Le Pilori

The story

Le Pilori, La Louvière: One Michelin Star, Modern French Cooking

Le Pilori, at Rue du Pilori 10 in Ecaussinnes-Lalaing, holds one Michelin star in 2026 for its modern French cooking. The address has served food and drink since 1917.

Two chefs, one idea of the plate

Gault&Millau gives Le Pilori 13.5 in 2026 and notes that François Vandecasteele and Youri Cymbalenko now set the tone. Their focus stays on the quality of the product and on dishes you can recognise. The restaurant's own words for Youri's cooking are simple, authentic, joyful and comforting.

What arrives at the table

The set menus follow the market, with a weekday lunch option at 47 euros. A step up brings green asparagus with pistachio, basil and stracciatella, then sea bass sashimi with watercress and black lemon. Guinea fowl with chard and buckwheat follows. The à la carte list adds baby lobster with peas and dashi, and turbot poached in milk.

Wine, and a long memory

François has worked as sommelier since 2012, and the pairings come in two tiers: discovery bottles and the great classics. The house itself once ran as a café-restaurant and, from 1969, a jazz club.