Restaurants & dining – All our local tips

You’re hungry like a bear or eager to score a meat overdose? Head for the best rib thing in town, Amadeo.

To tell you a little secret, I personally don’t like spare ribs at all, but when asked to accompany friends or family to this charming all-you-can-eat ribplace I don’t have to hesitate a single second. It’s a pleasure already only to sit and absorb the unique atmosphere created by the walls made out of books and jazzy thirties music. I usually go for a steak or grilled shrimps and wait for my friends when order again and again and even more.

Also worth mentioning are the boiled potatoes delivered with a delicious sauce and the enjoyable house wine that gets billed per consumed finger. There is a big bottle on the table and they just measure how much you drank.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Amadeo | Restaurants (Spareribs) | All you can eat ribs € 13.50
Sint-Katelijnestraat 26 – 28 | Center | +3225025137
Mon – Thu 18:30 – 23:00, Fri – Sun 18:00 – 23:30

Another one of those typical places (and it’s vegetarian!) which are always pretty packed because the food they serve is very very good!

The list of quiches is never-ending and they are always served with salad and bread. If you can’t decide which one to eat, just go by the counter and check them out. Just be careful, if you pass in front of the cakes fridge you will not be able to avoid ordering a big piece of one of them. The strawberry one it’s just fantastic. If you can’t live without them, you can also order them take away!

There’s a good choice of beers (Hoegaarden served with lemon slice, just the way I like it) and tasty freshly squeezed orange juice.

The staff is always rushing but gentle, they will always find you a place! Sit at the ground floor or the terrace: service is definitely better there!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Arcadi | Bars, Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Quiche € 7.50
Rue d’Arenberg 1B | Center | +3225113343
Open daily

This is great if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat in the centre of town without breaking the bank.

I’m not sure if it counts as a restaurant, fast food joint or take-away – it’s a bit of all three – perhaps noodle bar is the best description for this small, family-run place.

The inside is spotless and the décor unfussy. There are a few tables inside and a small terrace that looks out onto the cafes of St Jacques.

The menu is similarly straightforward, consisting of classic Asian dishes such as spring rolls, dumpling soup, sweet and sour, black bean or sate sauces. The main dishes come with a choice of meats and are served with either rice or noodles. It’s not ground-breaking cuisine, but it is tasty and cooked fresh in front of you.

The portions are large and ideal to share. There are a range of beers, wines and soft drinks that you can help yourself to from the fridge by the counter. The service is always friendly and fast.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Asia Grill | Snacks, Restaurants (Asian) | Main dishes from € 6.00
rue marche au charbon, 98 | Center
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 22:00

This place might NOT be the typical Greek restaurant with Corinthian pillars and dancing waiters, but it’s definitely one of my favorite spots to score a typical Greek dish when I’m in the Midi region. No fancy inside, this is taverna style Greece.

Go into the kitchen to check out for yourself what this day dishes are – they don’t have a list – and two minutes later a huge portion is served at your table. Excellent stuff is the stuffed pepper and the moussaka, gets along very well with a glass of malamatina retsina.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Athenes | Restaurants (Greek) | Meal € 8.00
Rue de l’Argonne 22 | The South | +3225382113
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 22:30

I ask the waitress how many mushrooms they use everyday. “Mmmh, that’s a very good question,” she coos, doing a good impression of Jane Birkin circa 1966, “I don’t know …. but it’s a lot.”

The earthy tones and dark wood suit the cuisine in this small restaurant in St Gilles. It is dedicated to mushrooms, using lesser-known varieties and presenting them in unusual dishes.

The restaurant is on three levels, with a cellar and balcony overlooking the main seating. The menu is written on a blackboard up the front and a lone chef cooks in full view of the restaurant floor. There’s also ‘Buvette’ (a little bar) on the opposite side of the road and a terrasse which opens up in summer – though neither of those have been open when I have been there.

Last time I went in a group of seven and we had a selection of dishes and shared them tapas style – a good option to get wider taste of the dishes. Starters include foie gras creme brulee, crumble and waffles (do you see what they’re doing here?). I’ve tried all of them and they all worked – well-cooked, tasty and unexpected. The main course are slightly more conventional, but equally as good. Some of the dishes we had were Oso Bucco, pig’s trotter and some freshly-made pastas – all filled with the obligatory mushrooms. The mushrooms even sneak onto the dessert menu with mushroom flavoured ice-cream.

The restaurant was formerly a wine merchants and it specialises in Spanish wines. Each time I’ve been there we’ve gone with the waitresses’ recommendations and have not been disappointed.Expect to pay around €50 a head with wine.

The team is clearly on a mission to promote all things mushroomy, with other activities including cooking courses, a catering service and market stall.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café des Spores | Restaurants (Mushrooms) | Dinner & wine up to € 50.00
103-108 Chausee d’Alsemberg | The South | +3225341303
Daily

A nice bar where it is really wonderful to sit quietly on the weekend. It is a fairly small bar in the centre. It has a large terrace that is heated in Winter. It is located near the trendy bars in Brussels not far from the Bourse. There are four bars situated across one another, each bar stands on a corner. These are expensive, exquisitely decorated spots for lounging but in my view, what these bars flash in style, they lack in heart.

The one I really like is a little bit further from these popular places that cater mostly to expats or people from the French-speaking community. The atmosphere is much more quiet and relaxed than the aforementioned bars. I especially like the black coloured facade and the wooden chairs and tables. You can sit on the heated terrace for hours talking and watching people going to the previous mentioned upscale places.

There is an eighteenth century church in front where you will regularly see tourists looking up in amazement. The service is quick because most people go to the other bars. You can have salads or a main course and they have a large selection of cocktails that I haven’t found anywhere else. Inside there is a small bar and a roomier setting where there are some tables. Sitting on the terrace will be more rewarding though. It is basically a no nonsense and a preciously low key establishment. But sitting there will give pause and bring the desired peace of mind.

Most people will find themselves sitting there for hours, immersed in philosophical discussions contemplating the state of worldly affairs or reminiscing moments long since passed and mutual memories. This place takes your brain on a trip to larger ways of experiencing life. Maybe it’s because of the history of this location or because it is a truly tranquil place in the hectic centre of Brussels.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Gecko | Bars, Restaurants (Fusion) | Menu € 9.00
Place Saint-Géry 16 | Center | +3225022999
12:00 – 01:00 daily

A cinema theatre that offers you fresh independent productions is Cinema Nova. It brings an alternative, artistic and limit surpassing cinema experience.

Via plastic transparent curtains you enter into a brick wall hall way with stairs going to the cinema’s bar. This bar stays true to cinema Nova’s alternative side by offering not too common beverages at cheap prices. I recommend tasting their pear juice.

Sometimes, depends on the people working and the activities scheduled, you can also have dinner in a tranquil family like camping setting. Actually being there reminds you of being at an indoor camping site with various people hanging around in couches, having discussions at tables or performers singing or playing music.

Even if you don’t see a movie there it is worth your while to check out this laid back environment. It has something to do with the building and the reputation cinema Nova upholds. The public there can be described as a mixture of photographers, filmmakers, artists, philosophers and social engineers of various ages.

Every month there is a new theme that is being investigated. They screen contemporary as well as historic films. Nova also organises various festivals around particular subjects. The films are shown round eight and they also offer midnight screenings. On Thursday you can view short films sent in by Cinema Nova’s film creating public.

In short cinema Nova programs experimental films that don’t get the distribution or exposure they deserve. A living and strong political and critical minded group of individuals make this place a context to stimulate debate and create a strongly needed change in society.

To sum it up this place is one of the most worthwhile things to see when you are in the centre. A true pioneer in less mainstream entertainment.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cinema Nova | Bars, Cinemas, Restaurants (Fusion) | Meal € 7.00
Rue d’Arenberg 3 | Center | +3225112477
17:00 – 02:00 daily

In the upscale Sablon area, this small restaurant lives up to its quirky name (it translates as ‘And who’s going to walk the dog?’) with funky décor and surprising food.

Located on the pedestrian rue de Rollebeek – down the hill from the Place Grand Sablon – the large decked terrace out front enables you to watch the world and his well-heeled wife go by on summer evenings.

Inside is cosy, with the earthy tones of the walls and leather chairs offsetting the colourful nature-inspired art on the wall and tables.

A wide range of influences are evident on the menu – with foi gras, gazpacho, chicken in a mango and curry sauce and tongue with a Madeira sauce. Everything I’ve had here has been tasty and well-cooked, with unusual combinations of flavours that work.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Et qui va promener le chien? | Restaurants (European) | Daily menu € 29.00
Rue de Rollebeek 2 | Center
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 23:00

Two things can happen when you go to Felice’s, a tiny Italian restaurant round the corner from the Bourse (opposite Mr Ego). One, you have some of the best pasta and pizza this side of Napoli, you get plied with free wine and charged a small amount or, in the worst case scenario, you wait ages, it is freezing and the food is mediocre and overpriced.

Contrary to normal practice, this is one restaurant where it’s best to go when it is quiet, in fact, preferably when no one else is there. Most of the time it is a one-man show run by owner/chef/waiter, Felice (which means happy in Italian). When he is living up to his nickname, he’ll be singing along to the classic Italian pop that plays endlessly, regaling you with tales of his home country and gastronomic life, all the while pouring you some more plonk.

I’m not sure of the extent of the menu as I always have the same things when I go there – a quattro formaggio pizza featuring mascarpone, which is delicious, though not for the slimmers out there; or a tricolour of three filled pastas. He does do all the basic pizzas and will customise them as you want, plus a daily selection of freshly-made pastas.

It’s housed in an old hairdressers’ salon and, in estate agent speak, the conversion remains sympathetic to its former use. The renovation that has been done boasts a homemade feel which all adds to the charm of the place, though don’t expect anything swanky. And if it looks busy, probably best to give it a miss.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Felice’s | Restaurants (Italian) | Dinner & wine from € 10.00
rue des Pierres | Center
Daily, midday onwards

The world refers to them as French fries, although there is no population in the world that eats more of them and they are invented here, in this country. You spent all your money in chocolate stores and you’re running out of budget? Or you’re just looking for some quick and cheap snack? Try a typical ‘frietkot’ and head to Fritland, located in the tourist heart of the centre. Ready in a minute and you can eat them inside, outside on the terrace or as takeaway to enjoy your meal at the steps of the Bourse.

Wanna act like a local? Eat ‘french’ fries with mayo. And when you’re desperately looking for a bit of meat… try a mitraillette, Fritland has the best ones in town. No fear, no one will get harmed, it’s just a baguette with hamburger, lettuce, baked onions, cocktail sauce and – of course – Belgian fries.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Fritland | Snacks, Restaurants (Friterie) | Mitraillette € 3.50
Rue Henri Maus 49 | Center | +3225140627
Sun – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 07:00

Since at least 6 years an “after work” concept has entered into Brussels young community habit.

It’s an event on Thursday, starting at approx 19:00 and lasting not until later than 01:00.

There is food till 21:30/22:00, and then djs make people dance till you drop. But by 01:00, everybody is out; time to sleep to be in perfect shape for Friday work.

Havana is the newest club offering this concept.
With the summer season this club has open an outdoor terrace where is possible to enjoy some tapas, dinner or drinks. The party will be inside though!

The food is good (14€ main course) and drinks are affordable.

Happy hour ends at 22:00 and depending on the day you can get free tapas or other surprises.

A plus of this club is the free parking a few meters away. Why spend hours looking for a parking spot when instead you could be enjoying yourself dancing with your friends while drinking a mojito?

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Havana | Bars, Music, Restaurants ( Intern.) | Entrance fee € 5.00
Rue de l’épée, 4 | Center | +32493502396
Thu 18:30 – 01:00

In Brussels you can find cafes on every corner. Typical, busy, smoky, good or bad: you have plenty of choice!

However only few serve something local, something typically Bruxelloise. One of them is “Het Warme Water”, near Place du Jeu de Balle in Marolles.

They have a few wooden tables, some old pictures, and an interesting menu. Breakfasts, brunches, meals, drinks, buffet on Sundays. You just have to choose. Everything is prepared in front of you in the kitchen open to the room. What I like of this spot is the opportunity to taste some Brussels food, like cheese, salami, beer… and to spend there hours chatting without being asked to leave!

It’s also possible to book the upstairs room for parties.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Het Warme Water | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Bruxelloise) | Breakfast € 10
25, Rue des Renards | Center | +3225139159
Sun – Tue 08:00 – 19:00, Thu – Sat 08:00 – 22:00

This Ethiopian restaurant also happens to be a exposition venue, bar and concert place.

It serves traditional Ethiopian dishes served with injera, the bread like pancake that serves as an edible plate. You can choose between fish, meat (chicken, beef, lamb) and vegetarian. Next to this there is a large variety of salads to accompany your meal.

On Saturdays there is usually a concert or some other intercultural happening. The press has been bragging about this place everywhere which is another indication of its outstanding fresh quality and an extra stimulation for you to visit it.

The restaurant is located in a very inviting neighbourhood right off boulevard Anspach. The prices for the meals are very reasonable and relatively cheap. Afterwards you can visit other equally enjoyable bars there like Au soleil or Fontainas. This area can give you an enjoyable night out and offers nice clothes, shoes and gift shops during the day.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kokob Ethiopian restaurant | Restaurants (Ethiopean) | Meal € 20.00
Rue des Grands Carmes 10 | Center | +3225111950
Tue – Sun 12:00 – 22:00, Mon 18:00 – 22:00

One of the spots I like to go to is L’Auberge espagnole. Funny, when I’m making appointment with French speaking friends, they’re so enthusiastic as it’s the name of a very popular french movie. But anyway, all this don’t tell you why it is my spot:

Once, I went there and tried their Chili Con Carne… and loved it. So few time later, I came back with one friend and on our way I was giving her all delicious details about this Chili… hmmm we were so hungry! It was around 9 pm, we arrived and… bad surprise: no more Chili. They told us that if I wanted to make sure I have to come back earlier or to make a booking… (something I never do).

So one week later; here we are, now the three of us and it’s… 7.30 pm. And again… bad news; no more Chili!! I was so desperate and hungry and angry.. “How early is not too early to have this Chili? It’s before 8 pm?” Well they were sorry but couldn’t help.

After this, they can hardly forget me, and each time I go there, I don’t have to order.. they know what I want! But now, I’m regretting to let you know about this place, ’cause we will be even more people to order that dish!

About the wine; the place is a wine bar. I can’t tell you much about wine, but it seems they have wine from Argentina, and some other Spanish speaking countries. And my friends told me it was good.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
L’Auberge espagnole | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Tapas) | Tapas from € 5.00
Parvis de la Trinité, 10 | Ixelles | +32473315979
Tue – Sat 18:30 – 23:00

It’s the first place I’ve ever eaten in Brussels, so it’s a very special place to me. 5 years, and not much has changed!

Getting more popular by the minute l’Ultime Atome is a typical café restaurant in the heart of Ixelles, squeezed between the shopping street of chaussee d’Ixelles and the African neighbourhood in chaussee de Wavre.

It’s a great place to rest after shopping or drink before clubbing. It offers food all day long, and has a very good beer list (seasonal beers, trappist beers, regional beers,…). They also serve breakfast daily, but unfortunately only till 12!

I like the pot of fresh mint tea (with liquid sugar!) a lot. One of the specialities is the “chocolat chaud”, the hot chocolate which is served as hot milk and separate chocolate pearls which you mix at your taste. Not to miss is the “molleaux au chocolat” served with custard and the cakes in display on the left of the main entrance.

It has a dozen of tables on the terrace, a bit squeezed but great on one of those few warm sunny day. The staff is friendly, prices are average but you’ve got to pay for the loo.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
L’Ultime Atome | Bars, Restaurants (Café) | Beer € 2.00
14, rue Saint Boniface | Ixelles | +3225111367
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 01:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 01:00

I love this place: a typically Belgian one! Not because of the food they serve here -we can argue as Spaghetti ala Bologna became a basic dish in any self-respecting Belgian brasserie even though the recipe used in Belgium is very different from the Bolognese one – but for the simplicity of its service and the personality of its owner: Françoise.

She will welcome you properly: with a smile, a sarcastic sense of humor, a love for her customer, her good mood.

The place has other originality: it’s exiguous; on the menu you’ll find only Spaghetti (4 sorts) and you’ll be served in 2 minutes chrono.

The atmosphere owes much to all this characteristics and to Françoise herself. So you won’t go there because it’s the best spaghetti in town (even though the dishes are not bad at all) but because it’s the best place in town to eat them!

One day, I was very lucky: Françoise was in a good mood, the music on the radio was one of her favourite, so she puts the volume higher…and we started to dance… Crazy moment? No: Belgian moment!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Canardière | Restaurants (Spaghetti) | Spaghetti € 10.00
Rue Stassart, 17 | Ixelles | +3225122620
Daily

In Brussels you can easily find all kinds of food, but what’s missing in many places is the atmosphere. What attracted me of La Kasbah in first place was its window full of oranges.

As soon as I entered I felt I had been instantanously transported to Morocco. Dark light, low tables, lanterns and a good smell of food. Yes, this is the place for me I thought.

I always start with mezze. small Moroccan tapas including aubergines, Moroccan salad and spinach. I then continue with tajine, the lemon chicken and the prunes ones are fabulous. Be careful, they are burning when they are served!

To finish the dinner, I go for fresh mint tea served Arabic style, very very sweet and poured from high up. The service is very good, waiters are friendly and they will remember you if you return.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Kashba | Restaurants (Moroccan) | Tajine € 18.00
Rue Antoine Dansaert 20 | Center | +3225024026
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 23:00, Fri 12:00 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 00:30, Sat 19:00 – 00:30

Looking for a tasty crêpe and you don’t have time to go to Brittany or Normandy? We Belgians like pancakes too. The sweet ones are the most popular and widespread, most brasseries offer sweet pancakes as a dessert and it is a typical treat at children’s birthday parties.

Pancakes with savoury fillings are a little harder to find however. Maison des Crêpes is one of those places that offers both sweet and savoury fillings.

Enjoy your lunch/dinner or ‘in between’ in this cosy place with overfriendly service..and don’t forget to order your apple Cider… ;)

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La maison des Crêpes | Snacks, Restaurants (Crepes)
Zuidstraat 13 | Center | +322475957368
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 23:00

Opened 2 years ago, Mamma Roma is already one of the meeting points for quick and healthy food in town for any time of the day. The 3 shops are located near 3 of the main apero squares in town (Chatelain, Flagey, Jourdan) and they serve sliced pizza in 10 or more different flavors.

You choose which one, you choose how much and there you are: your quick dinner is ready. It’s good, really, I’m Italian and I have some knowledge about pizza. It’s cheap too. The “lunch” (anytime) is 2 slices plus a drink, and it’s just 7 euros! Also for take away, same price.

The only downside… it’s always crowded. I prefer the one in pl. Jourdan: it’s bigger and has a nice terrace.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Mamma Roma | Snacks, Restaurants (Pizza) | Lunch € 7.00
Pl. Jourdan 37 | Etterbeek/ Eur.Qt
12:00 – 23:00 daily

Metro stop Naamse Poort is the gateway to African shops, various ethnic restaurants, Italian, Greek, Indian, Pakistan, and Belgian cuisine. This is rue Nord, Brussels commercial clothes street converted into a more enjoyable area to wander in.

There are also a lot of African barber shops, clothes, food and jewelry shops next to HM, Zara and the usual pack of Belgian stores but this time in a vibrant and living neighbourhood. At night you can enjoy Brazilian, African, or other cultural happenings.

Further down the shop street right in front of the subway you’ll find a park to sit in front of the cities town hall, in Ixelles. Various bars and restaurants add to Matongés cultural offerings.

The Chaussée de Wavre offers mainly restaurants, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Japanese bars and several African shops. There are also various second hand clothes shops and other specialised shops. The prices for food, clothes, or other items in this area are fairly cheap. Be sure to see this area at your own interests and pace.

The most vibrant part of Brussels and the best experiences to be found are there.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Matongé | Art & culture, Bars, Restaurants (Different)
Chaussee de Wavre, Porte de Namur | Ixelles
Daily

There is only one place vegetarian to go on the Anspachlaan. This little restaurant offers the best falafel ever. A counter, three tables, a fridge with beverages and a large salad bar are the settings for a cozy restaurant experience.

You order your falafel and watch the skilled cook preparing it. Then you take your falafel to the salad bar and you fill it up with a nice assortment of vegetables. Do not forget the delicious white tahin sauce that goes with a genuine falafel. This restaurant is a wonderful change from the abundant sandwich joints in Brussels, here you can eat a falafel that’s definitely worth the name.

The people of this place are opening another Mr. Falafel at the Horta Gallery soon. Tasting their falafel will have you wanting more. Especially the fresh sauces and salads that are full of flavour and herbs. I know you’ll be wanting to return or ask the owner to establish one in your hometown. And these must be the nicest restaurant owners in town.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Mr Falafel-snackbar | Snacks, Restaurants (Egyptian) | Falafel € 3.50
Lemonnierlaan 53 | Center
12:00 – 00:00 daily

Set in the beautiful art nouveau building `The old England’, this museum guarantees a well spent afternoon. Various instruments, European and non European. are at display. Infrared headphones offer the possibility to hear extracts from the instruments you are viewing.

They collected a large sample of extracts for you to listen to, making a visit to this museum a feast for body and soul. In September until June concerts are organised there. These concerts make use of the enormous rare and ancient instruments in the collection.

Your visit is chronologically structured taking you to instruments and their sounds from ancient times until present day. Guided tours are also offered to give you a more thorough understanding of musical evolutions. Next to this rich collection of instruments the museum has a library where you can proceed your investigation of everything about music. It has a long history of collecting, renovating and preserving instruments that makes this museum extra spectacular.

There is also a shop where you can buy books, Cd’s and other music related products. Pictures and video extracts nicely put next to the instruments on display give you further insights. This is truly a museum where education, entertainment and conservation come together.

Finally the restaurant on the top floor offers a spectacular view of Brussels, the terrace looks out on the best of Brussels architectural jewels. Even if you don’t have time to visit this museum you can still visit the restaurant without paying for the entrance to the museum. But still, you’ll regret missing out on this extravagant temple of music.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Musical instruments museum | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (Lunch)
Hofberg 2 | Center | +3225450130
Tue – Fri 9:30 – 17:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 17:00

You already smell it, this is a place where you can forget the clichés of the typical greek restaurants you’ve been to too many times. No giant souvlaki on your plate, sitting between fake corinthian pillars while you’re being disturbed by bouzouki players bringing serenades at your table.

An typical greek ouzerie is a place where people come together to drink their ice cold ouzo and enjoy some often cold appetizers, called mezedes.  This mezedepoleio of course offers you ouzo, and has a broad selection of delicious cold and warm mezedes.

Fill your table with stuffed peppers, warm saganaki cheese, the cretan dakos bread, fried aubergines, meat skewers, keftedes meatballs and fish.

Jump into the world of the authentic Greek, Cretan and Mediterranean kitchen and select, mix and share your favorite menu.

Kali oreksi

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ouzerie mezedopolio | Restaurants (Greek) | An ouzo € 25.00
Chaussée d’Ixelles 235 | Ixelles | +3226464449
Mon – Sat 19:00 – 00:00

Few year ago, I friend of mine had a new colleague who came straight away from her homeland, Thailand, in order to work in Brussels.

My friend told me how difficult it was for this young Thai girl to feel at ease in Brussels, as she didn’t know anyone, and couldn’t speak nor French or Dutch. But the biggest challenge for her was to find something to eat.

In Thailand, she didn’t cook often: everyone eats on the streets… so it was challenging for her to cook, of course, but also to find all the ingredients of her preferred meals.

Yes, some people told her about the many Thai restaurants we have in town, but she didn’t find the “real” touch… If we were in Thailand, we would say that those restaurants are the ones for tourists. Or if they were good enough for a Thai, she said that it was not really “as if back home”. She was in search of something more ‘local’.

Then someone told her about the Chinese shops in the Centre of the city. She decided to drop a visit the very same day: hungriness can’t wait.

That’s how she found out the restaurant Pattaya surprisingly situated in the very fashionable Antoine Dansaert street…

She finally could eat something as good as her standards and she felt at home; and thanks to her, we feel like on holiday, and eating like the locals!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pataya | Restaurants (Thai) | Meal from € 15.00
rue Antoine Dansaertstraat, 49 | Center
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 14:30 & 18:30 – 23:30, Sat – Sun 18:30 – 23:30

Do you know this feeling? You want to eat this particular dish that you use to eat when you were still leaving at your parents’ place… but you know the preparation takes long, you’re not sure about the recipe and you don’t see yourself calling your mum (who’s not living in the same town by the way) to ask her to prepare it…

Fortunately, I found out in my neighborhood a snack offering salads, soups and… traditional Moroccan food! And I found exactly what I was looking for: the taste from my childhood.

Obviously, I’m not the only one: many Moroccans eat there as well. It’s true that in the neighborhood there’s a Moroccan community: and some of them use to go there to drink the traditional tea, have a chat altogether, listening to the traditional music…

Sometimes, I have the feeling I’m in one of the many snacks in Casablanca… and it’s even true, when the waiter starts to sing an Arabic song while serving everyone!

I’ve tried nearly everything and was not disappointed, but I especially recommend the “Tagine Kefta” (ask for ‘la totale’ with potatoes and eggs), the “Soupes de lentilles”.

Oh, and did I tell you? Yes, they have Couscous, of course!!!

Bsaha (Arabic word to say ‘bon appetit’)

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Perle D’Orient | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Moroccan) | Soup € 3.00
rue Malibran, 23 | Ixelles
Mon – Fri

One of the things I missed as soon as I left my Torino was the ritual of the aperitif. After work we used to meet in bars in the town center, and enjoy some drinks accompanied by free food, this is the concept.

And one day, walking around Brussels, I heard someone speaking my dialect, I turned around and saw “La Piola” aperitif bar in Brussels. I almost cried while ordering a glass of white Moscato wine and picking some of the food.

A few years have passed since that day, and the Piola is still running. There are 2 even.

La Piola Libri is a bookstore, wine bar, apero bar, concert/conference place for Italians or Italy lovers. The evenings with Guccini and Vinicio Capossela were unforgettable.

It’s nested in the European Quarter not far from Schuman.

The second branch, La Piola is just off pl. Chatelain (rue du page 2, Ixelles). It’s an apero bar, a wine bar and also a good simple Italian restaurant with a nice front terrace and a backyard garden.

Do not expect the variety of food you can get in Torino, but still I feel at home (you can even read La Stampa, the Turin newspaper).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Piola Libri | Bars, Music, Shopping, Restaurants (Italian) | Daily special € 10.00
Rue Franklin 66-68 | Etterbeek/ Eur.Qt
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 20:00

Place Rouppe is in the centre of Brussels and has several nice bars and restaurants surrounding the roundabout.

A new restaurant annex bar “Houtsiplou” has opened there with a very large terrace, they serve juices, salads, main courses and other beverages and snacks. The quality is high and the prices are low. The people who serve there are very sweet and fast. The high ceiling inside enlarges the place and the windows let in a lot of light.

Place Roupppe is in the middle of rue du Midi, with a great photography shop and two musical instruments shops (guitars and drums) and the Stalingradlaan. The Stalingradlaan has several Moroccan food shops and restaurants, two Moroccan bakeries, fish restaurants and coffee bars. This area is a wonderful entrance to the centre and enjoys a lively atmosphere with a lot of action going.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Place Rouppe | Bars, Shopping, Restaurants (Various)
Place Rouppe | Center | +32206268694
Daily

The Rue Jourdan is one of the places to be when you’re looking for a cozy street full of nice resto terraces in the Louiza Area. Located close to movie theatres UGC Toison d’Or and Vendôme (check the Vendôme article) makes it a good spot for a pre-movie dinner.

Italians are well represented in this street, Al Piccolo Mondo, I Trulli, Il Rinascimento , Il Vecchio Mulino… your pick!  Fancy French food? Try a Coq au vin in Le Délire Parisien or French/Belgian cuisine in Au Boeuf Gros Sel while Kwiling will feed the ones looking for Asian kitchen.

Take a look around the corner in Rue Dejoncker for other (and more budget-friendly) options such as Libanese and Vietnamese restaurants and a regular brasserie.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rue Jourdan | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants
Rue Jourdan | Ixelles
Early breakfast – late dinner daily

There are many good Italian restaurants in Brussels, one that I can recommend in the city centre is Rugantino. Whether you are looking for a pizza, pasta, risotto or carne, Rugantino has it all.

But it’s not only the food that counts, the reason why I fancy this place is more than the food the setting itself. The furniture, the big light, the inside balcony that gives a patio feeling, the waiters, the talkative boss… if you truly like Italian charm, you’re going to love this place.

One thing is true, you might have to wait a bit for your food to appear on your table, but who cares if you’re in good company…

Buon appetito!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rugantino | Restaurants (Italian)
Anspachlaan 184 | Center | +3225112195
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sat 18:00 – 23:00

Alright, it’s Saturday evening and you’re going out with a group of friends, you are hungry and longing for great food…but no one thought about making a reservation… Only a couple of steps away from the Grand Place there is already a solution to your problem, in Tapas Locas you simply cannot make reservations at all. Order the excellent sangria while waiting for a free table or go and sit right away if there are seats available.

Meat lovers, veggies, lot of appetite or only looking for a nice dessert, all of you can come along in this charming place. The menu isn’t limited to Spanish classics as costillas, chorizo frito, manchego and albondigas, there is also a variety of common Mediterranean food like Bruschettina, keftedes with tzatziki, spinache ricotta lasagna and with witlof and mussels they even have some Belgian specialities. No better way to finish the evening ordering one of the dessert tapas. The heavenly crepes, chocolate mousse or the pear-almond cake may start a fiesta in your mouth.

Each tapa costs 3.50 euro, the only thing that is mandatory is that they ask you to take at least three portions per person.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Tapas Locas | Restaurants (Tapas) | Per tapa € 3.50
Rue du Marché au Charbon 74 | Center | +3225021268
Wed – Thu 19:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 19:00 – 00:00

When hungry one should go to the street known for its Turkish pizza restaurants for lunch or dinner. The Haachtsesteenweg, at Saint-Josse, near the Botanique, has a lot of Turkish run pizzeria’s.

Their pies give a new meaning to what you know as pizza. Just pick one of them, preferably the one at the end of the street near Rogier street (Koçak), which has been renovated into a stylish and trendy restaurant. The lights are bright, the staff is quick and the pizza’s are one of the best in the area.

Another good one is more in the middle with a retro Greek decoration. There is even a fountain surrounded by white tiles and a bench with cushions in the waiting room (Metin, Chaussée de Haecht 94). There is an open furnace and you can watch the cook prepare the orders in the open style kitchen. The excellent quality of their pizza’s is known to every Turkish person living in Belgium.

Eating and choosing a Turkish pizza is not comparable to the Italian ones. There are round pizza’s and oval ones. The oval ones are specifically Turkish and thus recommended, the specific Turkish pizza toppings go better with that shape. You can also opt for a lentils soup or salad as a starter.

Usually you don’t see a lot of non-Turkish clientele. You are usually surrounded by Turkish families and friends. There is a fast noisy vibe combined with a tranquil familiar setting and a welcome innovation from your regular restaurant outing.

Afterwards head to the most exquisite patisserie in the area. Their pastries are craved for by all. From everywhere people come here to get the freshest and largest variety of Turkish desserts, made from honey, pistachios, almonds, walnut, pastry or other exotic ingredients. A delight and treat for all your senses.

The area is growing fast with new buildings rising like mushrooms and the advent of various cultural events taking place in St. Josse, and the pizza’s remain exquisite!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Turkish Pizza street | Restaurants (Turkish) | Turkish pizza € 5.00
Chaussée de Haecht 135 | The North | +323222184731
12:00 – 22:00 daily