19 foods to eat in belgium

1. Frites

Although these are ‘French fries’, there has been a long-standing dispute as to whether they originated from France or from Belgium. In Belgium, they love their dipping sauces. Most frites spots will have many sauces for you to choose from. Popular ones include Samurai sauce (mayonnaise, ketchup, and harissa or sambal oelek) and Andalouse sauce (mayonnaise, tomato paste, and peppers), similar to a Thousand Island dressing.

2. Chocolate

Although the cocoa isn’t produced in Belgium, chocolate is still a hot commodity in Belgian. It dates back to 1635, when Belgium was under Spanish rule, and the Spanish first introduced it to the country. Today, Belgium produces about 600,000 tons of chocolate each year.

3. Waffles

Belgian waffles have a lighter batter than American waffles. I was never a huge fan of waffles until I tried a Belgian one. They are usually eaten for breakfast or as a dessert, with various sweet toppings. There’s also something called a liège waffle, which is a bit denser than the traditional Belgian waffle. It contains pearl sugar, which caramelizes when the waffle is cooked and gives the waffle a crunchy/sticky bite.

4. Steak Frites

Steak and fries. This is another dish with disputes as to whether it originated from France or Belgium. Some consider this to be the national dish of Belgium.

5. Filet Américain

This translates to American filet of beef but it’s really just raw ground beef, similar to steak tartare. The difference between the two is the seasonings, and filet Américain does not have an egg yolk, and is typically served with a crusty bread, capers, onions, and gherkins.

6. Moules-Frites

Mussels and fries – another French/Belgian dish. The most popular cooking method is steaming the mussels and serving it in a white wine sauce. The best part is dipping the mussels into the sauce.

7. Waterzooi

A creamy, soupy stew that originated in Ghent, a Belgian town. Traditionally, it’s made with fish, but a chicken variation has become more popular.

8. Boulets

Basically just meatballs in tomato sauce. I’m not sure how this dish became popular here but you’ll find it on a lot of menus.

9. Carbonnade Flamande

Beef and onion stew cooked with beer.

10. Stoemp

Mashed potatoes with butter and/or cream and sometimes bacon, and veggies like onions, carrots, or celery mixed in. Usually served as a side.

11. Vol au Vent

French for “windblown”, the dish is a hollowed out puff pastry filled with savory or sweet fillings. In France, it’s usually served as an appetizer but in Belgium, it’s served as a main dish, and is typically made with a chicken filling, served with a side of fries or mashed potatoes.

12. Lapin á la Kriek

Lean rabbit in a stew made of kriek, a sour cherry beer.

13. Croquettes Aux Crevettes Grises

Grey shrimp croquettes. Grey shrimp are these tiny shrimp from the north sea. Another popular dish made with grey shrimp is grey shrimp stuffed tomatoes. Tomatoes are hollowed out, then stuffed with a shrimp/mayo/seasoning.

14. Cramique

Brioche loaf made, traditionally made with raisins.

15. Belgian Beer.

You can’t go to Belgium and not have a beer (or six). Production dates back to the 3rd century AD. Belgium produces over 1,500 different types of beers. This site has some pretty fun facts about Belgian beer.