One of Brussels’ most emblematic restaurants, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, is on the verge of closure after years of financial struggle.
According to an article published by L’Écho, the establishment, located on Rue des Bouchers in the historic Îlot Sacré area, has turned to the Brussels Business Court to initiate a transfer under judicial authority (TAJ), a last-resort procedure intended to find a buyer capable of saving the century-old institution.
Aux Armes de Bruxelles was built in 1921 in the Art Nouveau style, and has long been a symbol of traditional Belgian gastronomy. With its period-costumed staff and polished service, it is popular with tourists and locals alike, serving time-tested dishes such as carbonnade, vol-au-vent and magret de canard.
The business has been grappling with debt and a sharp decline in revenue since the start of 2025. As L’Écho reports, both the 2,000 m² building and the business itself are now up for sale. A judicial administrator will soon be appointed to oversee the process and identify potential buyers.
The restaurant, which employs around 50 staff, was acquired by the Vanlancker family in 2018 following the bankruptcy of several restaurants previously managed by the Beyaz brothers. After an extensive renovation, it reopened later that year. But according to Olivier Dal, the restaurant’s operations director, the Covid-19 pandemic marked the beginning of a long and difficult period.
Despite a partial recovery in sales, repeated wage indexations, mobility issues in Brussels, and the lingering effects of pandemic-era debts made it impossible to regain stability. A first judicial reorganisation procedure (PRJ) launched in 2023 failed to turn the situation around. The restaurant’s main creditor, Belfius Bank, subsequently restructured its loans - but by 2025, as L’Écho notes, revenues had fallen again, sealing the restaurant’s fate.
Debts of €8 million
According to the newspaper, the latest published financial results show the restaurant is in debt to the tune of €8 million. “The situation has become untenable,” one of the managers admitted to L’Écho.
The use of the building may soon change: two of its upper floors are expected to be converted into apartments, pending permit approval. As for the restaurant space itself, it remains to be seen whether a buyer will step forward to preserve the soul of this Brussels institution - or whether Aux Armes de Bruxelles, after more than a century of history, will serve its final meal.
