Where can you eat the best mussels and fries in Brussels?

Our selection: Brasserie Auguste on the Grand-Place, La Roue d'Or (rue des Chapeliers 26), Le Pré Salé in the Sainte-Catherine district (rue de Flandre 20) and Big Mama chez Thierry, steps from the Grand-Place.

How much do mussels and fries cost in central Brussels?

Expect from €18.90 for mussels marinière at Brasserie Auguste up to €24 at Big Mama chez Thierry — the best value around the Grand-Place.

Which restaurant has a view of the Flower Carpet?

Brasserie Auguste sits directly on the Grand-Place, with a view of the 2026 Flower Carpet (13–17 August).

Do I need to book during the Flower Carpet?

Yes. Booking is strongly recommended over the 15 August weekend; each address in the article has a direct booking link.

Académie Culinaire de France gala dinner at Cardo Hotel

On Sunday 12 April 2026, Brussels lived an evening that Belgian gastronomy will not soon forget. The Académie Culinaire de France set its golden forks at the Cardo Hotel, in the heart of the Northern Quarter, for what instantly became Belgium’s most star-studded gala dinner.

Seven courses, seven renowned chefs

More than 250 hand-picked guests took their seats in the hotel’s salons to savour a 7-course menu crafted by 7 renowned chefs from all over Belgium. An exceptional brigade, gathered for one night only, turning the Cardo into the very epicentre of Belgian haute cuisine.

Plates signed by the country’s finest toques, millimetre-perfect service and the atmosphere of a great house: everything came together for a timeless interlude between French culinary tradition and Belgian creativity.

Académie Culinaire de France · 45th anniversary

✦ With exceptional chefs ✦

The gala dinner signature menu — Belgium & Luxembourg Delegation

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✦Tartare de bœuf au caviarMichel Theurel
✦Viennoise de turbotJean-Pierre Bruneau
✦Canette aux figuesFreddy Vandecasserie
✦Plateau de fromagesPascal Fauville
✦Dessert de galaYasushi Sasaki
✦PralinesJérôme Grimonpon

✦

Official menu · Gala dinner of 12 April 2026 · Cardo Hotel Brussels · Shared by @acf.belgique on Instagram

Brussels in the spotlight

The evening was also marked by a speech from Didier Wauters, Alderman for Commerce and Economic Affairs of the City of Brussels, who came to salute the excellence of a trade that makes the capital shine far beyond its borders.

Among the guests was also Floriane Bonnier, a Brussels innovation figure and the first woman in Belgium to bring AI into the public debate — read her portrait on BXLPositive.

And already… the 2027 edition is in the making

Hardly had the last desserts been served when backstage whispers began to spread. “Apparently, behind the scenes, the 2027 edition is already being prepared”, we are told. If this first edition at the Cardo Hotel set the bar this high, the next one promises to be even more spectacular.

BXLPositive will of course be there again — and will tell you everything, from the kitchens to the desserts.

Behind the scenes of Belgium’s most star-studded gala dinner