Whether you feel like eating a traditional moules-frites, Asian food, a waffle or in an all-you-can-eat restaurant, here is my list of places that will delight you taste buds in my hometown Brussels.

Snacks

• You’ve been walking for a while and need a coffee & WiFi? Sit in the comfy armchairs of the Jat’ café, between Porte de Namur and Place Royale, with a nice latte or a homemade icetea with a sandwich and a cupcake

• In desperate need of a Belgian waffle? With ice cream, strawberries or warm chocolate (highly recommended!), enjoy a Liège or Brussels waffle Aux Gaufres de Bruxelles next to the Grand Place

• Looking for a bigger snack in the centre? I always take my guests to a small hidden restaurant called A La Bécasse just right next to the Bourse. You can eat nice tartines, a Belgian salad or a big plate of pasta

• A snack from the sea? At Noordzee (one in Sainte-Catherine, one in Place du Luxembourg), you will eat kibbeling (deep fried battered fish) , fish burgers or seafood standing outside with a nice glass of wine. Really typical in Brussels!

Belgian food

What’s typical Belgian food?

• Starters: Shrimp croquettes, Peaches with tuna, Tomatoes Stuffed with Shrimps

• Main dishes: Mussels à la marinière (cooked with white wine, shallots, parsley and butter) or steak & chips, Waterzooi (fish or chicken soup), Carbonnades flamandes (beef and beer stew), Sausage & Stoemp (mashed vegetable), Ham and endive gratin

• Desserts: Dame blanche (vanilla ice cream, warm chocolate, wihipped cream), Waffles, Mousse au chocolat, (Brown) Sugar pie

• On a budget city-trip? Enjoy shrimp croquettes, meat balls in tomato sauce, jambonneau (but also enormous pasta dishes and burgers) at the Schievelavabo in Place Jourdan, Square Montgomery, Altitude 100 or Calvoet station.  The inside will make you think about the Délirium.

• Want to be a real tourist? Located in the busy Rue Des Bouchers, Chez Léon is mostly famous for its moules-frites and is probably the most famous restaurants of the street. You will easily find it by the queue of tourists in line in front of the entrance!

• Or you prefer a quieter restaurant ? You will find the Estrille du Vieux Bruxelles at the end of a narrow street off the Rue de Rollebeek (closed to the Petit Sablon). You will enjoy nice traditional meal next to an open fire in this charming restaurant.

• Looking for a trendy place ? Emile Bistro, in the Flagey area, is currently THE brasserie-to-be in Brussels. What’s on the menu? Steak tartare (minced raw beef), tomatoes stuffed with shrimps, stoemp but also burgers, pasta and bagels. Very nice atmosphere & fair prices: don’t forget to book!

World food

Fed up of eating mussels and waffles? You can find cuisines from basically everywhere in the world in Brussels. Here is a small selection of my favourite restaurants:

• Looking for a gay-friendly Asian restaurant (we never know!)? Mam mam is located in the gay district and serves delicious and cheap vietnamese food. Quite small and busy, book if you can!

• In mood for traditional Greek food ? In Brussels, there are a lot of Greek restaurants where you can find delicious ribs. However, it’s a the  Ouzerie Mezedopolio that you will be able to eat real Greek cold and warm mezze (saganaki, spanakopita, loukaniko…) Slightly expensive but worth it!

• Would you like to taste Ethiopian specialties? Brussels has got two very trendy Ethiopian restaurants in the center: KoKob (near the Grand-Place) and Toukoul (Sainte-Catherine area). What you will be eating? Vegetable and meat (sometimes spicy) wrapped with your own little fingers in a giant flatbread. Booking is essential!

• Very very hungry? Choose Bossa Nova, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian churrascaria near Porte de Hal. Waiters go round with delicious grilled meat on sticks and you can get as many nice side dishes as you like from the buffet. Fixed price.

There are many more very nice restaurants obviously. Don’t hesitate to contact me to ask for advice if you pass by Brussels!