Although the city of Brussels is not as visited as Bruges, it is still worth the stop on your journey through Belgium. The city has plenty of culture, nightlife, and glorious food to satisfy your appetite. Below are some items that you can not leave Brussels without trying.

Beer

Some say that Brussels is one of the beer capitols of the world and they would be absolutely right. Brussels is a beer destination because of the variety of local brews that are offered, often upstaging places like Munich and Dublin. You can get everything from doubles to lagers to IPAs.

Make sure to try a trappist which is a beer that is made by the local monks. These beers are traditional and are very well flavored. You also cannot leave without trying Duvel, Chimay, and La Chouffe. Beer will cost you around $4 to $10 a pint, depending where you order it. Try to stay away from the Market Center for better prices. There are also a plethora of tiny markets where you can buy beer and enjoy it on the street. This will save you almost half the price and is perfectly legal.

French, no, Belgium Fries

There is a rumor that when the Americans returned after World War I, they brought back the love of fries. They originally did not know what to call the dish and tried to remember where they had them originally. Although they ate them in France, it was actually the Belgiums who were making them. But, Americans ended up calling them french fries and the Belgiums got robbed of their glory. Whether the rumor is true or not, fries are originally from Belgium and there is a reason why. You will never have fries as good as the ones here.

In Brussels, fries shops line the streets and cost around $3 to $5 for a large serving. This usually does not include the sauce and you are not going to find free ketchup packets in these shops. In Belgium, the sauce is just as important as the fries. The sauces range fr mayonnaise to chili sauce to garlic aioli. If you want to be safe, stick with mayonnaise and ask for it on side or you are going to get fries with a mountain of sauce on top.

Waffles

Yes, dreams do come true. Do not leave Brussels or even Belgium without eating a waffle. If you went to Denny's in the U.S. and ordered belgium waffles, the waitress would bring you very large, almost crunchy waffles. However, in Belgium, the waffles are softer and surprisingly less sweet. 

Ranging from $2 to $4, there are waffle shops absolutely everywhere in Brussels. The waffle shops will remind you of ice cream stands, and there are people making waffles right in front of you. When you order a waffle, prepare yourself because it will come straight off the burner in a plastic or paper wrap. For your first waffle, try to have a plain waffle or one just with sugar on top to really appreciate the Belgium craftsmanship. After, feel free to pile on the whip cream and fruit spreads. You can get anything from ice cream to strawberries to nutella on top. And, do not worry, waffles are suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Chocolate

Who does not like the sound of Belgium chocolate? Because when you hear the words Belgium and chocolate together you are picturing delectable squares of greatness. In Brussels, there are more chocolate shops than you will know what to do with. They range from fancy, designer chocolate to less expensive, tourist chocolate. Some shops feature old fashion varieties while others are a little more risky with chocolate "body parts." 

While you are in Brussels, make sure to try the homemade hot chocolate. You can either order it to drink immediately or a packaged version to enjoy later. The packaged version is basically a spoon with a large chunk of chocolate at the end, perfect for stiring into milk or water. You should also try the truffles and chocolate bark, both coming in a load of varieties. Although chocolate is expensive, it is well worth the price. Set aside what you want to spend and then tailor your purchases to what you like.