The story
Est, at Kapeldreef 46 in Heverlee, Leuven, is a modern French kitchen that earned 15/20 from Gault&Millau in 2026. The restaurant opened in 2025 in the former Restaurant Arenberg, and its tasting menus follow the seasons.
Abel Demeestere leads the kitchen with a classical training and a taste for refinement. His cooking is pure and layered, built on local and seasonal ingredients. In 2026 he received a Michelin star and the Young Chef Award. Laurence De Smet runs the dining room and shapes the hospitality, which the restaurant describes as discreet, warm and attentive.
The à la carte includes sea bass with tapioca, shiso and Granny Smith, Canadian lobster with brioche and coleslaw, and wagyu A5 served with fries and a natural jus. The tasting menus, available in four, five or six courses, add turbot with Royal Belgian Caviar Osietra. Desserts include crêpes Suzette with mikan and yuzu sake, and dame blanche made with house vanilla ice cream. A separate vegetarian menu follows the same structure.
The dining room is quiet and polished, with service that stays close without hovering. In good weather guests can take an aperitif on the terrace. On Sunday afternoons the restaurant hosts private dining for groups from 20 people.
Recognition
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