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Recommended Reviews - Belgo Centraal
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We visited Belgo Centraal on a Sunday after we'd been reached out to to come back and try again after a bad experience at another branch late last year. At the door, we were informed there were no mussels left, and if we still wanted to be seated. We didn't mind, and were seated pretty quickly. The restaurants ambience was welcoming and relaxing, and the sheer underground size is also pretty impressive After we were seated, we decided to ask about mussels anyway - much to our surprise, we'd been fed false information at the door for some reason and we both ordered mussels and fries, along with bread to start and accompany the main We were impressed with how quickly the mussels came out, and imagine they were pre-prepared and waiting for us. One portion of fries was upgraded to cheesy, which we found to be considerably bigger than the regular portion. This is pretty misleading as the upgrade never mentioned it was also a size upgrade (which it needed due to how small regular actually is) The Habanero mussels were okay at best, as they were pretty bland and flavourless unfortunately. Throughout the meal, there were no checkbacks or interaction from staff, which meant that we were actually never served the bread we ordered, but they'd still added it to our bill, so we had to get it removed (seemingly to the dismay of our server) Overall, the food was average on this occasion (which is better than far below average last time) and table service just below that. Being fed false information on dish availability isn't one I've experienced before either, but thanks for having us anyway!
Tipsily walked into this restaurant after grabbing a few drinks at the nearby pubs. Bigger than it looks from the outside as the top floor leads into the lower floor with much more seating for various groups of people. Saturday late night, not too many people inside, so was able to sit immediately. To start off, shared the Dirty Fries (£9) - a mound of well crisped fries topped with cheese sauce, tomato sauce, "bacconaise", and pancetta. Not as saucy as the ingredients suggest, yet easy to share and hot off the fryer. For the main course, ordered the Savoury Waffle (£9) - a darkened waffle topped with chilli tomato ragu and a poached egg. Sections off quite nicely and the runny egg is an interesting topping over the dense waffle. Also ordered drinks from the solid list, but can't remember what they were. Cool spot to chill and relax in booths with a group of people. Food is an excellent indulgence if in the mood.
Such a fun place! Walk in and it's dimly lit and has a bar/club type feel. Then they take you downstairs and you're in an underground tavern/open room type seating area with picnic benches etc. It's great. The food is perfect and cooked in an English demeanor (slightly bland) so be prepared to temper your expectations. Their drink selection is decent to very good and the prices are exceptional. Definitely get a drink even if you're not a drinker. It's worth the visit at least for a late night bite. Trust me.
The drop of the star is because this place is really loud! The restaurant is in the basement with low ceilings and long tables/benches, so if you're not into getting close to your fellow diners, eat elsewhere. That said, there is certainly a great atmosphere and even if conversation is limited (or at full volume) it has a certain je ne sais quoi. Coming to Belgo and not having mussels would be like coming to London and not riding on a double decker bus! The mussels were some of the best I've ever had! No rubbery or sandy molluscs here!
When I told people I was going to London their replies ranged from, "Ooh, maybe you'll meet a hot British guy" (didn't happen) to, "I bet you won't want to come back" (I did), to, "I hear they're snaggleteeth there" (no comment), and "Oh, the food there is terrible, just eat Indian food all the time" (I did not). By my second day in London I was less concerned with my food options and more concerned with how easily the pounds were flying out of my wallet like I was trying to make it rain. While taking in Covent Gardens one day, I consulted my tourist beacon aka guidebook and found a nearby restaurant serving two of my favorite things: seafood and Belgian beer. To top it off they offered an Express Lunch: a lager, a house wine or soft drink, moules (mussels) and frites (Really? Do I need to translate?) for £7.5. Granted, £7.5 is still over $11 since apparently the British are still punishing us for jumping ship centuries ago, but I could happily delude myself into thinking it was $7.50. Now I knew I would be able to eat in Paris later that week and not have to volunteer to be someone's African nanny for the day! My eyes danced the entire time I was at Belgo: the servers dress like Belgian monks, the walls are lined with kegs and kegs of delicious Belgian beer (I believe they have a variety of hundreds. HUNDREDS, people!) and I loved the industrial interior. Even the bathroom was an experience - it was co-ed and there wasn't much dividing the male and female sides and you share a sink. I was a bit slow on the uptake so when I saw a dude walk by me I was ready to bust out some self defense moves 'cause I will cut a mofo who gets to close to me and my lady business uninvited. But, all was well, he belonged there. I asked our Dutch-looking server if I could take a photo of her and her uniform - she gave me a strange look, which being in London I couldn't decipher whether it meant, "I don't speak very good English," "Bitch, WTF?", or "Idiot American traitors!" I explained to her, squirming in my dorkiness, that I'm someone who likes to take photos of her surroundings to capture the moment and she then bashfully acquiesced The traditionnelle mussels were tasty. They were delivered in a steaming pot seasoned with white wine, celery, onion and garlic. Accompanying them were the fries and a side of mayo (of course). I left Belgo satiated, less poor than I feared, happily tipsy and ready to go to Belgium for a love affair with a brewery.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE. It combines my three favorite things in the entire world... BEER... MUSSELS... & Frijtes (aka chips/fries). My Family and I came here while we were visiting London and my Dad had heard about Belgo's "BEAT THE CLOCK" special where you pay the price of the time you order... so like if you order at 6:30 you pay £6.30 which is pretty cheap considering! My Father and I both ordered the Mussels & Frijtes and my Mom got the Spit roasted chicken... all three where HUGE portions and absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS.... mmm my mouth is just watering thinking about it now! Because we are all three beer nerds too we just had to order (multiple.... says with a giggle) rounds of beer.... needless to say my mom was uber tipsy by the end of the meal... First Round of Beers: Me: Archel Brune (brewed by Monks, how cool is that?, also really good) Mom: Hoegaarden (white beer... really good) Dad: De Koninck (on tap I think... just ok I thought but Dad loved it) Second Round of Beers: Me: Gulden Draak (mmmmmmm.... yummy I love dark beer!) Mom: Hoegaarden (obviously she liked it enough to order twice) Dad: De Kninck (he like my Mom loved it so much he ordered it again) Desert Round: Me: Floris Framboise (my whole family loved this one with our desert!) Mom: (is a light weight and by this time was to tipsy to order a third...hah) Dad: Floris Honey (not as good as the Raspberry one!) For desert we got a waffle and split it and had a raspberry and honey beer. OMG SOOOO GOOD. Who ever said that beer cannot go with desert was mental. The design of the restaurant was really cool too. As you walk in you can see the chefs firing dishes and then you walk down and your seated in a sort of modern underground beer garden (there is also a sit down restaurant side but who would want to do that?). The loo was also super cool... it was all open and men and women were in the same room though different sides and washed their hands in a ginormous sink. Our server was really nice and the food was hot, fresh and tasty and the beers were great as well. Definitely coming back here the next time I make it down to London. *REMEMBER: -Beat the clock Special!!! -Raspberry fruit beer -Make a reservation because it gets kind of busy -Check out the bathroom (hahaha)
Eat at a Belgian Restaurant while in London? Sure, why not! My friend that I was traveling with had found this place on Trip Advisor (I am usually skeptical about that site), but I was pleasantly surprised. Covent Garden was short ride on the tube, it was a fun little area, cobblestone streets, pubs, clothing stores, etc. We couldn't decide on which moules, so we ordered two kilo pots (way too much food for two people) we ordered the Traditionelle (white wine, celery, garlic and onion) and the Thai (lemongrass, chili, ginger, kaffir lime, coconut and coriander). I preferred the Traditionelle as I thought the flavor was fantastic. The moules were excellent, big and juicy and fresh. We ordered bread so we could dip it into the pots (highly recommend soaking the sauce up with the bread). Lots of beer to choose from, I had a couple rounds of Mongozo coconut beer, which was so flavorful (not a lot of alcohol tho).
The way this place operates and the unique food is just neat. BUT it is food that is very very rich and high in fat so be prepared to eat a salad for days afterwards. They have a stunning array of beers and they are mussle worshippers so you MUST order that. It's a little loud because locals come here for their kids' birthdays but it's totally worth it. Great space in the basement too.
Hmmm...nearly 100 people already reviewed this place! You don't need my opinion...but I'll give it to you anyway. Mwahahahaa! For lunch: 4 stars **** For dinner 5-7pm: 4 stars **** For dinner with no awesome discounts: 3 stars *** I really like Belgos...I have even been known to wait in the 'beer pen' and have a drink when there are not enough tables. When you pay for the time you arrive (eg. order at 6:45pm = pay £6.45 it's a bargain!! However, if you come a bit later, and order the same dishes that you could have an hour earlier for less than half the price...I always feel a little let down. Last night my friends and I arrived a little too late for one of the awesome cheap-eating deals, but it was still a pleasure to munch my way through a giant pile of muscles in Thai flavoured sauce. I'll probably keep coming back here for happy comfort food and silly long trays of schnapps. (^^)
Was convinced to return here by a friend. She insisted they had the best lobster ever. They don't. And I've previously written about the chicken. Instead you pay £28 for a smaller lobster than you can get at Big Easy for £20. But wait! They have a special lobster festival menu, where you can order a SMALLER one for £35 that's a whole lobster that somehow has no claws! And is closer to the size of a crawfish. And when you query it and you have the regular lobster and the special side by side on the same table they will somehow find a way to insist that it is indeed a whole lobster. That's right. This more expensive and smaller lobster with no claws is a whole lobster according to Belgo. And when they take it away and bring you a regular lobster instead, they don't cook you another one. Instead they grab the first one they see so some other customer is also delayed. And you get a replacement lobster that has weird black stuff in it. Because that other customer had asked specifically for balsamic vinegar to be poured into half the lobster. So it looks like you're about to have that black stuff on the alien planet in Prometheus. And then you get the bill and it still has the optional service charge automatically added. So it's gone from 2 stars to 1 star. Sorry Belgo but you suck. And the moral of the story is stand your ground and don't listen to the girl. Life is too short to queue up for bad food in a hot, stuffy basement on a summer evening. Nothing will convince me to return here.
Like most reviewers, I had a great dining experience at Belgo... but let's talk about the drinks! I came here on a week night with two friends who were in town from the States. We were blessed with a waitress (I believe her name was Roxanne?) who was highly knowledgeable on the international beer selection available at the restaurant. She impressed us so much with her knowledge of ingredients, brewing techniques, and history that we relinquished control and allowed her to choose all of our drinks. Thanks to her infinite wisdom, I was able to try delicious beers that I probably would have overlooked. Good friends plus good drinks equals a great time. Thank you, Roxanne... or whatever your name is!
2 years ago
You arrive excited for some classic Belgian food and then your excitement declines rapidly. First, the wait time to be seated for your reservation was too long (and they were not busy) and then as you walk past the kitchen it smelled moldy. The food was disappointing: the frites are not.. frites, the moules tasted old and flavorless and the broth was bland. They demonstrate little passion and attention to their food in the kitchen. Positives... the staff are friendly and the waffle desserts are fun. Neither a good nor terrible experience. Glad I tried their desserts, but I would not return. read more
I remember more than a dozen years ago when I came to London for work meetings always looking forward to an evening with dinner and a show. My coworkers, who were far more senior than me let me tagged along and introduced me to Belgo. I finally came back today for lunch. It's a tiny door to get in, and then you descend into this gigantic basement full of tables, bars, and a massive open kitchen. It's like a warehouse environment with the waitresses dressed in black and waiters dressed like European soccer players. Their specialties are mussels, fries, and Belgium style beer! I started with a pint of Strawberry Fruli beer - one of my favorites since it's sweet and goes down smoothly. The foam reminded me of cream from Asian bubble teas! I was also surprised to see banana, coconut, cherry, and black currant beers as well! For lunch I got the 1-kg bucket of mussels, served Traditional style, which is a light garlic white wine broth with parsley, onions and celery. Mussels were fresh and tasty. Despite being smaller than ones I've had in the USA there were so many of them it took a while! They offer bread also if you like to dip the broth. Fries came with the order and were seasoned, and crispy. This place is probably funner with a group, since you can mix and match from a dozen or so different preparations of mussels from your friends. Plus you might get to try more of their wonderful beers! read more
6 years ago
We visited Belgo Centraal on a Sunday after we'd been reached out to to come back and try again after a bad experience at another branch late last year. At the door, we were informed there were no mussels left, and if we still wanted to be seated. We didn't mind, and were seated pretty quickly. The restaurants ambience was welcoming and relaxing, and the sheer underground size is also pretty impressive After we were seated, we decided to ask about mussels anyway - much to our surprise, we'd been fed false information at the door for some reason and we both ordered mussels and fries, along with bread to start and accompany the main We were impressed with how quickly the mussels came out, and imagine they were pre-prepared and waiting for us. One portion of fries was upgraded to cheesy, which we found to be considerably bigger than the regular portion. This is pretty misleading as the upgrade never mentioned it was also a size upgrade (which it needed due to how small regular actually is) The Habanero mussels were okay at best, as they were pretty bland and flavourless unfortunately. Throughout the meal, there were no checkbacks or interaction from staff, which meant that we were actually never served the bread we ordered, but they'd still added it to our bill, so we had to get it removed (seemingly to the dismay of our server) Overall, the food was average on this occasion (which is better than far below average last time) and table service just below that. Being fed false information on dish availability isn't one I've experienced before either, but thanks for having us anyway! read more
Tipsily walked into this restaurant after grabbing a few drinks at the nearby pubs. Bigger than it looks from the outside as the top floor leads into the lower floor with much more seating for various groups of people. Saturday late night, not too many people inside, so was able to sit immediately. To start off, shared the Dirty Fries (£9) - a mound of well crisped fries topped with cheese sauce, tomato sauce, "bacconaise", and pancetta. Not as saucy as the ingredients suggest, yet easy to share and hot off the fryer. For the main course, ordered the Savoury Waffle (£9) - a darkened waffle topped with chilli tomato ragu and a poached egg. Sections off quite nicely and the runny egg is an interesting topping over the dense waffle. Also ordered drinks from the solid list, but can't remember what they were. Cool spot to chill and relax in booths with a group of people. Food is an excellent indulgence if in the mood. read more
8 years ago
Such a fun place! Walk in and it's dimly lit and has a bar/club type feel. Then they take you downstairs and you're in an underground tavern/open room type seating area with picnic benches etc. It's great. The food is perfect and cooked in an English demeanor (slightly bland) so be prepared to temper your expectations. Their drink selection is decent to very good and the prices are exceptional. Definitely get a drink even if you're not a drinker. It's worth the visit at least for a late night bite. Trust me. read more
3 years ago
The drop of the star is because this place is really loud! The restaurant is in the basement with low ceilings and long tables/benches, so if you're not into getting close to your fellow diners, eat elsewhere. That said, there is certainly a great atmosphere and even if conversation is limited (or at full volume) it has a certain je ne sais quoi. Coming to Belgo and not having mussels would be like coming to London and not riding on a double decker bus! The mussels were some of the best I've ever had! No rubbery or sandy molluscs here! read more
8 years ago
Both the food and waitress are the best Love the moules and mussel popcorn!! It's the first that I've tried some Belgian food, and hopefully it turned out to be good! read more
6 years ago
Great food, interior, vibes, and excellent cocktails! A must go restaurant! The pork dish was really good, highly recommend it! read more
When I told people I was going to London their replies ranged from, "Ooh, maybe you'll meet a hot British guy" (didn't happen) to, "I bet you won't want to come back" (I did), to, "I hear they're snaggleteeth there" (no comment), and "Oh, the food there is terrible, just eat Indian food all the time" (I did not). By my second day in London I was less concerned with my food options and more concerned with how easily the pounds were flying out of my wallet like I was trying to make it rain. While taking in Covent Gardens one day, I consulted my tourist beacon aka guidebook and found a nearby restaurant serving two of my favorite things: seafood and Belgian beer. To top it off they offered an Express Lunch: a lager, a house wine or soft drink, moules (mussels) and frites (Really? Do I need to translate?) for £7.5. Granted, £7.5 is still over $11 since apparently the British are still punishing us for jumping ship centuries ago, but I could happily delude myself into thinking it was $7.50. Now I knew I would be able to eat in Paris later that week and not have to volunteer to be someone's African nanny for the day! My eyes danced the entire time I was at Belgo: the servers dress like Belgian monks, the walls are lined with kegs and kegs of delicious Belgian beer (I believe they have a variety of hundreds. HUNDREDS, people!) and I loved the industrial interior. Even the bathroom was an experience - it was co-ed and there wasn't much dividing the male and female sides and you share a sink. I was a bit slow on the uptake so when I saw a dude walk by me I was ready to bust out some self defense moves 'cause I will cut a mofo who gets to close to me and my lady business uninvited. But, all was well, he belonged there. I asked our Dutch-looking server if I could take a photo of her and her uniform - she gave me a strange look, which being in London I couldn't decipher whether it meant, "I don't speak very good English," "Bitch, WTF?", or "Idiot American traitors!" I explained to her, squirming in my dorkiness, that I'm someone who likes to take photos of her surroundings to capture the moment and she then bashfully acquiesced The traditionnelle mussels were tasty. They were delivered in a steaming pot seasoned with white wine, celery, onion and garlic. Accompanying them were the fries and a side of mayo (of course). I left Belgo satiated, less poor than I feared, happily tipsy and ready to go to Belgium for a love affair with a brewery. read more
17 years ago
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE. It combines my three favorite things in the entire world... BEER... MUSSELS... & Frijtes (aka chips/fries). My Family and I came here while we were visiting London and my Dad had heard about Belgo's "BEAT THE CLOCK" special where you pay the price of the time you order... so like if you order at 6:30 you pay £6.30 which is pretty cheap considering! My Father and I both ordered the Mussels & Frijtes and my Mom got the Spit roasted chicken... all three where HUGE portions and absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS.... mmm my mouth is just watering thinking about it now! Because we are all three beer nerds too we just had to order (multiple.... says with a giggle) rounds of beer.... needless to say my mom was uber tipsy by the end of the meal... First Round of Beers: Me: Archel Brune (brewed by Monks, how cool is that?, also really good) Mom: Hoegaarden (white beer... really good) Dad: De Koninck (on tap I think... just ok I thought but Dad loved it) Second Round of Beers: Me: Gulden Draak (mmmmmmm.... yummy I love dark beer!) Mom: Hoegaarden (obviously she liked it enough to order twice) Dad: De Kninck (he like my Mom loved it so much he ordered it again) Desert Round: Me: Floris Framboise (my whole family loved this one with our desert!) Mom: (is a light weight and by this time was to tipsy to order a third...hah) Dad: Floris Honey (not as good as the Raspberry one!) For desert we got a waffle and split it and had a raspberry and honey beer. OMG SOOOO GOOD. Who ever said that beer cannot go with desert was mental. The design of the restaurant was really cool too. As you walk in you can see the chefs firing dishes and then you walk down and your seated in a sort of modern underground beer garden (there is also a sit down restaurant side but who would want to do that?). The loo was also super cool... it was all open and men and women were in the same room though different sides and washed their hands in a ginormous sink. Our server was really nice and the food was hot, fresh and tasty and the beers were great as well. Definitely coming back here the next time I make it down to London. *REMEMBER: -Beat the clock Special!!! -Raspberry fruit beer -Make a reservation because it gets kind of busy -Check out the bathroom (hahaha) read more
Eat at a Belgian Restaurant while in London? Sure, why not! My friend that I was traveling with had found this place on Trip Advisor (I am usually skeptical about that site), but I was pleasantly surprised. Covent Garden was short ride on the tube, it was a fun little area, cobblestone streets, pubs, clothing stores, etc. We couldn't decide on which moules, so we ordered two kilo pots (way too much food for two people) we ordered the Traditionelle (white wine, celery, garlic and onion) and the Thai (lemongrass, chili, ginger, kaffir lime, coconut and coriander). I preferred the Traditionelle as I thought the flavor was fantastic. The moules were excellent, big and juicy and fresh. We ordered bread so we could dip it into the pots (highly recommend soaking the sauce up with the bread). Lots of beer to choose from, I had a couple rounds of Mongozo coconut beer, which was so flavorful (not a lot of alcohol tho). read more
12 years ago
The way this place operates and the unique food is just neat. BUT it is food that is very very rich and high in fat so be prepared to eat a salad for days afterwards. They have a stunning array of beers and they are mussle worshippers so you MUST order that. It's a little loud because locals come here for their kids' birthdays but it's totally worth it. Great space in the basement too. read more
Hmmm...nearly 100 people already reviewed this place! You don't need my opinion...but I'll give it to you anyway. Mwahahahaa! For lunch: 4 stars **** For dinner 5-7pm: 4 stars **** For dinner with no awesome discounts: 3 stars *** I really like Belgos...I have even been known to wait in the 'beer pen' and have a drink when there are not enough tables. When you pay for the time you arrive (eg. order at 6:45pm = pay £6.45 it's a bargain!! However, if you come a bit later, and order the same dishes that you could have an hour earlier for less than half the price...I always feel a little let down. Last night my friends and I arrived a little too late for one of the awesome cheap-eating deals, but it was still a pleasure to munch my way through a giant pile of muscles in Thai flavoured sauce. I'll probably keep coming back here for happy comfort food and silly long trays of schnapps. (^^) read more
13 years ago
Was convinced to return here by a friend. She insisted they had the best lobster ever. They don't. And I've previously written about the chicken. Instead you pay £28 for a smaller lobster than you can get at Big Easy for £20. But wait! They have a special lobster festival menu, where you can order a SMALLER one for £35 that's a whole lobster that somehow has no claws! And is closer to the size of a crawfish. And when you query it and you have the regular lobster and the special side by side on the same table they will somehow find a way to insist that it is indeed a whole lobster. That's right. This more expensive and smaller lobster with no claws is a whole lobster according to Belgo. And when they take it away and bring you a regular lobster instead, they don't cook you another one. Instead they grab the first one they see so some other customer is also delayed. And you get a replacement lobster that has weird black stuff in it. Because that other customer had asked specifically for balsamic vinegar to be poured into half the lobster. So it looks like you're about to have that black stuff on the alien planet in Prometheus. And then you get the bill and it still has the optional service charge automatically added. So it's gone from 2 stars to 1 star. Sorry Belgo but you suck. And the moral of the story is stand your ground and don't listen to the girl. Life is too short to queue up for bad food in a hot, stuffy basement on a summer evening. Nothing will convince me to return here. read more
Like most reviewers, I had a great dining experience at Belgo... but let's talk about the drinks! I came here on a week night with two friends who were in town from the States. We were blessed with a waitress (I believe her name was Roxanne?) who was highly knowledgeable on the international beer selection available at the restaurant. She impressed us so much with her knowledge of ingredients, brewing techniques, and history that we relinquished control and allowed her to choose all of our drinks. Thanks to her infinite wisdom, I was able to try delicious beers that I probably would have overlooked. Good friends plus good drinks equals a great time. Thank you, Roxanne... or whatever your name is! read more
My sister and I happened to be in London one weekend and I had asked friends in advance for something near the Lyric Theatre to eat at that was decent. Belgo was suggested so we decided to give it a go! So it appears the upstairs area was more of a bar and downstairs was where all the eating happened. We were seated in a narrow passing as it was just the two of us, this made for a rather "cosy" environment, not the best place to sit, to be honest. It was also dimmer where we sat, so I can't help but feel we got the worst seats in the place. We decided to get some drinks since it was a wet evening. I ordered the Boon Kriek Lambic Cherry since cherry is my favourite fruit flavour (next to pear). This is a gorgeous fruit beer and quite high on my favourite alcoholic drinks. It's not as sweet as ciders but still, has that fruity taste. My sister ordered the Floris Framboise which I also recommend. Given the fact that Belgo's two main selling points were their mussels and rotisserie chicken, we decided to order one of each to see if they lived up to the hype. Our small table struggled to store everything we ordered, as you can see. The Thai and Kimchi moules were awfully tempting, but alas my sister does not eat spicy food so we had to compromise. We ordered the herb and garlic moules in the end, this has the added benefit of actually being able to taste the mussels. These were quite nice and substantial, I'm not a mussels connoisseur, but these were a-ok and I'd happily come back here again if I had a mussels craving. Next up was the Belgo Beer BBQ chicken. The sauce on this was soooo good and the chicken was very tender and moist. It's a shame the chicken looks so sad on its own as the sides came in their own bowls. Overall, a thumbs up for me. For each main, you had a choice of sides to accompany them. You can choose between bread, chips or salad to accompany the mussels. For the chicken, it was chips or salad. I had thought that the bread would be perfect for mopping up the sauce that went with the mussels, but I decided to go for chips in the end as it sort of went with both chicken and mussels. I would recommend you go for bread if you are ordering mussels, though! The salad is very much needed as there was a distinct lack of veggies in the meal. Although the salad was very varied and dressed nicely I did feel that the salad was disproportionally small, compared to the chips. The speculoos cheesecake was a must, even though at this point both of us were rather full. We shared one and the Lotus biscuit pretty much fell after I took this photo, it probably wasn't necessary. The cake was delicious although on the small side for £5.50. Overall, he atmosphere and seating weren't brilliant. The staff were very pleasant and quick, though, so we weren't made to feel like third class passengers in service as least. I felt that they were ever so slightly overpriced, especially the cheesecake The small salad was also disappointing, more salad, please! I would probably not visit Belgo again. The place was nice but nothing spectacular. As the chain only seems to be in London and Nottingham, I don't think I'd visit again as there are other places I've yet to eat at. read more
I would have loved to give Belgo Central a higher mark, but sadly it is completely eclipsed by the altogether less accessible, but infinitely more impressive Brouge in Richmond. Belgo has some good points, ie the comprehensive beer selection, and it's really cool to be able to look down on the kitchen staff as you walk in. Dining is communal, a bit like being in a Belgian Wagamama, with large tables shared between parties where necessary and a bustling vibe thanks to the open nature of the space. A big bonus is that the waiting staff all dress up in these horrible Belgian robes so you're guaranteed to not be the worst looking person in there :) Food wise, Belgo specialise in moules et frites, but as a vegetarian I had to stay away from the former. The choice of food for veggies is limited, with only 2 main course options on the standard menu. Very disappointing. There are a few more starter options, and we tried the white onion soup and the gruyere croquettes. Both were ok but not hugely inspiring. Julia had the seabass (see pics) which was apparently delicious. I had their summer tart, which was goats cheese, onion, rocket etc and it was pretty tasty (again, see pics). I'm sure that if I'd been a moules-eating man it would have been awesome, but I'm not so it wasn't. It was good, but not as good as Brouge! read more
This is what our group ordered: Croquettes Traditionelle Moules Kilo Pot Wild Mushroom Bouchee Smoked Salmon and Leek Tartlet Linguine Pork and Herb Sausages Carbonnade Now the last time I had Belgian food was over 15 years ago. I do not remember it and therefore have nothing to compare this meal to. That being said, everything we ordered here was terrific (except for the tart, which was agreed upon by the table as just ok). They have a great selection of Belgian beer and the service was fantastic. read more
14 years ago
This was another recommenedation from a friend of mine which totally lived up to its billing. When I look back on the various types of cuisine I ate in London, it reinforces the facts that it is a city with a diverse food culture and that, if you do your homework, you can find inexpensive dining options. The first thing you notice about Belgo is the building itself. You enter the building and take an elevator down a level where it feels as if youve been transported to the cellar of a Belgian monastery. It's dark, somewhat cave-like, and many of the servers are dressed like monks. As far as the food goes, we went there specifically for the "Beat the Clock" special which I believe runs between 5pm-7pm. The price of your meal is based on when you arrive--the earlier the better. One of the Beat the Clock meal combinations was mussels and fries. They were excellent. To get food of that quality for that price was really quite a treat in such an otherwise expensive city. Im not a beer drinker, but they claim to have over 80 Beligian beers... So I asked for a recommendation and tried one. Im not sure what it was, but it was tasty and expensive (more than my meal, by far). If you visit, though, Id definite partake in some Belgian beer just for the sake of the experience, if nothing else. Pros: Excellent atmosphere, interior design, Beat the Clock special, great food, vast beer selection, location in the Covent Garden area Cons: Expensive when not taking advantage of the Beat the Clock special read more
Missed the happy hour, but had a good time nonetheless. The beer selection is extensive, but only a few are on tap (mostly bottles). The mussels are average (a little fishy and a little tough). The lobster and crab burger had a little too much binding / filler for my taste (had a mealy texture in your mouth). Loved the belgian waffle with sour cherries for dessert. Ate every last bite! Seating is communal and half the waitstaff wear monk's robes which is a bit strange. read more
Hmm, I'm confused. I visited Belgo Noord for the first time in January and it was great, yet I've visited Belgo Centraal a couple of times recently and it just doesn't quite live up to its northern counterpart! The service is not as friendly or efficient and both times I've been the food has been sub par and bordering on bland! The first time I had the traditional moules... how on earth do they come out tasteless? With the garlic and white wine sauce, they should be bursting with flavour. And what's with the frites? I only got about 3 and, as Steve B pointed out, they appeared to be of the frozen oven-chips variety. The second time I had the crab and lobster burger and it left a lot to be desired for me. It was tasteless mush. Again, how on earth do you make crab and lobster taste so... nothing! There really must be an art to it. I didn't even bother finishing it and believe me, that's not a usual occurrence. Step it up, Centraal! Noord is way ahead of you on the service and quality of food scales! read more
18 years ago
Belgo. I love you. Beer, meat, and frites. What more could a girl want? Your extensive drink menu left me wanting to never leave. The only reason I ordered food was because I succumbed to peer pressure. But in the end I was happy that I did because it really complemented my beverage. Ah... so many drink choices... I was impressed by the toilets. Not only did I enjoy tinkling in a uniquely designed stall layout, I also liked meeting some really nice people at the unisex communal sink. Tip to all you non-handwashing men: We notice, we remember, and we tell our friends. That being said, nothing says, "sexy," like a man with clean hands :) read more
11 years ago
This is definitely not the place you will go if you are planning for a quiet dinner. Located at the basement with low ceiling, we feel like hearing surround sound everywhere. We are here for the mussels, traditional style is the flavour to go for, and also don't miss out the sauce (soup) at the bottom。 They are so fresh and tasty, I imagine adding some rice so we can have seafood congee。 They gave us some lobster tattoo stickers after the dinner, where my goddaughter loved it and put it on right away. read more
Sorry Belgo II'll give you 2 stars as at the end, the only thing really tasty I had was the beer. Dinner for 2 during the week: this place could be interesting if you are large group of friends but for a couple could be too noisy (the open kitchen add another layer of noise on top of the one coming from the big tables around you) Menù is not so big which is good but what you'll get is an average meal from an average franchise. I had the chicken (make i simple choice) which was not particularly amazing, not tasty and also the inside was cooked ok-ish (some parts could have been cooked more). My friend had the mussels with chips which he said were ok but as I said before, nothing special ,the chips were better than the mussels. The only thing that was good were the fried calamari, tasty and properly crispy! Beer selection is huge and brilliant, they also have the Leffe on draught. I had the PAUWEL KWAK which was really good and served in glass with wooden stand and my friend had a Trappiste,Westmalle Tripel, also really good. Other than that, my friend Belgo, what I would suggest to you will be: be more authentic in terms of food, as your drinks are amazing already, and you'll be paid back with better reviews (at least mine!). read more
13 years ago
I'm having a bit of a love affair with all things Belgian at the moment, having recently visited Bruges and dined on some of the finest beers, mussels and waffles I've ever tasted, Belgo was always going to be facing stiff competition. As a venue I loved it, it's very cool, unique and urban. The beer menu on the tables a definite plus, and the beers actually being served in the matching glasses, a thoughtful and appreciated touch. Whilst I would definitely recommend Belgo's to beer appreciators, I did have a few issues with the service. To start I ordered a blonde zot but received the dark and the table next to us also received the wrong side orders. When I asked the waitress to change my beer as per my order, she took the beer off the table, didn't apologise, and was in no hurry to bring me my replacement. I am quite patient and I completely understand waiting for service when the waiter/ress is having to serve several tables but having been given menu's to start and then for dessert, we found ourselves waiting some time for the waitress to return to take our order, even though she was standing at the side of the room gazing into the distance whilst we waved our menus. On to the taste - I had the mussels provencale, now I am a mahoo-sive garlic fan, but for me there just wasn't much flavour. The Belgian waffle on the other hand was gorgeous and the chocolate sorbet divine! Whilst I have highlighted a few negatives, I would still recommend Belgo's and will probably return again, just hoping for a bit more attentive service next time. read more
I visited Belgo Central during beer festival week and the atmosphere was electric. Here is a great place to try a variety of beers and one of the few places in London with a good selection of fruit beers. The mussels are served in a good value heap and tasty creamy sauce and the vegetarian starter platter comes with an addictively delicious cheese as well as satisfyingly crunchy carrot sticks and celery. There was also a wonderful live band that night. As such, Belgo can deliver a joyous all-round dining experience. read more
Pretty good, not amazing. The place is huge and maze-like, with lots of different areas and plenty of seating. Well-cooked and generous mussel portions, perfectly decent frites, and good but slightly odd beer selection. Let me clarify, since beer is very important to me. The tap list is a little weak, with mostly mild-flavored, low-ABV beers. My wife ordered a Brugse Zot Blonde, which turned out to be one of the weakest Belgian blondes either of us had ever had. She only drank a few sips. The bottle list is better, but not all in stock. I tried to order the only Trappist ale I'd never had before, an Achel Brune, but got a distinctly cool reception on that from the waitress, who said she didn't know if they had it (hm, okay) and strongly recommended the Straffe Hendrik instead. The latter was excellent, exactly what I wanted, so no harm, no foul, but the response was odd. Which brings me to the low point; the service. Our waitress was a little scary - unsmiling, abrupt, and difficult to find when we needed refills on water or the check. A few other people came by the table to check on us, but it was difficult to tell whether they could serve us or not. So ultimately, a 3.5-star experience. Good mussels, some good beer, odd service, middling prices. Might go back if I'm craving mussels and Belgian beers I already know well. Might try somewhere else. read more
Busy busy busy. Quick service and food doesn't fall below Belgo expectation. Friendly staff. Only doesn't feel as clean as their other restaurant in Camden. Toilets: I don't think it's anything special as some of the other Yelpers have mentioned. There is a foot operated fountain to wash hands which is shared by both sexes...that's it! read more
18 years ago
If you like mussels, you will find good ones here in the Belgium restaurant, Belgos. I like to go during the week during 'beat-the-clock' times from 5 to 6:30 p.m, where the moral of the story is that you pay for the time you arrive. There is a specific menu for this, and I always go for the Moules Mariniere Traditionnelle with frites and a glass of house white wine (all included with the price). The Green Thai mussel pot from the main menu is interesting but nevertheless, tasty. And be sure to check out their drinks list, with an extensive range of beers - I always go for the flavoured ones! The interior is interesting, I wouldn't say welcoming as such, tucked under ground level, it has an almost stiff industrial feel to it... the toilets are interesting. read more
18 years ago
As a Belgian, I find myself more than partial to a good portion of mussels, steaks, and crispy fries once in while. (note that fries were actually invented in Belgium and not France which makes the term 'French Fries' completely derogatory!) When my craving for those types of food becomes too much I like to head to this restaurant for a good fix. The restaurant itself has a contemporary warehouse feel to it. The bar is the perfect place to taste Belgian beers whilst waiting for a table. You can then make your way down to the restaurant area. A classic choice of Moules Mariniere or Provencale with some white wine or a beer will always be satisfying, otherwise they also have a good selection of meats. The dinner menu prices are moderate but they do have some special deals for lunch time that are worth checking out. It is probably best to make a reservation if you are planning to come here on a Friday or Saturday night. This is not the best Belgian food I have ever had, but it still manages to hit the spot. read more
18 years ago
Belgo has become a regular lunch and dinner spot for my boyfriend and me. The atmosphere is inviting and the staff friendly, the combination of that and the food; make it a place you'd like to return to. We both love the express lunch. I normally enjoy either the split chicken or the mussels with frites and a glass of house wine, a nice filling lunch for less than £8. The chicken is moist and comes in a chilli ginger sauce which only adds to the flavour. The frites are always warms and crispy, served with mayonnaise, they are the best. The mussels at lunch are good but I prefer having them at dinner. The mussels at dinner come in a variety of pots. I love the mussels in the green Thai sauce. The mussels absorb the flavour of the coconut, green chilli and lemon grass, heavenly. The mussels are just enough, that by the end of the meal I'm full but not stuffed. I always need help with my frites, but thankfully not much. My partner, not being a fan of mussels, orders the chicken, lamb or beef, all of which are extremely good, I know because I always nibble from his plate. Belgo is a great place for lunch or dinner, if you go for dinner, be prepared to wait for 30-45 minutes (maybe longer). To avoid a long wiat, try to get there before 8:00. But, if you have to walk right in or have to wait, trust me, it's worth it. read more
18 years ago
Beer, and lot's of it! This must be Belgo's the Belgium restaurant, where there is possible the largest choice of beers I have ever come across. A rather intriguing choice of fruit beers, dark beers, light beers and ales, for those thirsty for that bloaty goodness. However this is a strange place, that I struggle to make my mind upon. The choice of food is average: moules frites; steak; bangers and mash, but there are about ten different variations on the muscles, and you can even get a personal favourite of mine, the wild boar sausage. What's strange about the food though is the main focus on the plate will have been cooked with a lot of care and consideration, where as the trimmings are a little bit lifeless. This seems to be a resounding theme throughout Belgo's, and this is why I struggle to make my decision. Yes it is somewhat exciting at first, but the layout is a little clunky, and you kind of feel that you're in a somewhat upmarket school diner. I would probably recommend Belgo's to a very specific type of person, perhaps someone who's more up for "sh**s and giggles" rather than a true dining experience. Belgo's has become quite popular in recent years, and I would have to point out to you that you may need to make a reservation first. read more
12 years ago
Belgo is still the lively restaurant which is great for a big group of ppls . They also still take reservations, which is fantastic compared lots of newly opened trendy Restaurant That forces ppls to wait forever in the cold!! Those new Restaurant really need to stop doing That and let the customers suffer and wasting time in the queue!! Love Belgo for their efficient booking even though they are always full. We suddenly increase from 12 to 18 ppls on the date and they manage it very well. However, I gave three stars due to food quality and long waiting time for main courses on the night. It is great to see Belgo add lots of new favour for mussels, But the mussels are quite small and can taste much fresher. Their steak is well cooked, But the meat quality is bad so it doesn't taste as good as other Restaurant. So, Belgo is still a good place for a big group party with comfy food , but I will not specifically come here for food tasting. read more
18 years ago
There a couple of Belgian chains in the UK. I think that Belgo stands out on the quality of its food. The glass bowl entrance leads to a steel staircase down and then through a hall, which deposits you in front of the long, open, and very busy kitchen. To left and right are rooms with long wooden beer hall tables. The bustle and noise is considerable: not a place for a quiet romantic rendez-vous. The food was excellent, though, if not cheap. And the beers: well, there are dozens of Balgian types, on tap or bottled, trappist to wheat to chocolate. Until the end of October 2008 they have on their Oktoberfeast deal: a three-course menu of several choices paried with specially-selected beers for each course at £27.50. Or the food alone is £19.95, letting you pick your beers. There's a minimum of 2 people required to order this menu. Not everyone in my group was convinced by their beer pairings, but I liked mine. Everyone thought the food was great: my asparagus starter was perfectly cooked, and my bowl of mussels proved meaty and delicious. read more
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Belgo Centraal - belgian - Updated July 2026
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