country Essentials · 12 foods
Belgium Essentials
A considered first route through Belgium: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Belgium foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
12 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Belgium
Belgian Frites
Frites / Friet
Twice-fried Belgian potatoes served in a cone with mayonnaise from a proper frituur.
Belgium
Moules-Frites
Moules-frites / Mosselen-friet
Steaming mussels with Belgian fries, the briny brasserie pairing visitors should order on the coast or in Brussels.
Brussels, Belgium
Brussels Waffle
Gaufre de Bruxelles / Brusselse wafel
Large, airy rectangular yeast waffle with crisp edges and powdered sugar, distinct from the smaller Liège form.
Flanders, Belgium
Carbonade Flamande
Carbonade flamande / Stoofvlees
Flemish beef braised in dark beer with onions and mustard, served with fries or bread.
Flanders, Belgium
Waterzooi
Ghent’s pale creamy stew-soup of chicken or fish, vegetables, egg yolk, and cream.
Belgium
Croquettes aux Crevettes Grises
Croquettes aux crevettes grises / Garnaalkroketten
Golden croquettes filled with béchamel and grey North Sea shrimp, served with lemon.
Belgium
Filet Américain
Belgian finely minced raw beef seasoned for spreading on bread and commonly served with fries.
Brussels, Belgium
Stoemp
Roughly mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables and served with sausage, bacon, or egg in Brussels.
Belgium
Speculoos
Spéculoos / Speculaas
Thin crisp spiced Belgian cookie, the country’s named speculoos member of the wider speculoos family.
Belgium
Gueuze
Geuze
Bottle-conditioned blend of lambics with a dry tart sparkle, a Brussels-area beer tradition.
Brussels, Belgium
Belgian Praline
Praline
Filled Belgian chocolate praline bought from a chocolatier, where the shell and ganache are the point.
Nivelles, Belgium
Tarte al d'jote
Nivelles savoury tart filled with chard, cheese, and butter, a distinctive Walloon city specialty.