Certo

The story

Certo – Natural Wine & Italian Cuisine in Brussels' Ixelles Neighbourhood

A Table Built Around Natural Wine

At Certo, on Rue Longue Vie in the Ixelles district of Brussels, the wine list tells you everything you need to know about the place. It reads like a who's who of the natural wine world — Gravner, Radikon, Valentini, Frank Cornelissen, Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Pierre Overnoy — names that serious drinkers seek out across Europe. This is not a restaurant that happens to stock a few natural bottles. The wine is the philosophy, and the Italian cuisine is its ideal companion.

Italian Cuisine with Conviction

The kitchen works within the Italian tradition, a natural pairing for a cellar so deeply rooted in Italian producers. The recognition from Gambero Rosso — Italy's most authoritative food and wine guide — speaks to the coherence of that vision. Being singled out by Gambero Rosso in Brussels is no small thing; it signals a kitchen and a cellar operating at a level that rewards the attention of serious diners.

The Producers on the List

What distinguishes Certo is the breadth and depth of its vignerons. Alongside Italian icons, the list spans France — Patrick Bouju, Jean-Pierre Robinot, Domaine Ganevat, Domaine Labet, Les Frères Soulier — as well as Austria's Gut Oggau, Spain's Partida Creus, and a long tail of smaller, harder-to-find domaines. It is the kind of list assembled over years by someone who tastes widely and chooses carefully.

The Setting

The restaurant opens for lunch and dinner through the week, with a Monday evening service that reflects a neighbourhood rhythm rather than a tourist-facing schedule. Private parties are catered for, and the address on Rue Longue Vie — a quiet residential street in Ixelles — gives the whole experience an unhurried, local feel that suits the food and wine on offer.