Brussels Travel Guide

Credit

Courtesy of Getty Images

What to Eat in Brussels

Brussels offers an abundance of Michelin-starred restaurants, serving meals inspired by both French and Dutch cuisine. And a trip to Brussels is not complete without steamed mussels and a side of fries (moules-frites). If you're not hungry enough for a full meal, grab a snack (such as a paper cone of extra crispy frites served with a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce) from one of the city's many sidewalk food carts. Visitors to Cafe La Brocante, located about a mile south of the Grand-Place, enjoy its beer selection, baguettes and traditional dishes like stoemp, a potato dish with Brussels sprouts.

Brussels is also famous for its mouth-watering waffles, and visitors can find an abundance of waffle places around Grand-Place. Travelers love the waffles at Mokafe, which you can accompany with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate or tea.

Restaurants overall can be found in clusters around tourist areas like Grand-Place and Rue des Bouchers. Unfortunately, meal prices are generally high. To save money, order the prix-fixe menus, which offer choices for two or three courses for a set price. Or, venture beyond these tourist hot spots when it's time to eat and seek out eateries frequented by locals and travelers alike, such as La Quincaillerie (for a contemporary take on Belgian classics), Noordzee Mer du Nord (a popular seafood spot) and Comptoir des Galeries (for a splurge-worthy French meal).

If there are two things for which Belgium is known for, it's chocolate and beer. When you're craving a sweet treat, you can easily find Godiva. Though it's now a worldwide brand, Godiva had humble beginnings in Brussels where it was a family-run business beginning in 1926. You can visit the company's first shop, which opened in 1937, on the Grand-Place. If you're on the hunt for chocolate you wouldn't necessarily be able to source easily at home, consider shops like Mary or Elisabeth.

If you're not one to indulge your sweet tooth, succumb to your love of hops instead. Belgium is home to a dizzying array of beer types, most of which you can find at the city's many cafes and pubs. For those looking to grab some Belgian beer, or any beer really, head over to Delirium Cafe, which boasts more than 2,000 beers from around the world. Plus, Delirium Cafe sits less than a half-mile north of the Grand-Place, making it an easy stop for tourists.

Find the Best Restaurants in Brussels

#1
Le Rabassier
#1 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (746)
$$ | Belgian, European, French, Healthy
23 Rue de Rollebeek, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#2
65 degres
#2 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (197)
$ - $$ | French, European, Healthy, Gastropub
Avenue Louise 173, Brussels 1050 Belgium
Read More »
#3
Le Pecheur
#3 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (149)
$ - $$ | Belgian, Seafood, European, French, Mediterranean, Healthy, Diner
Rue de la Fourche 35, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#4
Gus
#4 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (96)
$$ | French, Belgian, European, Gastropub
Rue des Cultes 36, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#5
Le Rossini
#5 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (164)
$$ | French, Belgian, European, Healthy, Contemporary
Boulevard Adolphe Max 7 Debrouckere, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »

#6
Tonton Garby
#6 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (1665)
$ | French, Belgian, European, Healthy
Rue Duquesnoy 6, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#7
Pasta Divina
#7 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (3301)
$ - $$ | Italian, Mediterranean, European, Healthy
Rue de la Montagne 16, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#1
Au Cor de Chasse
#1 of 74 Places to Eat in Etterbeek
Tripadvisor (794)
$ - $$ | Brazilian, Seafood, European, Healthy, Portuguese
Avenue des Casernes 21, Etterbeek, Brussels 1040 Belgium
Read More »
#1
La Verveine
#1 of 269 Places to Eat in Ixelles
Tripadvisor (177)
$ - $$ | French, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Fusion, Middle Eastern
Avenue de la Couronne 375, Ixelles, Brussels 1050 Belgium
Read More »
#10
Pois Chiche
#10 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (123)
$ - $$ | Lebanese, Mediterranean, Healthy, Middle Eastern, Street Food
Kapellemarkt, 15, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »

#11
Yummy Bowl
#11 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (172)
$ | Korean, Fusion, Soups, International
Rue des Eperonniers 49, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#12
The Lobster House
#12 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (4027)
$ - $$ | Belgian, Seafood, European
Rue des Bouchers 39, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#13
Kaffabar
#13 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (258)
$ - $$ | Belgian, Cafe, European
Place Rouppe 1, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#14
Berlaymont Cafe
#14 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (259)
$ - $$ | Belgian, European, Bar, Gastropub
Rue Archimede 8, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#15
Le Bistro
#15 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (2840)
$ - $$ | French, Belgian, Seafood, European
Boulevard de Waterloo 138, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »

#16
Midtown Grill
#16 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (817)
$ - $$ | American, Steakhouse, European, Grill
Rue Paul Devaux 4 Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#17
Vinomania
#17 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (305)
$ - $$ | Mediterranean, Spanish, Wine Bar
Place Fernand Cocq 22, Brussels 1050 Belgium
Read More »
#18
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
#18 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (483)
$ - $$ | Belgian
Rue du Marche aux Herbes 7, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »
#19
Shahrazad Restaurant
#19 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (302)
$ - $$ | Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Arabic
Rue Jourdan 28, Brussels 1060 Belgium
Read More »
#20
Menthe & Safran
#20 of 3,889 Places to Eat in Brussels
Tripadvisor (253)
$ - $$ | Moroccan, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Rue de l'Enseignement 49, Brussels 1000 Belgium
Read More »