I have made it pretty clear in previous Brussels posts and on my TikTok page that Brussels is not my favorite city in Europe. It isn’t even my favorite city in Belgium. Yet, I keep coming back to Brussels. Sometimes it is for work, sometimes it is for personal travel. And one thing that I can always count on in Brussels – a damn good meal.

Brussels has a surprisingly exciting food & restaurant scene. With so much global influence (thanks to the EU) as well as iconic local dishes like chocolate, waffles and moules frites, Brussels is a city with a stupidly good appetite. 

You will eat a massive cone of frites or get a waffle the size of your face, and somehow still manage to sit down for a delicious three-hour lunch.

As a tour guide who frequently visits Brussels with tour groups, I've eaten my way through more of this list than is probably healthy. Purely for research purposes, of course. Below are the foodie spots that I *actually* recommend to people. From the cone-of-fries classics to the places worth dressing up for, this is my curated Brussels restaurant guide, sorted by style of cuisine or meal type. Come hungry because Brussels doesn't really do small portions.

Brussels Food & Restaurant Guide for the Best Local Eats

Brunch Spots

Café Costermans 

Tucked into the courtyard of an old antiques house, this cafe feels like Brussels' best-kept secret. By day, it’s a delightful cafe with a beautiful leafy terrace that makes you forget you're steps from the square's chaos. By night, it turns into a proper little dinner spot with natural wines and shared plates. The food is classic European cafe with seasonal surprises and a great drink menu.

• Address: Place du Grand Sablon 5, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://www.maisoncostermans.be/fr/cafe

Frank Brunch

Self-proclaimed as a "Brussels brunch institution", Frank makes brunch the main character. Everything is made from scratch and family-owned, so I like supporting businesses like this. Plus the food is delicious! The menu is small and the vibes are Australian-inspired. You’ll find classics like Eggs Benedict or a skillet hash, as well as creative fusion dishes like a kimchi omelet. There are no reservations, so come hungry and a little patient. 

• Address: Chau. de Charleroi 17, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium
• Website: https://www.frank.brussels/

Maison Dandoy

Maison Dandoy started as a speculoos cookie shop back in 1829. If you’ve never had speculoos (it's a spiced, crunchy cookie pressed in wooden molds), then you should definitely try them. But nowadays, everyone comes here for the waffles. Maison Dandoy has both types of Belgian waffles – Brussels style and Liege style – as well as a range of interesting toppings & selections. The waffles here are on the sweeter side, so I'd recommend getting a black coffee to wash everything down.  

• Address: Rue au Beurre 31, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://maisondandoy.com/fr/boutiques/rue-au-beurre

Frites

Frituur Tabora 

Tucked steps from Grand Place, this is a frites shop that locals still queue for. The line moves faster than it looks, but you can still expect to wait for 20-30 minutes depending on the time of day. Potatoes are cut fresh in front of you. No frozen frites allowed. There are over 50 different sauces to choose from and the frites are fried to perfection!

• Address: Rue de Tabora 2, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://www.instagram.com/friterie.tabora/ 

Chez Papy

A no-nonsense fry shop by Gare Centrale that's been feeding hungry travelers and night owls since 1987. Grab a spot upstairs if you can. The view over the street makes the wait for your frites feel like dinner theater. 

• Address: Rue de la Madeleine 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium 
• Website: https://www.belgianfrites.be/ 

Frites Atelier

Frites Atelier is what happens when Belgian fries get the gourmet treatment. And honestly, I’m here for it. Just to be clear, these are NOT traditional Belgian frites. Nor is this a cheap option. This upscale fry shop is the brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman, and you can taste his pedigree in every golden, double-fried bite. The sauces? Outrageously good. The toppings? Creative without being gimmicky. There was a long line when we went, but it moved quickly and it was WELL worth it. 

• Address: Rue Sainte-Catherine 32, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://fritesatelier.com/

Food Halls

Ratz Food Hall

This is one of the coolest food halls I’ve ever been to, and honestly, I’ve been to a lot (in cities like Chicago, London and Copenhagen). What I find so cool about this market is the decor. Each of the street food stands, which lean Asian and Middle Eastern, have a different aesthetic area built around them, including the chairs, tables and storefronts. It really feels like walking through a global market! 

You can bounce between a dozen-plus stalls, grabbing a bao here or falafel there. I loved the Thai noodle shop, as well as the cafe in the front which has unique flavors of tiramisu. Shout out to the speculoos tiramisu! Don't be surprised if you stumble into a vintage market or a mini cinema on your way to the bathroom, because Ratz Food Hall regularly hosts pop events.

• Address: rue saint-boniface 25, Rue Francart 19, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://ratzfoodmarket.com/ 

Wolf Food Hall

Set inside a former bank near the Grand Place, Wolf pairs grand architecture with a global lineup of street food. You’ll find homemade pasta, Syrian bread, sushi, burgers, and a microbrewery pouring beer brewed meters away from your table. With that many options under one gorgeous glass ceiling, it's the easiest way to please a diverse group that can't agree on cuisine (or a group of teenage students in my case as their tour guide). I really liked the tofu roti roll from Curry Club, as well as the halloumi flatbread My Tannour.

• Address: Rue du Fossé aux Loups 50, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium 
• Website: https://wolf.be/

Chocolate

As the capital of chocolate of Europe (and maybe the world?), Brussels is full of incredible chocolate shops owned by highly regarded chocolatiers. In fact, Brussels has more chocolate factories than any other city on earth. Needless to say, if you’re planning a trip to Belgium, then tasting the best Belgian chocolate needs to be on top of your to-do list. 

To avoid this post getting too long, I have a separate blog post entirely dedicated to chocolate in Brussels, including links to all of my favorite Brussels chocolatiers. Most of the famous chocolatiers have shops around Brussels city center, so you can easily bounce between a few different shops to try them all!

Belgian Restaurants

Le Bistro - Porte de Hal

If you’re looking for classic Belgian bistro vibes with views of the Porte de Hal tower, this is the spot! Their menu has all the Belgian classics you’d expect, and I love that the walls are adorned with old Belgian beer signs. It has a multi-story layout with lots of natural light. The rabbit in kriek sauce is the local favorite, though the mussels get just as many devoted fans. I thought the beef stew was incredibly flavorful and the beef cubs were SO tender.

• Address: Bd de Waterloo 138, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: https://le-bistro.be/

Lola Restaurant

A Sablon institution since 1994, Lola does an upscale brasserie without taking itself too seriously. The meal I ate here with my family was my favorite from all our time in Brussels! Dishes include lobster ravioli, chicken vol-au-vent, and Thai-style mussels. With a terrace made for people-watching, it sits among the antique shops and chocolatiers in one of Brussels' prettiest neighborhoods. This is a place to come for a nice night out that won’t break the bank. 

• Address: Place du Grand Sablon 33, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
• Website: http://www.lola-restaurant.be/

La Porteuse d'Eau

Eating moules-frites under Art Nouveau stained glass in a 1902 building is objectively the most Brussels thing you can do with your evening. La Porteuse d'Eau is old world elegance, great food, and a relaxed atmosphere all rolled into one. The spiral staircase and glowing glass ceiling do a lot of the talking, but the Belgian meatballs and Flemish style Beef carbonnade hold their own. This place feels luxurious without any pretension.

• Address: Av. Jean Volders 48, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium
• Website: http://laporteusedeau.be/ 

Cafe de Bruxelles

This is Brussels doing what it does best: a classic brasserie with cloth tablecloths and delicious seafood. Moules-frites are the thing to get here, but catch of the day is also a nice choice. The shrimp croquettes are the kind of starter that quietly steals the show from your main. I appreciate that this restaurant has no gimmicks, just good seafood and generous portions. You don't usually need a reservation to sit on the patio, but to sit inside, I'd recommend making a reservation.

• Address: Rue Jourdan 24, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium
• Website: https://cafebxl.com/ 

Belgian Beer

Whether you’re a trappist or lambic drinker, Brussels is basically Disneyland for beer lovers. Belgian beer culture is UNESCO-recognized for good reason. Brussels has no shortage of watering holes, perfect for sipping (or guzzling) a Belgian beer. 

If you don’t know anything about Belgian beers or the culture of beer in Belgium, read through my beginner-friendly Belgian beer guide. My husband used to work at a Belgian beer bar, and he shared all his knowledge in the blog post.

A few of my favorite spots for beer in Brussels include:

• À la Bécasse: Old wood paneled bar specializing in Lambics and other varieties of Belgian beer
• Au Bon Vieux Temps: one of the oldest bars in Brussels, dating back to 1695. It is tucked away in an alley and easy to walk past. 
• À La Mort Subite: founded in 1928, is a classic Art Nouveau café serving house lambics and traditional Belgian brews in a time-capsule interior. 
• Delirium Café: holds the Guinness World Record for beer variety (2,000+ options!)
• Cantillon Brewery: functioning lambic brewery and museum in one, Cantillon is a taste of Brussels’ funky, wild-fermented soul.
• Moeder Lambic Fontainas: Great Lambic selection among other styles. It has a nice patio located outside the touristy area 

Have thoughts or questions about this Brussels food & restaurant guide? Tell me in the comments!