What to Eat in Belgium: 15 Foods to Try
Belgium may be a small country, but its food culture is anything but small. From crispy fries and golden waffles to fresh North Sea seafood, rich chocolate and traditional dishes cooked with Belgian beer, there is plenty to discover beyond the country’s famous tourist attractions.
If you are wondering what to eat in Belgium during your trip, this guide covers 15 foods and Belgian specialties worth trying. Some are perfect for a quick snack while walking through Brussels or Bruges, while others are traditional meals that give you a better idea of how Belgians eat.
1. Belgian Fries
Belgian fries are probably the first food you should try in Belgium. They are served from small takeaway shops called fritkots or friteries, and Belgians take the preparation of their fries very seriously. In Flanders, fries are considered an important part of the local food culture rather than simply a side dish.
A typical portion is served in a paper cone and can be topped with mayonnaise or another sauce. The fries are usually crispy on the outside and soft inside, making them an easy choice for a quick Belgian meal while exploring a city.
2. Brussels Waffle
A Brussels waffle is one of the most recognizable Belgian foods in the world. It is rectangular, light and crispy on the outside, with a soft texture inside, and it is traditionally less sweet than the Liège version.
You can eat a Brussels waffle simply with powdered sugar, or add toppings such as Belgian chocolate, fruit, whipped cream or ice cream. For many visitors, eating a freshly made waffle while walking through Brussels is part of the Belgian experience.
3. Liège Waffle
The Liège waffle is quite different from the Brussels waffle. It is smaller, thicker and softer, with pieces of pearl sugar in the dough that caramelize during cooking and create a sweet, slightly crunchy texture.
You will often find Liège waffles at bakeries, cafés and street-food stands. They are especially convenient when you want something sweet that you can eat while continuing to explore the city.
4. Belgian Chocolate
Belgian chocolate is one of the country’s most famous culinary exports, but eating it in Belgium is a different experience. Brussels has a long chocolate-making tradition and is home to numerous chocolatiers offering everything from simple chocolate bars to handmade creations.
For visitors, chocolate shops are worth exploring even if you are not planning to buy a large box. You can often find dark chocolate, milk chocolate, pralines, truffles and many other varieties made with different fillings and flavors.
5. Belgian Pralines
Belgian pralines deserve their own place on the list because they are more than ordinary chocolates. They are filled chocolates that come in many shapes and flavors, and Brussels has a particularly strong connection with their history.
The praline is closely associated with Brussels, where Jean Neuhaus developed the modern filled chocolate in the early 20th century. The city remains one of the best places to explore Belgium’s chocolate tradition.
6. Speculoos
Speculoos is a crisp Belgian spiced biscuit traditionally associated with flavors such as cinnamon and brown sugar. It is one of those simple foods that visitors often encounter without initially realizing how strongly it is connected with Belgian food culture.
You can enjoy speculoos with coffee, find it in Belgian supermarkets and bakeries, or try versions covered with chocolate. It also appears in desserts and other modern Belgian creations.
7. Moules-Frites
Moules-frites means mussels served with fries, and it is one of the classic combinations visitors associate with Belgium. The mussels can be prepared in different ways, including with white wine or other sauces, while the fries provide the traditional accompaniment.
The dish is particularly popular in Brussels and along the Belgian coast. If you enjoy seafood, ordering a pot of mussels with a portion of Belgian fries is one of the meals worth putting on your Belgium itinerary.
8. Waterzooi
Waterzooi is a traditional dish that originated in Ghent. It is a creamy stew traditionally made with fish and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, leeks or celery, although chicken versions are also widely found on Belgian menus today.
The dish is comforting without being overly complicated. If you are visiting Ghent, trying waterzooi gives you a chance to taste a specialty with a direct connection to the city’s culinary history.
9. Flemish Beef Stew
Flemish beef stew, often known as stoofvlees or carbonnade flamande, is a hearty Belgian dish made with pieces of beef and a rich sauce traditionally prepared with Belgian beer. It is commonly served with potatoes or fries.
The combination of tender beef, dark beer and a rich sauce makes this a popular choice during colder months. It is also a good example of how Belgian beer is used as an ingredient in traditional cooking rather than only being served alongside a meal.
10. Shrimp Croquettes
Belgian shrimp croquettes are a popular seafood specialty, particularly in Brussels and along the Belgian coast. They have a crisp outer coating and a creamy filling made with North Sea grey shrimp.
The dish has a particularly strong connection with the Belgian coast, where grey shrimp have long been part of the local food culture. In places such as Oostduinkerke and Koksijde, traditional shrimp fishing is still an important part of the region’s heritage.
11. Tomato With North Sea Shrimp
Tomato filled with North Sea grey shrimp is another Belgian seafood classic. It is a simple dish made by filling a tomato with small, fresh shrimp and usually serving it with mayonnaise and fries.
It may look simple compared with some of Belgium’s heavier dishes, but the quality of the shrimp makes a big difference. Along the Belgian coast, this is a particularly good dish to look for when you want to try local seafood.
12. Filet Americain
Filet americain is a Belgian preparation made with finely minced raw beef mixed with seasonings and sauces. It is a long-established part of Belgian cuisine and is commonly served as a spread or meal, often with fries or bread.
The name can be confusing for visitors because the dish is Belgian rather than a standard American dish. If you enjoy beef and are comfortable eating raw beef preparations, it is one of the more distinctive foods to discover in Belgium.
13. Sole Meunière
Belgium’s connection with the North Sea means seafood plays an important role in the country’s cuisine, especially near the coast. Sole meunière is one of the classic fish dishes you may encounter in Belgian restaurants.
It is a simple preparation that allows the fish to remain the main focus of the plate. For travelers spending time in coastal cities such as Ostend, fresh fish and seafood are an important part of the local dining experience.
14. Tarte al Djote
If you want to discover a Belgian specialty outside the usual Brussels and Flanders food list, look toward Wallonia. Tarte al djote is a traditional specialty from Nivelles, made with local cheese, Swiss chard and butter.
It is very different from Belgian waffles or chocolate and shows how varied Belgian cuisine can be from one region to another. For travelers exploring Wallonia, trying local specialties such as this one can make the trip more interesting.
15. Cuberdons
Cuberdons are small cone-shaped Belgian sweets strongly associated with Ghent and Flanders. They are traditionally filled with a raspberry-flavored syrup and have a firm outer layer with a softer center.
You will often see them sold at market stalls, particularly in Ghent. Their unusual shape and intense flavor make them an easy Belgian food souvenir and something different from the country’s better-known chocolate and waffles.
What Is Belgium Famous for Food?
Belgium is particularly famous for fries, waffles, chocolate, pralines, speculoos, mussels and Belgian beer. But the country’s food culture goes much further, with regional dishes and local ingredients changing from one part of Belgium to another.
Flanders is strongly associated with fries, waffles, chocolate, seafood and specialties such as waterzooi, while Brussels has its own mix of waffles, chocolate, speculoos and traditional dishes. Wallonia also has regional specialties that are less familiar to international visitors.
What Should You Eat in Brussels?
If you only have a few days in Brussels, you do not need to travel far to experience Belgian food. Start with a Brussels waffle, try Belgian chocolate and speculoos, and then have a proper meal such as moules-frites or waterzooi.
Brussels is also a good place to try Belgian fries from a traditional fritkot. The city’s food scene includes everything from simple street food to traditional Belgian restaurants, so you can experience several different sides of Belgian cuisine during the same trip.
What Should You Eat in Bruges and Ghent?
Bruges is an easy place to enjoy Belgian chocolate, waffles and fries while exploring the historic center. Ghent offers many of the same Belgian classics, but it is particularly interesting if you want to try foods connected to Flemish culinary traditions.
In Ghent, waterzooi is one of the dishes worth looking for because of its connection with the city. Cuberdons are another local specialty that you are much more likely to associate with Ghent than with other Belgian destinations.
What Should You Eat on the Belgian Coast?
The Belgian coast is the place to focus on seafood. Fresh fish, North Sea shrimp, shrimp croquettes and mussels are among the foods visitors can look for in coastal towns.
Oostduinkerke is particularly interesting because traditional shrimp fishing on horseback is still practiced there, a tradition recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
How Much Food Can You Try on One Trip?
The good news is that Belgium is small enough to explore several food regions during one holiday. You can have waffles and chocolate in Brussels, try waterzooi in Ghent, explore seafood along the coast and discover Walloon specialties without spending days travelling between destinations.
You also do not need to eat large meals every time. Belgian food is perfect for mixing full meals with smaller experiences such as a waffle, a handful of fries, a piece of chocolate or a few cuberdons while exploring.
Belgian food is much more than waffles and chocolate. Those famous foods are worth trying, but the country’s real culinary character becomes clearer when you also explore fries, seafood, traditional stews, regional specialties and local sweets.
If this is your first trip to Belgium, start with the classics and then try something you have never heard of before. That could mean waterzooi in Ghent, shrimp croquettes on the coast, tarte al djote in Wallonia or cuberdons in Ghent.
The best part about eating in Belgium is that many of these foods are closely connected to the places where they originated. Instead of simply asking what to eat in Belgium, ask where each dish comes from and your food tour can become part of your journey through the country.
