This June, seven of Brussels’ top chefs, including Luigi Ciciriello of La Truffe Noire and Lionel Rigolet of Comme Chez Soi, will prepare the ultimate in “haute cuisine” as part of the global Dinner in the Sky program, in which guests will dine at a table hoisted high above central Brussels. This fittingly symbolizes the culinary scene in Brussels, a beer and chocolate mecca with a legendary restaurant, bar and café culture that without exaggeration, rivals Paris. Gastronomy is serious business in Brussels--here are some menu highlights:
Like its name says, three Michelin-starred Comme Chez Soi is just like “eating at home.” Opened in 1926, this Brussels institution offers three private dining spaces, including the Kitchen Table, where up to 30 guests can watch the chefs in action while checking out framed celebrity autographs on the walls.
Another famed haunt is La Quincaillerie, a brasserie-bistro in the Ixelles district south of the city. A former ironmonger's shop from 1903, this atmospheric two-story space, lined with hundreds of small wooden drawers, hosts business meetings, parties and other private functions.
Beer is to Belgians what wine is to the French, and according to a December 2013 online report from Belgian beer writer Charles 'Chuck' Cook, one top spot in Brussels to enjoy the national brew is Delirium Café. With a menu “as thick as a phone book,” this lively venue, with three separate floors specializing in different types of beer, offers the largest brew selection in the city.
Chocolate is Belgium’s other signature pleasure. At Place du Grand Sablon, Brussels’ famed art and antiques district, Pierre Marcolini and Wittamer are among the most famous of Belgium’s nearly 2,150 chocolatiers.
Opened in 1893, group-friendly Chez Leon is the go-to for another Belgian staple, moules frites, or mussels and fries.
