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Updated: 13 July 2026

Booking Michelin Restaurants via Amex Global Dining: 12 Belgian Tables

€300 in free dinners per year. That sounds modest next to the big Amex benefits like lounge access and flight points. But honestly: it's exactly the kind of perk you actually use more often than expected. Booking Michelin restaurants via Amex Global Dining is more tangible in Belgium than most people think, and the list of participating tables has grown steadily over the past years.

What I want to cover in this piece: how the Global Dining programme works exactly for Belgian travellers, which starred tables you can access, and the honest calculation. Because paying €780 per year for a credit card and then occasionally eating for free: does that make sense? It depends.

One thing upfront. The dining benefits alone don't justify the €780. I'll say that right away. But as part of a broader package (lounges, insurance, points, Fast Lane) they suddenly become very interesting. Especially if you were already planning to book a starred table from time to time.

How does Amex Global Dining work for Belgian Michelin restaurants?

Global Dining is the overarching restaurant programme of American Express. It brings together two things you get as a Platinum cardholder in Belgium: first, a reservation platform for top restaurants worldwide, and second, the specifically Belgian benefit "Dining for 2".

That Dining for 2 is the most tangible part. Three times a year you reserve a table at a participating restaurant in Belgium via the Amex platform. You then receive a 2-course menu for two people, fully covered by American Express. No discount code, no minimum spend on drinks, simply: two covers, two courses, free. Whatever you order on top (wine, cheese, an extra course) you pay yourself of course.

The value per occasion fluctuates between €80 and €110, depending on the restaurant. On an annual basis you're looking at a maximum of around €300. Not nothing, but also not an amount for which you'd take out a card at €780 per year. I'll come back to that shortly.

The booking itself is done via the Amex app or website. You select a date, choose your restaurant, and receive a confirmation. Quite smooth actually. What I have noticed though: popular dates (Friday evenings, holidays) get booked up quickly. If you're flexible with your schedule, you have more choice. On a Tuesday evening in January you're in easily. On Valentine's Day: forget it.

Which 12 Belgian Michelin tables participate in Global Dining?

The exact list changes per season, and Amex doesn't always communicate months in advance which restaurants are joining or dropping out. What I can say based on recent periods: it typically involves around ten to fifteen restaurants, spread across Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liège and the Ardennes. Not all Michelin-starred, but a solid portion are.

Typical profiles of participating restaurants (based on what has been active in recent seasons):

• Several 1-star Michelin establishments in Brussels, often near Avenue Louise or the Sablon
• One or two 1-star restaurants in Antwerp, usually in the South district or city centre
• Ghent starred tables, sometimes a surprising address just outside the city
• Restaurants in the Ardennes focusing on seasonal, local cuisine
• Occasionally a 2-star restaurant, though that's more the exception than the rule
• Some Bib Gourmand restaurants that sit just below the star level in quality

I deliberately don't mention specific names, because the list can change per quarter. The most reliable way to check: open the Amex app, go to the dining section, and filter by Belgium. You'll immediately see which restaurants are currently available and on which dates.

What stands out: it's not the cheapest starred tables that participate. Precisely the restaurants where a dinner for two easily costs €200+, are the most interesting. That's where your free 2-course menu is proportionally worth the most. At a simpler address where you'd only pay €70 per person anyway, you notice the benefit less.

The calculation: is Dining for 2 enough to justify the Amex Platinum?

Let's be realistic. The Amex Platinum costs €780 per year (€65/month). The Dining for 2 benefit yields a maximum of €300. That's a gap of €480 you need to bridge with other benefits. Purely for dining? No, then the maths don't work.

But here's where it gets interesting. Combine that €300 with the rest of the package, and the picture shifts quickly:

To be fair: that upper limit of €2,000+ applies to people who fly multiple times per year, actually use the lounges, and need the insurance. If you only travel once or twice a year and rarely depart via Brussels Airport, you drop to €400 to €700 in real value. Then it becomes a lot tighter.

According to TravelLux.be, the Amex Platinum makes the most sense for Belgian travellers who fly at least 3 to 4 times per year. Do you only go on holiday once a year and rarely eat at starred restaurants? Then this card is honestly not for you.

Practical tips: how to get the most out of Amex Global Dining in Belgium

After a few seasons of use, I've learned a handful of things that make a difference. Nothing spectacular, but the kind of details you won't find on the Amex website.

Book early, but not too early. The restaurant list is typically updated per quarter. As soon as the new selection goes live, popular weekend dates are quickly gone. My approach: I check the app in the first week of each quarter and book immediately for the coming month or two. For reservations three months ahead, availability is often still unclear.

Combine it with a city trip. If you're heading to Antwerp or Ghent for a weekend anyway, plan your Dining for 2 experience around it. The free meal becomes much more enjoyable when it's part of something bigger. We once combined it with a hotel overnight in Brussels, and it felt like a mini-holiday. Admittedly: it was a Tuesday, because on Saturday nothing was available.

Pay attention to the fine print. The 2-course menu is exactly that: two courses. If you add the amuse-bouche, the cheese board, the wine and a dessert, you pay for those yourself. At a starred table that can add up quickly. We once walked out of a "free" dinner having still paid €160. Quite amusing really. But the menu itself was effectively covered by Amex, no doubt about that.

Don't forget the Black Pearls Dining Experience. Separate from Dining for 2, as a Platinum cardholder you also have the Dining Experience at Black Pearls at Brussels Airport: twice a month a free takeaway menu. It's not Michelin-starred, but it's quality food that would otherwise cost you €25-30 per time. On an annual basis that adds up to €100+ in extra value. Plus: there's also Lounge On the Go (2x/month premium takeaway). Nice if you're at the airport anyway.

Check card acceptance in advance. Not every restaurant in Belgium accepts American Express, but the restaurants in the Global Dining programme do so by definition. For other restaurants where you want to pay with the card: call ahead. In my experience, about 60-70% of the better restaurants in Brussels and Antwerp accept Amex. In smaller cities that's less.

When the Amex Platinum is NOT worth it for dining in Belgium

I like to let the numbers speak, and sometimes they speak against the card. A few profiles for which this doesn't work:

• You eat at a starred restaurant at most once a year. Then you might only use Dining for 2 once, and the value is €90 to €110 instead of €300.
• You live far from Brussels, Antwerp or Ghent and the participating restaurants are inconveniently located. The Ardennes are sometimes included, but the selection is smaller.
• You rarely travel and don't need the other benefits (lounges, Fast Lane, insurance). Then the entire calculation doesn't add up.
• You spend less than €4,000 to €6,000 in the first three months. Then you miss the welcome bonus of 150,000 points, and that's the biggest one-time benefit.

No shame if you fall into one of those profiles. The card is specifically designed for a certain type of Belgian traveller: someone who flies regularly, enjoys good food, and has the discipline to actively use the benefits. Paying passively and hoping it pays for itself doesn't work.

The welcome bonus and how it fits into the dining story

Back to those 150,000 Membership Rewards points for a moment. That's the maximum welcome bonus you can receive as a new cardholder, provided you apply via a referral link and meet the spending threshold in the first three months (€4,000 to €6,000). The bonus is one-time, so you don't get it every year.

What can you do with them? The points are redeemable with airline partners such as Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways and about fifteen others. The value depends on how you use them: for business class flights you sometimes get 1 to 1.5 cents per point, for statement credits closer to 0.5 cents. Concretely: 150,000 points are worth €750 to €1,500+, depending on your transfer strategy.

Via the TravelLux.be referral link you receive the maximum welcome bonus of 150,000 points. Applying directly with Amex yields less. Transparency: I also receive points if you apply via this link. That's why I stick to one rule: only recommend it if the numbers work for you.

That welcome bonus makes the first year exceptionally valuable. Combine it with three Dining for 2 dinners, a few rounds of lounge access and the Fast Lane at Brussels Airport, and you're well above the €780 in return value. It's only from year two onwards that you need to weigh more carefully whether it's still worthwhile. For me personally it is, but I also fly regularly from Brussels.

Earning Membership Rewards points through restaurant visits

Another thing people often overlook: every euro you spend with the Amex Platinum at a restaurant earns you 1 Membership Rewards point as standard. If you activate the Booster option (€10/month extra), that becomes 4 points per euro. On a €200 dinner that's 800 points as standard, or 800 extra points with the Booster.

It sounds like little per occasion, but it adds up. If you consistently use the card for dining (say €400/month on restaurants and groceries), you collect around 19,200 points per year with the Booster on that category alone. That's no fortune, but together with your other spending and the welcome bonus you build up a solid points balance.

Those points never expire as long as your card is active. That's an advantage over loyalty programmes where points expire after two or three years. You can save at your own pace for a larger transfer, for example to British Airways Avios for a flight to London, or to Brussels Airlines Miles for a trip to Bangkok.

Also read our guide on maximising Membership Rewards points for a deeper dive into transfer partners and value calculations.

Comparison: Amex Global Dining versus booking Michelin restaurants yourself

The question I asked myself: what does Global Dining give me that I don't get by simply calling or booking via a platform like TheFork?

The real advantage isn't in the reservation itself (you can make that anywhere), but in the fact that you eat for free three times a year. That €270-€330 in free dinners you won't get anywhere else. TheFork gives you a discount, but not completely free covers. Moreover, when paying with Amex you earn points that you can later use for flights or hotels.

Honestly: if you're already a TheFork user and happy with 20% off, then the step to an annual card at €780 purely for dining is a bridge too far. But if you're already considering the Amex Platinum for the travel benefits, then Dining for 2 is a nice extra that reminds you three times a year why you have the card.

My personal experience with Amex Dining in Belgium

We used Dining for 2 three times over the past year. Twice in Brussels, once in Antwerp. The quality was good to very good everywhere. The only thing that disappointed: at one restaurant the portion of the 2-course menu was noticeably smaller than the regular menu. Not dramatic, but you noticed it. The waiter was honest about it too: "The Amex menu is an adapted version." That's not necessarily bad, but it's good to know.

The reservation process via the app was smooth. The only time it went wrong was when I booked too late for a Friday evening in December. Everything full. On a Wednesday evening in early January there was plenty of choice. Flexibility is truly the key.

What I enjoyed most: the feeling of doing something "free" while still eating at a high level. We're not the kind of people who sit in starred restaurants every week, but three times a year is exactly the right frequency for us. Enough to feel it as a benefit, not so often that it becomes routine.

Other dining benefits you might be missing

Besides Dining for 2 and the Black Pearls Dining Experience, there are a few more things you have as a Platinum cardholder that relate to dining. The Amex concierge service can make restaurant reservations for you, even at restaurants that aren't in the Global Dining programme. I tried it once for a popular restaurant in Ghent where I couldn't get a table through the regular channels. The concierge had a reservation sorted within two days. No guarantee it always works, but it's an extra asset.

Additionally, via Amex Offers there are regularly discounts at restaurant chains or food platforms. Not always equally relevant for fine dining, but sometimes there's something nice in there. I honestly haven't actively kept track, but a few times I received a cashback notification of €10-€20 at a restaurant where I would have eaten anyway.

And don't forget: with Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings abroad you get daily breakfast for two as standard. That's not a Belgian Michelin restaurant, but if you're booking a hotel via FH+R anyway, that breakfast is worth up to €50-€80 per day. Over a three-night stay that's €150-€240 in free food. On a trip to London or another European weekend getaway, that adds up significantly.

More on this in our article about booking Fine Hotels + Resorts from Belgium.

Also read:

• Amex Platinum Belgium: full review
• Maximising Membership Rewards points
• Booking Fine Hotels + Resorts from Belgium