Brussels Restaurant Suggestions for Lunch
May 31st, 2007, 05:29 AM
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Brussels Restaurant Suggestions for Lunch
We are a group of 4 adults & 3 children (ages 9,7 & 2). We will be flying into Dusseldorf and heading by train to Paris upon arrival. To break up the day we have decided to stop off in Brussles for a few hours to get some lunch and walk around town a little. We will most likely be arriving around 1:00 PM.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a good place to have lunch? Obviously we need somewhere child-friendly. Since we will only be there for 4 hrs. or so, it would be great to find a place that is near the Grand Palace but not <i>too touristy</i>. My wife and I ate at 't Kelderke right on the square, which we enjoyed and would go back to, however it was several years ago and I don't recall whether or not it would be child-friendly (did not notice such things in our pre-parent days). I was also thinking it would be fun to eat somewhere on the Rue des Bouchers (tres touristy, I know) but I don't know of any place that would actually have good food and not be a complete ripoff. Is there such a place or are all the restaurants here a better feast for the eyes than tastebuds?
I would welcome any suggestions others may have that would fit the bill.
TIA
Does anyone have any recommendations for a good place to have lunch? Obviously we need somewhere child-friendly. Since we will only be there for 4 hrs. or so, it would be great to find a place that is near the Grand Palace but not <i>too touristy</i>. My wife and I ate at 't Kelderke right on the square, which we enjoyed and would go back to, however it was several years ago and I don't recall whether or not it would be child-friendly (did not notice such things in our pre-parent days). I was also thinking it would be fun to eat somewhere on the Rue des Bouchers (tres touristy, I know) but I don't know of any place that would actually have good food and not be a complete ripoff. Is there such a place or are all the restaurants here a better feast for the eyes than tastebuds?
I would welcome any suggestions others may have that would fit the bill.
TIA
May 31st, 2007, 05:38 AM
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Chez Léon (the restaurant which spawned the Léon de Bruxelles chain) would be the obvious place to go on Rue des Bouchers. I think that children under a certain age eat for free, as we went there a few months ago with friends of ours that had a young child and her meal was free.
It's not my favourite place to eat in Brussels (mainly because I can't eat mussels!!), but it's certainly child friendly, with lots of typical Belgian food on the menu, and it's huge so you probably wouldn't have any problem getting a table for your group. And my husband assures me that the mussels there are great.
http://uk.chezleon.be/index.asp?ID=742
(just checked on the site and children under 12 do eat free if accompanied by their parents)
It's not my favourite place to eat in Brussels (mainly because I can't eat mussels!!), but it's certainly child friendly, with lots of typical Belgian food on the menu, and it's huge so you probably wouldn't have any problem getting a table for your group. And my husband assures me that the mussels there are great.
http://uk.chezleon.be/index.asp?ID=742
(just checked on the site and children under 12 do eat free if accompanied by their parents)
May 31st, 2007, 05:47 AM
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You can try Le Pain Quotidien. There is one near the Grand Place, unfortunately I can't remember the address. Le Pain is a chain restaurant, and the food is good. If you haven't been before they serve soup, salads, sandwiches and great deserts. They make their own bread and it is good.
May 31st, 2007, 06:05 AM
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There is a Pain Quotidien on the Place du Sablon, and one on Rue Antoine Dansaert, both of which are walking distance from the Grand-Place. Agree with nwtraveler that this would be a nice place to lunch (I love their salads!), though it can get busy at lunchtime so seating 7 might be difficult (especially at the weekend).
May 31st, 2007, 06:07 AM
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A couple of suggestions:
Generally, anyplace child friendly and near the GP is going to be fairly touristy. Nothing wrong with that! Leon, as Hanl mentioned, is usually fun and we eat there too once in a while.
You could stroll up from the GP to the Sablon area, plenty of choices there, just stop in wherever you see something that suits your fancy. I am rather partial to Le Cap Sablon, pretty, good menu, good prices and you'll pass it just before you get to the Sablon (if you walk up from the GP). It's not a family restaurant per se, but I have often seen families with children there. Photos and menu on web site (the English version isn't up and running yet).
http://sites.resto.com/capsablon/
The Flamant interior design store has a small restaurant that offers light meals. There's a Pain Quotidien right on the Sablon as well, also the cafe/restaurant with the big Leffe sign (I always forget its name)...I see families there lots of time. Le Perroquet, near the Sablon, has plenty of fans, although it's not my favorite place.
A (relatively) new option might be the Orangerie restaurant in the Parc d'Egmont behind the Hilton Hotel (an easy walk from the Sablon). A pretty park setting, has a children's special every day, light meals. It won't be nearly as touristy as the restaurants around the GP. I haven't eaten there yet, but will try it in a few weeks. Photos and info here.
http://www.restauration-nouvelle.be/...eng&ID=155
Generally, anyplace child friendly and near the GP is going to be fairly touristy. Nothing wrong with that! Leon, as Hanl mentioned, is usually fun and we eat there too once in a while.
You could stroll up from the GP to the Sablon area, plenty of choices there, just stop in wherever you see something that suits your fancy. I am rather partial to Le Cap Sablon, pretty, good menu, good prices and you'll pass it just before you get to the Sablon (if you walk up from the GP). It's not a family restaurant per se, but I have often seen families with children there. Photos and menu on web site (the English version isn't up and running yet).
http://sites.resto.com/capsablon/
The Flamant interior design store has a small restaurant that offers light meals. There's a Pain Quotidien right on the Sablon as well, also the cafe/restaurant with the big Leffe sign (I always forget its name)...I see families there lots of time. Le Perroquet, near the Sablon, has plenty of fans, although it's not my favorite place.
A (relatively) new option might be the Orangerie restaurant in the Parc d'Egmont behind the Hilton Hotel (an easy walk from the Sablon). A pretty park setting, has a children's special every day, light meals. It won't be nearly as touristy as the restaurants around the GP. I haven't eaten there yet, but will try it in a few weeks. Photos and info here.
http://www.restauration-nouvelle.be/...eng&ID=155
May 31st, 2007, 06:14 AM
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't Kelderke is not particulrly friendly, let alone child friendly.
On the grand place, my favourite is La Rose Blanche. I've seen plenty of kids there.
Rue des Bouchers is very touristy and is not the best food in Brussels.
You could stay away from the Grand Place and go to the Sablon which is a bit more upmarket and less touristy and is also not far from the Gare du midi where you will get the train to Brussels.
There are great restaurants there - but they won't have a childs menu.
For kid friendly and low cost you could try pain quotidienne which is also in the Sablon.
On the grand place, my favourite is La Rose Blanche. I've seen plenty of kids there.
Rue des Bouchers is very touristy and is not the best food in Brussels.
You could stay away from the Grand Place and go to the Sablon which is a bit more upmarket and less touristy and is also not far from the Gare du midi where you will get the train to Brussels.
There are great restaurants there - but they won't have a childs menu.
For kid friendly and low cost you could try pain quotidienne which is also in the Sablon.
May 31st, 2007, 06:16 AM
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By the way, what will you be doing with your luggage? If you plan to get off at the Gare du Midi (the most sensible choice as you will have to pick up your train to Paris there), you can use the lockers or attended luggage, right by the entrance to the wing used by the TGV/Eurostar/Thalys/ICE trains.
From Midi it's an easy metro ride up to the Louise stop (the third stop) and you also have plenty of restaurants in that area...along the Ave. Louise, near the Villeroy & Boch store is the Greenhouse, a nice place to have a light meal on a pleasant day...you can eat at the tables outside or inside. There is an entire block of restaurants just off the Ave. Louise in a pedestrian passage (rue Jourdan)...most of those are family friendly. We used to go to Meo Patacca regularly, again you can eat inside or out (think you can eat outside...we usually ate there in winter, so am not 100% sure).
From Midi it's an easy metro ride up to the Louise stop (the third stop) and you also have plenty of restaurants in that area...along the Ave. Louise, near the Villeroy & Boch store is the Greenhouse, a nice place to have a light meal on a pleasant day...you can eat at the tables outside or inside. There is an entire block of restaurants just off the Ave. Louise in a pedestrian passage (rue Jourdan)...most of those are family friendly. We used to go to Meo Patacca regularly, again you can eat inside or out (think you can eat outside...we usually ate there in winter, so am not 100% sure).
May 31st, 2007, 07:15 AM
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Wow! Thanks for all the great suggestions! I guess I should clarify that when I say touristy, I really mean ripoff - which all too often go hand in hand but not always, obviously.
Hanl - Chez Leon sounds like a great option. The other couple and their two kids have never been to Brussels (or Europe for that matter) so I think they would enjoy at least seeing the Rue des Bouchers, as there is really nothing like it anywhere in the US. It is good to know that there is at least one good option if we choose to eat in the area. The kids-eat-free part is a definite plus!
Lawchick - thanks for the heads up re:'t kelderke. I was leaning in that direction lacking better options. The Sablon sounds like a good choice for us as well, especially since it is closer to the Midi station where we will be coming in and out of and storing our luggage (BTilke - thanks for the info about the baggage storage. That will save us some searching). We don't need a kid's menu, per se, since the 9 & 2 year old eat pretty much anything and the 7 year old eats next to nothing, regardless of what is on the menu.
Hanl - Chez Leon sounds like a great option. The other couple and their two kids have never been to Brussels (or Europe for that matter) so I think they would enjoy at least seeing the Rue des Bouchers, as there is really nothing like it anywhere in the US. It is good to know that there is at least one good option if we choose to eat in the area. The kids-eat-free part is a definite plus!
Lawchick - thanks for the heads up re:'t kelderke. I was leaning in that direction lacking better options. The Sablon sounds like a good choice for us as well, especially since it is closer to the Midi station where we will be coming in and out of and storing our luggage (BTilke - thanks for the info about the baggage storage. That will save us some searching). We don't need a kid's menu, per se, since the 9 & 2 year old eat pretty much anything and the 7 year old eats next to nothing, regardless of what is on the menu.
May 31st, 2007, 08:31 AM
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Thanks so much for all this wonderful information. We wil be in Brussels for 3 days in July and need some suggestions for casual dinners as well. We are staying at the Amigo Hotel and would like to eat in the area if possible. Can we walk to the Sablon area from there. We love mussels and French food. Any help is appreciated.
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