Take out the sunglasses! If you are looking for the perfect place to enjoy a good grill on the terrace as soon as the sun comes out, we have found it for you. The Dolce Grill in Frameries has become an institution throughout the region. “Our specialty is grilled meats but with a touch of Italy given my origin,” explains the manager of the establishment, Massimo Cravotta.
Meat at the heart of the kitchen
The restaurant is labeled “Irish Grass Fed Meat” for Irish beef and lamb (grass-fed, Editor’s note). It is therefore “the place to be” for lovers of good meat. “We also offer matured meats from all origins such as America, Canada, Uruguay, Japan and Australia. We work with suggestions based on arrivals,” adds Massimo. The boss has set up a system of partnerships with butchers which allow him to offer exceptional meats exclusively.
On the other hand, you will not find pasta or Milanese escalopes at Dolce Grill. “It’s a question of fair play: I don’t want to compete with Marco Polo or Dolce Vita. The managers are my friends and my mentors, I will not do that to them,” he explains. Customers’ guilty pleasure: enjoying a pizza to share as a starter then a meat dish.
A family atmosphere
The Dolce Grill is a story that has lasted for almost 15 years and is not about to stop. Massimo Cravotta was only 20 years old when he opened his establishment in Frameries. “I was immersed in the Horeca industry at a very young age and a few years later, I had the opportunity to launch my own restaurant, which I did,” he recalls.
Since then, the staff has changed little. “The manager, Françoise, has worked for me for 12 years and the two chefs, Vincent and Fred, for 14 years. We focused the success of the restaurant on the quality of the products but also on the soul that circulates inside,” confides the restaurateur. For him, the team represents the backbone of his establishment.
Three phases of work
Fifteen years later, Massimo runs the Dolce Grill with his partner Alessia (whom he met at the restaurant!) and does not hesitate to invest to maintain its good reputation. Two years ago, the couple invested 350,000 euros to refurbish their restaurant.
“In 2022, we closed everything exactly 10 days to redevelop the entire interior. We changed the decoration, the equipment in the dining room and in the kitchen,” he remembers. Effective work which made it possible to give a new, more modern look to the establishment.
The second phase of work took place at the end of last year. “We created a 90-space car park on the site of the former pound,” he explains. Customers are thus completely secure and no longer have to cross when visiting the restaurant.
The Dolce Grill is currently completing the last phase of its work. “We are doing landscaping and beautification work on the exterior with a new plaster and a new lighting atmosphere,” adds Massimo. Among the new features, the Dolce Grill is currently renovating its terrace for the summer.
The new terrace can accommodate 90 people. In total, the Dolce Grill has a capacity of 160 people. The restaurant, located route de Bavay 5 in Frameries, is open 7 days a week from noon to 2:30 p.m. and in the evening from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (except Saturday lunchtime).
