Belgium’s Top Takeaways? Kingribs in Sint-Niklaas and Viva La Pizza in Hornu

Voted for by thousands of Takeaway.com customers, the chain renowned for its slow-cooked ribs and the restaurant famous for its "pastella" have secured the 2025 Awards from the food delivery platform.

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"We are thrilled to take home this trophy once again," says an enthusiastic Alaa El Din Zeidan, founder of Kingribs. This marks the third consecutive year that his brand has claimed the title of "Best National Chain" at the Takeaway.com Awards. "I simply see it as the fruit of our team's hard work," he says. Founded in April 2020, the business made a name for itself through its signature slow-cooked ribs. It has seen rapid growth in recent years, recently opening its fifteenth location in Vilvoorde.

With an average satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5 from over 4,500 reviews across its various branches, Kingribs has once again confirmed its status as a firm favorite. "For four years now, it has been an honor to reward the dedication of our partners," noted Siska De Lombaerde, Country Director for Takeaway.com Belux. The delivery platform, in partnership with Coca-Cola in Belgium, allows users to elect their favorite restaurants in various categories each year.

On the podium for national chains, second place went to Maki Maki, which now operates 13 sushi restaurants, notably in Antwerp, Charleroi, and Liège. Meanwhile, the pasta chain Bavet took the third spot, with 15 restaurants located in almost every major city in Flanders as well as in Brussels.

No strangers to the ceremony with their first La Louvière-based restaurant, Pastella (a three-time winner), childhood friends Thomas Albanese and Alèn Sayadian have this time received the Takeaway award for "Best Restaurant in Belgium" for Viva La Pizza in Hornu. It is a moment of pride for them, but also a sense of vindication. "When we launched our project seven years ago, not everyone believed in it," they admit. "Today, we prepare more than 300 pizzas a day," Alèn adds, praising the tight-knit team he relies on.

This recognition is largely due to the popularity of their signature dish, the "pastella": an edible bowl made of pizza dough, in which they serve pasta or a mixed salad. The owners opted for this concept after noticing that many customers struggled to choose between pasta and pizza. "So, we turned it into a two-in-one dish," Alèn Sayadian explains, delighted by the success of the formula which has allowed them to expand to three restaurants.

Alongside the Hornu pizzeria taking the national gold medal, the silver went to Sezer Snack in Ghent for the second year running (which was also voted "Best in Flanders").

With an average satisfaction score of 4.6 out of 5 from nearly 10,000 reviews, founder and manager Kemal Top sees this as the result of "tasty and accessible daily preparations. Our pizzas, kebabs, and other specialties like pasta and snacks have won over a wide audience. We are happy that our customers appreciate our simple but delicious recipes."

As for the Takeaway.com bronze award in the national restaurant category, it was awarded to Pizza Talia in Ghent, a pizzeria active since 1997 that has since become a franchise with six locations across the Flemish region.