It is almost a sin to visit Belgium and not indulge in some moules frites, or mussels with fries. Yes I understand that not everyone is a fan of mussels but I absolutely love them! In fact, when I lived in New York, I was first introduced to mussels at a restaurant appropriately named Flex Mussels to which I became a frequent patron. My love of mussels has only grown so when I arrived in Belgium it only seemed necessary to try the dish that originated in the country!
When I first started my search for the best moules frites in Brussels, my searches were coming up rather difficult to pin down where exactly to go. Reviews online weren’t consistent and I struggled to pinpoint where exactly I wanted to savor one of my favorite dishes. And places for mussels come at no shortage in Belgium. In Bruges, they were everywhere!
I ended up at Le Chou de Bruxelles. Let me introduce this gem of a restaurant by saying that this was the best dining experience I had in all of Brussels. In the residential area of Ixelles, it was a convenient choice from my hotel Sofitel Le Louise.
It was a risky move to go without a reservation but seeing as it was rather late, it was a risk I was willing to take. Sure enough, the restaurant was packed but one little table was left. Do make a reservation though well in advance.
Getting down to the good stuff, the menu features a giant list of mussels in all different types of broths – about 20 variations or so. I immediately eyed in on the curry one. Service was very attentive and the owner was an absolute delight. Anyone who puts up with my horrible French is an amazing person!
Don’t forget to order a glass bottle of wine from their lovely wine list. Moules frites and wine… well I’ve about died and gone to heaven. Factor in how amazing the mussels were and I’m on cloud nine! Do visit this exceptional restaurant during your visit to Brussels!
Other amazing restaurants that were also on my list of top contenders that I feel compelled to share considering all the time I spent searching.
Au Vieux Bruxelles is located in Ixelles (the same area as Le Chou), but this restaurant doesn’t have quite as many flavor variations and is a bit pricier. However, it offers an authentic brasserie vibe and the classic French bistro feel.
Aux Armes de Bruxelles is also well-known for serving moules frites and is happens to be hailed as one of the oldest restaurants in Brussels. However, for that very reason it attracts a high concentration of tourists resulting in reviews stating the restaurant to be over-priced and the wait staff rude.
Fun Fact: You should never call frites in Belgium French fries because they are not. You are not in France therefore they are not French fries. They are simply frites!
Find It
Le Chou de Bruxelles
Florencestraat 26, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
+32 2 537 69 95
www.lechoudebruxelles.be
Au Vieux Bruxelles
Address: Rue Saint-Boniface 35, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
+32 2 503 31 11
www.auvieuxbruxelles.com
Aux Armes de Bruxelles
Beenhouwersstraat 13, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
+32 2 511 55 98
www.auxarmesdebruxelles.com
