Glen Ramaekers steams his chicken adobo rather than frying it, finishing it with a homemade cider vinegar, and that small swap tells you how Humphrey works: Filipino roots, a Belgian hand, nothing left on autopilot. The room sits inside the building of the PIAS indie record label on Rue Saint-Laurent, with a city garden his wife Julie tends out back. The format is sharing plates — a six-course tasting at €45, individual small dishes around €10 — and Gault&Millau scored it 13.5 out of 20. Reckon on €60 to €100 a head with wine.
The Kitchen
Humphrey — named for Bogart, not a chef — is Glen Ramaekers' room, and the cooking carries his Filipino heritage through a South-East Asian lens with a Belgian kitchen's discipline. The menu runs in sharing plates across raw, vegetable, fish and meat, with a guest cook, Jay, sometimes building a full Filipino menu alongside him. The produce skews garden-fresh, much of it from the plot Julie keeps behind the dining room.
The dish to understand the place is the adobo: chicken marinated in vinegar, soy, garlic, lime and ginger, then steamed rather than fried and lifted with a house-made cider vinegar — softer and cleaner than the standard. Around it the kitchen sends eight or so small dishes ending in a surprise dessert; the six-course tasting is €45, with individual plates around €10. Gault&Millau's 13.5/20 marks it as one of the more interesting kitchens in central Brussels rather than a safe one. The address is Rue Saint-Laurent 36-38, in the PIAS record-label building, where indie music and the open kitchen share a wall. Come hungry and let the table fill with plates.
The Room
The room is a design-forward space tucked between offices, with an open kitchen, warm low lighting and a city garden visible out back — more loft than dining room, and quietly cool rather than showy. The noise level is conversational, helped by the open layout and the indie soundtrack that comes with the building. Tables are well spaced for the size of the room, and the dress code is smart-casual; Brussels turns up here in good denim as readily as in tailoring. It seats a modest number, which keeps service personal and the kitchen close to the table.
Best for Impress Clients
Book Humphrey to impress a client because it signals taste without trying too hard: the food is genuinely original, the room is design-literate, and knowing the place at all says something about how you read the city. The sharing format keeps the conversation moving, the €45 tasting takes the menu decision off the table, and the open kitchen gives you something to talk about between courses. Go early in the week when service is at its most attentive. For more rooms that land with clients, see Best for impressing clients and the Brussels dining guide.
Not for a quick, conventional dinner — this is an idiosyncratic sharing menu with a fixed run of small Filipino-inflected plates, not a place for à la carte classics or a fast bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Humphrey worth it?
Yes, if you want something original rather than a safe Brussels dinner. Glen Ramaekers cooks a Filipino-inspired sharing menu — the steamed adobo is the signature — that earned 13.5 out of 20 from Gault&Millau. A six-course tasting is €45 and individual plates run about €10, so a full meal with wine lands around €60 to €100. Go for the cooking and the room; it is one of the city's more interesting kitchens.
How hard is it to book Humphrey?
Book several days ahead for a weekend table and a week or more for a group, since the room is small and the kitchen runs a set sharing menu. Midweek is easier and tends to get the most attentive service. The restaurant is at Rue Saint-Laurent 36-38, inside the PIAS record-label building in central Brussels; reserve directly and mention any dietary needs, because the menu is largely fixed.
What should I order at Humphrey?
Take the six-course tasting at €45, which is the way the kitchen wants you to eat and the best value. The steamed chicken adobo is the dish to look for; beyond it the menu moves through raw, vegetable and fish plates to a surprise dessert. If you order à la carte instead, build a table of five or six of the roughly €10 plates per couple, and lean on the staff for pairings.
Is Humphrey good for impressing clients?
Yes — it reads as confident and well-informed rather than flashy. The cooking is original, the design-forward room is comfortable to talk in, and the sharing format keeps a business dinner relaxed. Book early in the week for the most attentive service and let the €45 tasting carry the meal. See our Best for impressing clients guide for more.