Living, and living the beautiful stories all over again

There are restaurants where you go to eat. And then there are those where you feel like staying a little longer. Places where something happens, without necessarily knowing how to explain it. An atmosphere, a personality, a way of welcoming you that makes you think about the moment you will return even before you have left. At Chez Flo, in Flémalle, on the banks of the Meuse, that is exactly how I feel.

From the outside, there is little to suggest what lies behind the light local-stone façade. The house quietly blends into its surroundings. Then you push open the door and everything changes. Blond wood, stone, soft materials, the light embracing the dining room and, above all, the open kitchen on the left. It is there, alive and visible. Real cooking happens here, and that proximity immediately gives the place a warm, welcoming character.

Florence’s story is intimately connected to this house. After a demanding career in fine restaurants, notably influenced by Edgard Bovier, she returned to her Meuse valley roots to write her own story. And not just anywhere: in her grandfather’s former medical practice. There is something beautiful about that continuity. Where bodies were once cared for, Florence now takes care of appetites and emotions.

At Chez Flo, you almost feel as though you are walking into the home of someone you already know. The welcome is warm and familiar, the atmosphere relaxed and the cooking never tries to impress through unnecessary theatrics. It prefers to give pleasure. And it works, because behind this apparent simplicity lies genuine mastery. The product remains recognisable, generous and precisely handled, never mistreated.

There is also something particularly appealing about the way the service works here. Flo and her team do not remain confined behind the pass. They leave the kitchen, pick up the plates and bring them into the dining room themselves. That movement between kitchen and tables says a great deal about the spirit of the house. The boundary between those who cook and those who welcome guests disappears. Everyone contributes to the same story, with a sense of closeness that makes the experience immediately more human.

Last week, my meal began with red tuna accompanied by aubergine caviar and crisp vegetables. Soft, characterful, crunchy: the dish immediately establishes the foundations of a cuisine that enjoys contrasts without ever losing its thread. The potato gnocchi, burrata, courgettes and oregano tomatoes that followed brought something deeply comforting. The softness of the gnocchi, the freshness of the burrata, the vegetables and oregano created a generous dish that tasted of summer.

The grilled red mullet with coco beans and preserved lemon continued along the same lines. Delicate fish, precise cooking and just enough tension from the lemon. Then came the poultry supreme with figs, pan-seared foie gras and Robuchon-style mashed potatoes. There was no pretending here. It was indulgent, generous and unapologetic. The poultry brought delicacy, the fig sweetness, the foie gras character and the purée… That purée… Some dare to call their version Robuchon, but very few truly know how to make it. Flo’s needs no debate. Just a spoonful, and then another.

Dessert brought a touch of freshness with blackcurrant sorbet, lemon crémeux and gianduja.

And then there are the weekly suggestions, offering yet another glimpse into the spirit of the house. Dishes that do not seek to complicate pleasure, but simply to create it.

Perhaps that is ultimately what I like most about Chez Flo. Its ability to cook without ever losing sight of why we go to a restaurant. To eat, obviously. But also to have a good time. To be welcomed, to talk, to laugh, to take our time.

Because behind the products, the cooking and the seasoning lies something much harder to create: a soul. A house that resembles the people who bring it to life. A personal cuisine without the need to show off, generous without being heavy, precise without becoming cold.

At Chez Flo, you come to experience a meal. And then, some time later, you find yourself wanting to experience it all over again.
Some beautiful stories are made for exactly that.

LD · Eating · September 2026