Belgium's national winter vegetable dish: whole heads of Belgian endive (witloof) braised, then wrapped in ham, blanketed in bechamel sauce and grated Gruyere, and baked until the top is bubbling gold.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Belgian endive (witloof in Flemish, chicons in French) was discovered in Brussels in the 1830s when farmer Jan Lammers stored chicory roots in his dark cellar and noticed pale shoots growing from the buried roots. Belgian growers refined the technique through the 19th century to produce the canonical pale spear-shaped vegetable; today over 90 percent of global endive production is in Belgium. The classic preparation (witloof met hesp en kaas, or chicon au gratin) appeared in late 19th-century Belgian cookbooks. Bruges spots like Den Amand and Brasserie Cambrinus run reliable versions.
Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten
Tip from the editors. The bitter cone at the base of each endive is essential to remove; it is what makes commercial versions taste bitter and watery. Press the braised endives very lightly to remove water without crushing; soggy endives flood the bechamel and the dish never gratinates properly.
Den Amand is a small family bistro off the Markt in Bruges, on car-free Sint-Amandsstraat, where Ann Vissers cooks seasonal vegetable, fish and meat dishes.
Signature: Seasonal vegetable plates, Fish and meat of the day
Order: Whatever the monthly menu is built around; vegetables get a generous hand here.
Tip: Closed Wednesday and Sunday. The room is tiny, so reserve, especially in summer.
Bistro Refter in Bruges is Geert Van Hecke's contemporary bistro on Molenmeers, the relaxed counterpart to his fine-dining room. Good food at fair prices.
Signature: Daily bistro menu, Regional plates
Order: The daily three-course menu; it is the value way into Van Hecke's cooking.
Tip: Book ahead, the dining room fills fast at lunch. It sits near the Sint-Anna quarter.
Gran Kaffee De Passage on Dweersstraat in Bruges plates cheap, generous Belgian classics like stoofvlees by candlelight, by a hostel near 't Zand.
Try: Stoofvlees and Belgian classics
Tip: A full beer-braised plate stays well under 20 euro. Weeknight walk-ins are usually fine.
De Republiek on Sint-Jakobsstraat in Bruges keeps its courtyard and bar running late, a grand cafe by the arthouse cinema that draws a younger local crowd.
Try: Grand-cafe plates and drinks
Tip: The courtyard fills on warm nights. The kitchen closes before the bar, so eat early and keep drinking late.
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