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.

Zinneke Sticks: Brussels inclusive hockey joins Hockey for All 2026

There were six of them. Six people, a few sticks, and a tennis court turned into an improvised hockey pitch. That was March 2023, in Brussels. Three years later, the Zinneke Sticks are managing a waiting list — and carrying their message into their sport''s biggest stage: the 2026 Hockey World Cup, hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from 15 to 30 August.

A name born over pizzas and beers

The name first. “Zinneke” is the Brussels word for the mongrel dog of the canal, the mix of everything — long since a compliment in this city. The group picked it during a founding evening over a few pizzas and beers, looking for what defined them best: mixed backgrounds, mixed levels, mixed journeys. “Sticks” followed naturally.

The team was created in the wake of the inclusive clubs of Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen, and runs as the hockey section of Brussels Gay Sports. The stated goal: “to create an environment where everyone can play hockey while being themselves.”

The real story: people who had quit sport

What makes this interesting isn''t the scoreboard. It''s who plays. Many had quit team sport — unwelcoming changing rooms, jokes that wear you down, the stubborn feeling of not belonging. The Zinneke Sticks give them something simple back: a pitch where you can play without being judged.

LGBTQ+ or not, beginner or experienced, French-speaking, Dutch-speaking or expat: membership rests on respect, not on skill. Success was such that a second strand emerged: the Jeanneke Sticks, now bringing together 15 to 20 players.

Hockey for All, in the middle of the World Cup

On 22 August 2026, the Zinneke Sticks hosted an inclusive tournament in Ixelles, at Ixelles Hockey Club, with deliberately mixed teams: levels, nationalities and genders combined. It was part of Hockey for All, the diversity and respect campaign running during the World Cup.

The tournament is over, but the campaign continues until 30 August 2026. While the world''s best fight for the trophy, a Brussels team born on a tennis court is a reminder of what a club is for: giving someone a reason to come back and play.

Want to try?

Training sessions take place in Brussels and are open to everyone, whatever the level. All the details are on the Brussels Gay Sports hockey page.

They didn''t feel they belonged in sport. So they built hockey''s most Brussels team.

Zinneke Sticks: from six players on a tennis court to the World Cup 🏑💙