Location: Louvain-la-Neuve
Top Restaurants in Louvain-la-Neuve
Top Things to do in Louvain-la-Neuve
Top 10 restaurants in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Louvain-la-Neuve (French pronunciation: [lu.vɛ̃.la.nœv], French for New Leuven) is a planned city in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the French-speaking part of the country. The city was built to house the Université Catholique de Louvain; following the linguistic quarrels that took place in Belgium during the 1960s, and Flemish claims of discrimination at the Catholic University of Leuven, the institution was split into the Dutch language Katholieke Universiteit Leuven which remained in Leuven, and the Université Catholique de Louvain.
Things to do in Louvain-la-Neuve
1. Le Piano
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 184 reviews
Reviewed By A TripAdvisor reviewer on Facebook - Genval
Meets the student budget and appetite. Appreciation of quality comes with age.
2. Nulle Part Ailleurs
Overall Ratings
4 based on 167 reviews
Reviewed By princess_mimi - Bolton, Massachusetts
A small, unique little restaurant in the central part of the university town of Louvain-la-Neuve. As we were visiting nearby in Rixensart, and it was Sunday evening, we decided to try our luck without Reservations. We were the first customers (around 7:00PM) and found that if you don't have Reservations, go early, because they fill their tables quickly. The food was, as expected, superb! After enjoying our appetizers, we chose their 2 fish dishes, one each, and were very pleased. A word of caution: if you are not local, and visiting Belgium, check out the rules for credit card acceptance. They only accept a card that has a "chip" found at the local bank. I think it is called a "proton card". Otherwise have some euros on hand.
3. Onlywood Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 124 reviews
Reviewed By alain P - Brussels, Belgium
First and foremost, lets get a few things out of the way, I went for lunch and dinner and have been going since oh about last year November. So I’ve had the opportunity to sample the menu length wise, side ways, back side up and upside down.
If you're in Louvain-la-Neuve (LLN) for a little visit or for a longer stay, you will always look for a place to feel welcomed, fed and entertained. This might very well fill the bill!
Louvain la Neuve is a university city. Basically one ginormous campus with bits of city in-between the colleges, labs and auditoriums. It's full of bars, restaurants, eateries where the hungry student can calm his incessant munchies and have a good laugh.
The Onlywood is decorated with panache (keep in mind it's for the student crowd, so the many jokes on the walls might take you back to your student years) It's cosy in winter, cool in summer, and a great place to have a bit of lunch/dinner with friends.
The staff are generally nice a accommodating, might be a bit brisk when the hordes of ravenous students come calling for their food... be warned!
The Onlywood serves up great grub. There is of course a problem with that. EVERYBODY wants to go there when the weather is fine, since that have access to the "Place des wallons" for the Terrace, which is a great place to have lunch or dinner. If the restaurant is filled to the brim the chef 'might' lose his cool and things can get a tad lengthy. But no problem, order a beer, a bit of cheese and soak in the Sunshine. Enjoy the pretty/handsome students walking down the place, enjoy life and relax. On hot summer nights the warm concrete, the music and the cool beer are a treat. The place lights up and you will find yourself chatting away happily until the late hours of the night.
Back to the business end of said restaurant: BURGERS. The choice is varied, built with good taste and great value. The Speciality of the house is the special burgers, which change each day of the week. All different and with a particular theme in mind. The special burgers are a few euros more expensive but about Twice the size, I'd say about, since they never seem to stay whole very long on the plate. You can get chips with them or wedges ( psssstt, try the wedges) ;)
For the less meat loving people there are great salads, pasta and Tex-mex Californian style cuisine to be had. (Id stick with the burgers...) For the more adventurous of you, there is a “double double” beef and chicken burger which is not finishable for a human. I've tried, and I was failed miserably. Ate well though....
Conclusion?
If you are in the market for a burger, and in LLN, definitely try the onlywood.
as for the "shotgun", aahhhh let me tell you about it. First you order a Besos (beer with tequila) and a large glass (pint size) of ice. Then you order a second one and put it in. dual bottle, dual barrels so a shotgun. The effect on thirst is the same: BLOWN AWAY :)
4. Pasta Follie's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By Marja-Alain - Belgium
On recommendation of a friend we had dinner there. Me, as big pizza fan, choose for a pizza and my husband for pasta. The table next to us was served just after we ordered, and as the restaurant is medium size, the tables are very close to each other. I therefore could see the plates served. Looked OK, but when they moved the plates a little we noticed a very liquid water/tomato sauce. Our order arrived and my pizza bottom was perfectly round, with no deformation. All Lissa served had exactly the same shape. Taste was mediocre. My husband's pasta had the same liquid water/tomato sauce. He directly commented on this to me that this was not fresh but frozen food. We did not even finished half of our plates. We commented this to the waiter, who did not even denied our comments. It seems that if you are in a University city you can only eat "junk" food for a total of 59 euro!!!
To avoid this restaurant if you want to have a good, fresh, home cooked pizza or pasta.
5. Le Chavignol
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By Divina H - Chaumont-Gistoux, Belgium
This is among the restaurants we frequent when home cooking is out of the option so we are very familiar with it as we've been regular clients since more than 10 years. The traditional yet cosy interiors add to the ambiance but lately, the use of what seemed to be "home-made paintings" on the walls and Ikea glasses start to diminish the classiness of the resto. Food is still very good and surely on Thursdays, one can get a real good deal. For EUR55 they have an all-in offer: drinks from aperitif to coffee/tea plus the 3-course-meal. The mise-en-bouche of Chef Carmelo is always cream-based, not typical for Italian chefs to be inclined to "crème fraiche" but it is always a good breaker. But altogether, he always comes up with a good fusion of western ingredients. Marie, his wife, is often in-charge of the dessert and she's quite good at it too. The only setback is that often the lady at the service (you have to go to the restaurant yourself to know who) has stinking underarms, which for a sensitive person like myself, can be a real turn-off. We're already used to her not-so-refined manners, which first-timer friends whom we invite there always notice, as we just find it her ways of being friendly, but you can surely count on her efficiency. Just cover your nose when something is brought to your table if you come during the "bad under-arm days". I also use their "traiteur" services for birthdays or Christmas.
6. Loungeatude
Overall Ratings
4 based on 251 reviews
Welcome! <br><br>Near Louvain-la-Neuve city center, behind 'La Ferme du Biereau', in a quiet and green area. <br><br>In a contemporary and warm atmosphere. For lunch or diner. To meet, speak an laugh.<br>Loungeatude, 3 espaces ou passer un moment unique. <br><br>A Lounge°, where you will enjoy cocktails or delicious tea.<br>It's also in this cozy and friendly atmosphere that we invite you to take your apetizer before joining the dining room at the time to dine. Finally, why not to go back to finish your afterdiner close to the open fire<br><br>A Dining room° which offers a creative and varied menu in a special place where relaxation and refinement table decor blend of warm and bright colors.<br><br>a location BUSINESS - AFTER BUSINESS LOUNGE ° (BAB'L) which perfectly combine work and relaxation. Ideal for hosting your cultural meetings , seminars and corporate events.<br>It is also in this cozy and friendly space , accommodating up to 175 people , you invite your family and friends to spend a pleasant and unforgettable moment with you.<br><br>Our Terrace, extending our Lounge and Dining Areas , welcomes you as soon as the first rays of spring until the beginnings of winter. <br><br>Free parking. <br>Wireless Internet access.<br>Persons with reduced mobility access.
Reviewed By Tikhon-Chicago - Brussels, Belgium
Freshly designed, well located near a small park, friendly and very professional. Great food and value for money. The only downside: not children friendly, however as it`s closed on Saturday and Sunday lunch time - not many chances to get there as a family. A...MoreDear Tikhon-Chicago, Thank you for giving us your feelings. We welcome children but unfortunately don't have any play-area... So they come just to make like 'older' :-) Hope to see you soon to enjoy a 'retreat' . Loungeatude Team
7. La Galoute
Overall Ratings
4 based on 118 reviews
Reviewed By hacrobaat - Brussels, Belgium
Enjoyed lunch at la Galoupe. The interior is nice, with a mezzanine. The atmosphere is intimate. With nice weather, there's a Terrace.
We enjoyed the salad "Comme là-bas" and the hamburger. Both were very tasteful and originally presented. We also enjoyed the extended list of beers available. Service was friendly and very fast.
8. O si Pres
Overall Ratings
4 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By Mark L
I use this restaurant regularly for business lunches
They have a good value lunch formula, various versions of beef tartare but the best is the canard laqué (duck)
Only minus is they can get busy and a little slow on service between 12.30 and 13.30 which makes it difficult to eat in under 1 hour
9. La Creperie Bretonne la Mere Fillioux
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 223 reviews
Reviewed By Patricia R
The crepes are delicious and the atmosphere in the restaurant is very nice. It's always busy and service is usually quite quick. We've been here regularly for the last months and every crepe we've tasted has been amazing. They have loads of choices (still haven't actually read through the whole menu, that's how many choices there are!), sweet and savory, for every budget - they also have loads of different beers -as you would expect in Belgium- so definitely worth a visit!
An English version of the menu would be greatly appreciated though.
10. Le Petit Vingtieme
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By peetersr - Gingelom, Belgium
Expensive for what it was. I guess they thrive on the visitors of the museum who don't realise there's some nice eateries nearby. Two not so sophisticated Caesar salades, a spaghetti Bolognese with hardly enough sauce and one round of sparkling water and we were set back 55 €...
