Food · Brussels · Belgium
What to eat in Brussels
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Brussels, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Francisco Conde Sánchez, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Moules-frites, Belgian frites and Brussels and Liège waffles. Several of Belgium's top chocolatiers have shops on the Place du Grand Sablon; buy a few pralines from each and compare styles, from classic ganache to modern infusions. Avoid restaurants with touts and photo menus on Rue des Bouchers; walk a few streets away for better value.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Moules-frites
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant prices.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Moules-frites
A steaming pot of mussels cooked in white wine, celery and onion (marinière) or in beer or cream, served with a cone of frites. Mussels are traditionally at their best from late summer to early spring.
Where: Seafood restaurants around Place Sainte-Catherine and traditional brasseries in the centre; avoid touts on Rue des Bouchers.
Street food
2.Belgian frites (Frites / Frieten)
Thick-cut potatoes fried twice, traditionally in beef fat, and served in a paper cone with mayonnaise or sauces such as andalouse or samouraï.
Where: Friteries (fritkots) such as the long-established stands at Place Jourdan in the European Quarter and near the Bourse.
Dessert · Vegetarian
3.Brussels and Liège waffles (Gaufres)
The Brussels waffle is light, crisp and rectangular, usually dusted with icing sugar; the denser, caramelised Liège waffle is made with pearl sugar and eaten on the go. Locals keep toppings simple.
Where: Street stands around the Grand-Place and tea rooms; Maison Dandoy serves both in sit-down tea rooms.
Dish
4.Flemish beef stew (Carbonnade flamande / Stoofvlees)
Beef slow-cooked in dark Belgian beer with onions, mustard and a slice of bread spread with mustard, giving a sweet-sour gravy. It comes with frites.
Where: Traditional brasseries and estaminets across the city.
Dish
5.Waterzooi
A creamy broth of chicken or fish with leeks, carrots and potatoes, thickened with egg yolk and cream; originally from Ghent and now served all over Belgium.
Where: Traditional Belgian restaurants in the Lower Town and Sainte-Catherine.
Dish · Vegetarian
6.Stoemp
Potatoes mashed with vegetables such as carrots, leeks or spinach, a Brussels comfort food usually served with sausage or bacon.
Where: Brown cafés and brasseries in the Marolles and the centre, especially in winter.
Snack
7.Grey shrimp croquettes (Croquettes aux crevettes)
Crisp breadcrumbed croquettes filled with a creamy béchamel of tiny North Sea grey shrimp, served with fried parsley and lemon. Tomate-crevettes, a tomato stuffed with grey shrimp and mayonnaise, is the classic alternative.
Where: Seafood restaurants around Sainte-Catherine and traditional brasseries.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Pralines
Filled Belgian chocolates, said to have been invented in Brussels by Neuhaus in 1912. Chocolatiers sell them by weight from counter displays.
Where: Chocolatiers in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries and on the Place du Grand Sablon.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Speculoos
Thin, crunchy spiced biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and brown sugar, traditionally baked in carved wooden moulds for St Nicholas Day in early December.
Where: Maison Dandoy on Rue au Beurre near the Grand-Place, baking since 1829, and supermarkets everywhere.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Lambic and gueuze
Lambic is beer fermented with wild yeasts from the air of the Senne valley around Brussels; gueuze blends young and old lambic into a dry, sparkling, sour beer, and kriek adds cherries.
Where: The Cantillon brewery in Anderlecht, which welcomes visitors, and beer cafés in the centre.
Dish
11.Filet américain
Finely minced raw beef seasoned with mayonnaise, capers and spices, eaten with frites or spread on a sandwich (a 'martino' adds Tabasco and onion).
Where: Brasseries and sandwich shops; it is a Belgian lunchtime staple.
Food experiences
Chocolate tasting at the Sablon
Several of Belgium's top chocolatiers have shops on the Place du Grand Sablon; buy a few pralines from each and compare styles, from classic ganache to modern infusions.
Lambic brewery visit
The Cantillon brewery in Anderlecht runs self-guided visits through its old brewhouse and cellars of oak barrels, ending with a tasting of gueuze.
Frites from a fritkot
Order a cone of frites with a sauce from a neighbourhood friterie and eat it standing up, or take it into a nearby bar that allows it, as locals do around Place Jourdan.
Beer café crawl
Brussels's historic cafés, from Art Nouveau interiors to tiny alleyway bars, pour hundreds of Belgian beers, each served in its own branded glass.
Quick bites and street food
- Belgian frites — Friteries (fritkots) such as the long-established stands at Place Jourdan in the European Quarter and near the Bourse.
- Grey shrimp croquettes — Seafood restaurants around Sainte-Catherine and traditional brasseries.
- Speculoos — Maison Dandoy on Rue au Beurre near the Grand-Place, baking since 1829, and supermarkets everywhere.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Brussels and Liège waffles, Stoemp, Pralines, Speculoos and Lambic and gueuze. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Avoid restaurants with touts and photo menus on Rue des Bouchers; walk a few streets away for better value.
- Many restaurants offer a 'plat du jour' or lunch menu on weekdays at a lower price than dinner.
- Tap water is safe, but restaurants rarely bring it unasked; you may need to request it.
- Belgian beers are strong — many are 8% or more — and are served in their own glasses in measured portions.
- Lunch runs roughly noon to 2pm and dinner from about 7pm; some kitchens close in between.
Tipping
Service is included in restaurant prices. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected, and tipping in bars is not customary.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour / Goeiedag | Hello (French / Dutch) |
| Merci / Dank u | Thank you (French / Dutch) |
| S'il vous plaît / Alstublieft | Please (French / Dutch) |
| L'addition, s'il vous plaît | The bill, please |
| Santé / Schol | Cheers (French / Dutch) |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Brussels famous for?
Moules-frites, Belgian frites, Brussels and Liège waffles and Flemish beef stew. A steaming pot of mussels cooked in white wine, celery and onion (marinière) or in beer or cream, served with a cone of frites.
+Is Brussels good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Brussels and Liège waffles, Stoemp and Pralines.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Brussels?
Service is included in restaurant prices. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected, and tipping in bars is not customary.