This is the little brother of Le Nénuphar, and it might just be the better-kept secret. nénu does Saigonese small plates with a modern twist — order at least three, share everything, and let the kitchen steer. The vibe is laid-back and built for lingering: you start with a cocktail, you graze, you order another round, and suddenly it's been three hours. Gault&Millau said to trust them with your dinner, and they're right.
Saigonese small plates with a modern twist, built for sharing over cocktails — the kind of place where dinner turns into a three-hour evening without you noticing.
Book ahead for weekends — walk-ins are welcome but the place fills up fast, especially Friday and Saturday evenings.
Modern Vietnamese sharing done right
If you've been in Brussels long enough, you know the Vietnamese food scene is no joke — and nénu sits right at the top. Tucked into the Ma Campagne area near Louise, this Saigonese eatery does something deceptively simple: small Vietnamese dishes with a modern twist, designed to be shared. The concept works because the kitchen genuinely knows what it's doing. Order at least three dishes — the menu is built for grazing, not for a single main — and let the flavors do the talking. The vegetal pho with grilled shiitake and oyster mushrooms is a standout, and the seasonal asparagus "lavong" with white butter, turmeric, and wild garlic shows a kitchen that thinks beyond the canon. Gault&Millau called it right when they said to put your dinner in their capable hands.
The atmosphere is what makes nénu more than just a good restaurant. It's laid-back, friendly, and built for lingering. You start with a cocktail — the Colonel shizo with shizo sorbet is a beautiful way to close a meal — you share, you sip, you order another round. It's the kind of place where a quick dinner turns into a three-hour evening without you noticing. The crowd is a mix of Saint-Gilles locals and food-savvy Brussels types who know the difference between pho-as-afterthought and Vietnamese cooking treated with real respect.
With a 4.6 rating across hundreds of reviews and one reviewer calling it their favorite restaurant in Brussels "without any hesitation," nénu has earned its reputation. It's not the cheapest night out, but the quality-to-price ratio is honest and the experience is consistently excellent. Book ahead when you can — walk-ins are welcome but the place fills up, especially on weekends. Open Tuesday evening and Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.