Ask most culinary travelers where they dream of going in Europe and they’re more likely to say a gastronomic giant like France. Yet in nearby Belgium, food is king too. This tiny country is home to some classic world favorites: Craft beer, often brewed in monasteries. Some of the world’s finest chocolate and melt-in-mouth pralines. Waffles so light that one is never enough. And, of course, fries—not French, by the way. Fries—or, rather, frietjes—are as Belgian as they come.
Of course, Belgian food has conquered the world, but of course it tastes better on home turf. And although a trip to this small bilingual nation means tasting some of the best fries and chocolate of your life, you should make time for Belgium’s other traditional dishes, from moreish gray shrimp croquettes to carbonnade flamande, a thick, beer-sweetened stew that, incidentally, goes perfectly with frietjes.
We’ve rounded up 10 of the best things you can eat in Belgium, spanning classics and lesser known dishes, along with suggestions of where to eat them. You’ll find the names of the food in both French and Flemish, so you can order whichever way you choose.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
