Restaurants Overview

The Brussels restaurant scene is a lively mix of haute cuisine, hearty Belgian favorites, and food from all over the world. The top Brussels restaurants rival the best Parisian restaurants; so, alas, do the prices. But one of the joys of the city is the quality and value of its smaller, neighborhood restaurants. You'll find everything from tapas bars to African buffets, as well as excellent and affordable bistros and plenty of good Vietnamese, Italian and Portuguese restaurants.

Many of the most renowned, long-established restaurants cluster around the city center. Bustling moules-frites (mussels with fries) restaurants line the streets around the Grand'Place, while on trendy rue Antoine Dansaert there's a constant rotation of chic, eclectic eateries. Head to the commune of Ixelles, to the south, for ethnic spots and neighborhood favorites. The area around the EU institutions comes up short in the food department; there are many weekday-only sandwich shops but few restaurants of note.

Prix fixe menus are often an especially good bargain. Menus and prices are always posted outside restaurants. Don't feel that you're under an obligation to eat a three-course meal; many people order just a main course. If you don't want two full restaurant meals a day, there are plenty of snack bars for a light midday meal, and most cafés serve sandwiches and light hot meals both noon and night. And, of course, at almost any hour, you can grab tasty double-fried frites with mayonnaise for dipping from mobile frituurs around the city.

Local lunchtime starts at 12:30 and continues until 2; people generally take their time over several courses. Restaurants fill for dinner around 8 and stay busy for several hours. Although locals tend to take dining out seriously, you don't need to dress too formally; jackets and ties are required only at the most exclusive restaurants. Reservations are always recommended, but you can usually get a table on short notice. Many restaurants close completely for the months of July and August, when the owners and staff take their vacations. Check the Web site www.resto.be, where you can search Belgian restaurants by city and type of cuisine.