Our story
Belgian roots. New York soul.
Jerry hustles the NYC streets, waffles in hand, dreams in mind.
In 2011, Jerry landed in New York City with nothing but ambition and a Belgian waffle iron. For two years he baked waffles on the streets of Manhattan, soaking up the city’s hustle, its flavors, its rhythm. Between serving coffee and waffles in Central Park, a bigger dream took shape: bringing that raw New York energy back home to Europe.
![I [flame] NY](/themes/custom/manhattns/assets/images/nyc-flame.svg)
Phil earns his stripes in the kitchen, where flavor is his craft.
A great vision needs a great team. Enter Phil, Jerry’s brother. A trained chef from Hotelschool Spermalie in Bruges, Phil had honed his craft in Belgium’s restaurant scene, developing a sharp taste for bold flavors and a love for America’s no-nonsense food culture. Together, the Vandermeulen brothers set out to build more than a burger joint: they wanted to bottle up the spirit of New York and serve it with flames, flavor, and heart.
2014. Doors open. Grills on. No looking back.
That’s how Manhattn’s was born. Not as an exclusive club, but as an open invitation: anyone, anywhere, can feel like a New Yorker. We’re here to share the best of what the city brings: juicy flame-grilled steak burgers, warm and dynamic hospitality, all in a buzzing, urban space.
On October 22, 2014, we opened our first doors at 164 Avenue Louise, Brussels. Glass towers, Place Stéphanie, the rush of the city, it felt like Manhattan’s energy had found a new home. And from that day on, every burger we serve has carried that same promise: bold, unapologetic, and unmistakably New York, done our way.
