What to eat in Belgium 🇧🇪 ｜ Tastes of the World

Whenever I tell people that one of my favorite cuisines in the world comes from Belgium, they usually look at me with a puzzled expression at best and like I'm crazy at worst. And with culinary neighbors like Belgians, it can be pretty easy to overlook this small European country's classic eats. But in today's episode of my Tastes of the World series, we're diving into some of my favorites of the delicious and oftentimes under-the-radar cuisine that you'll find in the small but mighty European country of Belgium. Frites. Before my first trip to Belgium, I had no clue as to why French fry shops were showing up on every corner. But here's the thing. French fries are Belgian. They were named French fries by Americans who frequented fry stands in the French-speaking regions of Belgium back in the day. Quite on-brand for us Americans. There's a whole museum dedicated to this, by the way, and it's interesting. Further proof that there is a museum for everything in this world. This is one of, if not the only, French fry museums in the world. Frites, done the proper Belgian way, are fried the first time at a cooler temperature before being set out to sweat. Then, they're refried in a hotter oil to cement that crunch and flavor. Throw it all in a cone with some salt, mayonnaise, and ketchup, and you'll never look back. Stouffles, or Flemish stew. At Café Vlissingen, one of the oldest continuously operating cafes in Belgium dating back to 1515, I dug into one of the Flemish region's most classic dishes. Stouffles, or Flemish stew, is a beef stew that's marinated and cooked in beer, onions, bay leaves, and thyme. It's a hearty, warm dish that pairs excellently with some classic Belgian frites and a crisp glass of local beer. Which, speaking of... Bruxa Zot Blond. Back in 2022, I tried Bruxa Zot Blond for the first time, and it was the beer that convinced me that maybe I could love ales just as much as I love stouts. This time around, I felt the exact same way. Tart, crisp, fizzy, and fresh, with notes of apple and pear, Bruxa Zot Blond is simply unrivaled. Belgian Waffles. There's a sweet, caramelized smell in a lot of Belgian cities, and it comes from one of Belgium's most beloved breakfast snacks. Belgian waffles get that sweet, caramelized aroma and taste thanks to the sugar within the batter, which, when it comes into contact with a scalding hot waffle iron, well, caramelizes. The result is a perfectly soft and yet slightly crunchy waffle. I tried one doused in hot, sweet cherries, and another caked in strawberries and Nutella. I couldn't tell you which one I loved more. Vissoep. Vissoep, or fish soup, is a Flemish staple with Dutch origin. A savory, broth-based soup, vissoep is a soup of fish stock, cod, mussels, and veggies like carrots, leeks, onions, and celery. Now that fishy flavor is balanced with a more savory garnishing of mozzarella and bread. You know, for a soup, this is actually super filling. Belgian Chocolate. Chocolate is a quintessential element of the Belgian experience, and there's literally a museum for it right here in Bruges. Bruges' Choco Story immersively walks you through the history of cocoa and chocolate, from the tropics of Latin America and Africa, to the ships of Europe, to the factories of the industrial age. Fun fact, there's a reason Belgian chocolate is among the most delicious in the world. Not only does it use 100% pure cocoa butter, but in the late 19th century, a law went into effect in the country that ensured that 35% of its chocolate would come from pure cocoa. You'll even see some incredibly impressive sculptures here made entirely out of chocolate, a lot of which are Harry Potter themed. A personal favorite. The enormity of some of these feel very Charlie and the Chocolate Factory level. Now, it's not a chocolate factory per se, but the culmination of the experience does end in a live demonstration of the process of Belgian praline making, where the rich chocolate is heated to a melting point, cast into fun shapes, and cooled before being filled individually with praline paste, usually a hazelnut and almond. Once filled, the process is repeated one more time to get that casing just right. And voila! Perfection. Naturally, with that delicious and high quality Belgian chocolate, the way the Belgians make hot chocolate is just better. Instead of using cocoa powder, Belgian hot chocolate is made by dipping and stirring a thick chunk of Belgian chocolate in with hot milk. The result? A creamy, rich, and thick dessert that essentially tastes like chocolate milk, but you know, hot. Stomp. At an old medieval-looking cafe in Brussels, I tried what may have actually been my favorite dish in the country. Stomp. This is a hearty, full meal of mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, and a sizzling, thick bratwurst beneath a sea of gravy. As hearty as this one is, you have another great excuse for a Bruxelles Art Blonde to wash it all down. Masselon Frites. We'll close out with Belgium's national dish. When the lid comes off that steaming hot pot, you'll find a heaping pile of squishy mussels still hanging out in their shells over a broth of celery, onions, carrots, and leeks. The steamed mussels taste as if they were freshly brought in from the North Sea, the broth is like that of a chicken noodle soup, without the chicken and noodles obviously, and the fries that accompany it? Well, you already know how delicious those were. These are of course just a few of the must-tries you'll find that really capture the overall taste of Belgium, and it's far from a comprehensive list. That said, I am certain I missed plenty of the defining eats in this small, storied, and multi-layered European country, so share your recommendations and favorites for myself and for one another in the comments below. To experience my absolute favorite Belgian city through all five of your senses, grab a snack and check out the full Bruges experience right here. As always, thanks so much for watching. I'll catch you next time.