Vegetarian Restaurants in Brussels
Brussels has become more vegetarian-friendly over the years, and most restaurants do serve at least one meat- and fish-free dish, though you may still get the occasional "Err is a salad ok?". More and more restaurants are even starting to clearly label dishes as 'vegetarian', a practice I'd previously only seen abroad.
So where should you go? If you specifically want to have a nice evening out with vegetarian food and are willing to cough up the taxi fare, I'd recommend heading for L'Element Terre, an excellent vegetarian restaurant. Taxi fare from within anywhere in Brussels will be around 12 EUR one-way. A two-course meal comes to around 35 EUR. If you want to save some money for dessert, use the route planner on the MIVB website to find out how to get there by public transport (see below for the restaurant's address).
If you want to spare yourself the transport, and assuming you are in the center, there are several options. If you want it cheap and quick, go straight to Café Arcadi for a vegetable pie or to Le Fin de Siècle. For something a bit more special, try the filled potatoes at Bleu de Toi. More restaurants are listed below.
Some other sources of information:
List of Restaurants
These are my personal reviews of a number of vegetarian or veggie-friendly restaurants that I've visited. Click the link to go to the restaurant's page on resto.be for address information, opening times, pricing info etc. All restaurants in this list are below 25 EUR for a single-course meal.
- L'Element Terre
Exclusively vegetarian restaurants are not usually very upscale, but this restaurant aims a little higher than most and succeeds very well. I absolutely recommend this place, it's the best I know of in Belgium so far. Small notes of warning: 'vegetarian' means 'no meat' here, so some dishes include fish; it's at the higher price range in this list; unfortunately out of the center area. - Agra
Very good Indian restaurant. My second favorite restaurant after L'Element Terre. Out of the center area, but very close to the VUB campus. - Bleu de Toi
Very nice restaurant that specializes in filled 'Bintje', a potato variety (also the recommended variety for making french fries in Belgium). There are five different options for vegetarians (but note: except for the one with mushrooms and cream, they are all cheese-based). According to the EVA restaurant guide, they will prepare vegan dishes on request, but I've never tested that. - Shanti
A vegetarian (though 'vegetarian' as in 'meat no, fish yes') restaurant that hasn't really managed to get into my list of favorites. But don't let me stop you, I do know a number of people that like this place. Not centrally located, but a 15 min. walk from the VUB campus. The entrance is a bit odd, you may think the restaurant has closed business, but it's really there up the stairs and through the door. At ground-level there is a health shop by the same name. - Exki
Belgian 'healthy fast-food' chain that has spread out to France and Italy. Self-service which offers mostly pre-packaged sandwiches and salads, soups and some small vegetable pies. The vegetarian options are clearly labeled as such. Good enough for a quick lunch, but so far I've always wound up feeling a bit ripped off considering the quality of what I got and what I payed for it. There are more than 10 stores in Brussels, check www.exki.be for a complete list. - Café Arcadi
Bistro which serves a wide range of fairly cheap quick bites, but the thing to go for is the vegetable pies (served with a small salad). There are a number of vegetarian options. I would've preferred the pieces to be a bit bigger, but I usually compensate by asking for a second basket of bread. Located close to the famous Grand Place, at the end of the Queen's Gallery (a.k.a. Galleries St. Hubert). - Le Fin de Siècle
Popular place with cheap wholesome food served in copious amounts. The menu includes a number of typical dishes from Brussels, but vegetarians have to settle for one of two pastas or the vegetable pie. Good for large groups as orders are still processed quickly, but the wait for a suitable table can be long. The place is run by idealists: the weird prices are the result of straight conversion to Euro without rounding; no beverages produced by the Coca Cola Company are served; and no virtual money (VISA etc.) is accepted, cash only. - A L'Opposé Du Contraire, Meze Bar
Buffet-style restaurant specializing in Lebanese dishes. The buffet is small, but sufficiently well-stocked with vegetarian options. The dishes weren't labelled when I went, but the staff was happy to help me select.