Ideas

Eat & drink

Beer, chips, waffles and Belgian cooking: truly Brussels places, picked one by one, no chains.

By Brussels dish

What to eat in Brussels?

One dish, up to five places. Each is recommended for that dish by a serious guide or news outlet, named alongside. No chains.

Mussels and chips5 placesFlemish stewIn Brussels dialect: stoofvlees5 placesStoemp5 placesMeatballsIn Brussels dialect: ballekes4 placesVol-au-vent5 placesShrimp croquettes5 placesFilet américain5 placesChips5 placesBrussels waffle4 placesBloempanch2 placesRabbit in kriek2 places

All the places

Beer & old taverns

Illustration: bottled lambic and gueuzeBarMoeder LambicThe temple of lambic and gueuze, in Saint-Gilles since 2006.Saint-GillesIllustration: Barend van der Meer, still life with a wine glass (17th century)BarGoupil le FolA dimly lit boudoir of French chanson, a stone's throw from the Grand-Place.BruxellesTraditional caféÀ la Mort SubiteOne of the oldest cafés in the centre, opposite the Saint-Hubert galleries.BruxellesBreweryCantillon BreweryA lambic brewery still brewing in the city, with its gueuze museum.AnderlechtBreweryBrussels Beer Project – DansaertThe Brussels brewery on Rue Dansaert, with taproom and shop.BruxellesTraditional caféLa Fleur en Papier DoréThe café of Brussels artists, left just as it was.BruxellesTraditional caféToone tavernThe tavern of the Brussels puppet theatre, at the end of an alley.BruxellesTraditional caféLe CirioAn 1886 Art Nouveau brasserie near the Bourse, for a half en half.Bruxelles

Chips

Chip shopMaison AntoineThe chip stand on Place Jourdan, since 1948.EtterbeekChip shopFrit FlageyThe chip stand on Place Flagey, in Ixelles.IxellesIllustration: chipsChip shopFriterie Saint-JosseA family chip shop on Place Saint-Josse, since 1931.Saint-Josse-ten-NoodeIllustration: chipsChip shopFriterie de la BarrièreA chip shop by the Barrière de Saint-Gilles, loved for generations.Saint-GillesIllustration: chipsChip shopFriterie TaboraA chip shop on Rue de Tabora, near the Bourse, often with a long queue.Bruxelles

Waffles

WafflesMaison Dandoy – Rue au BeurreSpeculoos and waffles in the Brussels biscuit maker's oldest shop.BruxellesWafflesMokaféA tavern in the Saint-Hubert galleries, for a waffle under the glass roof.BruxellesIllustration: brussels waffleWafflesLa Maison des GaufresBrussels and Liège waffles from a closely guarded family recipe.BruxellesIllustration: brussels waffleWafflesGaufres de BruxellesA waffle house a stone's throw from the Grand-Place.BruxellesIllustration: brussels waffleWafflesPardonA waffle place in Saint-Gilles.Saint-Gilles

Belgian restaurants

Belgian restaurantRestaurant VincentA traditional Belgian brasserie on Rue des Dominicains, near the Grand-Place.BruxellesBelgian restaurantIn 't SpinnekopkeA tavern-restaurant on Place du Jardin aux Fleurs.BruxellesIllustration: carbonnade with chipsBelgian restaurantNüetnigenoughA Belgian brasserie in the centre, between the Grand-Place and Manneken Pis.BruxellesIllustration: flemish stewBelgian restaurantAu StekerlapatteAn institution of Brussels cooking in the Marolles since 1974.BruxellesRue des BouchersBelgian restaurantAux Armes de BruxellesA grand Brussels brasserie from 1921, on Rue des Bouchers.BruxellesIllustration: mussels and chipsBelgian restaurantLe ZinnekeA Schaerbeek brasserie known for its mussels, cooked 69 ways.SchaerbeekIllustration: mussels and chipsBelgian restaurantChez JacquesA Vismet brasserie with an almost unchanged 1936 interior, simple honest cooking.BruxellesIllustration: mussels and chipsBelgian restaurantBouillon BruxellesA low-priced popular brasserie by the Grand-Place, winner of the best shrimp croquette 2024.BruxellesIllustration: mussels and chipsBelgian restaurantVolle GasA brasserie on Place Fernand Cocq, with its huge oak bar.IxellesIllustration: mussels and chipsBelgian restaurantLes Petits BouchonsA neighbourhood bistro in Uccle: mussels and chips, eel in green sauce, croquettes.UccleIllustration: flemish stewBelgian restaurantC'est bon, c'est belgeTypically Belgian dishes on Rue de Rollebeek, below the Sablon.BruxellesIllustration: flemish stewBelgian restaurant9 et VoisinsA tavern near the Halles Saint-Géry, going back to 1918, no bookings.BruxellesIllustration: stoempBelgian restaurant't PotverdoemmekeA Schaerbeek neighbourhood restaurant with a menu in Brussels dialect.SchaerbeekIllustration: stoempBelgian restaurantKartoucheA Belgian bistro reworking grandmothers' classics.IxellesIllustration: vol-au-ventBelgian restaurantLes BrigittinesChef Dirk Myny's very Brussels restaurant, opposite the Chapelle church.BruxellesIllustration: vol-au-ventBelgian restaurantLe Petit Bon BonChef Christophe Hardiquest's brasserie, in the Corinthia hotel.BruxellesIllustration: vol-au-ventBelgian restaurantCanterburyA brasserie by the Ixelles ponds.IxellesIllustration: vol-au-ventBelgian restaurantLe VariétésA large brasserie on Flagey, with a modernised retro interior.IxellesIllustration: vol-au-ventBelgian restaurantBrasserie de la GareA neighbourhood brasserie in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, generous home cooking.Berchem-Sainte-AgatheIllustration: shrimp croquettesBelgian restaurantFernand Obb DelicatessenA Saint-Gilles deli, twice winner of the shrimp croquette competition.Saint-GillesIllustration: shrimp croquettesBelgian restaurantJournalSeasonal cooking in Stockel, best shrimp croquette in Brussels 2026.Woluwe-Saint-PierreIllustration: shrimp croquettesBelgian restaurantLe Rendez-vous des ArtistesA Brussels brasserie in Saint-Gilles, checked tablecloths and murals.Saint-GillesIllustration: shrimp croquettesBelgian restaurantLes Brasseries GeorgesAn Art Deco brasserie on the edge of the Bois de la Cambre, open almost non-stop.UccleIllustration: filet américainBelgian restaurantAu Vieux Saint-MartinA Sablon brasserie linked to Joseph Niels, who invented filet américain.BruxellesIllustration: filet américainBelgian restaurantLe VismetFish and seafood near Sainte-Catherine, open kitchen.BruxellesIllustration: filet américainBelgian restaurantThe BrasserieA Belgian brasserie in the renovated Stock Exchange building.BruxellesIllustration: filet américainBelgian restaurantBrasserie BoemvolA brasserie opposite the Bourse bringing Belgian classics up to date.Bruxelles

Butchers

Illustration: meatballsButcherDelicatessen CloetensA Schaerbeek butcher, jury prize at the Brussels best meatball championship.SchaerbeekIllustration: meatballsButcherBoucherie De SpiegeleerAn Anderlecht butcher, public prize at the Brussels best meatball championship.Anderlecht