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April 19, 2024
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Traveling to Brussels in the near future? Not sure if Brussels, or Belgium in general, is vegan-friendly? I got you! While traditional Belgian cuisine is meat-heavy and it can be hard to find something decent to eat for vegans in the countryside, you will have absolutely no problem finding delicious vegan food in Brussels or other Belgian cities. Don’t expect an overwhelming array of vegan restaurants like, for example, in Berlin. But I will show you in this post exactly where to go to sample the best the city has to offer to vegans. This will include the best vegan restaurants in Brussels but also a vegan festival and where to shop if you want to cook for yourself. I hope you will enjoy this vegan Brussels guide!
Cozy streets in the center of Brussels, Belgium
As said before, yes, Brussels is very vegan-friendly. Don’t expect to find a huge amount of vegan places in Brussels compared to its number of inhabitants but there are some gems to be discovered here and also a very cool annual vegan festival held in May.
The restaurants I will mention in this post are spread out across the city. With that, I mean that they are not just located in the city center but also in the neighboring communities. After all, Brussels is comprised of 19 municipalities, and if you want to get to know the real Brussels, you have to get out of the touristy city center.
That said, don’t worry if you only spend one day in Brussels just exploring the city center. This guide covers some great options at walking distance to some of the best things to do in Belgium like admiring La Grand Place and paying a visit to Manneken Pis..
The best way to discover the more of the beaten path municipalities is by taking the metro. Brussels has an extensive network of metro lines reaching all the corners of the city. A single ticket will set you back € 2,10 while a day pass will cost you € 7,50.
As a conscious tourist, you can also opt to buy the Brussels City Card. This pass will give you free entry to 49 museums, discounts to restaurants, bars, and other tourist attractions, and unlimited travel on public transport. A pas for three days will cost you € 65.
Restaurant in Brussels
The restaurants I mention in this post are restaurants that I tried and tested myself and are my long-time favorites. I tried to add a little bit of everything, meaning, not only nice places to go for dinner but a cool place for vegan pizza, one for brunch, a vegan bakery, etc. After that I will also include a wishlist of places that I haven’t tried yet but are on the list.
Since I’m a local you can be sure that this list will be updated constantly, informing you with all the latest, new, and upcoming news around veganism in Brussels. Here we go with my list of the best vegan restaurants in Brussels!
Best vegan restaurant in Brussels: Humus x Hortense
Humus x Hortense is the place to visit in Brussels if you are looking for an exceptional vegan culinary experience. While the place is vegetarian, everything on the menu can be made vegan and you will see this option at the end of the booking process while making a reservation.
The concept of Humus x Hortense is called “Botanical gastronomy”. The cooking style of the chef, Nicolas Decloedt, is guided by foraged edibles and botanical research while his partner, Caroline Baerten, is an advocate for conscious eating and regenerative farming. Humus x Hortense was awarded by Michelin with one of their first green stars. It is also listed as one of the best 10 vegetables restaurants worldwide.
vegetarian restaurant in Brussels: Humus X Hortense
If you are looking for a plant-based fine dining experience then this is the place to be in Brussels. They offer different formulas for lunch and dinner. I chose the full experience lunch formula and was blown away by the infused gin and vegan appetizers that were brought by the waiter. I highly recommend choosing an all-in formula because the quality of drinks equals the quality of the food and only enhances the experience.
Of course, this experience comes with a price. The all-in lunch formula costs € 138 a person but it is worth every euro.
Website: Humus x Hortense
Where: Directions
Best vegan restaurant Brussels: Liu Lin
If you are looking for the best vegan Asian food then Liu Lin is your best bet! Located on Rue Haute in the Marollen neighborhood, this Taiwan-inspired street food bar offers delicious rice and noodles dishes seasoned to perfection and topped with the freshest herbs.
Liu Lin also keeps sustainability in mind. They source their ingredients locally and organically and combine them with authentic Asian products. They encourage you to bring your own reusable boxes for take-away but if you don’t have them, the packaging they use for delivery and take-away is 100% biodegradable.
Aside from all this, the owners and waitresses here are extremely kind and friendly. You will feel right at home at Liu Lin! It’s by far my favorite vegan restaurant in Brussels and I know it is the most-loved place by many other vegans in the city.
Website: Liu Lin
Where: Directions
L’alchimiste is one of my favorite vegan coffee bars in Sint-Gillis, one of the more local neighborhoods of Brussels. The menu is small and simple but the sandwiches, pancakes, and smoothie bowls here are delicious.
Vegan breakfast Brussels: Sandwiches and pancakes at L’alchimiste
L’alchimiste is open every weekday from 7 A.M. to 15 P.M. which makes it an excellent spot to sip coffee all day while working on your computer. During the weekend, however, they have a no-laptop policy!
On Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy brunch at l’Alchimiste for € 30/per person. I think this is a tad expensive because the portions aren’t that big so I rather visit for a simple vegan lunch during the week.
Website: l’Alchimiste
Where: Directions
If you’re traveling to Belgium as a foreigner, you’ll probably want to try Belgian fries!
Regular “Fritkoten” or “Friteries”, like we say in Brussels in French or Dutch do offer vegan fries and sauces like ketchup but often lack vegan side dishes to go with your fries. Enter Patatak, an artisan “fritkot”, right in the center of Brussels next to La Bourse.
Vegan fries Brussels: Patatak
Patatak is not a fully vegan frituur but the fact that dishes are artisanally prepare make them the best choice in Brussels for fries and they offer several vegan side dishes and sauces.
At the time of my visit, they had vegan meatballs in tomato sauce on the menu, mushroom tempura, Belgian falafels, and ratatouille.
Aside from the delicious artisan food, they also have a small but great drinking menu with Brussels craft beers like Saison Dupont and Urine, homemade soft drinks, and Kombucha.
Website: Patatak
Where: Directions
Vegan restaurants Brussels: Hercules Bao @ Lil Bao
Lil Bao is a small eatery in the Marollen neighborhood. It is operated by the same people that own Liu Lin and the quality here is of the same outstanding level.
Although, as the name says, you can eat Bao buns here, don’t expect to only find Asian recipes on the menu. They have gotten creative here and, aside from Asian-inspired buns you can also find a Greek-inspired bun (The Hurcules) and you can even order vegan calamari as a side dish!
The interior is designed using bright yellow colors and there’s a lovely terrace on the second floor that is very inviting to spend your lunch break.
Website: Lil Bao
Where: Directions
Vegan brunch brussels: The Judgy Vegan
The best place for vegan brunch in Brussels is only 500 meters away from Liu Lin and is called “The judgy vegan”. The brunch formula is only done on Sunday so if this seems something you really want to do you should plan your travel days in Belgium accordingly.
The brunch consists of vegan yogurt with fresh coulis, fruits, vegetables, scrambled tofu, beignets, croquettes, and more deliciousness. They also have gluten-free options.
The judge vegan is also the best vegan restaurant in Brussels if you want to try a vegan version of one of Belgium’s traditional dishes. Originally made with minced meat, at The judgy vegan, you can try a vegan version of “Boulettes en sauce Liégoise”. In this dish, the meatballs are replaced with seitan balls but the recipe for the sauce is exactly the same, mixing carrots and onion with “sirop de Liége”.
Website: The judgy vegan
Where: Directions
Bouchery is a slow food fine dining restaurant in Ukkel that offers a vegan multi-course menu. If you want to have a gastronomical experience in an informal setting then this is the place to be!
Bouchery is not a vegan restaurant, they are not even vegetarian. But the slow vibe makes this place one of my favorite restaurants in Brussels. Yes, it’s gastro, but at the same time, the owner’s two cute dogs come to your table to say hi. The atmosphere is unlike any other restaurant I’ve ever been to.
Slow food in Brussels: Bouchery
Food is prepared depending on the season and is all sourced from ethical local farmers. The menu is fixed, so you can’t make your own choices but don’t let that bother you while visiting this wonderful restaurant. The quality of the food and their homemade drinks, infusions, and broths is simply terrific. Choose this restaurant for a special occasion!
Website: Bouchery
Where: Directions
Best vegan cafe Brussels: Lucifer lives
Recently chosen by the Belgian vegan awards as “Best vegan lunch spot”, Lucifer lives is a tiny no-nonsense café located on Rue Haute, the best street for vintage shopping in Brussels. The thing that grabs you the most about this place is the cool atmosphere, which is a bit weird and geeky but sucks you in in a heartbeat.
Sip on one of the homemade lemonades or a black metal coffee while you enjoy looking at the old scary movie film posters on the walls. Then order the daily lunch, which is always delicious and can vary from “Boudins with apple sauce” to vegan “vol-au-vent”, two typically Belgian dishes.
Finish off your visit with one of the amazing vegan cakes and a punk latte while enjoying the superb taste in music of the owners. Be ready to cuddle up with lots of furry friends that hang out at the café (not from the owners but from other visitors)!
Website: Lucifer Lives
Where: Directions
Best vegan waffles Brussels: Vegan Waf
If you are looking for the best vegan waffles in Brussels then look no further than Vegan Waf. As a vegan in Brussels, you absolutely can’t skip this spot! Conveniently located in the Agora gallery, next to La Grand-Place this is the ideal place to try a vegan version of the famous Belgian waffle.
with only 5 places to sit the place is tiny, so it’s rather a take-out than a restaurant. Order your waffle and choose one of the many vegan toppings, ranging from ice cream to fresh fruit. You won’t be disappointed!
Website: Vegan Waf
Where: Directions
Vegetarian restaurants in Brussels: MAHA falafelbar
Looking for a quick but tasty bite to spoil your taste buds? You will find exactly what you are looking for at MAHA falafel bar. This place has the tastiest falafel pitas and wraps of Brussels!
Beware though that this is a vegetarian place. Almost everything on the menu is vegan but they also serve grilled halloumi cheese and two types of tahini sauce (vegan and non-vegan) so be sure to let the waiter know that you want to opt for the vegan version.
Ordering happens at the counter and they will call you when your food is ready. I’ve seen some complaints online about the seating of MAHA not being comfortable but I did not have a problem with that. It is possible of course that they changed the seating in recent months. But MAHA is also great if you don’t feel like going out, they deliver at your door really fast!
Website: MAHA
Where: Directions
Delicious Lebanese rolled flatbread @ Pois Chiche
Fancy a falafel but looking for more than just a quick bite? Then Pois Chiche is a perfect choice! Located at a cozy street corner in the Marollen neighborhood, this vegan-friendly restaurant in Brussels offers next-level Lebanese cuisine.
At Pois Chiche, you can enjoy middle Eastern delights from appetizers to the main course and even dessert. The menu is not extensive but everything is extremely flavorful and incredibly tasty.
Vegan-friendly restaurants Brussels: Pois Chiche.
My favorites here are the combo dip plate (with baba ganoush, hummus, muhammara and moutabal), the cauliflower shawarma flatbread, and the aquafaba “chochummus”.
They also offer some local Brussels beers, Yalla cocktails, bubbles, and an all-you-can-drink lemonade bar.
Website: Pois Chiche
Where: Directions
→ PRO TIP: If you like the vegan restaurants in Brussels but fancy visiting smaller cities, consider taking a day trip to Leuven. It has some beautiful Medieval architecture and you can find a great selection of vegan restaurants in Leuven.
Best vegan pizza Brussels: Chicago
Chicago is a trattoria located in the hip and trendy Rue de Flandre. They also own a café that goes by the same name a little further down the road. As far as my knowledge goes, at Chicago, you can find the best vegan pizza in the city. They only have two vegan options, a pizza Rossa and a pizza Bianca but the fresh taste of the ingredients make up for the limited options on the menu.
They don’t have a fully vegan starter but offer a grilled vegetable plate with cheese. You can ask to leave out the cheese and they will bring you a big and yummy plate of grilled vegetables as you can see in the picture below. The mushrooms and the tempura-fried cauliflower is delicious!
Vegan food Brussels: Chicago
As said before, they also own a café located a little further down the road. At this café, you can enjoy a fully vegan brunch and they offer vegan dishes like Moroccan couscous and chickpea curry. Chicago is not a plant-based restaurant, you will see meat here, but the ambiance of this place is so great (and the fact that they cater to vegans) that hopefully, that isn’t too much of a bother for you.
Website: Chicago
Where: Directions
Another great option for vegan pizza in Brussels is the Belgian chain restaurant Otomat. Although the pizzas aren’t prepared here according to traditional Italian methods, they stand out due to their creative recipes and the pairing of the pizzas with Belgian beers.
The menu changes regularly, but at the time of my visit, there were three vegan pizzas on offer, The Dirty Vegan, The Alpha Feta Vega, and No Cheese, no Guts. I tried the Dirty Vegan which had a tomato base, seitan strips and was topped with white cabbage, a variation of onions, and garlic sauce.
Vegan pizza in Brussels @ Otomat.
It was a great pizza that actually tasted more like a vegan pitta due to the cabbage and the garlic sauce. The balance in flavors was great though.
Otomat is a Belgian concept chain that you can also find in Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp, Bruges, and Mechelen. I found the branch in Brussels to be less cozy than the one in Ghent so If you’re traveling around Belgian it might be a good idea to check out the one in Ghent instead.
Website: Otomat
Where: Directions
Best vegan spring rolls Brussels: Knees to Chin
Knees to Chin is another great place if you are looking for a quick bite or delicious delivery. They only serve one dish, spring rolls, with different variations on offer. They are not vegan and only serve one or two vegan spring rolls but don’t let that put you off. The quality of the spring rolls is amazing, fresh, and incredibly tasty.
Also, don’t worry that you will still be hungry after eating here. There are a few sides to accompany your spring rolls like a vegan bun, miso soup, and Edamame beans. To finish your meal, you can taste their vegan steamed coconut balls as a dessert.
Knees to Chin has four outlets in Brussels so you won’t have trouble finding one nearby.
Website: Knees to Chin
Where: Directions
Best vegan food Brussels @ Taylor’s Café.
Looking for a great coffee bar in Brussels? Then Taylor’s Cafe is a massively good choice! This tiny place offers some of the best vegan pastries in the city and also the coffees and the chai latté are to die for.
Taylor’s Cafe also offers a daily lunch consisting of soup and/or a sandwich. Be aware though that the place is tiny and only has a handful of tables so it is possible that you will have to wait a bit to get a seat, especially during lunchtime.
The vibe here is cozy and friendly as are the people behind the counter. Aside from being plant-based, they also try to operate as low waste as possible. Be sure to try the carrot cake!
Website: Taylor’s Cafe
Where: Directions
Vegan restaurants Brussels: The beautiful interior of Tich
Tich is a vegan breakfast/lunch bar at the Rue de Namer. It is near the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Royal Palace which makes it the perfect place to have breakfast or lunch before or after you immerse yourself in the cultural activities that Brussels has to offer.
Contrary to Taylor’s Café, this place is quite spacious with multiple seating areas. It is a good place for digital nomads to work with their laptops or to meet up with a client for lunch.
Vegan Brussels: Tasty avocado toast @ TICH.
On the menu, you can find a broad range of healthy dishes and drinks like avocado toast, vegan pancakes, organic cold-pressed juices, and delicious coffees.
Website: Tich
Where: Directions
Best vegan bakery Brussels: Succulente
Located pretty far outside the center of Brussels, you can find this absolutely delicious vegan bakery. They are tucked away in a residential area in Anderlecht, far away from the touristy areas, but I promise you, making it all the way here will be worth your while.
This is an artisan bakery, so everything you see behind the counter is freshly baked the same day. I see a lot of reviews about Succulente where people are complaining about how little choice is on offer but don’t listen to them. They don’t know how to appreciate quality. The best time of course is to go in the morning when they just open up. You will have the most choice on offer then.
Now, with that said, their couques, pastries, and cakes are out of this world. It’s almost impossible to believe that everything is vegan. If you only want to try one thing here, visit succulents to get breakfast. The couques nature and couques aux amands are my favorites.
Website: Succulente
Where: Directions
Best vegan coffee bar Brussels: Buddy Buddy
The coolest vegan coffee bar can be found in the community of Ixelles and is called Buddy Buddy. Aside from their delicious vegan coffee, the pink interior is stunning and their branding is on spot making it a perfect experience.
Aside from coffee they also serve delicious vegan cakes and an array of homemade nut butters. They are especially recognized in Brussels for these butters and combine them in all sorts of creative ways in their coffees and pastries. The almond butter chai is recommended!
Website: Buddy Buddy
Where: Directions
“Mer du Nord” (or “Noordzee” in Dutch) is a well-known seafood bar and shop located in Brussels, Belgium. It’s situated in the Sainte-Catherine area of Brussels and it’s not a sit-down restaurant in the traditional sense but an outdoor street-side seafood bar.
As a customer, you can order at the counter and then eat standing up at high tables or take their food to go. The bar is one of the most favorite places among both locals and tourists to stop by for a small bite to eat.
Outdoor bar of Mer du Nord and the delicious seaweed croquettes
You might wonder why a seafood bar is added to this list! Well, recently, Mer du Nord doesn’t only offer seafood on their menu anymore but also a super duper delicious seaweed croquette.
Their trip into veganism is still early days, for instance, the sauce served with the croquettes is not vegan yet, but because of its iconic status in Brussels, I absolutely wanted to add this location to this list!
Remember that it can get quite busy during peak times, so be prepared for a bit of a wait, especially on weekends or during nice weather.
Website: Mer du Nord
Where: Directions
Best vegan donuts in Brussels @ Coco Donuts
Coco Donuts is a specialty donut shop located in the center of Brussels. It’s one of the best places in the city to find vegan donuts!
Unlike many traditional donut shops, Coco Donuts focuses on gourmet, handcrafted donuts with unique flavors and high-quality ingredients. They emphasize a more artisanal approach to donut-making and this translates to creative donuts both in look and taste.
The flavors at Coco Donuts can be quite inventive and vary from traditional favorites to more unique combinations. Examples might include matcha, raspberry rose, or salted caramel, among others.
Do note that the shop is small and the vegan donuts might have run out by the end of the day. It’s a good idea to make a reservation in advance through their website!
Website: Coco Donuts
Where: Directions
Momo is a vegetarian Tibetan dumpling canteen in Saint-Gilles. What sets this restaurant apart is that the staff that works here are political refugees who escaped Tibet.
The food that gets served here is 100% authentically Tibetan and is prepared exclusively with fresh ingredients that are sustainably sourced..
Vegan lunch Brussels @ MOMO
I went to Momo for the lunch menu which costs € 11 and consists of a soup, six momo’s, and steamed vegetables. I wasn’t wild about the steamed vegetables, which were a bit dry in my opinion, but the mushroom soup tasted great and the dumplings were as fresh as can be.
The menu changes regularly. At the time of my visit, the vegan dumplings had broccoli and mushrooms as the main ingredients but this changes according to the season.
Website: Momo
Where: Directions
Best vegan fast food Brussels: Exki
If you need food fast and easy then Exki is the best place to go. Exki is a European healthy fast-food chain that offers sandwiches, soups, cakes, pies, salads and hot dishes. Everything is readily prepared in giant open fridges so you just have to take a tray, choose what you like and pay at the counter.
They have extensive options for vegans like lentil salads, vegan pasta, falafel, smoothies, chia pudding and more. Everything is clearly labeled so you won’t have trouble finding the vegan options. It’s also a great place if you have food allergies, whether you need to eat lactose-free or gluten-free, allergic to nuts…everything is clearly indicated next to the dishes.
Exki also does its best for mother nature. Coffee is 100% fairtrade and organic, they make serious efforts to reduce their use of plastic and keep their food miles low.
Website: Exki
Where: Directions
If you like to travel for vegan food then I highly suggest coming to Brussels in May. Every year in May, the vegan street festival is held at the Vismarkt at Place Saint Catherine. I’ve been once and was amazed by all the food trucks, vegan clothing and make-up stands. Some of the vegan restaurants in Brussels also have their own stand at this festival which makes it easy to sample different dishes from various restaurants.
During the day you can also listen to speakers who talk about all sorts of topics related to veganism and afterward you can enjoy some nice performances on the outside stage.
The festival doesn’t have its own website but if you want to stay updated on any news concerning the festival I suggest you follow Vegan Brussels on Facebook. As you can see there, the festival was held in September in 2021 due to Covid-restrictions earlier that year. Not sure what they will do this year!
There are a lot more vegan restaurants in Brussels that I haven’t been able to try myself. Here is a list of the places I intend to go to in the near future. I will update this post regularly so you can expect to get my reviews of these places soon!
Tired of all the vegan restaurants in Brussels? Do you wish to cook something for yourself in your hostel or Airbnb? Here are some great places to go shopping for vegan food in Brussels:
There are no hotels in Brussels that specifically cater to vegans bu I’ll give you some suggestions here in neighborhoods that have a lot of vegan restaurants!
There you go! I hope this information about the best vegan restaurants in Brussels was of any help to you.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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Cele
Super blog! I’m so hungry now…thanks !😘
annelies_degelas
We should meet up in Brussels then! SOON! 🙂
Tricia
Heading to Brussels next month, glad to see there are some really good looking choices. Thanks so much for this great article Annelies!
annelies_degelas
Hey Tricia,
Glad to see my article is of help!
I need to update the post because I have tried some new restaurants 🙂
Other great places are Pois Chiche for vegan Lebanese food, Taylor’s Cafe for coffee and cake and Tich is a nice vegan place to sit with your laptop and lunch.
Have a nive stay in Brussels! <3
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