Brussels Dining tips

Just some nice addresses from someone who actually lives here. Varies from typical Belgian cuisine (yes, it exists!) to Italian and other Mediterranean cuisine to Asian and more exotic dishes.

Most restaurants will offer main courses for 8-15 EUR, while almost all of them offer cheap lunches (5-10 EUR) or interesting evening arrangements (15-30 EUR). All prices exclude drinks, but these aren't very expensive in Brussels!

Quick Tips:

Most dining places are ok, but a lot of the cheaper ones are really great. It's only a matter of knowing which oine falls in which category. In addition, always follow the general rule: never eat in places where they display pictures of the food they are supposed to serve...

Best Way To Get Around:

Public transportation usually stops around 11pm-midnight, so the only solution is taxis (quite expensive: min. 15 EUR/ride), or to walk for as long as you stay in the city centre.

Very nice and simple grill restaurant. Well situated in a more residential area, mostly young people (age 20-40). The grill is located in the middle of the dining room, which gives some special atmosphere but also the tyoical grill-smell.

Recommendation: mixed grill or the Irish beef (each around 12 EURO).

Very spacious house in a residential area near the Woluwe Shopping Centre. It’s easy to find parking 100m down the road. Finally one of these restaurants in Brussels where you are not sitting on the lap of you neighbour, and where the other guests are not listening in on your conversation.

They specialize in three types of Asian cuisine, from the most subtle tastes to the more spicy ones.

Very good lunch at 10 EUR for three courses.

Nice Italian food without a lot of show around it. Open 7 days a week, and karaoke on Friday and Saturday evenings for those who like it.

Special recommendations for all pizzas (around 10 EUR) and pasta specialties (around 8 EUR), and several meat and fish dishes for those who prefer something more consistent.

Special menus for lunch and in the evening for 10-15 EUR.

Try the Sabaglione, which is freshly prepared in front of you.

All dishes can be ordered for take-away too, as in most Italian restaurants in Brussels.

Typical Belgian cuisine in a very uniquely decorated restaurant with the puppets of the famous Toone puppet theatre near the Grand Place.

The place is in the old village centre of Woluwe.

Try the local dishes: Stoemp-Saucisse, meatballs in tomato sauce, Waterzooi, Vol au vent; as well as some more exotic suggestions which are regularly changed on the menu.

One of my preferred places to go when foreign friends visit us.

The main attraction of this restaurant is the owner. Always in a great mood, and with some nice singing talents which he loves to share with his guests on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Some very typical Italian courses, which haven't been too much 'Belgianised' as is the case in most of the Brussels Italian restaurants.

Ask for a table in the garden when the weather's nice.

With some luck, you will also spot some famous Belgian television people, as the public broadcasting building (Walloon and Flemish) is only 300 metres away.

Typical French brasserie type of restaurant with the usual French dishes as well as a suggestions board that changes every week. It's possible to have a quick lunch, too, for working people in a hurry. Try the great Kriek beer from the tap.

This is a typical Italian restaurant, as there are approximately 10,000 in Brussels. The food is quite okay, though somewhat expensive for its quality. The staff, however, is much too noisy for me and not really the friendliest.

However, some people do like the atmosphere of almost sitting on the laps of their neighbours, as the tables are very small and almost glued together. It's not my cup of tea. It has to be said that a lot of the neighbours are 'known faces' from Belgian television and radio, as their headquarters is located approximately 200 metres away.

Pizzas and pasta are fine, but as mentioned before, they're somewhat expensive and not as good as those at another Italian restaurant just 50 metres away (Serenata--see other dining tip).

This is a very nice seafood brasserie, decorated with a nice 'sea-touch' combined with the French Brasserie style. This means that tables are placed somewhat close together, but this does come with the experience. The fresh fish is on display in the restaurant, and some of the dishes are prepared in the middle of the restaurant (charcoal grill).

The menu has a lot to offer, going from the typical Belgian mussels to different fishes and typical Belgian/French grilled meat dishes. Different suggestions vary from week to week.

Although the bill can be on the higher side, the food is always excellent, and a great busines lunch is offered during weekdays at very reasonable prices and excellent quality.

There's a nice choice of wines.

This is a very simple pasta restaurant (as the name says) where about 30 different pasta dishes are available, some very original (e.g. with chicken and curry) and others typical (e.g. bolognaise) for very reasonable prices: 5-10 euros per dish. It's a typical gathering place for the people working in the Colonel Bourg area at noon, though it's closed on Saturday noon and Sunday noon and evening. The staff is always very friendly, and there's an option to change the type of pasta according to your preferences with any of the preparations. Quick and efficient service.