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Dining in Europe > Brussels Brussels is renowned for its chique restaurants such as Le Maison de Maitre and its cosy little cafés where you can enjoy anything from a simple snack to a three-course dinner. With so many places to eat, you ask yourself "where do I begin my 'culinary trip' through Brussels?" Perhaps a good place to begin is with a seafood restaurant such as Sea Grill. Brussels is well-known for its fresh fish and diverse dishes of mussels, shrimps and many other types of fish that you'll find in all the best seafood restaurants in Brussels. A special dish, a favourite with the locals, is Waterzooi. This delicious soup is thick, creamy and made from either fish or chicken. Despite being a soup, its honestly more a meal in a bowl and exactly what you need on a cold winters day. Now, of course you must have heard about the famous Belgian bonbons. Here, in Brussels the most delicious bonbons are for sale. Renowned chocolate-makers such as Neuhaus, Godiva and Leonidas offer exquisite handmade bonbons, made fresh daily. In Belgium bonbons are presented to friends and family members as gifts not only because of their taste, but also because they are always beautifully presented in a decorated box tied with a ribbon. Always the perfect gift! Bonbons are also the perfect coffee accompaniment, great for after dinner and the ideal way to round off a dinner party. Not only that, but they are really a great way to spoil yourself for a change. Besides bonbons, the rather famous Brussels waffle is a favourite with coffee or tea. These freshly baked waffles can be bought absolutely everywhere at street stalls, bakeries and are served in cafés all over Belgium. By the way, tea is always served here in beautiful little tea glasses, never in a normal cup like in other countries. Bread has always had an important place on the Belgian table. A typical Belgian bread is 'pain à la grecque'. Now this bread, despite its name 'Greek bread', has absolutely nothing to do with Greece. Years ago the bread was distributed amongst the poor, but now it for sale in most bakeries and is enjoyed by everyone. Chips, fries or whatever you like to call them, are the number one snack in Brussels. Everywhere you look you see chip stalls selling the most delicious hot chips with or without mayonnaise. This snack, mostly served in a cone-shaped bag, is just as well known here in Belgium as 'fish and chips in paper' is in England. Beer! For beer experts Brussels is really the place for you. De Belgians make beer in all different flavours and make a different one for each season. In summer the beer is light and fruity. A light fruity beer is the Brusselse Gueuze. Autumn/fall beer is somewhat heavier beer and is made by the Trappist monks, but take care as this is a fairly strong brew, with an alcohol content of between 8 and 11.5%. Belgium produces very little wine and although Belgians do drink red or white Port as an aperitif, beer is the most popular drink in both bars and restaurants. A high concentration of restaurants can be found in Grand Place and surrounding area. Primarily chic restaurants, but here you'll also find all sorts of international cuisine such as Greek, Chinese, Spanish and of course French. Another place where you'll find a lot of good restaurants is nearby de Broukére. For 'la crème de la crème' of restaurants you simply must dine at Chez Pierot, Les Quatre Saisons or perhaps Café D'Egmont. These are but a few of the chic restaurants in Brussels. Entertainment in BrusselsWhether you are looking for theatres, cinemas (movies are shown in their original language with subtitles), nightclubs, jazz bars, or theatre restaurants there is no shortage of entertainment in Brussels. For those with European bank accounts the TELETIB (+32 2 513 8320) reservation service is very handy. The service books and takes payments for various events. If you don't have a European bank account you can make reservations at the Tourist Office in the townhall. They are open daily between 11am and 5pm. They also put out a brochure every two months containing a detailed agenda of coming events. Brussels boasts six opera houses, the most grand of these is the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie. This opera house was fully renovated in 1986 and is now one of the most modern and dramatic opera houses in Europe. The Grand Foyer upstairs, where you can enjoy an intermission drink, has not really changed. The parquetry flooring and rococo décor has been retained, but the original ceiling in the main dome has been restored. For those who enjoy a dinner show there are restaurants such as Adagio, Le Beau Bruzell, le Black Bottom, Garden Restaurant and many more all offering an excellent meal and a floor show. There are many bistros all over Brussels including Ballon Nord, particularly popular with the billiards crowd, Bistro du Théâtre for theatre goers, Taverniers a unique original 18th century café that holds tea dances every afternoon, or perhaps the 20th century is more your style,in which case you could try Le Claridge which is a definite step back to the 1950s. Brussels nightlife does not end at the stroke of midnight. There are a number of late-night restaurants dotted around the city such as Le Loup Voyant, Café de Paris, Le Mozart and more. These restaurants are great for people who do not want to have to restricted by time when all they really want is a great night on the town. The people of Brussels really know how to enjoy themselves, so it is not surprising to know that there is always some event or other taking place somewhere in the city. During the summer months theres the flower carpet in the Grand Place which takes place every other year, jazz festivals, car rallies, exhibitions etc. During the winter the emphasis is primarily on the Christmas events, such as the famous Christmas Market held in early December, the lighting of the city square with Christmas lights, classical concerts similar to those held in Vienna and many indoor exhibitions. Of course there are also a huge number of wonderful shops in Brussels where you can purchase antiques, jewellery, the famous Belgian lace, the equally famous Belgian chocolates, books, crystal and the list just goes on and on. There are also a number of late night shops in Brussels, these are mostly found in the vicinity of Grand Place. They sell anything from groceries to books and tobacco. On weekends it is hard to know which market you want to visit first in Brussels, there are just so many of them. The bird market, held every Sunday 7am-2pm is possibly the best-known market and also a popular Sunday daytrip for the neighbours from Holland. In Place du Grand Sablon you'll find the most chique of flea markets. The market takes place Saturdays from 9am-6pm and on Sundays from 9am-2pm. Here, there's an abundance of the more expensive, nicer things of life, such as paintings, antiques, objets d'art, etc. Recommended ToursA walk in the centre of Brussels should start from the 'Grand Place' or the Main Market Square. If you want to get there by tube there are two close stations, Bourse/Beurs which stops at the old stock exchange. Follow the road behind the stock exchange up to the Main Market Square. Or if you are arriving by tube or train from Centraal Station/Gare Central you will have to follow the road down in front of the main entrance of the station. Pass the first crossroads called 'Europa Kruispunt' and on your left there is a little passageway that gives onto the Main Market Square. The main market square is the heart of Brussels, this is where it all started centurys ago. Face the building with in the centre a high sharp tower, this is the Town Hall, on the right you can see more amazing gothic facades decorated with statues and golden ornaments. The one on the far right, on the corner of the Market Square and the Rue au Beurre/Boterstraat is Le Roy d'Espagne. A very well known old pub going since years which makes this an ideal meeting place. If you are still facing the Town Hall you have behind you the Kings House or 'La Maison du Roi' here is the Museum of Brussels. Still facing the Town Hall you can find on your right the Brewery Museum and a bit further the Museum of Cocao and Chocolate. Right next to the Town hall is Rue de l'Etuve/Etuvestraat a small cobbled street with an abundance of small lace shops. Walking further down this road crossing Rue du Lombard/Lombardstraat you will discover this famous little bronze statue of Manekken Pis. Walk up hill on the Rue des Bogards/Bogardstraat and Rue des Alexiens/Alexienstraat until you arrive on the Place de la Chapelle/Kapelplein. When you are crossing this place you can see an old mediaeval wall, which used to be part of the old town wall in the 12th century. Walking through the Rue de Rollebeek/Rollebeekstraat you arrive at the Place du Grand Sablon/Zavel , the centre of the antiques in Brussels. Hundreds of old object ranging from the expensive to the bargains are here in a one mile radius. On the square you can also find world famous chocolatier Pierre Marcolini and the pattisier Wittamer, and this famous brasserie Au Vieux Saint Martin, where Bill Clinton signed one of the tables. From the Place Poelaert/Poelaertplein to the Place Royale/Koningsplein The closest tube here is Louise/Louiza, situated at the end of the Avenue Louise/Louizalaan. If you can resist shopping on this major shopping street cross the Boulevard de Waterloo/Waterlooboulevard and de Avenue de la Toison d'Or/Gulden Vlieslaan down the Rue de 4 bras/Vierarmenstraat ending up on the Place Poelaert/Poelaertplein. From here you have one of the best free views over Brussels. In the distance on your right you can even see the Atomium. Walk down Rue de la Regence/Regentstraat, 200 meters on your right you pass the Place du Grand Sablon/Zavel, where you can find the world famous chocolatier Pierre Marcolini and the pattisier Wittamer, and this famous brasserie Au Vieux Saint Martin, where Bill Clinton signed one of the tables. And on the other side is the Place du Petit Sablon you have a lovely little garden designed in 1890s surrounded by 48 sculptures each representing a ancient crafts. Just a bit further down on your right at number 3 is the main museum of Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium. Here you have two museums: the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Ancient Art. If you decide to walk on, the next place you get to is the Place Royale, were the first street on your right is the Hofberg/Rue Montagne de la Cour where you can find this amazing Art Deco building with inside it the Muziekinstrumentenmuseum/Early Musical Instruments Museum (to be opened 10/06/00). However if you decide not to visit the Muziekinstrumentenmuseum, cross the square and you arrive at the corner of the Parc de Bruxelles. There you have on your right the Palais des Beaux Arts or the Palace of Fine Arts, where there are constant changing exhibitions and on the other side the Palais Royal, the Royal Palace, with the Museum of the Dynasty. Now if walking all this way is not really your cup of tea, then the Metro is one of the cheapest ways to see Brussels. Everywhere in the city you'll see signs for the Metro with a huge blue "M" on a black and white background. There are 48 metro Stations in around the city. Information bureaus are located at Porte de Namur, Rogier and Midi stations. A lovely way to see Brussels is by horse and cart. These can be found at Grand' Place and are very popular with tourists. From the horse carts you can absorb all the wonderful atmosphere of Brussels and get a great view of all the lovely historical buildings. Dining in Europe > Brussels
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