Chicons au Gratin is a signature dish of Belgium; we have verified places to eat it in Brussels. 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. Start with where to eat Chicons au Gratin in Brussels.
Chicons au Gratin · Brussels
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.
Chicons au gratin became a Belgian household staple in the 1850s after the endive (Witloof) was famously cultivated by accident in the dark Brussels Botanical Garden cellars. The ham-and-béchamel preparation crystallised by the 1920s. Au Vieux Saint Martin and Au Stekerlapatte both run defensible versions through the winter months.
Where to eat in Brussels:
- Au Vieux Saint Martin
- Au Stekerlapatte
- Aux Armes de Bruxelles
- Brasserie Ploegmans
Where to eat Chicons au Gratin in Brussels: the editor picks