Food destinations within easy reach of Brussels, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Brussels. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Flemish stew, cuberdon nose-cone sweets, the densest vegetarian map in Belgium
Ghent is the closest food day-trip from Brussels: medieval city centre, the canal-side cuberdon vendors, Veggie Thursday-leading restaurants and a craft-beer scene that runs into Saint-Jacobs.
Famous for: Medieval pub food, De Halve Maan brewery, Flemish stew with chips
Bruges from Brussels is the medieval-day food trip: canal-side pubs, De Halve Maan brewery on Walplein, Flemish stew with chips at every brown cafe, and a chocolate map nearly as deep as the capital's.
Famous for: The Jane fine dining, natural-wine bars, Belgian fries on the Grote Markt
Antwerp from Brussels is the design-and-fine-dining day. The Jane two-star, the natural-wine bars of Sint-Andries, the diamond-quarter Hasidic food map and the busy port-city brunch scene.
Famous for: Belgian beer halls, the Oude Markt 'longest bar in Europe', Stella Artois roots
Leuven from Brussels is the beer-hall day trip. Oude Markt's row of cafes is called the longest bar in Europe, Stella Artois is brewed in town and the city's medieval colleges run through the centre.
Famous for: Mechelen cuckoo chicken, modern Flemish bistros, Sint-Romboutskathedraal lunch terraces
Mechelen from Brussels is the small-city day. The Mechelen cuckoo chicken is the protected local breed; modern Flemish bistros run around the cathedral square and the Dijle riverside.
Famous for: Tournai cheese, Grand Place brasseries, Walloon farmhouse cooking
Tournai from Brussels is the Walloon farmhouse-cooking day. The Romanesque cathedral, the Grand Place brasseries, the Tournaisis goat-cheese tradition and the proximity to the French border.