Belgo
London chain of Belgian-cooking restaurants with monk-costumed staff.
Carol M. Highsmith · Public domain
Belgo was a chain of London restaurants specializing in simple Belgian cooking and Belgian beer. Founded in 1992 by French-Canadian Denis Blais and Anglo-Belgian Andre Plisnier, the chain was noted for its 1990s design and architecture, including kitchens viewable by customers entering the Centraal restaurant, and waiters and waitresses who dressed as monks. At its peak, Belgo operated three locations: Belgo Centraal (Covent Garden), Belgo Holborn, and Belgo Kings Cross.
- founded
- 1992
- founders
- Denis Blais and Andre Plisnier
- field
- Restaurant chain
- nationality
- British (London-based)
- known_for
- Simple Belgian cooking, Belgian beer, monk-costumed staff, 1990s design
- closed
- July 2020 (three of four remaining sites closed)
Lore & Background
Belgo was founded in 1992 by French-Canadian Denis Blais and Anglo-Belgian Andre Plisnier. The brand was later expanded to a chain of bar-diners known as Bierodrome in Clapham, Kingsway, and Islington, and at Belgo Zuid in Ladbroke Grove – all now closed – but it later reverted to the Belgo format. In 1998, Belgo was bought by ex-stock market trader, newspaper columnist, and ex-Chairman of Channel 4 Luke Johnson, known for his financial stewardship, with colleague Hugh Osmond, of the Pizza Express chain in the 1990s. Attempts to organically extend the Belgo franchise beyond London in the late 1990s were unsuccessful: the franchise in Jersey lasted barely 12 months before closing in 2000.
Reader's Guide
Belgo's significance lies in its distinctive 1990s branding and design, which combined simple Belgian cuisine and beer with theatrical elements such as monk costumes and open kitchens. The chain's financial trajectory reflects the consolidation of London's restaurant scene: after being acquired by Luke Johnson, the Belgo flotation was used as a vehicle to acquire celebrated chic London restaurants like The Ivy, The Caprice, Daphne's, The Collection, and J. Sheekey, creating the 'Signature Restaurants' brand division with a market capital that peaked at more than £90,000,000. Johnson sold his interest in 2005 to Tragus Group (later Casual Dining Group), which also owned Café Rouge and Bella Italia. In July 2020, on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Casual Dining Group went into administration and announced that Belgo would permanently close three of its four sites. The chain's legacy includes its role in popularizing Belgian food and beer in London and its contribution to the city's late-20th-century restaurant culture.
Did You Know?
- Belgo waiters and waitresses dressed as monks.
- The chain was founded in 1992 by French-Canadian Denis Blais and Anglo-Belgian Andre Plisnier.
- In 2013, Belgo was an official partner of Comic Relief.
- The Belgo flotation was not directly used to acquire restaurants such as The Ivy and J. Sheekey; those acquisitions were made by Luke Johnson and Hugh Osmond through their company Belgo Group.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Belgo?
Belgo was a London-based restaurant chain that served straightforward Belgian cooking alongside a selection of Belgian beers. It operated from 1992 until its closure in 2020.
Who founded Belgo?
The chain was established in 1992 by French-Canadian Denis Blais and Anglo-Belgian Andre Plisnier, who brought their vision of accessible Belgian dining to London.
What made Belgo's restaurants visually distinctive?
The interiors featured bold 1990s-era design and architecture, and the waitstaff famously wore monk costumes while serving. At the Centraal location in Covent Garden, diners could look directly into the open kitchen as they entered.
Where were Belgo's three peak locations?
At its height the chain ran Belgo Centraal in Covent Garden, Belgo Holborn, and Belgo Kings Cross, all within central London.
What happened to Belgo and when did it close?
The chain folded in July 2020, with three of its four remaining sites shutting down and ending more than two decades of Belgian dining in the city.
More in Belgian cuisine 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record