We think one of the best ways to experience a country is by eating! Whether you're perusing the charming streets of Brussels or cruising down romantic canals in Bruges, you're never too far from delicious food in Belgium and the best places to try them.
This European country might be known worldwide for its chocolate and waffles, but there's so much more to Belgian cuisine. From steaming bowls of moules frites to syrupy cuberdon treats, here are some classic Belgian foods to try.
1.Belgian chocolate
Did you even go to Belgium if you didn’t consume copious amounts of chocolate? Belgium arguably produces some of the world's best chocolate, and with thousands of chocolate shops all over the country, you won't be able to resist trying a truffle or two.
The smell of rich, velvety chocolate wafting through the streets is enough to make your mouth water and tempt you in for a taste.
Visit Chocolate Nation – the world's largest Belgian chocolate museum – in Antwerp to learn what makes Belgian chocolate so unique and tasty, hand-pick your favourites at luxury chocolateries, or stock up on bars to take home at chain stores (if they make it home, that is!) in Antwerp or Choco-Story, a museum open seven days a week, with locations in Bruges and Brussels.
Where to try it: In cities like Brussels and Bruges, you’ll find chocolate everywhere you look. Some of the best chocolatiers across the country are Van Dender in Brussels (known for its hot chocolate), Pierre Plas in Bastogne (known for its unique praline designs) and the Chocolate Line in Bruges and Antwerp (known for collaborating with big-name restaurants like the Fat Duck and Noma).
Ready to plan your trip to Belgium? Here's our guide to the best places to visit
2. Moules frites
Moules frites is Belgium's national dish. Traditionally cooked by steaming mussels in a rich sauce made from butter, garlic, shallots, white wine and parsley (and sometimes a splash of cream), a piping hot bowl of moules always goes down a treat.
There's no better way to mop up the leftover sauce than with crispy fries. To eat moules, use a fork to pick your first mussel from the shell, and then use the shell as a pincer to eat the remaining mussels.
Where to try it: Apero Fish Palace makes a mean moules-frites alongside other delicious seafood dishes. And if you’re looking for something special, La Moulinière has over 40 mussel dishes on the menu — try the mussels à l’Ostendaise, served with gray shrimp, wine and bisque.
3. Frites
If you’re wondering how a humble bowl of frites, or fries, can make it on a ‘must-try foods to eat’ list, you haven’t tried Belgian fries. Fried twice so that the inside is fluffy and the outside is extra crunchy.
To eat fries the Belgian way, you need to dip them generously in creamy mayonnaise or andalouse – a tasty combination of mayo, tomato paste and peppers.
Where to try it: With over 4600 frituurs across the country, it can be difficult to choose one. The most authentic ones are hidden away in residential neighborhoods, but places like Frit Flagey (Ixelles), De Frietketel (Ghent) and Frites Atelier (Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent) often top the "Best of" lists.
Traveling Belgium on a budget? Here's our money-saving guide
Waffles in Brussels come with many toppings, but in Liège they are served plain © AndrisL / Getty Images
4. Waffles
Belgian waffles, known locally as gaufres, aren't exactly a diet food (unless you’re on holiday in Belgium, that is), but they're a must-try for anyone visiting the country. Wrapped in paper and eaten plain or topped with cream, sugar, chocolate sauce, or strawberries (or all of the above), they are a delectably decadent treat.
You’ll see and smell waffles being sold all over Belgium from street-side carts and markets to specialty waffle cafés.
The Brussels waffle is the one most people know: airy, crispy, with a hint of vanilla and served with toppings galore. But what many travelers don't know is that there’s another version of the Belgian waffle. Liège waffles are made from a denser brioche-like dough with caramelized pearl sugar. Enjoy the sweet treat as is – no extra toppings.
Where to try it: You can find great waffles at tearooms, waffle shops and food carts, particularly in — you guessed it — Brussels (at Gaufres & Waffles, Maison Dandoy) and Liège (at Sandwicherie Pollux or Pâtisserie Eggenols). Remember, no toppings on your Liège waffles.
5.Stoemp, a little-known local favorite
Stoemp is the Belgian version of mashed potato and is a staple on many Belgian dinner tables. Not just your regular mash, it consists of mashed spuds, butter and/or cream, and other vegetables such as kale, celery, onions and carrots. Stoemp can be eaten as a side dish or as a main served with chunky sausages and a fried egg.
Where to try it: While stoemp is on the menu at many restaurants in Belgium, Balls & Glory has made it a staple dish. With locations in Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven and Sint-Niklaas, it pairs different kinds of stoemp with a modern take on the classic filled meatball and a luscious gravy.
6.Carbonnade Flamande
Carbonnade Flamande, or Flemish stew, is a rich, one-pot beer and beef stew from Flanders. It's slow-cooked over low heat for several hours so that the meat tenderises and melts in your mouth. It's typically served with fries, boiled potatoes or bread, and a glass of Belgian beer.
Where to try it: Since stoofvlees is a homemade type of meal, you don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant to find the best. At ‘t Bagientje in Bruges, you’ll find delicious stoofvlees prepared with local beer Brugse Zot.
7. Waterzooi
Originating in Flanders – the Dutch-speaking region in northern Belgium – in the 18th century, waterzooi is a creamy and comforting stew that is perfect to eat on a cold winter’s night. It's made with chicken or fish, vegetables and a thick broth of stock, cream, butter and egg yolks. Waterzooi is usually served with warm bread and butter to mop up the broth.
8. Belgian endive
There’s no country where people love endive (witloof in Dutch) as much as Belgium. Still, due to its mildly bitter taste, endive is a polarizing dish among young children — they either hate it or they love it.
In Belgium, endive can be eaten raw as a substitute for other leafy greens, cooked, braised and, most commonly, rolled in ham and oven-roasted with béchamel sauce.
Where to try it: Oven-roasted endive is frequently eaten in Flemish homes. But you’ll also find it on the menu of some traditional brasseries, mostly in Antwerp. Head to De Bomma or the Bistro for the best.
9.Beer is an integral part of the Belgian history
Belgian beer, a tradition worthy of protection in the same way as French gastronomy or Argentine tango.
According to the 2003 UNESCO Convention, cultural heritage includes the traditions inherited from our ancestors and always practised through transmission from generation to generation (performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, craftsmanship...). This heritage is representative of a great cultural identity and diversity.
Nearly 1,500 different beers are produced in the country using various fermentation methods. Several regions are known for their specific varieties: Gueuze-lambics are still brewed in Brussels and Pajottenland, according to the principle of spontaneous fermentation, Saison beers are brewed mainly in Wallonia and "old brown" beers in West Flanders,
It is this diversity of fermentation methods, from Pils, Abbey beers, Seasons beers, Trappists, Flemish Old Brown Beers, to the most elaborate lambics and Gueuzes, that is rewarded by Unesco. A wealth of styles and rare creativity.
Where to try it: In Belgium, beer is everywhere. Find a traditional "brown cafe," famed for its soulful ambiance and mismatched decor, like Café Merlo in Brussels or ‘t Poatersgat in Bruges, and pick your poison.
Comments