Befuddled and perplexed: ordering drinks

No free water

No simple act is more confusing to Americans than ordering drinks in Belgium. Here is where subtle cultural differences that go largely unnoticed in other areas of life can hit you squarely in the face and they do so when least expect it. Let's start with some ground rules to clarify the situation.

Unlike much of the Western United States, Belgium has a wet temperate climate. There is no imminent danger of dehydration here. Nobody feels the need to walk around with fluids or drink while walking and doing so is generally frowned upon. The only people that walk around with drinks are tourists or teens trying to imitate them. Eating or drinking while walking is not cool.

Nobody needs cup holders in their car or even likes the idea of you bringing drinks into their car. This is not a country where you order drinks for take out. If you want to have a drink you go to a cafe, sit down and order something. Unless you are a child, a woman, or an athlete, you don't order sodas or water either. You drink beer, even at McDonalds.

Here is rule number two: nothing you order, or ask for, or do, in a cafe, bar or restaurant is free, not even going to the bathroom. People expect you to pay for everything. So don't ask for water or inquire about refills. Also, do not expect drinks to come in large sizes or in glasses filled with ice. To the average Belgian, ice is frozen tap water and diluting a drink you pay for with tap water is cheating. Unless you are at a festival or fair, all drinks will be served in a glass and drinking from the bottle is uncouth.

Traditional places won't serve ice cold drinks either. There is a strong belief that cooling drinks excessively masks the taste and is just another way to deceive the customer. The ideal temperature for beer is cellar-cool. That is a bit hotter than the average refrigerator.

In general, Belgians do not order water to drink. You can do so in an expensive restaurant along with your wine, or late at night, when you had too much to drink, but it is not customary otherwise. If you ask for water, the waiter is likely to ask you whether you want plat (non-carbonated) water or spuit (carbonated) water. The water will most likely come in a small bottle (25 cl) that is as expensive as any other drink on the menu. If you ask for ice, you may get one or two smallish cubes.

When it comes to regular drinks -which includes everything but expensive wine and beer, and then  only in specialized places-, Belgians are not brand conscious and you will get served whatever the establishment serves. When you order a cola, or a Coke or a Pepsi, you will get whatever cola drink the cafe or restaurant serves. Belgian cafes and restaurants have business deals with their distributers and it is the distributers who decide what is available. Nobody will ask you to specify your choice, or inform you that your favorite brand is not available. It simply does not occur to them that you could be brand conscious. Nobody will say "Pepsi or Coke?" or ask you if Pepsi is fine when you order a Coke.

The same applies to beer unless you go to a cafe that specializes in beer varieties. At your local cafe you can order generically (een pintje--a beer) or by specifying a brand, say a Stella, but you will get whatever it is they have. The same applies to more upscale brands such as Tuborg. You can order a Tuborg, but you are about as likely to get a Carlsberg or a Becks or any other brand the cafe considers more upscale. Een spa-tje, named after the city of Spa, is generic for (carbonated) water.

In Belgium, SPA is generic for carbonated water

One thing that really throws foreigners for a loop is when they order a Scotch. In most cafes Scotch will mean Scotch Ale and not wisky although most catch the error before the drink arrives. Belgian cafes are not used to serving hard alcohol since it was only recently made legal.

Scotch, Belgian style

As a rule, Belgian grocery stores do not have cold drinks ready to go. It used to be impossible to find cold drinks in a grocery store even if the place had in-store refrigerators. The notable exception to this rule is night stores (nachtwinkels).  These usually have a large selection of cooled drinks.

Nearly all Belgian coffee is dark roasted and most is of decent quality. The cheaper brands are bitter but in general the coffee is stronger and more flavorful than in the US. Contrary to popular belief, dark roasts have less caffeine than the light roasts that are popular in much of the US.

Filter-koffie

The most common way to serve coffee is the so-called filter. Some people just order een filter. When you do so you will get a contraption that includes a cup and a small coffee filter with reservoir on top. It may come already filled or the waiter may pour in boiling water. You wait until the drip stops and enjoy your coffee. A coffee will always come with a small piece of chocolate or a small cookie.

Nearly all other coffee drinks are misnomers and it is always exciting to see what you will get when you  order one. If you want an espresso, order a moka, because espresso (spelled expresso in Belgium) will get you a larger cup that may or may not be filled with coffee from the espresso machine. A Belgian cappuccino is a large cup of coffee with whipped cream on top.  In France, and some French speaking parts of Belgium ordering a coffee will get you a cafe au lait instead.

Belgians are not tea drinkers. Although nearly every place where you sit down and eat pastries with a drink is called a Tea Room, very few people drink tea. When you order tea, you are most likely going to get a cup of warm water with a lipton tea bag on the side. Some fancy places serve many different herb teas -what the French call infusions- but their selection of real tea is generally quite limited too.

Although Belgium has many unwritten rules, there are lots of exceptions too. The rules on walking around with drinks and food do not apply to tourist hotspots, such as the markt in Brugge, festivals, kermissen, and hence most bike races. Here you can order beer and food to go, although you will generally be served beer in a glass, and be expected not to wander too far so you can return the glass to where you bought the beer. At open air festivals such as the Gentse Feesten, you can wander around all over town drinking beer from the bottle, although most will want a glass even here. You can also order Frieten  (fries) to go. But once again, you are not expected to wander around too far from where you bought them.

After the race: Belgian beer

After the race, a good brew

Like most Belgians I grew up with beer. When I was a kid our family, like so many other Belgian families, drank "table beer" with meals. Table beer for us was a low alcohol version of the local pilsner and it was the drink we had with lunch and dinner (see Belgian cuisine). There were no sodas in our house, although I am sure that as kids my sister and I would have preferred the sugary taste.

Simply the best...

The village I grew up in had two local breweries, and on foggy days the smell of yeast hung in the air. You could ride your bike by the breweries, and apart from the distinctive smell I can remember looking at a dripping pipe that stuck out of the side of the building and hung over where the side-walk ought to have been. It seemed to be oozing beer (or was it pre-beer?) constantly.

The local breweries went out of business before I reached puberty but as a teen I remember that local pilsner on tap was the brew of choice in nearly all cafes. Stella wasn't a big name yet and near Bruges, Maes was a worthy competitor. At my grandparents house they drank Vieux Temps, which I will always remember as vile liquid with a strange aftertaste. But my grandfather seemed to like it. Especially when fortified with genever, the local gin.

At the time, you drank een pintje (a beer) when you were thirsty or when you went out partying. Some older folks preferred a Geuze, and they often poured in grenadine syrup to make it sweet. If you were a bit better off you had a Tuborg or a Carlsberg, or in some places a Becks. None of these are Belgian by the way. If you really wanted to be fancy you drank Trappist or a Pale Ale -which ironically enough was almost always a dark British beer -I later found out these brews were specially fortified versions of British ales made for the Belgian market. Some places had Stout or Guinness.  But in general, dark beers were for winter, and in summer you had a fancy fruity Kriek instead.

Oude Gueuze

A lot has changed since then and for one thing, Belgian beers have become a lot more famous. Belgian beer has always been famous in places like France, where it was hard to find a good beer, or the Netherlands, where Heineken or Grolsch were the local stuff, and Stella was fancy.

Here are a few things you should know about Belgian beer. First, Belgian beers are stronger than beers in any other country. I already mentioned that the British breweries make special fortified versions of their regular brews for the Belgian market. Even regular beers in Belgium are quite a bit stronger than American beers. Second, most authentic Belgian beers are ales or top fermented beers, and all the good ones use secondary fermentation in the bottle. That means they don't travel well and they should not be exposed to excessive temperatures. Third, true Belgian beers are an acquired tasted, even for Belgians. Fourth, Belgium is a country where, unlike Germany, people use anything and everything to make beer. Belgians are also very creative when it comes to beer. As a consequence, Belgium is the land of very good and very bad (very sugary) beer.

Unlike most beer connoisseurs I prefer blond beers and my all time favorite Belgian beer is Duvel. I have gone through more favorite-beer periods than I care to remember, but I find that I always come back to Duvel. It is quite simply, the best beer in the world as far as I am concerned.

The other Belgian beer I really like, and one that is ideal for summer is Hoegaarden, locally -where I come from- known as een Witteke or een Blancheke. 


When it comes to fancy stuff, I could mention Trappist from Westvleteren, but that would only be to make you jealous as the beer is next to impossible to get -unless you want to spend a summer in Belgium and are very resourceful on top of it. Westvleteren is very good, but a large part of its charm is that it is so difficult to get a hold of. I am not a real fan of Trappist but Orval is probably the best one you can actually buy.

For a real taste of Belgium though, try a Geuze Lambic. Lambic is a brew fermented with wild yeast and it is only made in the valley Southwest of Brussels, where atmospheric conditions are right. Geuze is a mixture of lambics, some old and some young that undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Although you can buy Geuze everywhere, finding an authentic brew is hard to do, and the best Geuze does not travel well at all. Cantillon Geuze and Cantillon Kriek are excellent. Also great is Lindemans, Cuvee Renee -not the other stuff, only Cuvee Renee, and 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze and Kriek.

It looks like Dom Perignon and costs almost as much too!

Geuze is an acquired taste but one that is well worth acquiring. It is a fabulous drink, on par with a great wine. Another exceptional beer is Deus, Brut des Flandres. It is also one of the most expensive beers you can buy. Deus has a label reminiscent of Dom Perignon and some say it tastes like that famous champagne too.

If you want to try some excellent refreshing local brews, try Rodenbach from Roeselare, or Hommelbier from Poperinge. Rodenbach is crisp and sour and it is often put in a category all by itself as a "red" beer. It was one of my grandmother's favorites (along with Guiness and Stout).  Hommel comes from the hop capital of Belgium and it is best when lightly chilled.

Belgium: haute cuisine

There is an earlier post on Belgian cuisine and eating habits. It can be found by clicking here.

Flanders has a lot to offer to those who appreciate gourmet food. According to a recent review, Belgium is third overall (behind Switzerland and Luxembourg) in the number of restaurants with coveted Michelin stars per inhabitant. In the 2010 guide, Belgium had 114 starred restaurants, two of which had three stars.

Both three star restaurants are in Flanders. The first, Hof van Cleve is in Kruishoutem, close to Oudenaarde. If you ride your bike in the Flemish Ardennes, sooner or later you will ride by it. The setting is spectacular. Hof Van Cleve is one of the best restaurants in the world and I can personally attest that the food is truly extraordinary and has been so for years. This is the one restaurant I am always prepared to go to when visiting Belgium. People come from all over Europe to dine here.

The other three star restaurant is the De Karmeliet in Brugge. Although I was born in Brugge, I am less fond of going there as the whole place has a Disney fake feel to it now. Every year more luxury hotels open up, more tourists crowd the streets and prices go through the roof while quality suffers. I much prefer to stay away from Bruges. If you want a decent place to eat lunch in Bruges, go to the Middenstand on 't Zand. It is not a fancy restaurant but the food is great and the price is right. By all means stay away from the market place, at least when it comes to dining.

If you stay in or near Oudenaarde there are two other exceptional restaurants to consider. Both have two Michelin stars. One is Le Chateau du Mylord in Ellezelles close to Ronse/Renaix, and the other is 't Oud Konijntje in Waregem. Both of these are excellent too. I personally prefer 't Oud Konijntje but either one of these will satisfy the most demanding palate. A wonderful place for more casual dining in a unique setting near Oudenaarde is Tanderus in Nokere.

If you want to eat well but are on a budget, look for a Bib Gourmand restaurant. There are 125 bib gourmand restaurants in the country. To qualify for this honor, restaurants must serve an excellent three course meal for under EUR35. One excellent choice is the hotel Auberge du Pecheur in Sint Martens-Latem on the river Lys, another spectacular setting. The hotel has a great restaurant Orangerie with a Michelin star and the brasserie has a bib gourmand.

Eating out in Belgium is an expensive and time consuming proposition. A dinner will easily set you back over EUR100 per person. Plan to spend 3+ hours and make your reservations early. Even lunch can easily run 2-3 hours at a fancy place. Also, remember to dress smartly. Although dress codes have relaxed considerably in the last decade, you probably want to stay a bit above business casual for most places.

Belgian cuisine

Cuisine is one element of Belgian life that reflects its Counter Reformation history. In all matters food related, Belgium is closely aligned with (catholic) France and distances itself from the (protestant) Netherlands and Germany. Belgian cuisine is a variant of French Cuisine. It is largely based on potatoes, cream, butter, cattle and seafood. Being fairly far north, traditional Belgian cuisine is limited when it comes to fruit and vegetables, especially in winter.

One key difference with the French is the distribution of meals. Like the French the Belgians start the day with fresh pastries and bread. Bakeries open before dawn and it is a customary to go buy fresh bread or simple pastries (boterkoeken) for breakfast every day. Belgians may add a boiled egg and some cheese spread but they rarely eat meat, fish, or cereal for breakfast. Preserves or chocolate paste (choco) are the rule. Volume-wise, breakfasts are bigger than in France, where natives rarely eat more than a single croissant.

Neither pancakes nor waffles are eaten for breakfast in Belgium. These make excellent mid-afternoon snacks with coffee but are not breakfast items. Mid-afternoon is also the time for fancy pastries. American style pancakes are absent and all Belgian pancakes are thin crepes, often filled with fruit.

The main meal in Belgium is lunch and nearly everyone eats a hot lunch every day. Shops are closed over lunch time so shopkeepers can eat a good meal. The staple is potatoes and the favorite way to prepare potatoes is fries. All Belgian homes have a deep frier and Belgians will buy a deep frier before they get a refrigerator. Most Belgians think "French fries" is a misnomer and the dish should be called Belgian fries instead. Fries are also the favorite snack food and hamburgers and hot dogs are a recent introduction. Fries with mayonnaise or one of the dozens of mayonnaise-related sauces is the prototypical Belgian snack. Ketchup is rare. Small meat items such as sausages may be added.

Rice is far less popular and finding good rice in Belgium is a challenge. Corn is almost completely absent. Belgians think of corn (maize) as chicken feed.

Belgians will tell you that the prototypical Belgian dish is steak and fries with lettuce and tomato. Unlike the French and unlike what Americans think, Belgians rarely eat horse meat and the habit is restricted to a few regions close to the French border. Belgians also rarely eat lamb.

Beer is the universal drink and until recently no adult would be caught dead drinking a soda. Every restaurant, including McDonalds, Burger King and other transplants serves beer. As recently as 50 years ago, every village had its own (or several of its own) brewery and people would drink the local blond ale. Most native Belgian beers are ales. (Local) Pilsners are now the most commonly drunk beer but this style is an import from Germany. Drinking age in Belgium is 16, although bars will allow anyone to drink beer if the parents agree.

Dinner is a simple affair and consists of bread with cheese and prepared meats (charcuterie). As a rule, restaurants are for special occasions and when going to restaurants people change their eating habits to a light lunch to make room for an elaborate dinner. Good restaurants do not have "seatings" and you are expected to take until midnight (or close to it) eating dinner. Dinners start at 7 or 8PM and mid-afternoon dinners are unheard of. Going to a restaurant is a way to spend lots of money and good restaurants are not cheap.

Casual dining has become more popular, but always expect to pay a hefty premium when eating out. Unless you want to spend outrageous amounts of money for bad to mediocre food, avoid tourist traps such as the market place in Bruges. Just around the corner you can find better fare at a more reasonable price.

It is customary to go to restaurants for special occasions such as Christmas or New Year's eve. At that time, people will eat game (pheasant, hare, wild rabbit, boar, venison, etc.). Seafood is also very popular and two very popular (summer) dishes are mussels and grey shrimp. Belgium also has great oysters and Scottish smoked salmon, but lobster and crab are very expensive and better savored elsewhere.

Belgians drink a lot of wine and every self-respecting Belgian has a wine cellar in their house. Belgium is the top per-capita importer of French wine.

Although there are ethnic restaurants, I would recommend staying away from most. The cuisine is always heavily modified to suit local tastes and rarely resembles the original dishes. Chinese restaurants in Belgium invariably serve Indonesian and Philippine dishes, while Mexican food ( a recent trend) is so unlike what you would expect to get in Mexico that it is not worth the money.

Belgium is known for its beers, although most are novel creations that plagiarize existing beers and were adjusted to suit foreign palates. It is difficult to find good authentic beer but certainly worth the trouble when you do. Another local favorite is chocolates, but the best chocolate is found away from tourist spots in local bakeries. Easter is the traditional time to eat chocolate and all bakeries will make easter eggs.

Another recent introduction that has many people ranting and raving is speculoos paste. Speculoos is a traditional cinnamon and ginger cookie that used to be eaten only around St. Nicolas day (early December) but is now available year round. A few years ago, a paste was introduced to compete with peanut butter -a Dutch import. This paste has become an all time favorite of cyclists visiting Belgium, but it is as new to the country as it is to them.

Waffles too are a tourist invention. While some places in Brussels and Liege (and along the coast in summer) used to serve hand-held sugar dusted waffles as an afternoon snack, eating waffles as a snack for adults was at best a regional curiosity. Belgian families would make waffles in winter time as an afternoon snack for the kids but adults eating waffles was rare. Typical Belgian waffles are fluffy and yeasty with light powder sugar dusting and very unlike the heavy duty sugary contraptions topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce that are now ubiquitous in tourist locales.