The story
Les Années Folles brings a grounded French Belgian approach to cooking inside a carefully restored 1928 house near Antwerp. Chef Gino Lemmens oversees a kitchen that balances seasonal availability with quiet innovation. The dining room keeps its original architectural lines while offering a comfortable layout for both lunch and dinner service. Guests settle into a space designed for conversation rather than formal ceremony.
Lemmens structures the menu around fresh produce, letting Belgian-French culinary traditions shape every plate. The kitchen offers both set courses and individual selections, allowing groups to choose their preferred pacing. This transparent sourcing model aligns closely with the standards measured by the We’re Smart Green Guide, which recently awarded the restaurant three radishes. Sustainable farming partnerships remain central to daily operations.
Private dining rooms host business meetings or small celebrations without disrupting the relaxed pace of the main floor. Staff members prepare customized meals upon request, extending the home cooking philosophy beyond standard service hours. Tables fill with steady conversation and careful wine pairings rather than rigid timing. Visitors consistently note how the unhurried rhythm makes extended meals feel effortless.
Recognition
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“ Ceci n’est pas un restaurant .” That’s the greeting written around the doorbell of this 1920s building, with no sign out front and heavy curtains drawn tight, tucked along an unglamorous boulevard in Berchem. This chic gastronomic hideout from Gino Lemmens (in the kitchen) and Katja Kulakova’s (front of house) plays things cool and under the radar, despite a waiting list as long as your arm. On the tables: Verilin tablecloths and napkins made in Kortrijk (artistically crinkled, naturally, like the curtains), a tiny minimalist vase and old-fashioned silver cutlery worthy of your grandma’s best drawer. What a lovely, cozy feeling. And on the plates? Only beautiful things. Take the Saturday night we went… After the mouthwatering amuse-bouches, the tasting menu rolled out as follows: spritely sea bass tartare with sour cream, pickled cucumber and seaweed sauce; seared scallops with white asparagus, lobster and caper cream; irresistible confit egg yolk with spring peas and mature cheese; a stunning lamb dish with spinach and five-spice sauce; then pigeon in two services – a real showstopper! – before a sweet, smooth finish with iced mascarpone, lemon curd, rhubarb and praline. Ceci n’est pas un restaurant? No. It’s much better · Jean-Eude d’Aye-Quiry
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