Most restaurants in Brussels include VAT, which currently stands at 6%, and a service charge of 16%, within their prices. Nevertheless, most diners will round up their bill to leave a few extra Euros or leave around an extra 5% of the bill if the service is very good. The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they include VAT and service charge, unless otherwise indicated.

La Maison du Boeuf
The Hilton's gourmet restaurant, La Maison du Boeuf ('House of Beef'), specialises in roast beef and steaks, cooked to a Michelin-starred level of perfection. The decor is contemporary and unobtrusive and the service is discreet, making this an ideal venue for high-level business meetings.

La Maison du Cygne
Karl Marx sweated over his Communist Manifesto at this address, when it was a bustling tavern. These days, La Maison du Cygne ('The House of the Swan') is a refined gourmet restaurant, decorated in wooden panelling and beams, with paintings on the wall. It serves classic dishes, such as foie gras and truffles, in the best location possible in Brussels - the Grand-Place. At lunchtime, this is the favoured venue for businesspeople lucky enough to dine on their expense account. Closed Saturday lunchtime and Sunday.

Le Fils de Jules
Close to restaurant Le Quincaillerie in the Ixelles district, this popular brasserie, decorated in Art Deco style, specialises in cooking from the Basque country and southwest France, such as hot duck foie gras with prunes or tuna steak with onions. There is also a fine selection of French and Spanish wines. Relaxed, friendly and tourist-free, this is a good place for one to meet for a business lunch. Closed lunchtime Saturday and Sunday.

Sea Grill
Brussels' top fish and seafood restaurant, located in the SAS Radisson Hotel and decorated in muted style, is a cauldron for chef Yves Matagne's creative cooking. Food of this quality - the Sea Grill has been awarded two Michelin stars - does not come cheap. However, it is an ideal venue for business lunches for those who are intent on impressing their clients with mouthwatering dishes such as baked sea bass with truffles and thyme. Closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Symphony
Symphony, formerly known as Nico Central, is located in the Renaissance Hotel (formerly the Swisshotel), close to the European Parliament, this modern restaurant draws a sophisticated, business clientele. Belgian chef Philippe Le Comte, who trained at the Palace Hotel and the Sheraton, serves imaginative and contemporary French cuisine, inspired by London chef Nico Ladenis. The Symphony has a contemporary decor with subtle colours. The varied menu includes gnocci with wild mushrooms, sole meuniere and foie gras. Closed Saturday and Sunday.