What Brussels is known for eating
Brussels is often summed up as fries, waffles, chocolate and beer, but the city’s food is broader than that. Neighbouring France (see favourite foods in France), the Netherlands and Germany have all left a mark, and local cooking combines hearty stews, seafood, street food and a strong baking and confectionery tradition. Below are the foods most often listed as Brussels specialities, with notes on what to expect. If you want to try cooking some of them, see our easy Belgian recipes.
Moules-frites
Mussels served with fries are probably the best-known savoury combination in Belgium. The mussels are typically steamed in a pot with white wine, celery, onion or garlic and herbs, and the pot comes to the table with a portion of frites. They are most associated with colder months, when mussels are traditionally in season, though they are served year-round in many restaurants.
Frites and their sauces
Belgian fries are commonly made from floury potatoes and cut thick, then fried twice. Stands and frietkots serve them in paper cones with a choice of sauces. Mayonnaise is the usual choice, but there are many others, including andalouse, samurai and stoofvlees sauce. Traditionally, fat such as beef tallow has been used, but many places now use vegetable oil, so ask if it matters to you.
Stews: carbonnade and waterzooi
- Carbonnade flamande: beef slowly cooked with onions and dark beer, often with mustard and a little sugar or gingerbread. The Brussels version of the dish is sometimes made with pork.
- Waterzooi: a creamy stew of chicken or fish with leeks, carrots and potatoes, originally from Ghent but found on menus throughout Belgium.
Stoemp, balletjes and other comfort food
Stoemp is mashed potato mixed with vegetables such as carrots, leeks or cabbage, commonly served with sausage. Balletjes (small meatballs, often in tomato sauce or broth) are a family favourite. Another traditional dish is pâté en croûte, a meat pie in pastry. For a recipe for stoemp, see our easy Belgian recipes.
Street food: the mitraillette and croquettes
The mitraillette is a baguette filled with fried meat such as sausage or meatballs, fries and sauce, a hearty snack found in many Belgian snack bars. Croquettes are also common, including garnaalkroketten, filled with a creamy béchamel and small North Sea grey shrimp.
Waffles, chocolate and speculoos
- Brussels waffles: light, rectangular and crisp, often served with icing sugar, fruit or cream. Liège waffles are different: denser, rounder and made with pearl sugar.
- Chocolate and pralines: Brussels is closely associated with filled chocolates. The praline is commonly credited to Jean Neuhaus, who is said to have developed it in the early twentieth century.
- Speculoos: crisp spiced biscuits, also sold as a spread.
Pain à la grecque
A local pastry sometimes included in Brussels food lists, pain à la grecque is a flat, sweet bread coated with sugar. Despite its name, it is considered a Brussels speciality.
Belgian beer
Belgium has a large and varied beer tradition. Around Brussels, the best-known local styles are lambic and its blends, such as gueuze, as well as kriek, made with cherries. They tend to be sour and complex, and are quite different from typical lagers. Many cafés keep long beer lists, so ask staff for recommendations.
Is Belgium more German or Dutch?
Belgium has several language communities: Dutch (Flemish), French and a small German-speaking community. Brussels itself is officially bilingual in French and Dutch. Culinary influences run in several directions, which is part of why Belgian food is hard to place in one category. Flemish cooking has more in common with Dutch food in some ways, while Walloon dishes are closer to French cooking.
What not to miss in Brussels
If you have limited time, a sensible short list is a cone of frites, a pot of mussels, a Brussels waffle, a few pralines and a local beer. If you also visit other cities, you can compare with our guide to foods to eat in Copenhagen.
FAQ
What to eat in Belgium? Frites, moules-frites, carbonnade, waterzooi, waffles, chocolate and beer are the most commonly named foods.
What are the top 5 most popular foods? Lists vary, but frites, waffles, chocolate, moules-frites and carbonnade are usual choices.
Are frites really Belgian? Belgium claims them as a national food, though the origin is disputed, and both France and Belgium have laid claim to the invention. For the French side, including steak frites, see popular food in Paris.