Five years of Belgian Michelin stars under the microscope

Belgian chefs haven't lost their taste for gastronomy since COVID-19. The Michelin Guide's awards have reminded us of this every year. A brief retrospective on the evolution of our culinary scene, under the stars.

A Belgian art of fine dining, reflecting the country. Three regions, three atmospheres: Brussels stability, Walloon growth, and Flemish preeminence. Beyond the media hype surrounding each publication of the gastronomic bible, Gondola FoodService takes a step back from the inventory of fine dining. Without daring to engage in socio-demographic analysis or claiming to be scientific, the idea is to observe the Michelin Guide stars and see what the numbers tell us about these prestigious restaurants that stand out from the more than 167,000 establishments in Belgium, according to registered VAT numbers...

Thus, if we look at the Belgian restaurants promoted in the famous Red Book since the end of the coronavirus epidemic, the number has described a continuous progression until this year (from 128 to 143 in 2024, compared to 140 in 2025).

Flemish preeminence

At first glance, Flanders boasts the highest number of stars across all categories and time periods. The only establishments awarded three stars are systematically located in the north of Belgium, in the West Flemish, East Flemish, or Antwerp provinces. The region appears to be experiencing steady growth in the Michelin rankings. However, as a proportion of the total number of award-winning establishments (around 60%), Flanders' gastronomic preeminence is showing a subtle slowdown, notably with the loss of five stars in this year's ranking.

Walloon progression

A movement contrary to the trend observed in Wallonia. Regional haute cuisine is seeing a slow but steady rise in the number of marks of excellence, with an increase in five years from 29 single-star restaurants to 38. To the apparent detriment of their Flemish counterparts, the proportion of "Walloon Michelin restaurants" is gradually increasing (currently representing 30% of the list).

Brussels stability

Diehard Brussels residents - or almost, if we think of La Villa Lorraine, which saw its two stars halved - have been holding their own since 2021 with around fourteen gastronomic establishments (i.e. 10% of the ranking).

Not enough to make a big deal out of it? The dynamics at work in this starry sky, from Flemish masters to valiant Walloons, remind us that fine cuisine is still a hit in Belgium.