Belgian Breakfast – When people hear about having a Belgian breakfast, waffles come to mind really fast as the best traditional breakfast in Belgium.
The true thing is, even if waffles are still a big part of Belgian culture, breakfast in Belgium is actually more dominated by potato dishes! Have some butter and cheese with that, and you can have a great start to your day. Click here to book online Belgium activities and day trips
In this guide, we’ll give you 16 of the best and traditional breakfast in Belgium to try so you won’t miss out on your visit!
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Let’s begin with our Belgian breakfast top list…
Belgian Breakfast – 16 Best Traditional Breakfast in Belgium to Try
Belgians love to have really minimal, savory, and mild breakfasts. Let’s look at some of the main meals and see the choices of breakfast in Belgium you should try when visiting the country.
Most typical parts of a Belgian breakfast:
- Bread
- Cheese
- Jams
Belgians love their potatoes – which is why they have various versions of it, whether it’s breakfast or other main meals of the day.
1. Belgian Fries / Frites
The main difference between Belgian Frites or Belgian Fries to your typical American French fries is that with Belgian fries, potatoes are cut thicker, made with Bintje potatoes, and cooked twice in beef tallow. Belgian Frites get pre-fried at a much lower temperature before being deeply friend quickly just before serving.
Because of this process, the Belgian frites or Belgian fries don’t appear soft, mushy, and soggy. They’re thick and definitely stand out in Belgian breakfast we’d love to try.
2. French Fries
Since Belgians love their potatoes, you’ll still find typical French Fries in the country and can be a common Belgian breakfast or brunch option. Remember that Belgians try to keep their snacks light and still on the healthier side so you’ll expect your fries to be less oily and eaten with a side of vegetables.
3. Stoemp (Belgian Mashed Potatoes)
For the last potato Belgian breakfast option, you have the Stoemp or Belgian Mashed Potatoes. More commonly served with Belgian sausages and meat, this easily makes up for a hearty breakfast or brunch.
4. Liège Waffles
Ahh. The battle of the Belgian waffles. First, we have the beautiful and very typical of Belgium, the Liege waffles. Now, Belgians might see these more often as quick snacks in Belgian streets during the day, however, Belgian waffles can of course be consumed as part of your early morning ritual or your breakfast in Belgium.
But how are Liege waffles different from the usual waffles you see? Liege waddles are done with a much thicker batter, much closer to bread dough, and when you look at it, it has uneven edges, thus creating this very unique cute waffle shape.
5. Brussels Waffles
Brussels waffles can be just a way to start your day with a good Belgian breakfast or light snack. Brussels waffles resemble your typical waffle, with thinner batter than the Liege waffles, it’s also done with the typical rectangular waffles shape, made with a leavened batter, and has deeper pockets or holes.
6. Boudin: Belgium breakfast for you to try
Boudin is a type of Belgian sausage that you can have for breakfast in Belgium. It can be made from pork, but also chicken or veal. In Belgium, you have the white boudin or boudin blanc and the black boudin or boudin noir. The added spices definitely make Belgian Boudin very delicious and not to miss for your traditional Belgian breakfast.
7. Frikandel
Frikandel is popular in the country, and it’s easily known as the Belgian deep-fried sausage. Can be made with beef, chicken, or pork.
8. Filet Americain
A raw beef spread is known as Filet Américain. The difference between filet Américain and the more famous steak tartare is that filet Américain contains meat that is minced in a meat grinder. Filet Américain is commonly served as an appetizer spread over crackers, but it is also served as a main course with fries and a fresh salad on the side.
More Traditional Breakfast in Belgium
9. Cramique
Cramique as part of your Belgian breakfast is popularly eaten with butter. You can have it in the morning or for snacks as well, consumed with tea or coffee. It’s that delicious Belgian bread with raisins you should pass on.
10. Craquelin
Another of Belgians’ popular breads is the Craquelin. It’s filled with sugar pieces called nib sugar and a type of Belgian brioche. You popularly find flavors of Craquelin like orange, almond, lemon and vanilla. Perfect with Belgian coffee or tea!
11. Belgian Chocolate
Belgian chocolates come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, including pralines, truffles, and chocolates fashion like eggs, animals, or other figures. They’re hugely common around the holidays. The Belgian chocolates business, which is famous around the world, began by adapting some of the techniques used by Swiss chocolatiers to create new chocolate mixes by blending rich, high-quality chocolate with nuts, liqueurs, and fruits.
More Belgian Breakfast/Brunch – Drinks in Belgium
12. Belgian Beer
Belgian beers are of course one of the most popular in the world, with such amazing breweries and taste, it’s definitely something everyone in the world sought out for a good beer. You will of course not typically have beers very early in the morning, but you can have it as part of your late brunch or snacks.
13. Jenever / Genever
Originally produced from malt wine, jenever is a Dutch spirit. Because the drink had such a strong and peculiar flavor, it was frequently infused with other herbs, including juniper, which gave rise to the name jenever. Now you’d probably not start your day with a Genever, however, no problem having one with your late brunch or Belgian afternoon snacks!
14. Juices
We love fresh juices and flavors coming from whatever is currently in season in Belgium! Can be easily partnered with any number of your favorite Belgian breakfast, Belgian juice is a must to try.
15. Belgian Coffee
Belgian coffee, fill the coffee cup halfway with coffee then sweeten to taste. Float the cream on top and finish with a sprinkling of shredded chocolate. To make Belgian coffee, pour a tiny amount of espresso into a small glass cup, then cut it with an equal amount of steaming milk to mitigate the bitterness.
16. Belgian Hot Chocolate
If Belgian chocolates are a must-have, so is the chocolate in hot creamy form! The cocoa content of Belgian hot chocolate is usually higher.
Belgian hot chocolate makers love higher cocoa content, which is found most naturally in dark Belgian chocolates. This easily makes for really good hot chocolate to be a part of your cold mornings for sure.
Hope you liked our Belgian breakfast blog post. Which one in the list of traditional breakfast in Belgium is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
Happy Travels!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.