Where to eat in Leuven

Get ready to discover from our hand the best restaurants to eat in Leuven the university city par excellence of Belgium. In our visit to this beautiful city, we not only had time to see the impressive Leuven City Hall, or explore the university that attracts so many Erasmus students, but we also had the chance to taste some of its gastronomy.

If you have already visited Bruges o GhentLeuven will surprise you with its more youthful look and casual, a university city where you will find a wide variety of restaurants and above all bars. Although it is smaller, its gastronomic offer is as varied as that of its bigger sisters and it is also quite cheaper. We enjoyed very much the star beer of this city, the Stella Artois and at very competitive prices for Belgium.

Here is our list with the restaurants of Leuven where eat well and cheaply There are options for all tastes! If you are more of an adventurous type, we recommend you to simply go to the Muntstraat street The street of restaurants in Leuven, take a look around and enter the one that catches your attention.

1. Leuven Central

This centrally located bar is right next to St. Peter's Church, and is one of the best places to enjoy a drink in the city have a beer in Leuven and eat something tasty but simple. On the menu they have a lot of beers and for lunch they have from pasta dishes to sandwiches, hummus or the typical soups serving all of Belgium.

Don't expect a full-fledged restaurant, but if you want to try different beers and eat cheap at the Lovaina, this is your place. The dish of spaghetti bolognese and that of curry We thought it was total student food, but the value for money is incredible, as the dishes do not exceed the 13€ (something unthinkable in the most famous Belgian cities).

They have a terrace overlooking the Church of San Pedro, which is usually full on good weather days. You can eat and drink beer for 20 per person at ease, the stella Artois costs only 3€!

2. Dewerf

Simple restaurant located in a square where you can eat while enjoying the tranquility of Leuven on its beautiful terrace. They have soup dishes, wraps with different fillings, meatballs, pasta, salads etc. The truth is that the menu is quite varied and with many healthys options. They also serve fresh fruit smoothies, teas and, of course, beers.

Delicious dish of farfalle pasta with chicken and broccoli and bacon wrap with pesto. All accompanied by a good stella.

It is a quite frequented by students and this is noticeable in the atmosphere and prices, being one of the best places to eat cheap and well in Leuven. The average price per person is 10-16€.

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3. Alfalfa bar

This modern bistro bar is based on a concept that is not very deeply rooted in Northern European cultures, sharing food. Pay special attention to the vegetarian and vegan food and its menu includes a variety of dishes to share as well as dishes of the day for lunch and snacks non-stop Falafel sandwich, ceviche o tempura vegetables are examples of the dishes that you can find in this restaurant, whose menu changes according to the season.

The average price per person is 25-30€, somewhat higher than the rest of the restaurants on the list, as the food is more elaborate. Located 10 minutes walk from the center.

4. Ah Quy

Restaurant Vietnamese with different dishes that can be combined with rice or noodles. Its specialty is the Pho soup Vietnamese noodle soup, and they have it with different side dishes such as chicken, beef or tofu. There are options of red curry or green, and the typical Vietnamese sandwiches Banh Mi.   

Being the specialty, it was necessary to try the pho soup in our case of veal and chicken which was delicious. The portions are large, quality, and the food is very tasty. It is the perfect restaurant to take a break from the typical Belgian food.

Located very close to the center, but in a small secluded square, in a super nice and quiet environment. It also has a small terrace. The average price per person is 15-20€ per person eating very well.

5. 't Fritwinkeltje Sint-Maartensdal

How could it be otherwise could not miss in this list a place with the famous Belgian fries. In this small place located a little bit away from the tourist area, they serve potato chips with all kinds of sauces, in addition to hamburgers, sandwiches and some other fried snacks such as croquettes, cheese balls etc.

The price of the potatoes varies from the 4€ up to 13€. depending on the size, the latter being for 5-6 people. The average price of the snacks is 5€, and that of the hamburgers go to from 5 to 8€.. This restaurant is one of the best places to eat french fries in Leuven at very competitive prices.

The site has a small terrace that you can take advantage of the days of good weather if you can find time, because there are usually tail, although it is quite fast as well.

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6. Croque 'n Roll Leuven

Specialized in sandwiches They have all flavors and sizes. Their star sandwiches are named after famous singers, honoring the name of the place. They can be eaten inside or in the terrace that have or can be order to go. We chose the latter option as we did not want to waste too much time and went with them to the Arenberg park.

We tested the classic ham and cheese and another with meatloaf and chili sauce which, to tell the truth, did not convince us. The price varies between 9-16€ depending on whether the sandwich is to be normal or double.

We think it is a great option for eat cheaply and quickly in Leuven without having to wait and waste the limited visit time. However, bearing in mind that it is a sandwich shop, not a restaurant, so do not expect gourmet food.

7. De Blauwe Kater

Our last recommendation in Leuven is not a restaurant, but a beer bar. It is the perfect place to have a drink with friends, and you know the best part? They have live music every Monday, and they announce the groups on their website or on the posters at the door.  

They have a super wide selection of Belgian beer good music and good service, can you ask for anything more? Ah, do not serve food You can take a pizza from the pizzeria next door (La Piazzeta) without any problem.

If you want to read other articles ideal for your trip that complement Where to eat in Leuven you can visit our posts about Belgium.