The story
At Nonbe Daigaku, you don’t just come to eat sushi. You step into a world that feels far from Brussels, a place where the kitchen’s promise is to take you on a voyage. The menu is described as full of secrets and discoveries in the making, so that no two visits need be the same. This approach to Japanese cuisine has earned the restaurant a place among Michelin’s Recommended addresses, a quiet nod to its consistency and ambition.
The restaurant offers a tasting menu, making it easy to let the kitchen guide your evening. Vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-free options are available, so the experience can be tailored without losing its spirit. The atmosphere is both refined and relaxed—counter dining is an option, and the space is air-conditioned and pet-friendly. Whether you sit down for a full meal or order takeaway by phone, the focus remains on flavour and craft.
Nonbe Daigaku presents itself as a place you can return to again and again, always discovering something new. The cuisine is Japanese, but the spirit is one of openness—the team welcomes guests with warmth, and the setting on avenue Adolphe Buyl feels like a genuine escape. It’s a restaurant that earns its recognition not by shouting, but by quietly delivering an experience that stays with you.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The most authentic sushi experience in the capital happens to be in the Buyl district, with its procession of trams and hordes of students. Sorry, you’re just going to have to suck it up! Blame it on the venerable Suetsugu Yosuke, the man behind Tagawa for the past 28 years, sensei to Tomoyasu Kamo and, at almost 75 years old, still faithful to his post – in this case, a ground floor spot in a typical Brussels terraced building, decked out in Japanese fashion with a counter-top showcasing its sea-faring wares. Deviating from the (perfect) lunch set menu, we treated ourselves – after an appetizer of raw mackerel with sesame sauce – to a delicious chawanmushi (steamed egg flan), which was super kawaii with its grilled leeks and perfectly cut mushrooms, hiding grilled eel, fresh peas and scampi; before the “sushi special” (€35) featuring huge shrimp and asparagus tempura maki, an exceptional fatty tuna sushi, gunkan maki topped with salmon roe, another with king crab meat, and yet another with raw scallops. All that, in addition to the extremely warm service, which actually makes you want to stay a little longer before taking the tram home. // Rosa Poulsard
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