BELI

Premium chickpeas, vibrant herbs, and cold-pressed olive oil serve as the essential building blocks for the traditional Lebanese menu at BELI in Antwerp. This Eilandje-based restaurant specializes in the art of the mezze, where a diverse array of small plates creates a tapestry of flavors and textures. The falafel is a standout, featuring a shatteringly crisp exterior that gives way to a vibrant, herb-infused center. Smooth, velvety hummus, finished with a pool of premium oil and a dusting of sumac, provides a cooling counterpoint to the more robust, grilled offerings like the lahmé mechwé lamb skewers. The kitchen utilizes slow-cooking techniques for dishes like foul, ensuring a deep, developed flavor profile. A delicate aroma of rose water emanates from the house-made baklava, rounding out the sensory experience with a floral sweetness. BELI’s approach is one of balance and abundance, where the freshness of the ingredients is matched only by the precision of the traditional Levantine techniques.