Belgian Chocolate, Waffles and Fries

Belgium is famous the world over for its indulgent treats: silky handmade chocolate pralines from master chocolatiers, hot waffles served from street stalls and dusted with sugar or piled with cream and fruit, and, above all, its crisp double-fried chips, or frites, served in a paper cone with a dollop of mayonnaise from a friterie, the national fast food.

What you actually see

• The pralines - the handmade filled chocolates of the chocolatiers.
• The waffles - the hot Liege and Brussels waffles from street stalls.
• The frites - the crisp double-fried chips in a paper cone.
• The friterie and chocolate shops - the stalls and boutiques where they are made.

When to go

Year-round; the treats are everywhere, any time. Seek out a proper artisan chocolatier rather than the tourist-strip shops, and a busy friterie for the best chips, freshly double-fried and crisp.

Honest expectations

The tourist-strip chocolate shops and waffle stalls vary in quality, so seek out artisan chocolatiers and busy friteries where the locals go. The famous Belgian chips are double-fried and eaten with mayonnaise, not ketchup, by tradition. They are indulgent treats rather than a meal.

Nearby

Chocolatiers, waffle stalls and friteries are found in every Belgian town; Brussels and Bruges have the most famous.