The Best Alternative Dining Options In Brussels

Everywhere new initiatives are starting up to support the collaborative economy. The social foodie scene was a sharing meal away. But what about eating with strangers? Or ordering food from your neighbors? All of this is possible in today’s digital world where boundaries between private and public are blurry. When in the capital and looking to switch up the usual dining options, here are the best alternative dining options in Brussels.

Bookalokal

Bookalokal, is a company which facilitates eating out in a stranger’s home. Keen home chefs advertise their dinners online, interested foodies book, go and eat. The concept has taken Brussels by storm and those who sign up can join a range of dinners; from typical Mexican fiestas, to a Japanese tea party to a murder mystery dinner. Bookalokal has the added bonus of making some foodie friends in Brussels and beyond.

Tasty-licious

1. All Ready

All Ready

Aimed at the busy modern family, All Ready proposes fresh and tasty ready meals, delivered to your door. The concept is very straightforward: a set menu offers several lunch and dinner options at reasonable prices. For dinners it is a weekly menu and the lunch menu is daily. Lunch is delivered the same day, dinner needs to be ordered two days in advance. The food is cooked in the All Ready professional kitchens, packed in special containers and can be kept in the fridge at home for another three to five days. An added bonus is also the very low carbon footprint on both food storage (biodegradable) and delivery (bike or electric car).
All Ready, Chaussée d’Alsemberg 93, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgium

All Ready Dining | Courtesy of All Ready

Take Eat Easy

The Belgian food tech startup connects fresh and popular restaurants, bike couriers and food loving customers through an application and website, providing a reliable and eco-friendly way to deliver great meals. Take Eat Easy’s photos on their website and useful apps are sure to persuade you. Once ordered, food is usually delivered in about 30 – 40minutes. Perfect for those nights when staying in and being cozy is a must.

Deliveroo

If you’re coming home from work but don’t feel like cooking, then ordering from one of the many Brussels restaurants can be an option via Deliveroo, a restaurant ordering service very popular in Brussels. Their bikers cycle across Brussels to deliver food in the promised 32 min time frame and you can track them through the Deliveroo app. Restaurants can be chosen by the type of cuisine available. The company took some time to cover all of the city, but Deliveroo is now active across Brussels and has also started delivering in Antwerp.

Menu Next Door

Menu Next Door started based on a very simple idea, passionate home cooks always cook more than they can eat. So why let the food go to waste and not share it with the neighborhood. Menu Next Door informs customers which one of your neighbors is cooking extra food so they can reserve a portion, and then go and pick it up at an agreed time. Say hi to your neighbor, make some new friends andtry different food. A handy weekly menu helps plan the lazy foodie week.

Withlocals

Launched very recently in Brussels, Withlocals offers meals from a typical Belgian Chicon au gratin to a four course Mediterranean dinner or an authentic Indian home dinner. Withlocals enables locals to pursue their passion whilst meeting other passionate foodies or travelers. That’s the twist of Withlocals, to explore a new culture through food. The home dinners are 100 per cent customized, whereby the guest and the host are in direct contact to decide what they’re going to eat based on their preferences or needs.

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