Brussels: Food Tour of 10 Tastings - Waffles, Beers & More
Discover Brussels through its flavors on this foodie tour in the historic city center. Taste waffles, chocolate, beer, and classic Belgian dishes while exploring iconi...
Brussels eats at the crossroads of Flemish and French traditions, with a beer culture that has no rival in the world. Moules-frites still arrives in the heavy black pot at brasseries like Chez Leon on Rue des Bouchers, where Leon Vanlancker first opened in 1893. Cantillon in Anderlecht has been blending lambics by spontaneous fermentation since 1900, and the city's brasseries still pour gueuze alongside steaks. The chocolate map runs across two axes: Wittamer on the Sablon since 1910 and Pierre Marcolini on the Grand Sablon since 1997, with Neuhaus tracing its 1857 origin to the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. Maison Dandoy on Rue Charles Buls has shaped speculoos and the gaufre de Bruxelles since 1829. The Michelin map runs from Comme Chez Soi on Place Rouppe through La Truffe Noire to Christophe Hardiquest's Menssa, and a new wave of Belgian bistros has settled into Ixelles, Saint-Gilles and Dansaert. Above it all, Place Jourdan's Maison Antoine remains the canonical Brussels fritkot.
Eat your way through Brussels
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Brussels Food Tour: Main Dish, Beer, Waffle & Chocolate
Explore Brussels on a guided food tour, tasting croquette, waffle, Belgian beer, cheese, boulette with fries and rich Belgian chocolate.
Brussels: Hungry Mary's Famous Beer and Chocolate Tour
Discover Brussels' famous beer and chocolate scene with a local guide. Sample up to 10 different chocolates from boutique makers and 5 beers from craft and traditional...
Brussels: Bean-to-Bar Belgian Chocolate Workshop & Tastings
Discover real bean-to-bar chocolate making. Craft truffles, mendiants and a personalized chocolate bar while learning the secrets of ethical Belgian chocolate.
Brussels: Small Group Chocolate Tasting Tour – Max 10 Guests
Enjoy a delightful 2-hour chocolate tasting walk in Brussels. In an intimate group of max 10, visit 5 top shops and savor at least 8 premium tastings while discovering...
Map of Brussels
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Brussels, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Where to eat in Brussels: editor-picked starting points
5 institutional venues to anchor a Brussels food trip
- Le Chalet de la Foret - Belgian, chef Pascal Devalkeneer
- Comme Chez Soi - Belgian, chef Lionel Rigolet
- La Truffe Noire - Modern European, chef Olivier Broucke
- Menssa - Belgian, chef Christophe Hardiquest
- Kamo - Tasting menu, chef Tomoyasu Kamo
Signature Brussels dishes
- Moules-frites - Mussels steamed open in the heavy black pot with white wine, shallot and parsley, served with a side of hand-cut frites
- Carbonnade flamande - Flemish beef stew slow-cooked in dark Belgian beer with onions, mustard and a slice of bread
- Stoemp - Brussels' rustic mashed potatoes blended with vegetables (carrots, kale, celery, leeks) and butter or cream
- Waterzooi - Flemish cream-and-broth stew with chicken (or fish, the older version), root vegetables and an egg-yolk liaison
- Filet americain - Belgian-style steak tartare, the raw beef seasoned with mustard, capers, Worcestershire and a raw egg yolk, prepared at the table
Best Brussels neighborhoods for food
- Sablon - Elegant antique quarter around Place du Grand Sablon: the chocolate map runs through here, with Pierre Marcolini, Wittamer and Neuhaus all on or beside the square
- Marolles - Working-class quarter below the Palais de Justice: the Jeu de Balle flea market runs every morning, and the Brusseleir-speaking estaminets still serve carbonnade flamande to the same families
- Sainte-Catherine - The old fish market quarter: standing-room seafood at Noordzee, oyster bars on Place Sainte-Catherine, and the Quai aux Briques lined with brown brasseries and quiet wine counters
- Dansaert - Rue Antoine Dansaert runs from the Bourse to Sainte-Catherine: Belgian fashion houses, MOK Coffee, the Brussels Beer Project taproom and a packed run of small natural-wine bistros
Signature dishes in Brussels
The plates that define eating in Brussels.
Moules-frites
Mussels steamed open in the heavy black pot with white wine, shallot and parsley, served with a side of hand-cut frites. Belgium's national dish, with Brussels as its capital.
Where: Chez Leon, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Volle Gas, Au Vieux Saint Martin
Carbonnade flamande
Flemish beef stew slow-cooked in dark Belgian beer with onions, mustard and a slice of bread. Sweet, malty, deeply savoury, served with mash, frites or buttered noodles.
Where: Brasserie Ploegmans, Chez Leon, Au Stekerlapatte, Les Brigittines
Stoemp
Brussels' rustic mashed potatoes blended with vegetables (carrots, kale, celery, leeks) and butter or cream. Served with sausage, bacon or roast meats; deeply seasonal.
Where: Brasserie Ploegmans, Au Stekerlapatte, Volle Gas, Au Vieux Saint Martin
Waterzooi
Flemish cream-and-broth stew with chicken (or fish, the older version), root vegetables and an egg-yolk liaison. Light, comforting, served with bread to mop the bowl.
Where: Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Chez Leon, Brasserie Ploegmans, Volle Gas
Filet americain
Belgian-style steak tartare, the raw beef seasoned with mustard, capers, Worcestershire and a raw egg yolk, prepared at the table. Served with frites or buttered toast.
Where: Au Vieux Saint Martin, Restaurant Vincent, Volle Gas, Henri
Gaufre de Bruxelles
The Brussels waffle: yeast-leavened, light and rectangular, with deep grids designed to hold whipped cream, strawberries or icing sugar. Eaten warm from the iron.
Where: Maison Dandoy, Maison Dandoy Rue au Beurre
Speculoos
Crisp Belgian brown-sugar biscuit spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Eaten with coffee, used as a spoon for ice cream, ground into the city's signature spread.
Where: Maison Dandoy, Maison Dandoy Rue au Beurre, Wittamer
Mitraillette
A half-baguette stuffed with frites, a piece of fried meat (sausage, chicken or steak) and a sauce of your choice. The Brussels late-night student classic.
Where: Fritland, Maison Antoine
Croquettes aux crevettes grises
Belgian shrimp croquettes: a thick bechamel set with North Sea grey shrimps, breaded and fried golden, served with deep-fried parsley and a wedge of lemon.
Where: Noordzee Mer du Nord, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Brasserie Ploegmans, Au Stekerlapatte
Vol-au-vent
Belgian-style chicken or veal pie in a puff-pastry shell: a creamy sauce with mushrooms, chicken meatballs and herbs, served with frites.
Where: Brasserie Ploegmans, Au Vieux Saint Martin, Aux Armes de Bruxelles
Chicons au Gratin
Belgian endive (chicons) wrapped in thick slices of cooked ham, smothered in nutmeg-spiced béchamel and grated Gruyère, baked until the top browns and bubbles. The Brussels Sunday-lunch comfort dish in winter.
Where: Au Vieux Saint Martin, Au Stekerlapatte, Aux Armes de Bruxelles, Brasserie Ploegmans
Praline Belge
Filled chocolate bonbons invented in Brussels in 1912: a bittersweet shell enrobing a soft centre of ganache, caramel, marzipan, gianduja or nut praline. Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini and Mary set the city standard.
Where: Wittamer, Frederic Blondeel, Maison Dandoy
Restaurants to know in Brussels
A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Brussels.
Comme Chez Soi
Comme Chez Soi opened in 1926 under Georges Cuvelier and moved to the Place Rouppe Art Nouveau dining room in the 1930s. Located in Sainte Catherine.
Signature: Filets de sole Prince Albert, Classical French-Belgian tasting menu
La Truffe Noire
La Truffe Noire in Brussels has been the city's truffle restaurant since founder Luigi Ciciriello opened in 1988. Kitchen leans modern french.
Signature: Perigord truffle a la croque au sel, Carpaccio prepared tableside
Menssa
Menssa in Brussels is chef Christophe Hardiquest's second act in the building that held his two-star Bon Bon until 2022. Located in European Quarter.
Signature: Cuisine instinctive tasting menu, Belgian seasonal seven-course dinner
Le Chalet de la Foret
Le Chalet de la Foret in Brussels sits on the edge of the Sonian Forest in Uccle. Pascal Devalkeneer has held two Michelin stars here since the early 2010s.
Signature: Flame-cooked Breton scallops, Aveyron lamb with garden herbs
La Paix
La Paix in Brussels has run since 1892 in a neo-classical building opposite the Anderlecht abattoir. Priced at €€€. Kitchen leans modern belgian.
Signature: Slow-cooked Belgian beef, Seasonal grill plate
Au Vieux Saint Martin
Au Vieux Saint Martin in Brussels has held the corner of Place du Grand Sablon since 1968. The Niels family invented Belgian filet americain here.
Signature: Filet americain, Shrimp croquettes
Where to eat by neighborhood
Sablon
Elegant antique quarter around Place du Grand Sablon: the chocolate map runs through here, with Pierre Marcolini, Wittamer and Neuhaus all on or beside the square.
Best for: Chocolate, Brasseries, Antique terraces
Marolles
Working-class quarter below the Palais de Justice: the Jeu de Balle flea market runs every morning, and the Brusseleir-speaking estaminets still serve carbonnade flamande to the same families.
Best for: Brasseries, Flemish stew, Flea-market lunches
Sainte-Catherine
The old fish market quarter: standing-room seafood at Noordzee, oyster bars on Place Sainte-Catherine, and the Quai aux Briques lined with brown brasseries and quiet wine counters.
Best for: Seafood, Oysters, Wine bars
Dansaert
Rue Antoine Dansaert runs from the Bourse to Sainte-Catherine: Belgian fashion houses, MOK Coffee, the Brussels Beer Project taproom and a packed run of small natural-wine bistros.
Best for: Specialty coffee, Natural wine, Modern bistros
Saint-Gery
Brussels' nightlife centre: the old covered market of Halles Saint-Gery is the anchor, and the streets around it run with cocktail bars, late tapas counters and the city's busiest weekend night map.
Best for: Cocktail bars, Late dinner, Tapas
Ixelles
Residential 19th-century commune south of the centre: Art Nouveau houses, the ponds of Etangs d'Ixelles, and the densest map of new-wave Brussels bistros and brunch counters in the city.
Best for: Brunch, Bistros, Coffee
When to come hungry in Brussels
Peak food season: September to November brings game season, Saint Martin's goose and the Belgian Beer Weekend on the Grand Place. April to June is asparagus, the first mussel landings and outdoor terraces. Late September holds the Eat Festival at Tour and Taxis.
Local dining hours: Lunch 12:00-14:30, dinner 19:00-22:30. Brasseries run a continuous service from noon to late. Fritkots open from 11:30 and stay open past midnight on weekends. Most kitchens close Sunday evening and Monday all day.
Tipping: Service is included by law at sit-down restaurants. Rounding up the bill or leaving 5 to 10 percent in cash for genuinely good service is welcome, never expected. Tipping is not done at counter-service fritkots or chocolate shops.
Brussels food, FAQ
What food is Brussels known for?
Brussels's signature dishes include Moules-frites, Carbonnade flamande, Stoemp, Waterzooi, Filet americain. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
What are the best food neighborhoods in Brussels?
TableJourney editors map Brussels by district. Sablon, Marolles, Sainte-Catherine, Dansaert are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Where should I eat fine dining in Brussels?
Editor picks in Brussels include Comme Chez Soi, La Truffe Noire, Menssa, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
Are there food tours in Brussels?
TableJourney covers 6 editor-picked food tours in Brussels, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
Does Brussels have good vegetarian or vegan food?
TableJourney's Brussels dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.