Vlaamseseteenweg 162, 1000, Brussels
What’s good? Don’t be put off by the simple lettuce leaf seasoned with linseed oil you’ll be offered as a starter. The hip restaurant’s trendy plate-sharing concept takes you on a journey through fresh ingredients, cooked and presented in simple, deconstructed ways — what chefs Katrien, Dom and Nico describe as brutalist gastronomy.
If you like tasting many flavors in one evening, combine at least three dishes per person from the menu. It’s difficult to give recommendations, as the restaurant changes dishes every two to three weeks to reflect ingredient availability and seasonality — but you will always find the signature beet chutney, a favorite among regulars.
What’s not: If you are a big eater, this restaurant is a no-go, as the small portions won’t satisfy you. Kline also isn’t ideal for those who prefer variety, with its limited menu of five starters, two meat dishes, two fish options and three desserts.
Vibe: Brutalist gastronomy brings brutalist architecture. Feel inspired by the bare concrete walls and focus your senses in the dish in front of you while you smell the cooking taking place in the adjacent fully open kitchen.
Who’s picking up the check: Unless you have an EU civil servant’s salary, you might want to stay away: The most brutal aspect is the price. Don’t expect to pay less than €100 for a two-person dinner — and up to €180 if you order dessert and a bottle of wine. The most eye-watering moment? Paying €6 per person for … tap water.
Spotted: Expect to find hordes of Flemish hipsters.
Fun fact: The restaurant is named after painter Franz Kline, one of the leading members of the abstract expressionist movement in the U.S. during the 1940s and 1950s. His simplistic paintings with thick, rough black strokes helped shape the brutalist concept behind the restaurant.
Insider tip: In true European fashion, service runs in two shifts, Nordic and Southern: from 6 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.; and from 8:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
How to get there: Kline is located few blocks away from Place Sainte-Catherine in the center of Brussels, easily connected via metro to the EU institutions.
Review published on June, 26 2025. Illustration by Natália Delgado/POLITICO
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