Michelin names new Belgium stars

Michelin stars are restaurant rankings, but in Belgium they also work like a power map. They tell you which cities are rising, which chefs have rebuilt momentum, and which places suddenly matter more than they did last year. That changed again on May 4 in Antwerp, when Michelin rolled out its 2026 Belgium and Luxembourg guide and handed out the biggest upgrades to Cuines 33 and The Jane. (guide.michelin.com) ### What actually happened in Antwerp? Michelin presented the new guide at the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp and added two restaurants to the two-star tier, while 10 more picked up their first star. The two headline promotions were Cuines 33 in Knokke-Heist and The Jane in Antwerp. The full 2026 selection now covers 764 restaurants in Belgium and Luxembourg, with 139 holding at least one star. (guide.michelin.com) ### Why do those two-star promotions matter? Because two stars are a very different club from one. Michelin kept Belgium’s two three-star restaurants unchanged — Zilte in Antwerp and Boury in Roeselare — but it expanded the two-star group to 22. That puts(guide.michelin.com)ing. (guide.michelin.com) ### Who were the new one-star names? The one-star list matters because it catches the next wave. Michelin marked 10 new first-time starred restaurants across Belgium and Luxembourg. The official list includes Sans Cravate in Bruges, JER in Hasselt, Hof Ter Hulst(guide.michelin.com)rg. Michelin’s French list also marks those new entries with an “N.” (guide.michelin.com) ### Why is Alain Bianchin getting attention? Because La Table in Lasne is not just a new star — it is a comeback story. Alain Bianchin had already built a starred reputation before moving on from his previous restaurant in Jezus-Eik. His new project in Lasne won(guide.michelin.com)ear. (7sur7.be) ### What about Luxembourg? Luxembourg got one new starred restaurant, Le Lys at Villa Pétrusse, led by Kim de Dood. That brought the country to 12 Michelin-starred establishments. The timing matters too — Le Lys opened only about a year ago, so the award landed fast. That suggests Michelin saw immediate polish rather than a long incubation period. (kachen.online) ### Did every region win? No — and that is the real shape of the story. Brussels added no new stars and lost three: Senzanome, Le Pigeon Noir, and La Villa Lorraine after Yves Mattagne’s departure. Wallonia picked up La Table but also lost four starred restaurants. Flanders gained most of the new stars, yet even there a chunk of restaurants lost distinctions. This was not a simple expansion year. (7sur7.be) ### So is the guide growing or tightening? Both, weirdly. Michelin still showcased 10 new one-stars and two new two-stars, but the broader starred map also contracted in places. That is why the 764-restaurant total and the 139 starred total matter — the guide is still broad, but the honors are moving around more aggressively than a simple winners list suggests. (guide.michelin.com) ### Bottom line? Belgium did not get a new three-star restaurant this year. But Antwerp and Knokke got major upgrades, Lasne got a high-profile return, and Luxembourg added a new standout. The bigger takeaway is that Michelin’s map of Belgian fine dining is being redrawn city by city, not just polished at the top. (guide.michelin.com)