A fresh seafood bar on a busy corner in Brussels takes streetfood to a new level

Aside from being on a quest to try as many different takes on mussels and fries as possible in the four days I had in Belgium (fries are served with almost every meal = nonstop winning), I was also set on seeking out a local seafood favorite in Brussels called Mer du Nord (also known as de Noordzee) in Sainte Catherine.

Located not too far from Grand Place, the central square in Brussels, is Mer du Nord, a fish bar with an outdoor counter and high banquet-style tables where you can stand and enjoy the high quality, freshly made seafood specialties—aka Belgian gourmet street food. The people at the counter are super friendly and will take you around to the window of the store to check out the daily selection of fresh seafood before you make your choice—and then they’ll cook it up for you on the spot.

Being in a mussels state of mind, I went with a plate of mussels and decided to also try the shrimp croquettes. And, of course, as I waited for my name to be called to pick up my order, I sipped a glass of their house white wine at a standing table I managed to grab before they all filled up.

As true for many European cities, I had an incredible view of a church from my table on St. Catherine’s square, and was surrounded by busy cobbled streets. I was not let down when my order was ready and I dug into some freshly steamed mussels in a white wine sauce and cut into the cheesy, shrimp croquette encased in fried goodness. If only I had time to try everything they offered! I’ll definitely be making another stop here on my next trip to Brussels.