Belgian dishes to try in Brussels: beyond waffles and frites
Brussels: Secret Food Tours Brussels
What Belgian dishes should you try in Brussels?
Beyond waffles and frites: moules-frites, carbonnade flamande (beef braised in beer), stoemp (mashed potato with veg and sausage), waterzooi (creamy chicken or fish stew), croquettes aux crevettes (grey-shrimp croquettes), vol-au-vent, boulets, and stoofvlees-topped frites. Wash it down with a Belgian beer and finish with chocolate.
There’s far more to Belgian food than waffles
Waffles, frites and chocolate get all the attention, but Belgium has a deep, hearty, beer-soaked cuisine that most visitors never explore. Brussels is the perfect place to dig in — comforting stews, creamy croquettes, and dishes built around the country’s other great export, beer. Here’s what to order beyond the obvious. To find the right tables, see best restaurants.
The savoury classics to try
Moules-frites. The icon — a steaming pot of mussels with frites. Eat it in season in Sainte-Catherine (full guide).
Carbonnade flamande (stoofvlees / stoverij). Belgium’s great comfort dish: beef slow-braised in dark Belgian beer with a touch of sweetness and mustard, deeply savoury. Served with frites or stoemp. Order it topped on chips at a friterie too (best frites).
Stoemp. Rustic mashed potato mixed with vegetables (carrot, leek, cabbage), usually served with a sausage or bacon. Pure Brussels comfort food, found in the Marolles’ old cafés.
Waterzooi. A creamy, gentle stew of chicken (Ghent-style) or fish in a light broth with vegetables. Soothing and very Flemish.
Croquettes aux crevettes grises. Crisp croquettes filled with tiny North Sea grey shrimp in béchamel — a genuine Belgian delicacy and a perfect starter.
Vol-au-vent (videé). Puff-pastry case filled with creamy chicken, meatballs and mushrooms. Old-school, generous, beloved.
Boulets / balls. Meatballs in a rich sauce (often the Liège version with sweet sirop sauce), with frites.
Chicons au gratin. Belgian endive wrapped in ham, baked in cheese sauce — humble and homely.
Filet américain. For the brave: seasoned raw minced beef (Belgian steak tartare), often with frites.
The sweet side
- Waffles — Brussels and Liège (the difference).
- Speculoos — spiced caramelised biscuits and spread, everywhere.
- Chocolate and pralines — finish any meal Belgian-style (pralines explained).
- Cuberdons — cone-shaped raspberry “noses,” a Ghent speciality you’ll find here too.
- Dame blanche — a classic vanilla-ice-cream-and-hot-chocolate sundae.
What to drink with it
Belgian food is built for Belgian beer. Pair:
- Carbonnade with the same dark ale it’s cooked in.
- Moules with a witbier or dry gueuze.
- Rich stews with a Trappist dubbel.
- Dessert with a fruit kriek.
See Belgian beer types explained to match confidently.
The easiest way to taste it all
Sampling this range solo takes several meals. A small-group food tour packs many of these classics into one afternoon, a food tour with a full meal turns them into dinner, and a hearty no-diet indulgence tour leans fully into Belgian comfort food. Then return to your favourites — now that you know what to order.
Frequently asked questions — Belgian dishes to try in Brussels: beyond waffles and frites
What is Belgium's national dish?
Moules-frites (mussels and chips) is the most iconic, but frites themselves, carbonnade flamande (beer-braised beef stew) and stoemp are all strong contenders for the most quintessentially Belgian everyday dish.What is a typical hearty Belgian meal?
A classic is carbonnade flamande — beef slow-cooked in Belgian beer with a touch of sweetness — served with frites or stoemp, followed by a waffle or chocolate dessert and a Trappist or amber beer. Stoemp with sausage and vol-au-vent are other filling local favourites.
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