The Best Barbecue in Belgium
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The best barbecue in Belgium, according to the experts: Le Fooding and the Michelin Guide have both weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Atelier Gist comes out on top, and the good stuff runs deepest in Antwerp and Durbuy.
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Røk and Black Smoke hold the next two places. The Michelin Guide shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Le Fooding next.
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Rank 1. Atelier Gist
Barbecue Japanese
Fire and fermentation run the show at this converted barn outside Geraardsbergen, where picture windows frame open countryside and a counter seats you directly in front of the charcoal oven. The cooking pulls Japanese seasoning and citrus into big barbecue flavors, with fermented touches adding a quiet, persistent depth. Natural wines and house-made kombucha complete the picture. A Michelin Selected restaurant that smells like woodsmoke before you even sit down.
The awards
- Le Fooding Le Fooding: Le Fooding Guide
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Le Fooding Le Fooding Guide
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
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Rank 2. Røk
Texas Barbecue
The awards
- Le Fooding Le Fooding: Le Fooding Guide
- Le Fooding Le Fooding Guide
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Rank 3. Black Smoke
Texan Barbecue
The smoke hits you before the menu does, which is pretty much the point. Black Smoke is an Antwerp barbecue joint with a dim, rough-edged interior and pitmasters working in a Texan tradition, though Latino touches and Belgian sourcing keep things from feeling like a theme park. The drinks list runs nearly as long as the food, so settling in for a while is the implied agenda.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Four places have the exact same Score, so they share #3. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #3 Black Smoke (this place) 68.544
- #3 Ember 68.544
- #3 The Thrill 68.544
- #3 Wagyu 68.544
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Rank 3. Ember
Seasonal Barbecue
The wood-smoke hits you before you reach the table, which tells you most of what you need to know about Ember. This set-menu restaurant in Mechelen is built around live fire and grilling, with produce from the kitchen garden pulling serious weight alongside the meat. The team runs a zero-waste kitchen, and the cooking leans acidic and a little unpredictable in the best way. The non-alcoholic pairings are a genuine reason to skip the wine list.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Four places have the exact same Score, so they share #3. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #3 Black Smoke 68.544
- #3 Ember (this place) 68.544
- #3 The Thrill 68.544
- #3 Wagyu 68.544
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Rank 3. The Thrill
Barbecue
A fireplace-grill dominates the center of the room, hunting trophies line the walls, and sheepskins drape the chairs, which should tell you everything about the register here. This is a meat-forward grill restaurant in Genk where the kitchen takes the BBQ seriously and the menu runs long. The crowd is loud in the best way, and regulars tend to arrive with an appetite rather than a reservation strategy.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Four places have the exact same Score, so they share #3. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #3 Black Smoke 68.544
- #3 Ember 68.544
- #3 The Thrill (this place) 68.544
- #3 Wagyu 68.544
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Rank 3. Wagyu
Barbecue
A dry-ageing fridge sits behind glass at the centre of the room, and at Wagyu, that's less decor than a mission statement. This chic BBQ restaurant in the heart of Durbuy is built around prime beef, wagyu and other premium breeds, cooked over fire and served with bold sauces and sides you pick yourself. A few fish dishes appear on the menu, but nobody here is pretending this is the point. Carnivores only, dressed a little nicer than the grill implies.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Four places have the exact same Score, so they share #3. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #3 Black Smoke 68.544
- #3 Ember 68.544
- #3 The Thrill 68.544
- #3 Wagyu (this place) 68.544