There is no dining room, no reservations, and no waiter coming to take your order. At Noordzee, you queue at the counter, pick your fish tapas from the chalkboard, order a glass of white and eat standing at the high tables on the pavement of Rue Sainte-Catherine. That’s it, and that is precisely why the place has stayed packed for years.
What to eat
The house is first and foremost a fishmonger: the fish arrives every day and goes on the plancha right in front of you. The portions are small, meant for ordering two or three in a row, depending on the day’s catch. No fixed menu, you read the chalkboard.
Who it’s for
A quick lunch between two meetings, a Saturday aperitif before the market, a visitor you want to show “the real Brussels” without going through the Grand-Place. In winter, bring a jacket: you stay outside.
Practical info
- Fish bar: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6:30pm. Closed on Mondays.
- Fishmonger: Tuesday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 5pm.
- Reservations: not possible, just show up and find a spot.
- Metro: Sainte-Catherine (lines 1 and 5), 2 minutes on foot.