When it comes to good restaurants, Brussels is truly blessed, and you rarely have a bad meal. As it is home to a very multicultural population, you can find every type of dish imaginable, and there are loads of restaurants on offer that cater to all palates and budgets; while often overlooked, traditional Belgian cuisine is as delicious as it is hearty and filling. Let's look at the main local dishes and the city's most popular restaurants.
Although Belgium is famed for its chocolate, waffles, and fries, there is much more than just these treats to enjoy, and the capital's fantastic restaurants serve up all kinds of fare from around the world. This means you can eat Congolese food one day and head to a Brazilian churrascaria the next before enjoying some traditional Belgian cuisine later in the week.
Fries in Bruxelles
No visit to Brussels, however, can be complete without trying some of its delicious fries, and everyone has their own fry shop, which they swear is the best. The most famous ones in the city are Frit Flagey and Maison Antoine, which rival each other for the top spot in Brussels. Fritland is another trendy one, and its location in the center of the city means that there is always a queue for its delicious fries. "Frituurs" in Belgium also have loads of different sauces for you to try, so do not hesitate to vary it up a bit and try a new one each time.
Waffles in Bruxelles
When it comes to waffles, there are two different types for you to choose from: Bruxelles' waffles and Liège's waffles. The former is quite airy and light and less sweet than the waffles from Liège in Wallonia, which are more doughy and have lumps of sugar hidden away in the batter. They're sweet, sticky, and delicious! In Brussels, you will find lots of shops selling them, and there are a whole host of different toppings for you to try that vary from Nutella and banana to strawberries and whipped cream. The most popular places in the city for waffles are Maison Dandoy and the Waffle Factory (which is a chain), while there are tons of waffle shops for you to choose from around the famous Manneken Pis Statue.
Chocolate in Bruxelles
Belgium is also renowned for its chocolate, and when wandering the streets of Brussels, you'll stumble across chocolate shops in all places. Godiva, Neuhaus, and Pierre Marcolini are all popular with chocoholics and have lots of fancy chocolates for you to try. Leonidas is a more affordable option if you want to buy gifts for everyone back home; honestly, supermarkets in Belgium all sell fantastic chocolate.
Beer in Brussels
When it comes to Belgian beer, you would almost need a lifetime to try them all, and the list is ever-growing as each spring, autumn, and winter. Belgian breweries produce seasonal beers for you to try. Belgian beer is famous worldwide, and with good reason, too, as it is delicious and comes in many forms with something for everyone to enjoy. The best way to delve into Belgian beer is to try it for yourself, and Brussels is blessed with fantastic bars. Check out our guide on Brussels' nightlife if you want to know some authentic and fun places to head to in the city where you can sample some delicious Belgian beer.
Belgian cuisine in Brussels
If you want to try traditional Belgian dishes, mussels are probably what first spring to mind. They are delicious, and you can order them in various sauces. Other favorite local dishes are "stoofvlees" as it is known in Dutch (in French, it is "carbonnade à la Flamande"), which is a stew where meat is cooked in a Belgian beer until it is very tender, and stoemp, which is sausage and mashed potatoes. Vol-au-vent is another classic, and here, a puff pastry is filled with chicken and mushrooms and a creamy sauce. Horse steak is another Belgian dish, although it is mainly served in specialty restaurants in Flanders. In spring, you'll find asparagus on almost every menu you come across, and these are often boiled and then cooked in a butter sauce.
There are loads of tasty local dishes for you to try, and one of the most popular restaurants in Brussels in the local or tourist scene is Chez Leon, right next to the Grand Place. It is both touristy and authentic at the same time and serves all of the dishes mentioned above. La Fin de Siècle is another great Belgian restaurant to head to in the center, while Mer du Nord is the place to go for delicious seafood and an informal atmosphere where you slurp down oysters and drink sparkling wine.
Popular restaurants and where to head to in Brussels
One of the best ways to explore Brussels' rich food scene is to allow yourself to get lost and wander into whatever restaurant takes your fancy. There are some hotspots to head to, but you're unlikely to come away disappointed wherever you go. Around the center are restaurants of every type imaginable for you to try out, ranging from Ethiopian and Vietnamese to Romanian and Chinese. Around here, Rue de Flandre is a very trendy place to head to, which is packed during the evenings, and Place Sainte-Catherine has many seafood restaurants on offer.
Away from the center, Place Saint-Boniface has lots of great restaurants for you to try out, and it is bordered by Matonge ' the African Quarter of Brussels ' which has some fabulous dishes from around Africa on offer with Au Soleil d'Afrique and l'Horloge du Sud being amongst the most popular restaurants. There are also many great Indian and Pakistani restaurants around here. Place de Londres is another good square to head to nearby, and it is very popular with Eurocrats as it is located right next to the European Parliament. El Turco serves delicious Mediterranean cuisine, while Chou is a favorite spot for a business lunch.
Another hotspot for dining is Plage Flagey, home to just as many great bars as restaurants. If you like fresh Hawaiian food, PokiPoke is the place to go, while Les Super Filles du Tram serves delicious burgers. Mamma Roma is a popular pizza joint, and Izakaya is a brilliant Japanese restaurant serving ramen and sushi.
Food markets in Brussels
When it comes to food markets, Brussels again has loads to offer. On Wednesday, for instance, Châtelain has a great food market which lots of people visit to buy fresh food and artisanal products, and in the evening, it is a fantastic place to have an aperitif. On Thursday mornings, the Parvis de Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Molenbeek is teeming with people, and there are loads of great deals to be had here, as you can buy anything from clothes and mangoes to honey and fresh vegetables. Place des Chasseurs Ardennais hosts a lively market on Friday, with pop-up beer stands, food stalls, and stands selling street food for you to wander around, while many outstanding food markets occur during the weekend. On Sundays, the largest market in Brussels, Midi Market, and Place Jourdan are fantastic to visit. Here, you can undoubtedly pick up some great bargains, and you can try lots of delicious street food. Another famous market is held at Place Flagey, and this takes place most days of the week, with the weekends seeing the most visitors to the square.
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