I honestly expected more than what was delivered. After discovering this place at the Eat Brussels event & having one of the best ravioli dishes I've put in my belly. It was perfect in every way, however the execution that was top notch at Eat Brussels seems to have slipped when it's the real restaurant. Tasting menu of course as it's all they offer at the weekends. Not a problem, in far from a picky eater. It's it's a vegetable then I'll munch on it. However when you do not season the vegetables it's kinda plain and boring. Hence this was my first course. Not only unseasoned but a hot ok warm dish placed into chilled cheese. It makes the whole dish tepid. Not can be tasty as can cause ld, but tepid is rarely tasty. Now the stuffed eggplant... spot on! Wonderfully seasoned & smoked. It was like it was barbecued even though obviously it wasn't. So my rollercoaster of dishes had reached a high. Sadly it was not to stay there. The cheese stuffed crepe with black truffles... it was suffocated under a blizzard of parmesan. So it became a salted dry mess. I got my fork and tried to snow shovel the grated cheese away, but it had perminated the crepe. Inedible! The wife who loves lots of Parmesan agreed when she asked to have a taste. The dessert was forgettable. As in I forgot what it was. Maybe my tastebuds packed in by then. We got the wine pairing, which was good with generous pours. However when red is served at the same temperature as white. It's tasteless. Only one accident here though. Perhaps the quick chill was forgotten and it turned into a longer ice cold chill by mistake. But with the food mistakes it had to be mentioned. After all we paid a pretty penny to eat here. 2.5 stars. The staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was nice. Shame about some of the food. read more

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Incredible expérience Had a 5 courses menu with an amazing wine pairing. Everything was incredible perfect, flavors, ambient, creativity, service. It will be my favorite Italian restaurant ( I guess and I hope) outside Italy. read more

Very nice place and good food. I think it is overpriced. We took the 5 course Dinner an the service was nice read more

Racines - Italian Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

Went to the restaurant on Saturday evening for dinner. On Saturday evening, there is a fixed menu of 4 or 5 dishes. We chose the 4 dishes menu. To our surprise, all portions were tiny; it would not be an exaggeration to say that the biggest portion was the "mouche bouche". The service and the decoration are both pretentious. The bill was very expensive for the amount of food. It should go back to the basics and offer good italian food. read more

Newly open and must try. I had passed by the sign "opening soon" and couldn't wait. Their "pizza fritta" on Flagey market already became legend and... here we go. Francesco and Ugo are the Italian owners of Racines, bringing together wine, music and great food to Flagey. Francesco comes from Firenze and Ugo from Capri, but they became friends while working for Il Cibreo and Il Teatro del Sale, two of the best places to be in Firenze! Every day the products arrive fresh from the market and the menus are conceived as the inspiration of the morning. Pasta and bread are baked fresh daily. I went for aperitivo the other day, sat at the bar, under the canoe (!!) and enjoyed a white wine from Campania with a lovely cake of cooked onions and cheese. They're open all day long: you can come for a coffee in the morning, for lunch, for aperitivo, for dinner or for a late drink. Or just pop by during the day to buy any of the fresh Italian products (cheese, pasta, olive oil...). My advice? Just let yourself be guided by Francesco and Ugo and spoil yourself a little. And go before the secret spreads too much! read more

The new place at Flagey! If in the last months you have been to the Sunday Flagey market, you might have seen the Racines stand serving delicious "pizza fritta" (fried pizza dough topped with tomato sauce and "hard" ricotta) and selling Italian products. You might have also had than the chance to talk with Francesco and Ugo, the friendly owners of Racines, which finally opened its doors last Wed. On the logo of Racines is written "bottoglieria - gastronomia - cultura", which summarize what they are proposing: good wine, delicious food (to buy or to eat there) and culture (they will have concerts and other events!). Francesco and Ugo have a long history in the gastronomy in Florence and they brought to Brussels their experiences and love for beautiful and good things in life! In the evening they have small plates to eat alone or share: slowly cooked vegetable, mousse of salted cod (delicious!), risotto, soups, mozzarella and other Italian cheese. The menu changes often depending on the products they found, so everything is always fresh and seasonal! Also they do homemade "schiacciata", a tipical Tuscan flat bread! They have a great variety of Italian wines and can advice you very well! I went there with a group of friends and it was a real evening for foodies! Racines is also a shop of Italian products: perfect for gifts or to spoil yourself a bit! ;) I've heard they will do brunch on Sundays and I cannot wait to try! read more

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There is just one word to describe this place and this word is mind-blowing! It is an Italian restaurant that does not try to create a cosy, homelike atmosphere by decorating the place with dusty wine barrels, heavy furniture and red curtains. Vice versa, the decor is light, modern and, I would say, Scandinavian. The simplicity of the furnishing pits against the warm reception you get from your very first second at the restaurant. It feels so natural that you might start asking yourself how come that you know the owners just for 5 minutes, but not 5 years. The food is amazing. The guys offer mostly the South Italian cuisine, and the dishes sound very simple. But after the first bite you can't focus on anything else but an explosion of euphoria happening in your mouth. Bravo! read more

The magazines, the people, the different reviews are really selling this place out. a friend of mine wanted to try it out for so long that we gave it a try (need to book in advance) the place is super hot when you enter & on the main section with the garden window open a bit frisky at the main section they have a beautiful view towards a small garden terrace (also smoking area and at the same time where they plant some of their vegetables. a waiter places you at your table and one of the owners come to explain you the menu they offer. my friend was mind-blowed she couldn't make up her mind with the choices... i was more in the uh... nothing appeals to me.. we started on the wrong foot. she took a starter eggplants fried balls : you couldn't taste the eggplants ... too dry and way too salty - i've to tell you the starters a real pricey for what you get - the main dishes are way too expensive for my taste and again salty ... then i decided myself as i wasn't very convinced by the main dish so i decided to take a dessert - a chocolate cake - actually really delicious but a killer at the middle part (too heavy, too dry) should have taken the other half back home for the next day XD anyway... quite disappointed price / quality wise. too expensive when you know you can have much more / better for the same price... pity but this shouldn't back you out if you want to try it - experiencing it will be the best for you to know read more

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You have to be aware of what you are looking for when you go to Racines. You are not looking for a Wine Bar. You are not looking for a Restaurant. You are looking for a unique experience. Every little detail is taken care for you and yet it stays simple and essential, like the combination of ingredients proposed by the amazing Chef Ugo or the slightly nasal voice of Francesco, while he seats beside you and explains the menu or gives you suggestions. Ultimately, the relationship between beautiful and good is the key to fully appreciate Racines. read more

Looking for an authentic Italian restaurant with high quality, fresh and organic products?! This is the place to be. As all tables were booked, my friend and I sat at the bar with a view on the open kitchen. We shared a starter of fried oyster mushrooms with chickpea pancakes. As a main I had palamita (sort of tuna/makarel) with mixed vegetables. My friend had the octopus with green peppers and potatoes. Simply divine! Never had such fresh fish in Brussels before. We couldn't try the dessert as we were completely full. Also, the wine choice is excellent. If you understand something about wine, you'll be very happy here. My favourite is a pinot noir riserva from Alto Adige. Price/quality ratio is totally justified. 84 EUR for two. I will definitely return!! read more

Small portions, and disappointing truffle pasta. 23 euros for a small plate of pasta with a barely noticeable flavour of truffles, that is an expensive disappointment. read more

I think some of my dinner companions were a little disappointed with their food and thought all in all that it was expensive for what it was. But... I liked my food (the gluten free crepe-thingy), love the wine-card, think the service is cute (you get the whole Italian treatment :)), and the fact that the food is so fresh gets an "awesome" on my list. Not sure the freshness can compensate for the fact that some of the dishes might sometimes be less flavoury than they should though... which is what my companions regretted. read more

No meat served here, but fish and simply delicious food are on the menu here! You'll pay a reasonable price for exceptional food ! Go, go, go ! It's so tasty you won't be able to stop eating ! Truly delicious I tell you ! read more

Nice Italian restaurant just few steps from Flagey. Except the nice and friendly Spanish girl, the staff is Italian and you can feel already the Italian hospitality coming in. Actually we went in only to drink a glass of wine but we ended to share a nice plate of "Bufala" (selection of buffalo milk product like mozzarella, ricotta and burrata). The restaurant was full so we could sit only at the desk but it was a nice experience since you could see the chefs working in front of you preparing the food. The menu is not extensive but really fresh and based on Italian traditional dishes. Our "Bufala" plate was really nice. Ricotta and burrata fabulous, while the mozzarella was not the best one I had. Anyway it was a nice experience to try it and enjoy two glasses of good Italian wine, while being pampered by the chef who was entertaining us while cooking. It was nice to see as well how the staff works really good together always smiling and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Inside the restaurant you can buy as well product to take away (pasta, oil, cheese, etc.). I can definitely recommend this place. read more

If you want to have one of your best culinary experience in Brussels, you definitely have to go to Racines. It all starts from the beginning when you push the large window door of this restaurant located on the lively Flagey neighborhood, you are directly diving into the atmosphere of the real Italy with a large selection of local products displayed in the grocery section...supplemented by the warm welcome of the smiling cook team...all Italians of course. The place is very pleasant and was completely reinvented by the owners. Cherry on the cake: the garden with its vegetables garden at the back. In summer, you can lay down on the grass while sipping a nice glass of Prosecco...What else? And then the adventure continues with Francesco, one of the owners, who literally sits at your table and takes the time to go over all the details to make sure you can find your happiness among the menu. So now, let's talk about the menu...yes the menu...what a menu! Only fresh local Italian products (nothing is frozen at Racines) mixed in a surprised way...chestnut homemade pasta with grilled pumpkin & ricotta...Octopus- burrata & candied pepper...it is a festival of flavors and colors for your papillae and your eyes, the exact right balance of an innovative concept with the charm of a typical "next door restaurant". Racines goes way beyond to what a typical restaurant offers. And this in term of quality, atmosphere & service...The pricing is a little bit above the standards but trust me, it is completely worth it as the overall experience is just amazing. Last tip, have a look on their facebook page, they organize live concert evening....BRAVA to all the team! read more

Yes, the food is overpriced, but I love this place. Personable waiters, fresh, seasonal ingredients, and creative flavour combinations. And the bread! Shame they are closed weekends. Call ahead for a res! read more

Positives first: We got a table here for 6 people on a Friday night! The decor and atmosphere was nice - though a bit noisy. The wines were delicious. Negatives: overpriced! We ordered a plate of fried mushroom for starter - that meant deep fried, dry and strange tasting and texture mushrooms, the mains were at best average, at worst too salty and served too cold. Service was attentive to begin with but sloppy and slightly unprofessional towards the end. And the bill came with mistakes - adding over 30 euro too much! So yeah... Just not very convincing nor tasty! read more