Racines Bruxelles

Verdict: Book It for the Wine List, Stay for the Room

Getting a table at Racines Bruxelles is easy by Brussels fine-dining standards — this is not a venue you need to plan weeks ahead for. That accessibility makes it a practical first pick when you want something serious without the reservation anxiety of, say, Comme chez Soi. The real reason to come, though, is the wine program: Racines has held the leading Star Wine List ranking in Belgium in both 2024 and 2025, a credential that puts it in a different category from most Italian-leaning restaurants in the city. If you have been once and left without properly exploring the list, that is what to fix on your next visit.

What You're Walking Into

Racines sits on Chaussée d'Ixelles in the Flagey neighbourhood — a part of Brussels that moves at a different pace from the Grand-Place tourist circuit. The room centres on an open kitchen with a comptoir-style counter, and there is a small negozio at the entrance displaying Italian provisions and bottles. Visually, it reads as a working Italian food shop that happens to seat you for dinner. The counter is the better seat in the house: you can see what is being prepared, and it is the natural position for solo diners or pairs who want to eat without ceremony. If you are returning after a first visit, request the comptoir specifically.

The Italian character of the place is signalled immediately by the entrance display , not a vague Mediterranean nod but a deliberate editorial point of view about Italian food and drink. That specificity is worth noting because Brussels has no shortage of Italian restaurants that blur at the edges. Racines has a position, and the wine list is the sharpest expression of it.

The Wine List: Why It Matters

Six consecutive Star Wine List rankings across 2023, 2024, and 2025 , including the number-one position in both 2024 and 2025 , make this one of the most consistently recognised wine programs in Belgium. For context, Star Wine List evaluates wine programs on depth, range, and the quality of the by-the-glass selection, not just cellar size. A sustained leading ranking across three years suggests this is a list that is actively managed, not a static collection. For a returning guest, the practical implication is direct: explore the list more deliberately than you did the first time. Ask what is open and available by the glass before you order a bottle , programs with this kind of recognition tend to have something worth drinking that way.

For wine-focused dining in Brussels, Racines is the most credentialed option in the Italian register. If you are comparing it against senzanome, which also works in the modern Italian space at the €€€€ tier, Racines currently carries a stronger wine-list argument. For Belgian and French wine contexts, Barge and Eliane offer different but equally deliberate programs worth considering.

Late Dining at Racines

Racines is worth considering as a later-evening option in the Flagey area, where the neighbourhood character suits a longer meal that extends past standard Brussels dinner hours. The negozio element at the entrance and the comptoir format both support a less structured pace , you can arrive for wine and move into food, rather than committing to a set dinner-first sequence. Hours are not confirmed in our current data, so call ahead or check directly before planning a late arrival. The Flagey area generally supports late eating better than the centre, and Racines fits that rhythm without requiring a firm reservation time.

Practical Reference

Racines Bruxelles is at Chaussée d'Ixelles 353, 1050 Ixelles. Booking difficulty is low , direct to secure a table without the advance planning required at Brussels' top-tier formal restaurants. For the comptoir seats specifically, it is worth requesting at the time of booking rather than on arrival. Phone and website details are not currently listed in our data; the most reliable route is a direct visit to the venue or a search for current contact details. Price range is not confirmed, but the Italian-provisions character and neighbourhood positioning suggest a mid-to-upper range consistent with a serious but informal wine destination.

For more options in the city, see our full Brussels restaurants guide, our Brussels bars guide, and our Brussels hotels guide. If you are planning a wider Belgium wine trip, Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem and Boury in Roeselare are the benchmark kitchen-and-cellar combinations outside Brussels. For international reference points in the same conversation about serious wine programs paired with focused cuisine, Le Bernardin in New York and Atomix represent the tier above in terms of formal recognition, though neither operates in the Italian register.

Quick reference: Chaussée d'Ixelles 353, 1050 Ixelles , easy to book , request the comptoir , verify hours before a late visit.

FAQ

• How far ahead should I book Racines Bruxelles? Booking difficulty here is low. A few days' notice is generally sufficient, and last-minute tables are realistic outside weekend peak times. This makes it a practical option when you need something serious without the weeks-out planning required at Comme chez Soi or La Villa Lorraine.
• What should I wear to Racines Bruxelles? No dress code is confirmed in our data, but the open-kitchen, negozio-style format reads as smart-casual rather than formal. The Flagey neighbourhood and the Italian provisions character suggest you do not need to dress for a grand-restaurant occasion. Clean, considered casual is the right call.
• Is Racines Bruxelles good for solo dining? Yes, and more so than most Brussels restaurants in this category. The comptoir counter is a natural solo seat , you can watch the kitchen, eat at your own pace, and work through the wine list without the table-for-one awkwardness. Ask for the counter when you book.
• Does Racines Bruxelles handle dietary restrictions? Specific dietary accommodation policies are not in our current data. Contact the venue directly before your visit , phone and website details are not listed here, so a direct approach on arrival or via a current search is the safest route. Italian-focused kitchens generally have flexibility on vegetarian requests, but confirm in advance for anything more specific.
• What should I order at Racines Bruxelles? Specific menu items are not confirmed in our data, so we will not invent dishes. What is confirmed: the wine list is the headline credential , six Star Wine List rankings across three years, including number one in 2024 and 2025. Ask what is available by the glass before committing to a bottle. The Italian provisions at the entrance are a signal about the kitchen's reference point; the food and the list are designed to work together.
• What should a first-timer know about Racines Bruxelles? Three things: it is easier to book than its reputation suggests, the wine list is the main event (Star Wine List number one in Belgium for 2024 and 2025), and the comptoir counter is the better seat. Go with the intention of spending time on the list, not just ordering a bottle on autopilot. The Flagey location means it fits naturally into a longer evening in that part of the city.
• Can Racines Bruxelles accommodate groups? Seat count is not confirmed in our data. The comptoir and open-kitchen format suggests a compact room more suited to small parties of two to four than to large groups. For a group dinner in Brussels, Aux Armes de Bruxelles at €€ or Au Vieux Saint Martin at €€€ offer more flexible formats. Contact Racines directly to confirm capacity before planning a large booking.