What to Eat in Brussels

If you know me, it’s obvious that what I was most looking forward to about Belgium was all of the delicious Belgian beers. A country with such a sophisticated beer scene has to have the gastronomy to match, and Brussels proved to have much more than just waffles and chocolate. I enjoyed trying some lesser known traditional dishes while I visited.

Meatballs from Brasserie de la Presse

My favorite dinner while I was in Belgium was at a restaurant called Brasserie de la Presse about a block from the Parc de Bruxelles. I ordered their dish Les Boulets Liégeois, a dish originating in the city of Liège in the Wallonia region of Belgium and consisting of meatballs in a sweet and sour sauce served with apple sauce and fries. I had never thought of meatballs as a Belgian thing but I loved them served in this sauce.

Waterzooi from Le Cirio

I didn’t have to venture far to try another traditional Belgian dish. Right next to my hotel was a restaurant well-known in Brussels called Le Cirio. The interior of the restaurant was gorgeous and warm, with an Art-Nouveau style and dark wood trimmings. Just as warm and homey was the dish that I had here: waterzooi. This dish comes from the Flemish northern region of Belgium, and is a stew usually containing fish or chicken, carrots, onions, celery, leeks, potatoes and herbs such as parsley, thyme, bay-leaves and sage.

Waffles from Maison Dandoy

Just off La Grand Place is Maison Dandoy Tearoom, a place to get some truly great waffles. Here you can choose between Liège-style or Brussels-style waffles. The Liège waffles are made with a thicker batter and have more rounded edges, whereas Brussels waffles are fluffier and are rectangular in shape. I opted for the Brussels-style with strawberries and chocolate sauce as my toppings. A great way to start the day!

Speculaas

Another Belgian specialty that Maison Dandoy is known for is its speculaas, a spiced biscuit popular throughout both Belgium and the Netherlands. You’ll often see them in the shape of windmills, but they are also especially popular around the holiday season and the feast of St. Nicholas in December.

Waffles from a street vendor

Wander any of the commercial corridors of Brussels in the evening and you’re bound to be tempted by a storefront with display cases full of waffles with just about every combination of sweet topping you can imagine: chocolate, peanut butter, nutella, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, caramel drizzle. Yum! I went for a walk one night and got one with whipped cream and caramel. So good!

Fries

Contrary to the American labeling of fries as “French fries,” the snack is thought to have originated not in France but in the French-speaking region of Wallonia in Belgium. Today frites are practically a symbol of Belgian culture and you’ll find a fry stand just about on every corner. You can get them with your choice of sauce, although the traditional way is to have them smothered in mayonnaise (it’s better than ketchup, believe me!). I had some fries from Fritland just off the Grand Place in Brussels.

Chocolate

Much like waffles and fries, chocolate is another Belgian specialty. You’ll find plenty of big name chocolatiers in Brussels such as Godiva, Wittamer, and Marcolini, but can you really go wrong with chocolate? I got some delicious truffles from Elisabeth Chocolatier on Rue au Beurre near the Grand Place. The sweet shops are endless in Brussels and it’s fun to window shop, but don’t do it on an empty stomach!

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Read more about my adventures in Brussels here!