Brussels, Belgium + Add a trip

Proper Belgium Waffles!

One can't say he's been to Brussels without trying a proper Belgian waffle with a great variety of toppings available :)

Mussels and Creme

In this nation, home of the European Union, the national dish is Mussels and Creme. Do not pass up an opportunity to sample this wonderful dish at any local restaurant.

Pain Quotidien for breakfast, coffee, lunch

A Belgian chain of bakeries plus resto (now also in several other countries like UK, France, Australia etc) is really excellent for breakfast, coffee or lunch. They have really nice cakes too.

Exki

A Belgian chain of "fast food" shops (for lack of better word) but all the food is made with organic ingredients. They have some pre-packaged stuff as well as fresh soups, quiches etc. You can usually eat in too. They can provide catering services. There's lots of them around Brussels, in the rest of Belgium, and Luxemburg, France and Italy.

great belgian food - Fin de Siecle

Small great place, very special and bruxellois Suggest Jambonneau Moutarde, Stoemp Saucisse

Resto MIM : Lunch with a view

Try the restaurant on top of the Museum of Musical Instruments (Resto MIM) for good Belgian standards and a great view across the city. On sunny days, worth booking in advance for a table on the terrace. Only open during museum opening hours so best for lunch. The Museum is in an Art Nouveau building which was the "Old England" department store about 70 years ago.

Chez Léon

Great moules frites in the city center of Brussels. If you can wait a while, there is always a free table, even on busy weekend nights.

Be sure to sample "Liege-style" waffles

For waffles that will truly knock your socks off, look for street-side vendors selling Liege-style waffles. These differ from the Brussels-style that most North Americans are more familiar with, in that they're much denser and sweeter, with tasty bits of pearl sugar embedded throughout. Eat them hot off the grill without toppings! Belgaufra is an easy-to-find source, with small shops in most larger cities.

Chocolate

Neuhaus Chocolates are to die for!

Dinner

Belga Queen is a brilliant spot in central Brussels. Really buzzy restraunt with a massive selection of beer in the bar at the front of house. You can even have a degustation menu with a different glass of beer accompanying each course.

Superb Fries

Best fries I ever ate in my life.

L’Atelier

A popular bar for students of the ULB. Around 250 beers on the menu, well-priced.

Excellent chocolates

Mary Chocolatier Expensive, but worth it

Fin de Siecle

Noi http://www.resto.be/ware/details.jsp?businessid=5315&lg=EN

Fine tai food. Above expectations

Délirium Café, 2000 different beers (yes, two thousand different bottled beers! as well as 11 draught beers) and en-cas: Impasse de la Fidélité, 4A (Getrouwheidsgang 4A) B-1000 Bruxelles, Brussel +32 2 514 44 34 http://www.deliriumcafe.be/

'Le Pre Sale' on the Vlaamsesteenweg for the best moules in Brussels

one of brussel's hidden gems is a place called "Oki", named after the chef who makes japanese / european fusion food. its on rue lesbroussart which runs between place flagey and avenue louise. not cheap but worth every penny.

for Thai food, Noi is one of the best, located on chausee charleroi, very close to place stephanie

for typical belgian food, stay clear of most places around the grand place (tourist traps). one exception is chez vincent, great for steaks, mussels, waterzooi, etc.

Chez Leon is a tourist trap - much better and cheaper for moules frits is Le Bonne Humour on Chaussee de Louvain

AUX PAVES DE BRUXELLES, Rue du Marché aux Fromages (really close to La Grand Place). Superb fillet (onglette), very fastly cooked and well served. Nice ambient. Very nice people and good service. Reasonable prices. I return there each time and I'm always satisfied.

If you don't know where to go and want something less traditional or touristy than the places in Rue de Boucheres or St. Catherine's Place, check out Rue de Alexiens and as it continues to Rue de Rollebeek up to Sablon. There are quite a few eateries spilling into the pedestrianized street and they are slightly more trendy and modern. It's still close to the center and main sights.

Art deco bar with a louche jazzy atmosphere. Quite simply the best bar in the world

Restaurant with excellent food. Don't expect a formal setting, waiters are very friendly and they serve good food with a modern twist. It's always crowded and it can be a bit noisy.

Small(ish) corner restaurant. Good food, plan to return for another meal.

Excellent and cosy family-run restaurant. The food is to die for.

Great seafood restaurant. Simple but effective cooking. Book in advance. Ask for a table on the ground floor so you can see them cooking.

Les Brassins on Rue Keyenveld has fab Belgo style food and is reasonably priced as well as off the tourist track

Part of a healthy eating chain. Self-service home made soups, salads, sandwiches and pastries. Illy coffee. This one is round the corner from the Eurostar Terminal and the best place to eat/get a take away in Gare du Midi station.

NB Since I wrote this tip, the EXKi in Gare du Midi has really gone downhill. The last time I was in there the dishwasher wasn't working so they could only serve hot drinks in paper cups, there were flies everywhere and the soups were really watery.... they are opening more and more branches ata rapid rate and the quality is variable. The Exki at Place Schumann, Place Stephanie & Rue Neuve still seem OK but tend to get very full....

Almost every dish liberally scattered with freshly sliced/grated black truffles. Expensive.

good place to eat something. But not very special.

Very good place to eat. Modern restaurant. People speaks french, english and a little bit dutch. In summer good place to stay, also in the big garden

A great place, and a good review here: http://onfoodandwine.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/la-fin-de-siecle/

We were in this Japanese restaurant after FOSDEM on Sunday with 16 people without reservation. They made us wear kimonos during dinner, but viewing the cook's show at the table was really worth it. :-)

Dinner was good, too. They even have Green Tea and Red Beans ice cream. :-)

With just six bar stools and a couple of tables for two in a place the size of a walk-in closet, THE OYSTER BAR (25 Passage du Nord; serves excellent oysters, foie gras and smoked salmon.

Great service and menu

Realy nice place with lovely pizza's and pastas! excellent Italian service.