Racines

Ever since 2015, Capri-born chef Ugo Federico and Florentine sommelier Francesco Cury have made Racines a Brussels beacon of pan-Italian cuisine, located next to Monella, their small shop serving pizze fritte. The setting? A long counter facing the stoves and a white-bricked dining room overlooking the garden. Mixing the finest seasonal, local and transalpine supplies, the evening menu (which can be upgraded with two bonuses, a huge ravioli filled with a whole burrata, and black truffle agnolotti) lined up: mini antipasti – roast meagre in an insanely good tomato-caper sauce, a surprising ricotta croquette and pear puree, sublime coppa on a cooked potato roll, and a white bean and cabbage leaf soup, an elevated version of a classic peasant recipe; flawless pasta served as a nest of tagliatelle alla genovese (onion sauce) topped with raw smoked amberjack; heady Spanish Basque beef tenderloin with braised endives and a red wine sauce; and a red-stained pear cooked in (even more) red wine, with crumble topping and white wine sabayon. // Ringo de Balmalon

For ten years now, this establishment has been known for its dynamic and seasonal Italian cuisine. At the entrance, we see an enoteca with more than 300 different Italian wines, selected by sommelier David Lazar who offers a fantastic...