonal veg and Belgian specialities – plus its natural wines and homely atmosphere. Traditional brasserie-rotisserie Le Variétés is a stalwart of the dining scene in Ixelles, tucked under the iconic Flagey building. Its caramel-toned retro interior matches the Art Deco architecture of the building while its menu delivers Belgian favourites alongside classics such as roast chicken.

Fresh contemporary Korean flavours reign at ANJU in Saint-Gilles. Managed by two-star Michelin chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre, sharing dishes are recommended to taste a variety of specialities, from hot broths and slow-cooked stews to fried spicy octopus, Korean-style chicken and traditional pajeon pancakes.

Take a global tasting tour at L'épicerie Nomad in Ixelles (pictured), where daily suggestions favour in-season produce. Couscous dishes, Indian-flavoured scampi, Mediterranean-styled roasted octopus currently grace the menu. For refined South Japanese cuisine, Yoka Tomo in Schaerbeek (main image) offers a tasting menu along with other options to discover delicious dishes created by its talented chef, from a selection of mains, miso soup and starters that include gyozas and homemade kimchi.

In the south of the country six new restaurants have been added to the guide, all located in the provinces of Liège and Namur. Mona Lisa in Yvoir, Enoteca in Liège and Au Phil des Saveurs in Bois-de-Villers are Mediterranean-inspired. Le Confessionnal in Dinant and Garde Manger in Gesves opt for traditional cuisine and Magma in Liège specialises in seasonal creativity.

The city of Bruges boasts two new Bib Gourmands: international addresses Onslow and Quatre Vins. Furbetto in Heverlee (Flemish Brabant) pays homage to the simplicity and generosity of Italian cuisine.