We had a wonderful dinner here. The owner of the restaurant and his daughter came and explained the…read moredishes, including their recommendations. Each one of our pasta was homemade and absolutely delicious. I especially recommend the lamb ravioli. We shared the tiramisu, which was also delicious. It tasted like we were in Italy!

We weren't able to get a reservation but we came right as they opened for dinner and we were seated…read moreimmediately. The owner greeted us and told us about the dishes, his wife is the one who makes all of the delicious food! This is right at the center of Brussels so really a great place to eat and we ate outside. There's plenty of seating outside. The pasta was so delicious, fresh, and you could tell it was made with love.

What a meal and a great dining experience! We were in Brussels for one night only and staying in…read morethe neighborhood so we gave Il Pasticcio a try. We were a little weary of two comments we saw before we arrived: 1) It doesn't look like much from the outside and 2) there is a communication challenge for English speakers. DON'T LET EITHER OF THOSE COMMENTS KEEP YOU FROM GOING HERE! True, it doesn't look like much from the street, but inside you find a warm atmosphere filled with patrons. And although there's a little bit of a language barrier, the staff was so helpful and did their best to communicate with us, explaining as much as they could! When we sat down we were immediately greeted with a small glass of rose wine for each person and a basket of delicious breads. We share the caprese salad between 3 of us as a small appetizer, which was delicious. I personally recommend the misto as an entree - you get to try small portions of 3 of their different pasta dishes. All of them were delicious, but the ravioli in a mushroom cream sauce was BY FAR the best! YUM! We'd been eyeing the desserts we saw at other tables all throughout the meal and we couldn't decide which one we wanted to try, so we each got one! The panacotta was OK, but the dame blanche (an ice cream sundae) and the tiramisu were both fantastic. Not only is the food really great, but the service was wonderful and you are made to feel right at home - like family! The price can't be beat either... 2 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer, 3 entrees, and 3 desserts for under $100! We would HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who finds themselves looking for a new place to have dinner in Brussels!

This is a family affair with at times three generations working to bring customers homely Italian…read morefood. Unimpressive looking from the outside, indoors you'll find a cosy setting with a lively atmosphere. The food is surprisingly good, there is nothing fancy here, just a homely Italian meal. There are a good number of restaurants closed at this time of year, so the place was very busy. Despite an initial wait, as we'd not booked, we eventually got a table in the main dining room (the outside terrace would have been our favoured spot but unfortunately it was full). They kindly offered us aperitif as we waited to be seated and when leaving we were offered a digestive drink. Menu in hand and our waitress came round with the selection of daily specials. They always have lots on offer and we ended up not bothering to really open the small menu and picked instead from the specials. We opted for the linguini alla vongole, a 'trio' of pasta of the day and the ravioli covered with a tomato n'duya sauce and grilled cheese from the oven. Everything looked the par and we were satisfied with what was in our plate. They won't win any awards but sometimes simple cooking executed well using fresh ingredients is enough to satisfy a table of hungry diners. As we were a bit rushed for time we just went with mains but I was tempted to have an antipasti as I remember them being quite lovely. I'll certainly go back again soon to make sure I get to dig in to those great looking vegies and cooked meats. Generally speaking it is ideal for lunch with very reasonably priced food, a nice terrace in summer and friendly service. I'd recommend to anyone in the area looking for some enjoyable Italian food. You'd do well to book, otherwise you may have to wait anywhere up to 30 minutes for a table.

This could have been so great, the restaurant is beautiful and the menu looks great. Unfortunately…read morethe rest of the night didn't quite live up to expectations. The burratta as a starter was great, but instead of giving us time to finish the waiter took away plates from each person as soon as they finished. That pattern continued, instead of the table receiving our food at the same time our plates came to the table over the 15 minuets so the first food got cold. When we actually tasted the food most of it was bland and lacked salt. So the venue is great but the execution lacks greatly

What a shame... Another place that had the potential to be…read moregreat but rated poorly due to the total lack of HYGIENE, service and flavour. Not to mention the wine list that is mediocre. Most food like the fresh pastas (raviolis etc. are from a bag and just covered with tomato passata from a jar and placed in oven with some cheese) totally bland and of no interest what so ever. The rest of the food like the fish and meats are prepared by the chefs with their hands. Yes, they do wear gloves, but also use their handed gloves in which they have wiped nose, sneezed, etc. to touch and turn the food they are cooking! The dried pasta bags are stored on the kitchen floor. The chef will also ask you to keep your cutlery from your starters for your main by saying: "Comme a la maison - like at home" If one has to keep his cutlery in the restaurant like at home, why go to a restaurant? BTW I change my cutlery at home ;-) And the best is yet to come, when one of the kitchen attending took out the bresaola that was in a sealed bag, he noticed the date was overdue (this in a place that has just opened) and notified the chef. Who, opened the bag, smelled the meat and said it was ok to serve! Another place with high standards, NOT! If you want to take the risk and go avoid sitting at the bar or just best AVOID!

Great spot in Brussels!…read more I visited on Friday night with a friend who just moved to the city. We had walked around and identified a few spots to eat, but upon reviewing the menu (and how cute it looked inside), we decided on Toscana 21 and I'm really glad that we did. Thankfully, our waitress spoke perfect English, though usually you can get by (and my friend speaks some French), but I was happy to not have to do too much translation on the menu (why is it that I can understand words far better than I can speak them?). Anyway, we were seated upstairs, where we waited for a little bit. I think there might only be one server in the restaurant...but once we were greeted, service was great! We started with the meat and cheese plate - VERY good, and high quality. I am a lover of all things cheese, so I was happy. I am not a grilled eggplant person (that came on the side), but the veggies were grilled nicely (eggplant, zucchini and artichoke). Bread was warm and tasty. I had the penne arrabiata and my friend had the special (tortellini with goat cheese and honey in a creamy sauce). Both were amazing...pasta cooked perfectly, flavors were superb and the quality was very high. In terms of value, this spot was great! For two of us, with 2 quartinos of wine, the meat and cheese platter (priced per person) and 2 entrees, we netted out at about 68 EUR - not too shabby! After 2 visits to Brussels and some lackluster food, I would definitely visit this spot again! Bonus for taking credit cards!

Amazing cuisine in Brussels. Authentic Italian in a restaurant where you are encouraged to take…read moreyour time and enjoy. One of our favorite meals in our two weeks in Belgium. Try the charcuterie plate and the cold tuna and veal. Would also recommend their delicious pastas and sauces. The overall experience here is wonderful. The staff take the time to get to know you and make personal recommendations. The location is near the Grand Sablon, so it is convenient and in a nice area for walking after dinner.

Great experience! Food was excellent and service was great. This place is small and cozy with a…read moregood ambiance. Would highly recommend!!

Very unassuming exterior with phenomenal authentic Italian food. Fresh ingredient, made to order in…read morethe kitchen (which you can see into). I will absolutely be back!

This place is seriously a hidden gem! Amazing food prepared right in front of you. One of the beat…read moremeals I have ever had and great company. Ernesto is so friendly and warm you feel like you're having dinner at a friends home. Definitely a must do in Ixelles!

Stubbled upon this restaurant and so happy we did! The food was homemade and very good. Ernesto was…read moreso friendly and such a gratuitous host. We forced him to join us for a glass of wine after hours!

A friend of mine had been trying for weeks to get a dinner reservation at Osteria Bolognese. She…read morewas finally able to snag one for 9:15 p.m. on a Tuesday. It wasn't ideal, but we were all happy to get in. We were immediately impressed. The service was fantastic, even for our group of six. The wine selection was perfect for the food. The seasonal menu was relatively small, so we decided to order one of every appetizer and every main, and to share everything. Everything was good, but these were the standouts for me: *Asparagus *Truffle pasta *Vegetable pasta *Clam linguine We could have done without the burrata, the lasagna, the cheesecake and the tiramisu, which were OK but not great. However, we cleaned every single plate, and we left overall feeling very happy and satisfied. BUT ALL WAS NOT AS IT SEEMED.... I woke up the next morning with no appetite. I thought this was no big deal since I'd eaten a massive late dinner the night before. Around 10 a.m., I started getting a killer headache. I thought I might be hungover, even though I hadn't drank that much the night before. In the middle of a meeting that morning, I started getting really nauseous, and then projectile vomiting. I let my friends from the previous night's dinner know I wasn't feeling well. It turned out another had been vomiting profusely all morning, and another felt very sick as well. The common thread was Osteria Bolognese. Unfortunately, since we all basically ate everything, it's hard to narrow down with precision which dish was the culprit. We suspect the clams. I obviously will not be going back here.

The first time I walked by the Osteria, it was closed. The second time, it was a Wednesday (when…read morethey don't take reservations) good luck getting a table. The third time I made a reservation 2 weeks in advance, the reservation was made a few days before my last day in Brussels. Thank goodness I made that reservation! I've never been to Italy, but Osteria Bolognese was the best Italian meal I've ever had. My friend and I shared a few dishes. The ragu, a popular dish, was light and flavorful. The tortellini were perfectly filling. The spritz was a Bolognese take on Aperol and it was delicious. The founders claim that the ingredients are flown into Brussels daily from Bologna and I have no reason not to believe them! When you go, expect your dinner to last all evening and make friends with the staff. Don't miss this place next time you're in Brussels!

This restaurant in Belgium was my family's favorite Italian restaurant! My family background is…read moreItalian born and raised. When we got there the service was so polite to my family and knew we were Italian because my dad said Bongiorno! The food was amazing, everything we ordered was outstanding. Plated beautifully, cooked well, and sauces were excellent! The Ambiance was gorgeous, they had an inside and outside seating area, both were great! The restaurant made me feel like being home with my family and making Italian food! Totally worth it!

Actually came across this place on accident. Glad my friends and I stopped in. Very aesthetic feel…read morewhen you walk in. The service was fantastic although the language barrier. The chef a big smile on his face and made us feel welcome. They also shared with us a free app to try which was delicious! The menu is so creative and after eating we thought the food was excellent. Will definitely be back!!

Great place for all food stuffs vegan: cheeses, nice-cream, pasta, vegan proteins, chocolates, …read more.. Lovely people! Possible to take away quiches and cakes.

Great discovery in my neighborhood in Brussels. At first I was a bit skeptical because the street…read moreisn't very nice and I hadn't heard much about it. But I was pleasantly surprised when I went there for drinks one evening. I chose the homemade ice tea as usual and have become quite an expert in this field, so trust me when I say this one was reaaallyy good! They basically make it as if it was a cocktail so they take their time and use nice ingredients. And by that I mean it has the quality of a cocktail but definitely not the price! All the drinks have very reasonable prices and it is therefor the perfect place to go with friends and stay for a few hours without ending up completely broke. The atmosphere also lends itself for fun nights with friends and the decoration is cool with a view on a very tiny but green and jungly garden. It may not have the "wauw" interior you'll find in some other places but it's definitely more casual, friendly and budget-proof than the super hip places you'll find in the neighborhood. It's a perfect in-betweener for when you don't want to spend a lot of money in a too fancy place but still want to sit in a nice looking bar with a friendly and easy feel.

Great little belgian gem of a bar. Great teas -- but what's really great is a Tripel Karmeliet on…read moretap.