Best frites on Earth: Chez Martin, Place Saint-Josse (Brussels), Belgium. Martin retired in 2009. Photo by Aki Kärkkäinen.
Lists are nice. I'm a big fan of "best of" lists as they help me keep things in one place for future reference. By viewing lists compiled by other people you can get new ideas and refine your own lists. It's fun and useful. This time, I've put together a list of restaurants in Brussels that I particularly like. This is not exactly a "best of" list. It's merely a collection of restaurants I've found to be good and not too expensive. In Brussels you can't have a bad meal even if you wanted to!
Brussels restaurants by cuisine
Belgian/French
- Le Khnopff, 1, Rue Saint Bernard, 1060 Brussels
- Restaurant de la Bonne Humeur, 244, Chaussée de Louvain, 1000 Brussels. The best mussels I've ever tasted.
- Met Jeaninne, 152/154, Avenue d'Auderghem, 1040 Brussels. Good fondue.
- Belgo Belge, 20, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
- Le Bretagne, 13, Rue du Champ de Mars, 1050 Ixelles
- Restaurant Saint Boniface, 9, Rue Saint-Boniface, 1050 Brussels
- Les Salons de L'Atalaïde, 89, Chaussée de Charleroi, 1060 Brussels
- La Maison des Crepes, 13, Rue du Midi, 1000 Brussels
Cuban
- La Cantina Cubana, 6, Rue des Grands Carmes, 1000 Brussels
Ethiopian
- Kokob, 10, Rue des Grands Carmes, 1000 Brussels
Greek
- L'Atlantide, 73, Rue Franklin, 1000 Brussels
- Plateia Aristotelous, 2, Place des Gueux, 1000 Brussels
Indo-Pakistanese
- Passage to India, 223, Chaussée de Louvain, 1210 Brussels
- Star of India, 175, Chaussée de Louvain, 1210 Brussels
Indus Valley, 37, Place Saint-Géry, 1000 Brussels(they're closed now)
Italian
- La Brace, 1, Rue Franklin, 1040 Brussels
Japanese
- Miyuki, 68, Boulevard Général Jacques, 1050 Brussels
- Izaka-Ya, 123, Chaussée de Vleurgat, 1000 Brussels
- Take Sushi, 21, Boulevard Charlemagne, 1000 Brussels
- Mitsui, 86, Rue du Prévot, 1050 Brussels
- Sakura, 1, Rue du Pont de la Carpe, 1000 Brussels
- Momotaro, 106, Avenue d'Auderghem, 1040 Brussels
- Hama-Shin, 272, Chaussée d'Ixelles, 1050 Brussels
- Yamayu Santatsu, 141, Chaussée d'Ixelles, 1050 Brussels
Kebab/Grill
- Chez Emir (Turkish Kebab House), 228, Chaussée de Louvain, 1000 Brussels
- Brussels Grill
- Nemrud, 216, Chaussée de Louvain, 1030 Brussels
Korean
- Seoul, 14, Rue Capitaine Crespel, 1050 Brussels
Lebanese
- Al Barmaki 67, Rue des Eperonniers, 1000 Brussels
- Reve d'Orient (Service Traiteur), 142, Rue des Deux Eglises, 1210 Brussels
Moroccan—Maghrib
- Le p'tit Chouia en+, 38, Rue de la Pacification, 1000 Brussels
- La Kasbah, 20, Rue Avenue Dansaert, 1000 Brussels
- Le Palais des Délices, 13, Place Saint-Josse, 1210 Brussels (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode)
Spanish/Tapas
- Tapas Locas, 74, Rue Marché aux Charbons, 1000 Brussels
Thai/Vietnamese
- Les Larmes du Tigre, 21, Rue de Wynants, 1000 Brussels
- Le 2me Élément, 7, Rue Saint-Boniface, 1050 Brussels
- Saigon-Bangkok, 36, Rue de la Pacification, 1210 Brussels (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode)
- Vietnam Express, 24, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
Belgian essentials
Fritkots
Chez Martin, Place Madou (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode). The best friterie in Brussels and in the world! Period. Ask for sauce mafia, and you'll be in heaven. Update: Martin retired in December 27, 2009 - a sad day for all frit lovers. Thanks Martin for your dedication and high quality frits, all the best for future!
Beer shops
- Le Bier Circus, 57, Rue de l'Enseignement, 1000 Brussels
- Beer Mania, 174-176, Chaussée de Wavre, 1050 Brussels
It goes without saying that there are countless other good—and better—restaurants in Brussels that are not mentioned here. Go find out yourself! Bon appétit! Smakelijk!