Hotel Pilar

There’s nothing like a hotel bar or restaurant to forget about the monotony of everyday life… especially one that’s holed up inside a manor renovated by architect Sam Peeters and serial restaurateur Christophe Ysewyn, overlooking the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. After sipping on an Espresso Martini at the concrete-topped bar, make like a local and migrate towards the massive terrace to join those who’ve hooked up for life or just even one night for some deliciously briny Geay n°2 oysters, grey shrimp croquettes dunked in aioli (mmm, different!), labneh sprinkled with za’atar, or potatoes topped with sour cream, fish roe and chives, before moving on to some steak tartare flanked with yeast mayo, fried capers and shallots. For all you late-risers, breakfast is available until 11:30am, unless you’d rather attack lunch right off the bat. Either way, this place is looking to become our new permanent residence. // Kiko Zushi

FEELING THIRSTY? Everything you need to live it up: Bernard Pertois champagne (€15 a glass), Espresso Martinis (same price) and a few natural wines, like a sangiovese Case Sparse Amaré (€42 per bottle) or a Venetian skin-contact wine from Sassara (€39).

PRICE: Breakfast €5-17 (or set menu €25), tapas-style small plates €12-19, mains €17-27, desserts €10-15, “chaos” menu €65.