Frites
Twice-fried potatoes in a paper cone with a choice of sauces, bought at a chip stand. They are a standard snack at any hour and are often eaten standing in the street.
Brussels
What to eat in Brussels
- Frites
- Moules-frites
- Brussels waffle
- Carbonnade flamande
Data checked on October 5, 2026
Moules-frites
Mussels cooked in a pot with white wine or herbs, served with fries. They are a staple of brasseries, and the main season runs from late summer through spring.
Brussels waffle
A light, rectangular waffle with a crisp edge, dusted with sugar and sold hot from stalls. It is lighter than the denser Liège waffle that is also common here.
Carbonnade flamande
A slow-cooked beef stew made with dark beer and onions, usually served with fries or bread. It is the standard winter lunch in a traditional brasserie.
Lambic and gueuze
Sour beers fermented spontaneously in oak barrels, a local style that is rare outside the Brussels area. Order one in a traditional cafe and ask for a small glass if you have never tried it.
Pralines
Filled chocolates sold by weight in shops around the Sablon and the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. Buy a small box to taste a few makers rather than one large one.
Every itinerary on this site keeps a lunch break after 12:30, so there is room for a proper meal in the middle of the day.
What a meal costs
- Meal in an inexpensive restaurant
- €20
- Three courses for two, mid-range restaurant
- €80
- Coffee
- €3.97
Besides the sights
- Comic strip mural trailPainted comic strip murals cover walls across the lower town, and the Comic Art Museum lists a comic strip route. A walk to find a few of them is a good way between the museum and the Grand-Place.
- Art Nouveau fronts in Saint-Gilles and IxellesBrussels has a large stock of Art Nouveau houses from around 1900. A short walk through Saint-Gilles and Ixelles shows iron balconies and curved windows that most visitors never reach.
- A lambic tasting in a traditional cafePair a plate of cheese with a gueuze or a kriek in an old-style cafe in the lower town. Ask the staff to choose, since the sour styles taste different from other Belgian beers.
- Chocolate makers around the SablonSpend an hour going between small chocolate shops on the streets around the Sablon square. Buying two pralines in each shop lets you compare makers without carrying much home.
- Sunday morning at the Midi marketA large market beside Brussels-Midi station runs on Sunday morning with food, flowers and clothes. It is a good place to see how locals shop.
Markets in the stop base