Chocolate, waffles and fries: three words the whole world instantly links with Belgium. Yet behind these seemingly simple treats lies a surprisingly rich history of invention, craftsmanship and regional pride. To taste Belgium is to discover a cuisine that is both down-to-earth and refined, where a paper cone of fries bought in the street can hold as much love as a hand-crafted praline in an elegant chocolate shop.
The praline: a Belgian invention from 1912
The filled chocolate, called a praline in Belgium, was invented in 1912 by Jean Neuhaus in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries in Brussels. His family originally ran a pharmacy there, where medicines were coated in chocolate. Jean had the idea of filling the chocolate with cream, praline paste and other soft centres, thereby creating an entirely new genre. His wife Louise Agostini soon afterwards designed the protective little box, the ballotin, that kept the fragile pralines safe.
Today Belgium boasts many famous houses:
- Neuhaus — the birthplace of the praline, still located in the galleries.
- Godiva — founded in Brussels in 1926, known around the world.
- Leonidas — accessible quality for everyone.
- Pierre Marcolini — the master chocolatier who works like a couturier, from bean to bar.
- Galler — a Walloon house holding a royal warrant.
Alongside these names, artisanal workshops flourish everywhere, where chocolatiers roast and process the cocoa beans themselves.
Waffles: Brussels versus Liège
There is not one but two great Belgian waffles, and the difference is essential:
- The Brussels waffle (gaufre de Bruxelles) is light and airy, rectangular, with deep pockets and crisp edges. It is made from a batter containing whipped egg whites, served warm and dusted with icing sugar, sometimes with whipped cream or strawberries.
- The Liège waffle (gaufre de Liège) is denser, smaller and irregular in shape. It is made from a yeast dough studded with pearl sugar that caramelises during baking, forming a crunchy, sweet crust. This waffle is eaten plain, simply out of hand.
Anyone who confuses the two instantly gives themselves away as a tourist. The true connoisseur knows which waffle suits which moment.
Fries: the heart of the people's kitchen
No dish is as dear to the Belgian heart as fries. They are prepared at the frietkot or friterie, small stalls and shops that belong to the collective heritage. The secret lies in double frying: a first time at a lower temperature to cook the potato through, a second time hotter to make it golden and crisp. Traditionally this is done in beef fat.
A stubborn dispute with France surrounds the origin of the technique, but Belgians defend their claim with conviction: the fry as we know it, served in a paper cone with a fork, is deeply rooted in Belgian culture. There is even a movement to have the frietkot recognised as intangible heritage.
Fries are served with an impressive range of sauces: mayonnaise of course, but also andalouse, samurai, tartare, curry ketchup and pickles. The choice of sauce is almost a statement of identity.
More than sweets: the savoury classics
Belgian cuisine reaches far beyond chocolate and fries. A few essential dishes:
- Moules-frites — mussels steamed with celery and onion, served with fries. The national dish par excellence.
- Waterzooi — a creamy stew from Ghent, originally with fish, today often with chicken.
- Stoemp — a mash of potato and vegetables, farmhouse cooking at its best.
- Carbonnade flamande — beef slowly braised in brown ale, seasoned with a touch of mustard and gingerbread.
- Grey shrimp — the small North Sea shrimp, peeled by hand, beloved in tomato-shrimp or in croquettes.
Where to eat
To taste this wealth, choose the authentic addresses: a real friterie on a square, an artisanal chocolate shop where the pralines are made fresh, a waffle stall with fragrant steam, and a cosy brasserie for moules-frites or carbonnade. In Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges or Liège, these flavours are everywhere, each with a local touch. Belgian cuisine proves that the greatest pleasure often hides in the simplest things.