Hop Gastrobar is one of the more recent hotspots in Leuven’s culinary scene. The restaurant is located right by the Vaartkom, an area that has seen significant revitalization in recent years. Among the modern apartment buildings, more and more hospitality concepts have emerged, and Hop Gastrobar stands out as one of the most remarkable. The restaurant is situated on the ground floor of one of these new residential blocks. Large windows draw the city life inside, and the interior is sleek, minimalist, and industrial. Plenty of wood, a large open kitchen, and a minimalist design give it a Scandinavian look and feel. The open kitchen also fosters interaction with the chefs, who often personally serve the dishes.
The star in the kitchen is Chef Bram Verbeken, who earned his stripes at restaurant Zarza. There, he mastered refined and flavorful cooking, an experience he now brings to his own venture, Hop Gastrobar. Bram fully embraces “bistronomy,” serving honest dishes with a minimum of ingredients, stripped of unnecessary extras. Creativity and bold choices define his cuisine. For example, Scottish Label Rouge salmon is paired with rhubarb and yellow beet escabeche. Sardine and wild garlic appear on brioche. But the chef also excels with more classic combinations, such as onglet with sour cream, horseradish, tarragon, and thistle mushroom. The pricing is more than fair: lunch costs €35 for two courses, while dinner is €65 for two bites and five “ferme” courses.
As the name suggests, beer holds a special place at Hop Gastrobar. The beer menu features over 20 interesting selections, along with various specialty beers on tap. Cheers!
Quality rises to the top at the Vaartkom, as evidenced by mentions in the Michelin Guide and Gault Millau.
Hop Gastrobar: Beer, Bistronomie, and plenty of unique stories.
