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.

Moules-frites began as a Flemish fishermen's meal, with mussels from the North Sea coast cheap and abundant. By the 1890s Brussels brasseries were running them as a winter house dish; Leon Vanlancker opened on Rue des Bouchers in 1893 with mussels-and-fries already the through-line. The black-pot service became the standard across Belgian and northern French brasseries through the 20th century, and remains the canonical Brussels order.

4 editor picks for Moules-frites in Brussels, ranked by editorial score. All Brussels signature dishes · Moules-frites across every city.

Also in: Bruges, Lille.

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