6 Belgian Foods You Should Try
Are you planning a trip to Belgium? Then you’re in the right place. I’m sharing with you all the best Belgium foods you must try while you’re visiting Belgium.
Belgium is known for its medieval towns and renaissance architecture. But for such a tiny country, the food scene packs a big punch.
Be prepared for delicious chocolates, thick waffles, and rich chocolate. Now my stomach is growling!
I’m so excited for your upcoming trip and I’m glad you landed here to get some Belgium food tips!
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Okay, let’s talk about those delicious Belgian foods….
P. S. Don’t forget to pin this article so you can revert back to this list when you’re in Belgium.
The Belgium Waffle
If you spend any time at all in Belgium you must eat a Belgium waffle (or a few). This suggestion is first for a reason! Words cannot do the Belgium waffle justice.
Belgium waffles are super thick and they must put balls of sugar in the dough because when you are chewing your waffle you’ll come across pockets of sugar.
Speaking of the dough, it’s very thick - it reminded me of a southern American biscuit dough.
We got our waffles plain with a dusting of powdered sugar as this is the way locals eat them. But at most waffle places you will be spoiled for choice with toppings such as Nutella, fruits, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, etc.
The Belgium waffle is a classic eat. If you’re visiting Belgium, make sure you grab one to enjoy. You won’t regret it!
Try these smaller thinner Stroopwafels at home!
Belgium Chocolate
I swear I wasn’t much of a chocolate person until I had Belgium chocolate. Belgium chocolate is so incredibly smooth and velvety and milky. Ha, I never realized how hard it is to describe chocolate before trying to write this! Think of chocolate you’ve had and then think even more delicious.
The chocolate I had in Belgium seemed like the ingredients were higher quality as well. While it was sweet, the sweetness wasn’t overloaded like it can be in chocolate in the USA. It was just sweet enough to have a few pieces for a snack or dessert without upsetting your stomach.
You’ll come across several chocolate stores walking around any Belgian town. Stop in, pick out something that looks divine and enjoy!
Mussels
I never knew mussels were a staple in Belgium until I visited. When I was in Belgium I realized they were everywhere! You would be hard pressed to find a Belgium restaurant that didn’t have mussels in their menu.
I had mussels in Brussels and Bruges and they were wonderful. There were different flavors you could try but the most common seemed to be steamed with a white wine sauce and lots of onion and garlic…mmm.
All the mussel helpings I saw were quite large but I always found room to order a side of frites. And the light main course of mussels paired perfectly with the hearty side of frites.
Belgium Fries
Speaking of frites, these are another Belgium food staple you must try when you visit. They are special because the Belgium way is to double fry them. Yes, you heard that right! Frites with a side of mayonnaise are the perfect snack while you’re walking around touring Belgium.
Alongside the frites, the other star of this duo is the mayonnaise. Forget everything you know about American mayonnaise. The mayonnaise in Belgium (and a lot of Western Europe) is more of an aioli.
Of course there are many flavors to choose from but the most common seemed to be garlic. It may sound odd to have mayonnaise with your fries but I guarantee you they pair with each other perfectly!
Feeling inspired to create your own Belgian dish at home? Check out this Cookbook of Belgian foods!
Belgium Beer
Full disclosure, I’m not a beer drinker. But I know Belgian beer is a big deal and that it’s some of the best in the world. The country may be tiny but they pump out a lot of beer - 20 million hectoliters a year. Bottom line, if you enjoy beer, you’ll have a good time in Belgium.
Some of the beers Belgium is best known for are Tripel Karmeliet, Chimay Red, Duvel, Rochefort 8 and Lambic’s. Be sure to drink your Belgian beer from an authentic Libbey Belgian Beer Glass!
Check out the bar Delirium, which has all the most enjoyed beers in Belgium on draft. There are multiple Delirium’s around Belgium and I’m sure there will be one where you’re visiting.
Cuberdon
This is a lesser known Belgium food favorite. But it can’t be missed. You’ll find them in all the candy shops and even some of the chocolatiers.
A cuberdon is a cone shaped candy treat. Most have a soft jelly-like center but you can also find them hard all the way through.
Be prepared for a sugar rush when you take a bite. We bought 6 of them and it took us 6 days to get through them! We had one a day and couldn’t handle much more because of how sweet they were! And the flavors were spot on; we tried mandarin, pear, grape and lemon.
When you’re in Belgium this is a sweet treat unique to Belgium you must try. I suggest grabbing a few early in your trip to slowly enjoy when you need a sweet pick-me-up.
Conclusion
Have I made you hungry yet?!
Make sure you take that appetite with you to Belgium! The only regret I have with all the delicious Belgium food is that I didn’t eat more of it.
What foods are you looking forward to trying the most? Have I left any off my list? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing your thoughts!
Don’t forget to pin this article so you can revert back to this list when you’re in Belgium.
