Although Belgium may be best known for its sweets, like chocolate and waffles, there’s even more to discover in the cuisine of this small European country, as you’re about to read in this guide to the best Belgian food.
Despite strong influence from both France and the Netherlands, Belgium stands alone with a unique cultural identity and a distinctive culinary tradition. From hearty comfort foods to refined main dishes to decadent desserts, there’s a great variety in the best Belgian food.
When it comes to beverages, Belgium is well-known for its beer. Belgian beer pairs well with many of the local food items on this list, rounding out the perfect meal.
Here’s a look at the best Belgian food and drinks to try as you explore this compact yet fascinating country.
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The Unmissable Icons – Belgium’s Must-Try Dishes
What are some of the can’t-miss dishes in Belgium? Anything with fries!
Despite what the name French Fries might suggest, this beloved potato-based snack is likely to have originated in Belgium, allegedly in the 16th or 17th century. However, there’s a fierce debate between France and Belgium about the accuracy of this claim.
In any case, these are some of the unmissable icons you have to try while visiting Belgium.
1. Mussels With Fries (Moules-Frites)
Any list of the best Belgian food should start with moules-frites, Belgium’s national dish, and a quintessential local favorite that you can’t miss.
Pairing fresh mussels with crispy fries, this dish offers the perfect blend of flavors and textures. It’s savory, hearty, and delicious, and it’s a popular dish to order while eating out in Belgium.
Much like fish and chips in the UK or a burger and fries in the US, moules-frites in Belgium is a beloved combination that you can’t go wrong with.
The mussels are usually served in a broth made from ingredients like white wine, shallots, garlic, celery, and fresh herbs, with beer or cream sometimes added for additional thickness.
Fries are always served on the side, and usually enjoyed with mayonnaise or another sauce. Although this dish is especially popular during the summer when mussel season begins in Belgium, it can be enjoyed year-round, and you’ll find it on the menu at most restaurants and brasseries in Belgium.
2. Fries (Frites)
Not just a side dish, fries – or frites – can be enjoyed on their own as a meal in Belgium. It’s common to stop at a friterie, an establishment that primarily serves fries and may offer other foods, for a quick lunch on the go, or when you’re looking for a savory snack.
It’s the ultimate street food in Belgium, commonly served in a paper cone with your choice of condiments, including mayonnaise, ketchup, or Andalouse sauce, a spicy mixture of both. Belgian fries are usually hand-sliced, thick-cut, and double-fried, leading to a crispy golden exterior with a soft and fluffy interior.
Some friteries also offer dishes like brochettes (meat skewers) or Belgian meatballs to pair with your cone of frites, but you can also just enjoy the fries on their own. This is a popular food to enjoy at any time of day, and many friteries in Belgium are open late to serve late-night revelers.
Main Courses of Belgian Cuisine
If you’re looking for something a little more substantial than fries, let’s take a look at the most popular main dishes that you can order for lunch or dinner at a restaurant in Belgium.
These traditional Belgian dishes often draw from French culinary finesse and Dutch heartiness, blending the two influences in a way that is uniquely Belgian.
3. Waterzooi
Waterzooi is a delicious dish that originated in the Dutch-speaking city of Ghent, Belgium. Translating to boiled water in English, this dish is more complex and flavorful than what its name hints at.
It’s a tasty stew that features chicken simmered in a broth consisting of vegetables like carrots, celery, leeks, and potatoes. The broth is then thickened with egg yolks and cream to result in a silky, hearty flavor that perfectly complements the delicate, tenderly boiled chicken.
Sometimes you will also see this dish made with fish instead of chicken, which was how it was traditionally prepared. According to legend, waterzooi with fish was a favorite dish of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who ruled during the 16th century.
Waterzooi is typically served with a thick, crusty slice of bread, perfect for soaking up the broth. This is a dish you can enjoy year-round, but it’s especially comforting on a cold winter day.
4. Flemish Beef Stew (Stoofvlees)
Stoofvlees is a Belgian dish drawing from Flemish culinary tradition. Known as carbonnade flamande in French, this beef stew is a major staple of Belgian comfort foods, and it’s another must-try dish, perfect if you’re visiting Belgium during the colder months and want something warm and filling.
The dish consists of tender chunks of beef braised slowly in dark Belgian beer, which creates a deep, malty flavor. Onions, thyme, bay leaves, and a hint of mustard are also added to the stew for additional flavor and complexity.
What makes this dish extremely hearty is that the stew is almost always served on top of a generous portion of frites. The thick-cut fries soak up the juices of the stew perfectly, making this a tasty and indulgent meal. There’s usually also a small salad on the side to counter the heaviness of this dish.
5. Liege Meatballs (Boulets à la Liégeoise)
Boulets à la Liegeoise is a famous specialty originating in the city of Liege in the French-speaking Wallonia region in the southern half of Belgium. The meatballs are made from a mixture of ground beef and pork, seasoned with nutmeg and allspice, and fried until golden brown.
What makes these meatballs unique is that they are cooked in a unique sweet and sour sauce that consists of onions, vinegar, and fruity syrup from apples and pears. The sauce caramelizes around the meatballs, giving them a glossy coating that perfectly balances the savory flavor with a hint of sweetness.
You’ll often find boulets à la Liegeoise served with a salad and a portion of frites, or occasionally stoemp, a type of mashed potatoes. If you’re looking for something simple yet satisfying, this is always a safe bet when it comes to Belgian main courses.
Snacks, Side Dishes & Appetizers
What are the most popular snacks, side dishes, and appetizers in Belgium? Here’s an overview of some other foods to try with your meal. Many of the appetizers are lighter and seafood-based, while side dishes tend to be heartier and potato-based.
6. Stoemp
Stoemp is a quintessential side dish in Belgium that you’ll find on the plate with many entrees in restaurants across the country. It’s similar to mashed potatoes, but mixed with other mashed vegetables like carrots, leeks, spinach, or cabbage.
This makes it more complex and less one-note than basic mashed potatoes, and it’s a hearty accompaniment to any meal.
Depending on the style of preparation, stoemp might have a smooth, creamy texture or a more chunky, rustic consistency. Stoemp is a dish that makes the most out of local seasonal vegetables and offers a comforting flavor.
You’ll often find stoemp served alongside food like boulets à la Liegeoise, or Belgian sausages. Much like how meatloaf and mashed potatoes are a popular combination in the US, meatballs or sausages and stoemp are a comfort food in Belgium.
7. Shrimp Croquettes
Shrimp croquettes, known as garnaalkroketten in Dutch and croquettes aux crevettes in French, are a popular appetizer throughout the country. Although you might not think of Belgium as a place known for its seafood, the country does have a small coastline along the North Sea.
North Sea shrimp are considered to be some of the best, known for being small and flavorful, and they are used in the preparation of shrimp croquettes. The shrimp are finely chopped and mixed into a rich, thick bechamel sauce, and then shaped into balls or short cylinders.
The croquettes are then breaded and deep-fried, resulting in a crispy, flaky, golden-brown exterior. Inside is a creamy, shrimp-filled interior. They are often served with a wedge of lemon to add additional flavor and a bit of acidity to balance the richness.
You can enjoy shrimp croquettes any time of the year, but they’re particularly good to order in the summer months during the peak of shrimp season.
8. Tomato With Shrimp (Tomate-Crevette)
Yet another delicious shrimp-based appetizer to try is tomate-crevette, or tomato with shrimp. As the name suggests, this is a dish that blends fresh, juicy tomatoes with a creamy shrimp salad.
Tomate-crevette consists of hollowed-out ripe tomatoes filled with a mixture of North Sea shrimp, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
If you’re looking for something lighter than the deep-fried shrimp croquettes, this is a great choice. It’s light and refreshing, ideally enjoyed outdoors in the summer. The juicy and slightly sweet flavor of the tomato mixes perfectly with the savory, slightly tangy flavor of the shrimp salad.
Often served with a light salad, this is the perfect way to start off a meal in Belgium if you don’t want to feel too full before the main dish arrives. In a country known for its heavy, hearty cuisine, tomate-crevette is an alternative for those seeking lighter, healthier fare.
9. Endive Gratin With Ham (Chicons au Gratin)
When it comes to the best Belgian food to try, don’t miss chicons au gratin. This classic dish features Belgian endive, a slightly bitter leafy vegetable known locally as chicon. The endives are boiled until softened, and then wrapped in slices of ham, before being smothered in a creamy béchamel sauce and grated cheese.
The roll-ups are then baked until golden brown and bubbling, resulting in a gooey and delicious snack. This dish melds creamy, salty, and bitter flavors into just the right mix. You can enjoy chicons au gratin as a side dish or as a meal on its own, especially with stoemp or bread on the side.
This dish is a staple of home cooking in Belgium, and it’s a popular comfort food during the winter months since it’s warm and satisfying. However, you can also find this on the menu at many restaurants in Belgium, and it always hits the spot if you’re looking for something rich and flavorful.
Belgian Desserts
Belgian cuisine really shines when it comes to desserts. You’re probably already familiar with some of the most popular sweets, like Belgian chocolate and Belgian waffles.
But did you know there are actually different varieties of waffles in Belgium? And what about other Belgian desserts, like speculoos and dame blanche? These are the top desserts to try in Belgium.
10. Brussels Waffle
When the term Belgian waffles comes to mind, what you’re actually picturing is a Brussels waffle. This is one of Belgium’s most famous sweet treats, and it originated in Brussels, the country’s capital, at an Expo in 1958.
It debuted a few years later in the United States, making appearances at world fairs in Seattle and New York, and the Belgian waffle craze officially took off.
Brussels waffles are characterized by their light and airy texture, rectangular shape, and deep pockets designed for holding toppings like powdered sugar, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or fresh fruit. The crispy exterior contrasts perfectly with the fluffy, moist interior, and these waffles are best served warm.
Although tasting the original Brussels waffles is one of the top reasons to visit Brussels in its own right, you’ll find them all across the country, not just in the capital, including other popular destinations, like Bruges or Antwerp.
It’s a popular dessert at restaurants, as well as a street snack you’ll see being sold in small kiosks and shops. Brussels waffles are not overly sweet, so they provide the perfect balance to whatever indulgent toppings you choose.
11. Liège Waffle
Another variety of waffle that you’ll find in Belgium is the Liege waffle. Named after the city in the French-speaking Wallonia region of the country, the Liege waffle differs from the Brussels waffle in a few key ways. You’ll also see this type of waffle all over Belgium, not just in Liege.
These waffles are made from a yeast dough, unlike Brussels waffles, which are made from a liquid batter. The yeast dough gives Liege waffles a denser consistency, and they also have a sweeter flavor.
Liege waffles are typically enjoyed on their own without any toppings, although you can also order them with toppings like powdered sugar or chocolate sauce. This waffle is technically the original Belgian waffle with a history dating back to the 18th century, making it significantly older than its counterpart.
Both varieties of waffles are delicious, and they become an addictive snack while traveling in Belgium, perfect to enjoy during an afternoon break at a café.
12. Spiced Cookies (Speculoos)
Speculoos is a spiced cookie that originated in Belgium and is better known worldwide by its branded name, Biscoff. These traditional Belgian cookies are thin and crisp, with a distinctive caramelized flavor created through a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
The taste is similar to gingerbread or the popular pumpkin spice flavor, but not quite the same. Speculoos has an association with the holidays, and it’s a popular treat around Christmas, but these cookies can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
With its warm, aromatic flavor, speculoos is a simple dessert you can enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. The popularity of speculoos has also led to the creation of derivative products like speculoos spreads – delicious on a waffle – and speculoos ice cream if you can’t get enough of the flavor.
13. Dame Blanche
One more dessert to try in Belgium is dame blanche, which translates to white lady. This decadent treat is Belgium’s take on a classic vanilla ice cream sundae. If you have a sweet tooth, this is one Belgian dessert that you definitely won’t want to miss.
It consists of creamy vanilla ice cream topped with warm molten Belgian chocolate and a generous dollop of whipped cream. Although at its core it’s just a simple ice cream sundae, the rich Belgian chocolate sauce elevates the flavor of this popular dessert.
Belgian chocolate is famous throughout the world because of its rich flavor. A higher percentage of cocoa than almost any other chocolate provides Belgian chocolate with its taste, and it combines perfectly with smooth vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream.
Belgian Beverages To Pair With Your Meals
Of course, this list of the best Belgian food wouldn’t be complete without including Belgian beverages. As far as drinks go, you can’t go wrong with ordering a Belgian beer with any meal or snack. If you’re looking for something a little stronger, there are options for that, too.
Here’s a look at the best Belgian beverages to pair with your meals.
14. Belgian Beer
Belgium is renowned for its beer, which stands out from the crowd thanks to its sweeter flavor compared to beers from other countries. Belgians take their beers seriously, and if you’re a beer enthusiast, you’ll enjoy sampling the diverse array of offerings available to you.
Some unique Belgian beers to try include Trappist, which is brewed by monks at around a dozen Trappist monasteries around the country, and Lambic, which is fermented through exposure to wild yeasts and bacteria in the Pajottenland region of Belgium.
You can enjoy a beer with any meal in Belgium, and there’s a culture of pairing specific beers with certain foods. For example, Flemish beef stew is commonly enjoyed with a Dubbel, a dark brown ale with a hint of sugar and toffee, while moules-frites pairs well with a Belgian wheat beer.
15. Jenever
One last Belgian drink to know about is jenever, a traditional liquor that is actually considered to be the precursor to modern-day gin. Made from distilled malt wine and flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals, jenever has an earthy, slightly malty flavor, and of course, notes of juniper, much like standard gin.
This spirit dates back centuries and was sold as a medicine in Belgium as early as the 16th century. It’s a big part of the drinking culture in Belgium and can be found today in two different varieties: oude (old) and jonge (young), not referring to age, but to the style and production of the liquor.
Jenever is traditionally served in a tulip-shaped glass that is filled to the brim, and it’s usually enjoyed neat. If you’re looking for an authentic Belgian experience, order jenever at local bars and drink it on the side while enjoying a beer. You can also order jenever in cocktails if you don’t want to drink it neat.
Savor The Best Belgian Food With JayWay
If you want to taste the best Belgian food, checking out all of the country’s charms as you go, we’re here for you. Our expert trip planners will be more than happy to craft a bespoke culinary journey to enjoy not only with your taste buds, but with all your senses.
Born and raised in Athens, Maria’s passionate about travel and storytelling, a combination that makes her ideal for her role as our content manager.