Restaurant in Gent, Belgium
Gent's best case for dry-aged beef.
Gillis is Gent's most credentialled steakhouse: a Star Wine List White Star holder ranked in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2025. Chef-owner Bram Candries runs a sharing-plate format built around dry-aged European beef and a serious Old World wine list. Book for groups of three or more to get the most from the menu; expect a convivial, energetic room rather than a hushed dining room.
Gillis is the restaurant to book in Gent if dry-aged beef and a sharing-plate format are your priorities. Chef-owner Bram Candries has built something specific here: a meat-focused room at Hoogstraat 23 that earned a White Star on Star Wine List in 2023 and climbed to its highest-ever position in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2025. The price range is not published, but the award trajectory and sourcing approach place this firmly in the €€€–€€€€ tier. That investment is justified if you are serious about aged beef and well-curated wine; it is less obviously the right call if you want a traditional tasting-menu format or a quieter, more intimate dinner for two.
The room at Gillis carries a considered industrial-meets-warm aesthetic: exposed wood, soft lighting, and a mood that sits between urban and relaxed. The energy is convivial rather than hushed, which makes it a strong fit for groups and celebratory dinners but worth knowing in advance if you are after a quieter setting. The kitchen runs on a sharing concept, with large, composed plates designed for the table to work through together. This format rewards groups of three or more, who can cover more of the menu across a single sitting.
The beef sourcing is the clearest differentiator: Candries pulls dry-aged cuts from carefully selected European producers and grills them on a bespoke grill. The Holstein beef tartare, Duroc pork belly, and pork cheek croquettes with Belgian pickle mayonnaise are the signature reference points in the available data. The wine list, curated by Candries himself and executed by the sommelier team, runs toward Old World depth, with Burgundy, Rhône, and Piedmont featuring prominently. The Star Wine List White Star recognition in September 2023 gives that list independent credibility.
Gillis rewards returning. On a first visit, the move is direct: anchor on the dry-aged beef and let the sommelier steer the wine. The sharing format means two people can cover three or four dishes without overextending on spend. On a second visit, the lesser-protein dishes earn more attention: the tartare and croquettes are the kind of starters that get overlooked when you are focused on the main event, but they carry the kitchen's technical level. A third visit is where the wine list opens up: once you have a read on the food, working through the Old World list with the sommelier team becomes the actual point of the meal. Regulars who have done this report that the Rhône and Piedmont selections in particular justify the detour from the obvious Burgundy anchors.
For context on where Gillis sits in Belgium's broader dining conversation, the country's most decorated rooms include Hof van Cleve - Floris Van Der Veken in Kruishoutem, Boury in Roeselare, and Zilte in Antwerp. Gillis does not compete on tasting-menu depth or Michelin star count; it competes on product quality, format freedom, and the kind of meal you can repeat without it feeling like an occasion requirement. Bartholomeus in Heist and Willem Hiele in Oudenburg serve a similar explorer-facing audience but with sharply different cuisine profiles.
Booking at Gillis is rated Easy. The address is Hoogstraat 23, 9000 Gent, close to the historic city centre. No phone or website data is currently listed in our system; check Google directly or use a reservation platform to confirm current availability. Reservation window and hours are not confirmed in our data, so plan ahead rather than assuming walk-in access on a Friday or Saturday evening. The sharing format and convivial atmosphere make this a natural fit for groups of four to six; solo diners and couples are accommodated but the menu structure works harder with more people at the table.
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The sharing-plate format is well-suited to groups, and the room's mix of tables supports parties of four to six comfortably. For larger groups or private arrangements, no booking policy is currently listed — check the venue's official channels via the address at Hoogstraat 23, 9000 Gent. Groups who want a meat-focused, communal format will find Gillis a strong match.
Vrijmoed and Souvenir are the go-to alternatives if you want a more vegetable-forward or tasting-menu format rather than meat-led sharing plates. Oak Gent covers similar modern territory with a different kitchen focus. Bar Bask and Publiek are better for something lower-key and more affordable. None of them match Gillis specifically on dry-aged beef and the 2025 World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants credential.
The menu at Gillis is built around dry-aged beef and meat-focused sharing plates, so it is a poor fit for vegetarians or vegans. For specific dietary needs — allergies, pescatarian requirements — no policy is listed in available data, so check the venue's official channels before booking. Guests who eat meat but avoid certain proteins should have more flexibility given the breadth of a sharing format.
Go in anchored on the dry-aged beef: that is the core of what chef-owner Bram Candries has built here, and it earned Gillis a place in the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2025. The format is sharing plates, so order generously and let the sommelier guide the wine. The address is Hoogstraat 23, close to Gent's historic centre, and booking is rated Easy — but do not leave it to the last minute on weekends.
Yes, with the right expectations. Gillis has a warm industrial aesthetic, professional front-of-house led by Jozefien Candries, and the credibility of a 2025 World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants ranking — enough weight for a birthday or anniversary dinner. The sharing format works well for two people who want to eat broadly across the menu. If you need a private room or need to confirm a set menu in advance, check directly with the restaurant as those details are not currently listed.
The sharing-plate format at Gillis is designed for groups, which makes solo visits less natural than at counter-service or à la carte restaurants. That said, the room's warm atmosphere and professional service make it a reasonable solo option if you are comfortable ordering a couple of plates for yourself. For a more solo-optimised experience in Gent, Bar Bask or Publiek may be a better fit structurally.
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