The Liege waffle is a yeast-leavened brioche waffle studded with pearl sugar that caramelises on the iron: chewier and more filling than the Brussels waffle, sold at street stalls and bakeries across Ghent.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
The Liege waffle dates to 18th-century Liege in the Walloon region of Belgium. The recipe uses a brioche dough enriched with eggs and butter, with coarse pearl sugar worked in before pressing on the heated iron. The pearl sugar creates caramelised pockets on the outside. In Ghent the Liege waffle coexists with the Brussels variant at market stalls; the Gentse Feesten street stalls serve both, but the Liege version is more popular for eating while walking.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg
Tip from the editors. Pearl sugar is not the same as regular granulated sugar; it must be coarse enough to survive the waffle iron without fully dissolving into the dough.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Waffles and Beer near the Groentenmarkt serves Belgian Brussels and Liege waffles alongside a curated list of Belgian beers. The waffle-and-beer pairing.
Order: Liege waffle with caramelised pearl sugar: the pearl sugar pockets define the authentic Liege style.
Tip: Also runs waffle workshops by prior booking: a 90-minute session teaches both Brussels and Liege styles.
Ghent's oldest market square hosts a weekly Friday morning market with fresh produce, flowers, street food and local traders in a medieval square setting.
Tip: Arrive before 09:00 for the widest selection; Frituur Jozef nearby opens with the market for a proper frites breakfast.
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