From street food to dining with the locals: a few suggestions for meals to remember in Belgium

You want Mexican, Indian or brunch in Brussels? Or maybe you want to learn how to make your own cheese? Curious about all these food trucks you're seeing around the city? Read on for some of Belgium's alternative dining options.

Bookalokal

In 2012, US expat Evelyne White decided to take the plunge. She gave up a stable, well-paid job in finance to focus on expanding a casual supper club among friends into a bigger venture, and Bookalokal was born. Two years later, she has expanded the concept to Washington and her native New York, and she’s got Amsterdam and Boston in her sights.

Bookalokal is a network of food-lovers who offer meals, cooking classes, workshops and tours to locals and tourists alike, with the aim of connecting through a shared love. At the time of writing, there were more than 300 hosts, with thousands of satisfied customers.

A craft beer crawl, a Mexican or south Indian feast, beer pairing, an American brunch, murder mystery dinner, high tea, Turkish, Portuguese, Breton, Malaysian, Hungarian, gluten-free… You name it, a Bookalokal host can provide it.

“It’s a really nice community,” White says. “Most of the events are in people’s homes, but we’re trying to mix it up a little bit with tours and events in small shops and other local, intimate settings outside a person’s home.

“There are three things that have to be true for events to be listed on our site,” she explains. “One, it has to have a gourmet element – food, wine, beer, something you can taste. Secondly, the host has to be a part of the experience. Even if they’re not eating with you at the table, they should be there talking to you about their interests and why this is important to them. The third is that it should be a private event; you can’t just sell tickets on the street.”

Each host has been carefully vetted, and their listing on the website clearly states what you can expect from an evening with them: how much it costs (all payment is done at the time of booking, so there’s no awkwardness at the end of the night), how many people they can accommodate, and a little about themselves and their passions.

“The lasting connections you make through Bookalokal are what make it so special,” White believes. “You just don’t get that in a restaurant.”

The good life

Another expat who gave up the day job to follow her passions is Debbie Quinn, from England. Having had enough of life managing a team of social workers in the Netherlands, she and her husband, Stuart, bought a smallholding in the Flemish countryside and taught themselves how to live off the land. That knowledge they now pass on to others keen to get back to basics, through a series of popular workshops.

Chez Quinn you can learn how to make cheese using milk from her goats (her pride and joy), chutneys from the veg in her garden and chorizo from her own Mangaliza pigs. Or how about an edible walk: a guided stroll during which you learn what you can safely pick and eat – nettles, dandelions, elderflowers – then turn your harvest into something delicious back at the farmhouse.

Less hands-on but no less entertaining are her evening meals, catering for up to 10 people. A typical menu might include goat’s cheese, soup with homemade bread, coq au vin, ice cream, wine and great company. Eat, drink and be merry, and go home having made a bunch of new friends.

And if you just can’t get enough of the cheese, Debbie has set up a Community Supported Agriculture project in which you pay her costs and each month she delivers a selection of handmade cheese. So you can pig out safe in the knowledge you’re making a contribution to a more sustainable way of life.

Call 0499.71.76.79 or email qu1nny@telenet.be

Cuisine de Flore

Parisian Flore Pincemin set up her cookery school La Cuisine de Flore in Brussels in 2008, based on a love of cooking that was inspired by her grandmother and refined by training at the Ritz. The atelier has since expanded to include wine experts and another chef, and courses go beyond simply preparing an evening meal: why not try molecular cuisine, sushi, wine tasting, kids and parent sessions, cooking with chocolate, competitive cooking, private parties and teambuilding evenings. The classes are all about mucking in, from chopping vegetables and stirring sauces to setting the table and pouring the wine as you all sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Classes at the well-equipped Ixelles atelier can be given in English, French or Dutch, by a team of friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic hosts.

Call 0472.01.44.86 or email info@lacuisinedeflore.com

Food trucks

The hipster food truck has well and truly arrived in Brussels. And we’re not talking the humble fritkot or waffle van, oh no. Instead, think Breton crepes and artisanal pizza at the Saint-Gilles and Châtelain evening markets, or champagne and oysters at Flagey and Midi each weekend. One of the pioneers of the genre is Keep On Toasting, which has been serving smartened-up toasted sandwiches around the city since late 2012; SinStreetFood offers Asian-inspired vegan and veggie food; and the giant pink ball driven by frozen yoghurt purveyor Mellow is the grown-up version of the ice cream van. And powered by electric bike, “nomadic canteen” Fourchette à Bicyclette delivers soup, pies, salads, lasagne, meatballs and more, with a focus on local and organic ingredients. You’ll need to keep an eye on the websites to find out locations. The craze’s arrival was confirmed in early May with the first Brussels Food Truck Festival, complete with the inaugural Food Truck Awards. 

Photos: Bookalokal by Rudolf van der Ven; Debbie Quinn by Filip Van Roe; Cuisine de Flore by P Loeffler

This article first appeared in The Bulletin's Best of Belgium magazine