1 day in Brussels
 

I will be in Brussels for 6 hours and would love to have your opinion on:

1. What to see?

2. Where to have a great lunch in a non -touristy restaurant.

3. Any insider recs while there for beer, chocolate or those places which make the short stay memorable?

4. Any thoughts about what to see on the drive to Maastricht?

Thank you

what to see depends entirely on what you are interested in !
i guess you will be going to the antiques fair in maastricht, so, if you are interested in even more, you might want to see the sablon area with its antique shops; and buy some chocolate at marcoletti...
alternatively you can stroll to the grand place, sample some beer in the "roi d'espagne" on the corner with rue au beure, then walk up to the cathedral and down to the belga queen on rue fossé aux loups for a lunch, or walk from the grand place to the bourse and to rue dansaert (the new upmarket area in downtown brussels) to have lunch in "chez marius" on the place ste catherine... (the former harbour area with fish restaurants)...
If you like music, you could also visit the musical instruments museum and enjoy the art nouveau style building, and enjoy a cup of coffee from the top floor cafetaria...

on the drive to Maastricht, there is very little to see on the motorway i'm afraid !
if you like the countryside, the voeren area close to the dutch border in belgium is nice.

there are many chocolate shops...all the brands taste distinctively different... ranging from cheaper leonidas to more expensive godiva-neuheus-marcoletti...

Thank you.

Which of the 2 restaurants would you recommend?

I am driving in from the airport, any recommendations on what to do and where to park?

Thanks again!

it takes, depending on the traffic, about half an hour to get into town... However I would leave the luggage at the airport and only pick up the car when leaving for Maastricht. I would take the train into brussels central station. it takes no more than 20 mins; from the train station in the airport and you arrive right in the center of the city near all sights. You won't have the trouble finding parking space..., and it will be more conventient for someone who doesn't know the city to drive from the airport straight to the motorway, and it will take less time ! there are 3 to 4 trains, so you hardly have to wait. train tickets are not expensive.

I don't know what you like - chez marius is cosy, the belga queen is the more trendy place ...

Thank you

Hello: Have you heard of "La Mort Subite" for a beer? Or La Bonne Humeure" for Lunch on mussels?

Thank you

La Mort Subite is a fantastic experience (IMHO better than the Roi D'Espagne). I _think_ you an eat bar food there too.

I don't know La Bonne Humeure, sorry

I don't know la bonne humeure...
chez leon is popular (and excellent) for its mussels.

there are many places to have a beer ! the fallstaff is an old brussels pub as well with a typical interior you may like. it is left of the bourse when walking from the grand place.

I would head strainght for the Grand Place and just walk around the area. There is a place there called 'T KELDERKE (Grand-Place 15). Your best bet for local food (try beef in beer, muscles in beer and snails) and the beer selection is great. It's in a tourist location, but the place is truly great. The only one we came back to several times.
If you have extra money to blow- go to
Comme chez Soi. Rated as the best restaurant in town with its famous chef. Super French food. It's truly worth the money. Like a great culinary show. There is a nice pavilion attached to the kitchen- so ask for a table in the kitchen and watch the chef! Reservations recommeneded few month in advance, but we called in the morning and got a table for lunch (low season), so you never know.