Léon de Bruxelles is a chain of restaurants that known for primarily serving
moules-frites
''Moules-frites'' or ''moules et frites'' (]; nl, mosselen-friet) is a main dish of mussels and French fries originating in Belgium. The title of the dish is French, ''moules'' meaning mussels and ''frites'' fries, with the Dutch name for the ...
. Léon de Bruxelles is a French independent franchise originally set up by a Belgian restaurateur family who has run the over 100 year old Brussels restaurant Chez Léon.
Léon de Bruxelles restaurants are known for serving Belgian cuisine inspired menu.
History
Chez Léon
In 1867, Léon Vanlancker set up business within a stone's throw distance of Brussels's landmark square, the
Grand-Place, to run a five-table restaurant called A la Ville d'Anvers. In 1893, he moved a few meters from there to 18 rue des Bouchers and opened the larger
:fr:Chez Léon.
Growth accelerated from 1958 onward when Belgium's reputation as the capital of mussels and French fries was cemented. Since then, the Vanlancker owned restaurant continued to expand. Today, Chez Léon extends to nine buildings and more than one thousand meals are served every day.
Léon de Bruxelles
In 1989, the inheritor of the family business, Rudy Vanlancker opened the first Léon restaurant at
Place de la République
The Place de la République (known as the Place du Château d'Eau until 1879) is a square in Paris, located on the border between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements. The square has an area of .Warner, p. 250 Named after the First, Second a ...
in Paris. Other Léon de Bruxelles restaurants open in other districts of the city, including the flagship restaurant on the
Champs-Élysées in 1991. By 1995, Léon de Bruxelles opened its first restaurant outside Paris, with the restaurant of Montlhéry in North France. More openings followed and today there are 67 Léon de Bruxelles restaurants across France.
Léon de Bruxelles opened its first restaurant in the UK in January 2012.
Located at 24 Cambridge Circus in
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...
, London. However, this restaurant is now closed.
References
External links
Leon de Bruxelles UK website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leon De Bruxelles
European restaurants in London
Restaurant franchises
Restaurants in Brussels
Restaurants in France
Restaurants established in 1893
1893 establishments in Belgium
Belgian cuisine