"Brussels' Michelin-starred plant-based room in Ixelles — Nicolas Decloedt's €150 botanical tasting over nine tables. Book it for a first date."
A plant-based restaurant holding a Michelin star is still rare; one that won the Green Star for sustainability first is rarer. Humus x Hortense, in a quiet corner of Ixelles, is both: Green Star in 2021, a full Michelin star since 2023, and still cooking from nine tables. Chef Nicolas Decloedt and his partner Caroline Baerten, the sommelière who runs the floor, coined the phrase botanical fine dining before the rest of the world caught up to vegetables. The €150 tasting changes with what they call the year's 24 micro-seasons, and the signature opener, Nicolas' crackers of old-variety wheat with pumpkin hummus and purple salsify, sets the tone.
The Kitchen
Nicolas Decloedt cooks vegetables the way three-star kitchens cook luxury proteins, as the whole point rather than the garnish. Humus x Hortense earned its Michelin Green Star in 2021, the guide's top sustainability honour, and added a full Michelin star in 2023, which it holds in the 2026 guide. Caroline Baerten, a trained sommelier and nutritionist, runs the pairings, and the drinks programme is half the experience: zero-waste botanical cocktails, low-intervention wines, and fermented and foraged non-alcoholic pours.
The cooking leans on fermentation, layered textures, and Belgian produce: the signature crackers made from old wheat varieties served with pumpkin hummus and purple salsify; Belgian-chickpea hummus under buckwheat crackers; celeriac cooked several ways; seasonal ice creams. The menu follows 24 micro-seasons through the year, so a winter visit and a summer visit share almost nothing. The tasting is €150, or €212 as the full experience with the paired drinks, which is the way to come, since the pairing is where Baerten's work shows. It is precise, restrained cooking that never reads as compensation for the absence of meat.
The Room
The room is small and warm: nine tables in a townhouse off Avenue Louise, dressed in natural materials and soft light, with the feel of a private dining room rather than a restaurant floor. Sound stays low; with so few tables the volume never climbs, and conversation carries easily. Tables are well spaced and the pace is gentle. Caroline Baerten works the floor herself, which gives the service a personal, unhurried quality; she explains each pour, and there is no rush between courses. Dress is smart-casual, this is Ixelles rather than a gala, so effort is welcome but a jacket is not required. Nine tables means booking ahead is essential.
Best for a First Date in Brussels
Book Humus x Hortense for a first date because the room does the work a first date needs. First, it is small and quiet, nine tables and low sound, so you can actually hear each other, which a buzzy bistro cannot promise. Second, the menu is a conversation in itself: a plant-based tasting that surprises even committed carnivores gives you something to react to together, and Caroline Baerten's pairings keep the table busy between courses. Third, the Ixelles setting off Avenue Louise is easy and unintimidating, with a walk through the neighbourhood or a drink nearby as a natural second act. Reserve well ahead, ask whether your date eats plant-based first, and take the drinks pairing so the evening has a rhythm.
Not for
Not for a committed meat-eater who wants the option — the menu is entirely plant-based with no off-menu compromise. Confirm tastes before you book.
Frequently Asked
Is Humus x Hortense worth it?
Yes, if you are open to a plant-based meal, and arguably even if you think you are not. It holds both a Michelin star and the Michelin Green Star, the cooking is precise rather than worthy, and Caroline Baerten's drinks pairing is among the best reasons to go. The €150 tasting (€212 with pairing) is fair for a one-star room. See where it sits in our Brussels dining guide.
How hard is it to book Humus x Hortense?
Hard, because there are only nine tables and the restaurant runs Wednesday to Saturday. Book well ahead through the site at humushortense.be or by phone on +32 474 65 37 06, especially for weekend evenings, which go first. Midweek is a little easier. Because the kitchen plans around the day's produce, give as much notice as you can for dietary needs when you reserve.
What is the dress code at Humus x Hortense?
Smart-casual. There is no jacket requirement; this is a relaxed, intimate Ixelles townhouse rather than a formal dining room, so effort is welcome but not demanded. Most guests dress as they would for a good neighbourhood restaurant. The focus is firmly on the food and the pairings rather than on the room's formality, and the small size keeps it personal.
What is the average meal price at Humus x Hortense?
The tasting menu is €150 per person, and the full experience with the drinks pairing is €212. There is no à la carte, so the tasting is the entry point. The pairing is the upgrade worth taking, since Caroline Baerten's wine and non-alcoholic pours are central to the experience. Budget around €200 to €230 a head with the pairing and service for a complete evening.
Is Humus x Hortense good for a first date?
Yes, it is well suited to it: only nine tables, low sound, a gentle pace, and a menu interesting enough to carry the conversation. The intimate Ixelles setting and the easy walk afterward help. Confirm your date is comfortable with a plant-based meal before booking. For more options, see our first-date dinners guide.
What should I order at Humus x Hortense?
There is no à la carte; the seasonal tasting is the only menu, so the real choice is whether to take the drinks pairing, and you should. Anticipate the signature old-wheat crackers with pumpkin hummus and purple salsify, the Belgian-chickpea hummus, and celeriac worked several ways. Because the menu follows 24 micro-seasons, the specific dishes change constantly, but the pairing is the constant worth committing to.