Vegan Guide to Brussels

As some of you locals may have realised, Brussels is not exactly the most vegan friendly place on earth. Having been vegetarian for 3 years and vegan for almost 2 years now, I have to say I've struggled when it comes to finding food when I'm out. But things are really improving. Here are some places you might want to look out for during your stay in Brussels.

Say you are coming to Brussels from the Gare du Midi and are feeling a bit peckish. Then luckily for you, won't have to search for long as the first Greenway in Brussels has recently opened there. It is a chain of vegetarian fast food style restaurants. Although It is vegetarian the vegan choice is more than reasonable. They do breakfasts, burgers, salads and wraps. I strongly suggest trying out their vegan kebab wrap as it quenches your cravings for something fatty while being the healthier option and not hard on the stomach (I mean who could say no to veganaise!).

Right in the centre is Moonfood. It is 

100% vegan, raw and gluten free. Its spacious and hip decoration is really welcoming. You walk into a room with a buffet full of mouth watering, healthy, delicious looking food and pay by weight. It's really easy and really fast meaning you can spend as little or as much time as you want there. Go in during your lunch break, or sit in with a book for a while. Their concept is unique here in Brussels. They are another place where you won't feel bloated after eating though you might not want to go for the biggest portion as their food is designed to be filling so that you can enjoy a smaller portion of something healthier all while being able to enjoy a nice drink and desert. Now you might want to make sure you know when you're going in because it closes quite early in the evening and make sure to check out their facebook page too see what kind of food they do considering the buffet changes.

 

You might be looking for something more simple and in that case I suggest Den Teepot. Den Teepot is also a chain, but of bio shops this time (which are in fact not vegetarianan) but their Brussels shop  which is found in the Sainte Catherine area does have a cafe joined to it. If you can't find the place look out for the yellow house ! You walk up above the shop as though you are going into someone's house to find yourself in a charismatic little vegan cafe. It serves soups and also does an amazing platter full of all sorts of veggie goodness. Again, you'll be eating healthy, so no point in depriving yourself from a good meal, you might aswell treat yourself !

 

Flagey is also a great area for veggie food. I recommend Ami, which is not all vegan but has some option. It mainly serves burgers and sandwiches but also has a variety of salads and soups. I personally feel that the portions are slightly small but delicious all the same! Though if you want something more hearty then you might want to go a few streets away to Dolma. This place also has it's own shop and a buffet. You have the choice or certain menus or the buffet. Though it isn't all vegan either, other than the deserts you usually won't have a problem. Just note, the price varies depending on what time of day you're there.

 

Now you obviously don't have to eat in a vegan place to find vegan food but I feel it's much easier when you know where you're going. Just a few years back when I would walk into a place and ask if they had veggie or vegan options I'd often get a funny look. It might be complicated to find something off the bat but there are some chains you'll know there'll be an option such as Exki, Foodmaker, Pulp, and Maki Su. Other than this also depends on what kind of cuisine you're looking for. Wherever you go they'll always be falafel or pitta. But if you're really stuck there is a vegan shop vegasme where you can find everything (they also do some food on certain days). And if you're REALLY stuck just go for the usual source: happycow.net!

 

Sweet Red Bean Paste

An (literally 'Sweet Red Bean Paste') is a 2015 japanese drama by Naomi Kawase staring Kirin Kiki, Masatoshi Nagase and Kyara Uchida. The story is centred around a dorayaki (a kind of japanese pastry containing sweet red bean paste, hence the title) shop in Tokyo which is really different and imediately appealing, especially to a western audience. On top of this it is very accessible and suits any age and type of audience.

It follows the lives of three main characters; Sentaro (mainly reffered as Sen or 'boss' throughout the film), a middle aged man who runs a small dorayaki shop, Tokue, a lady in her mid-seventies who claimes that she has dreamt of working in a dorayaki shop her whole life and Wakana, a teenage girl who is a frequent customer of the shop. These very different people come together to build an unexpected friendship and strong bond based around their problems and extreme loneliness.

Despite a few scenes which felt slightly out of place An is interesting portrayal of the problems with japanese society. Although its main focus is the Leprosy Prevention Act of 1953, the segregation the lepers had to go through and the complication they have re-entering society it touches on other themes present in japanese society. The hard working culture of Japan is shown in this film aswell as alcoholism, mental health problems and loneliness this attitude can cause. It is a film embracing the outsiders of society.

What I particularly enjoyed is that it wasn't attacking japanese culture. It was pointing out its flaws but also embracing its advantages. The scenery and images in An are so aesthetically pleasing. It portays Japan as a beautiful country and the japanese as very close to nature, which happens to mirror the main religions shintoism and buddhism. The mentions to nature in this film are almost impossible to count. One of my favourite scenes was when Sentaro and Wakana were visiting Tokue in the area where lepers were sent which is completely isolated from society. As they are walking through the trees and flowers they are completely enchanted by the silence.

An is full of moments which will make you smile and laugh and cry. It takes alot for me to say this but I loved every aspect of this film. I loved that it didn't contain all those annoying stereotypes films tend to have. The character developpement, acting, themes and messages were superb. It was clear, simple and easy to watch and I urge you to go see it too!

Oh My Darling Clementine

As you might have established, one of our favourite places in Brussels is the Botanique. And if you happen to just have spent the night there you might come out feeling a little peckish. Now if this is the case I suggest you get on the tram 92, stay on it for quite a while, and don't get off until 'Place St.Job'. You might be wondering why I'm trying to take you far out of the centre of Brussels, I'm not trying to get you lost, this is really worth it.

Chez Clémentine, number 2 on the list of top chip shops in Brussels (although number one goes to Clémentine's father, Antoine with the famous 'Friterie Antoine' on Place Jourdan), is found on the Place St.Job in Uccle. Whether you are from Belgium yourself or are just a tourist you will know how important chips are as a part of our culture. None of this 'french fries' business, chips were invented in Belgium! So if you happen to be passing by, Chez Clémentine is the place to try and as it's open from 11:30 to 01:00 on sundays and weekdays and until 06:00 on fridays and saturdays, chances are it will be open.

Chez Clémentine is not just your ordinary chippy, its aim is to create the most environmentally friendly chip shop in Brussels. From the building itself which is perfectly insulated to the oil used which is recycled into eco-diesel, every aspect is thought out to be the least damaging to out very precious planet. And of course without affecting the price in the slightest! I can't personally review their whole menu as I am vegan but I can tell you that they do have a huge choice and veggie options (which isn't that easy to find in Brussels) and if you are veggie then they will cook your chips apart in vegetable oil rather than animal fat which is the traditional way of cooking them here in Belgium. The only fault I can find is that vinegar isn't available, though that isn't done over here. You'll either have to bring your own vinegar or take them home.

I'm definitely not saying all of this because it's the local chippy I grew up going to, but it is, and if you do decide to come over and say hi then please try a veggie burger because I don't think any one else orders them which is such a shame they're the best. It's just really nice having that place you've known for

so long where the staff know your order when they see you come in, everyone needs that. But Chez Clémentine is very popular and alot of people do make the effort to come the extra mile for better quality food.