Vilain

The story

Vilain Charleroi – Seasonal Shared Plates & Bib Gourmand in Belgium

Because we all have a little Vilain in us.

That line sets the tone for this Charleroi restaurant run by Antoine, Margaux, and their team. Housed in a 1920s home on Avenue Paul Pastur, Vilain describes itself as “an ode to freedom”—a place where cooking is intuitive, unpretentious, and rooted in the product. The seasonal menu changes weekly, sometimes daily, depending on what arrives from the market gardeners, breeders, and fishermen they work with.

The concept is simple: small plates to share, served Thursday through Saturday in a convivial bistro spirit. “Tapas travaillés,” they call them—worked-over tapas that let you taste a range of flavours in one sitting. The cooking draws heavily on the team’s travels and experiences, always with an eye on respecting the ingredient and the environment. Vegetables and aromatics come from local producers like Antoine (Terres Gourmandes), Ferme Maustitchi, and Ateliers de Mons; fish is sourced seasonally from the nearest coasts; meats are Belgian or from neighbouring countries. Even the mandarins are bought directly from Humberto, Spain’s best grower, they say.

Wine is biodynamic or natural. And yes, there is always a vegetarian option, along with fresh fish and meat.

This commitment to good, honest cooking earned Vilain a Michelin Bib Gourmand—an award for quality food at a reasonable price. It fits the restaurant’s ethos: “Eating is voting three times a day,” as chef Florent Ladeyn puts it on their menu page.

Once a month, on a Wednesday evening, Vilain shifts gear for themed nights: After-Ski (think tartiflette and chiconiflette), burger nights, or homemade sausages with Robuchon-style mash. For those wanting something more private, La Cachette des Vilains is a hidden dining room tucked behind a mirror, seating up to eight people. Its slightly erotic Toile de Jouy wallpaper, by French artist Marie Casaÿs, keeps the room in another era.

The garden is open for outdoor seating when the weather allows. Parking is available. Note that the old house has stairs and narrow doorways, so access is limited for those with reduced mobility. Dogs are welcome in the garden but not inside; guide dogs are always accepted.

Vilain opens for reservations at the start of each month for the month ahead. Groups of more than eight should write to hello@vilainrestaurant.be.