Restaurant Emiel and Luc Vis

Mechelen and fish are inextricably linked.

Our Dyle city was once an inland mussel centre. The molluscs arrived here by boat before being transported further by horse and cart. What better place than the Vismarkt for Restaurant Emiel and the well-known Mechelen fishmonger Luc Vis to follow their greatest passion, fish and shellfish?

Luc Vis got hooked on fish and shellfish through his old mentor Emiel. For years, Emiel ran a fishmonger on the Vismarkt that bore his name. In 2022, chef Bram Simons, recently crowned Young Master, moved into the building. As a tribute to the iconic store, this son of Mechelen christened his fish restaurant Emiel.

The circle is complete, because Luc Vis and Bram Simons are joining forces for Mmm... Mechelen. Every month they come up with a new fish dish, inspired by the techniques and ingredients of the Renaissance era. The focus is on local products. Their passion is fish and shellfish that, past and present, are caught as close to home as possible. Expect mussels, herring, ray or eel. But cod, cockles or halibut are also perfect for gourmet dishes. What about tuna? Many species of tuna are endangered. Logical, then, that you won’t see them on your plate in Emiel’s.

What binds Luc and Bram is the passion for their profession. Luc prepares his fish in a classic way, Bram does it with a contemporary twist. Put them together in the kitchen and the result is funky. Aniseed, juniper berry or mace, the sibling of nutmeg: not the obvious choice, but they are what make Luc and Bram's creations for Mmm... Mechelen just that bit more special and delicious.