Right in the heart of the effortlessly hip Châtelain district, a gang of friends – Scott Lhoest, Nicolas Cauwe and Victor Roisin – decided to go the whole shebang! The result? Feel-good vibes, green velvet sofas, a stunning zinc-topped bar sparkling in all its glory and wood-paneled walls, giving the place a decidedly trendy brasserie feel. And on the old-fashioned, vintage plates, chef Yassine Mohsine serves up classic with flair: umami-packed vegetarian stuffed cabbage with a shitake mushroom filling in a red wine tomato sauce; grey shrimp croquettes that were perfectly crispy and indulgently gooey; comforting mac and cheese with ham (a tad dry); before a small, round, honey-roasted pumpkin with a wow-factor Saint-Nectaire espuma. Also spotted on the menu: nibbles like cheese or charcuterie platters, plus generous cuts of meat to share. Finish in classic style with a crème brûlée, Dame Blanche ice cream sundae or a chocolate-hazelnut lava cake. And since Gratin is a place of many talents, don’t miss their delicious gratinéed brunches every weekend. · Billie Relish

FEELING THIRSTY? Dabble in a few organic and natural wines: Lou Daro, an expressive red from Château de Gragnos (€7 a glass), a grenache/syrah/carignan blend from Belgian winemakers Alain and Patricia Limauge in the Languedoc (€7.50), and Les Perruchers, a rare cabernet franc from Domaine des Sanzay aka Didier and Céline Sanzay in the Loire (same price). As for beers, there’s the Flora violet IPA (€6.50 for 30 ml) or Hibiscus lager (same price).

PRICE: Sharing plates €4-19, desserts €9-10.