Discover the top 12 Belgian dishes to eat in Brussels

17.12.2024 - 21:27 / lonelyplanet.com

Dec 17, 2024 • 7 min read

With France and its famed cuisine just next door, Belgian food can struggle to get onto the culinary map. But as local chefs redefine old classics and start to embrace foreign influences, this small nation is starting to shine with Michelin stars and innovative fare. Brussels, one of the best places to visit in Belgium, has become one of Europe's most vibrant food cities.

Here are Belgium's 12 best dishes – and where to try them in the capital. For places outside Brussels, check out the best places to eat and drink in Belgium guide.

As Belgium’s national dish, each pan of steaming mussels is served with a helping of the obligatory chunky frites (or fries). Traditionally sent out marinière-style, with cream, parsley and a splash of white wine, there’s also a hearty version with beer marinade worth seeking out. 

Where to try it: Most of the seafood restaurants around St Catherine’s Square do excellent moules, but the wooden-paneled Bij den Boer has the added authenticity of only serving them in season between September and February. For a more modern take on mosselen-friet, Filipino-Belgian brasserie Humphrey often has new takes on the dish such as umami smoked mussels. 

Belgians celebrate their North Sea coast with gusto, and one of the greatest indulgences to be had in Brussels is a leisurely lunch in front of towering silver platters on which oysters, sea snails, clams and lobster nestle in glistening ice. Look out for the Belgian grey shrimp, with all the hard work peeling the shells for a tiny morsel paying off as the sweet flavor builds up on the palate. 

Where to try it: To enjoy the full theater of the seafood platter, head to Les Brasseries Georges in the leafy Uccle neighborhood, where waiters preside in formal black waistcoats and whites, and wine can be enjoyed on a sun-dappled terrace in generous XL glasses.

Whether it’s been brewed by monks for centuries or it's so potent the landlord will only ever serve you a half, beer in Brussels is legendary, and many of the nation’s famous dishes include a healthy dose of the tipple. Carbonnade flamande (or Flemish stew) is the ultimate comfort food: chunks of tender beef simmer in dark beer and onions, transforming into a rich and sweet mahogany-hued stew. Another popular stew from Flanders is the waterzooi, traditionally made from chicken with a vegetable broth mixed with egg yolk and cream. 

Where to try it: For carbonnade flamande and other meat-heavy signature Flemish dishes, go to Fin de Siècle, a charmingly shambolic dining room with a high ceiling, art nouveau touches, and long shared tables with mismatched chairs.

Going to Flanders? Discover the best things to do in Bruges.

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