Why are they called French fries ???

Notre Dame is a cheap restaurant in the very center of Leuven. The fact that it has cheap prices doesn't mean the food isn't great. Don't expect a five star quality or an exeptional interior design here, but if you'd like to have a nice dish for a good price, this place is the bomb. There is absolutely no restaurant I've been more in my life than Notre Dame. I go here with friends after shopping or before going out, because plates are filled well, service is friendly, and well, prices can't be much lower compared to what you get for it.

You can have a well filled plate and a drink here for under 14 Euros easily. Some plates cost more, others cost even less. The place is big to so mostly it is not necessary to make a reservation. They have a large area in front of the restaurant, than some more tables at the bar in the back, and another area on the first level. It is more cosy to sit in the back or upstairs, because the downside of the large size is that there can be quite some noise sometimes. But I take that.

Don't come to Notre Dame for a romantic date, because you won't get much intimacy. Yet for a quick snack or a well filled course this restaurants is ideal, just as for dessert with coffee or simply a drink. You won't pay to much and you'll be seated at the very center of town at the Grote Markt itself. You can't have a better scenery in whole of Leuven!

There is a terrace right at the market square but it is mostly on the shady side. There is only sun in the very early morning. You'll find it therefore pretty empty in spring but when it's hot in summer people will "fight" for a place over there because it is cool.

Anyway, keep this place in mind when coming to Leuven, especially when you're on a budget but don't like to skip when it comes to a good meal :)

The College is a small and a bit old fashioned cocktail bar in the center of Leuven, in the Munstraat, where many restaurants are located. This is not one of those trendy bars with a modern interior, but the cocktails here are the best to be had in Leuven. They come with huge pieces of ceveral fruits and chips, and glasses are well filled. There is a great deal of choice too. I honestly think that any cocktail your hart desires is to be had here, and it will taste lovely for sure.

My favorite is the Blue Lagoon, a classic alright, but I can't get out of The Professor without having one. As I'm still busy trying every other name on the menu I at least have to drink to each time I visit: the Blue Lagoon and the new one. But I've never regreted it. Prices are no more expensive than anywhere else in Leuven, about 5,5 Euro for one, and you get better quality than in most other bars.

So if I may place a suggestion, go to The Professor for cocktails and invite me when you're planning too. I'll be happy to come :)

I used to start this review by saying the Professor is the best cocktailbar in Leuven, but I've deleted that. It is still good though, but recently I like "The College" better. Check out my other reviews for that.

Though "The Professor" is crowded with people (mainly students) every night, it is worth a visit. You can choose from about 150 different cocktails, you get some ships with it, and the price is ok.

There are tables outside in the summertime, and the service is friendly. I've been here countless times, and yet I haven't tasted even half of the cocktails served. Unfortunately I'm very good at trying out more than one per evening. I've left pretty dizzy more than ones, but then again, they're all so great!

The Professor is located in the Naamsestraat, which starts at the Grand Place and is connected to the Old Market by small streets. The Professor is at the corner of the first small connection road, when you're coming from the Grand Place at your right.

Ok it is true, nothing can compare home made spaghetti, but... Metropol has been rewarded for the spaghetti they serve here and since I've tasted it more than ones (I love spaghetti) I can tell you they really deserve the award.

The Metropol is located in the hart of Leuven:
the old market. The restaurant itself is stylish, and decorated in old fashion style. Simple Italian dishes are the best here, all served with fresh herbs and excellent cheese.

But you should also try the coffee 'verkeerd' (means it has got more milk than coffee in it). This comes in a big mug and lots of frothy steamed milk. Mmmmm.

Commedia is on the old market in the center of Leuven. It's a nice cafe where they play good music (lounge most of the time, but jazz and worldmusic as well). It is not a dance cafe, but nice to have drinks and chat with friends. We usualy go here when we get hungry during a night out, because of the tasty finderfood. Yet, the drinks and service here are also great.

Personaly, I love the interior - which is really sixties/seventies like. Though there are better places to have cocktails in Leuven, the ones they serve here aren't too expensive (about 5,50€, but you don't have many to choose from).

As I said, we go here for fingerfood and tapas:
- champiñones con ajo
- chickenfingers
- patatas bravas
- ...

It's all in the name really. This is a cafe where you can eat simple but taste dishes (most often with a mediteranian flair) and go for a drink in the evenings. I go here because it's quite and therefor the ideal location to chat with friends without having to shout over the music. Since they serve diner, it shoul be a non-smoking room, which - for me - is great.

The kitchen is open late so when you get hungry wile having drinks you can have more than just a tapa or sandwich.

My favourite dishes:
- Pasta 'Al Salmone'
- Focaccia with mozzarella, tomato and basilic

Located at the back of the old market, in the heart of the city.

I love the interior of this beautiful restaurant. Located in the Muntstraat, it finds itself in the heart of Leuven. The Muntstraat is only accesible for pedestrians and is a small street full of restaurants and cafe's. When one goes to the old market to party, he goes here for a good meal.

Mykene serves really good, tranditional Frensh cuisine for a fine price.
I recomment:

- Croquettes from parmezan (7,20€)
- Stuffed paprika (vegetarian) with rice, pink pepper and goat cheese (14,50€)
- Home made sabayon with vanilla ice (7,00€)

You can also compose a menu (1/4 wine or two soft drinks included) for 31,40€. Than you have the choice out of 4 starters, 4 main courses and 4 desserts. Mainly there is something for everyones taste included in this menu, but ofcourse the most fancy dishes are not on this list...

De Werf is a bit of an alternative bar/bed and breakfast. They serve great food which is pretty cheap. The presentation is also original. For example: sandwiches are served in lunchboxes. Visiting de Werf is most cosy in the evenings, because than the terrace is enlightened by sweet coloured Chinese lanterns and every visitor gets a little blanket to stay warm.

This restaurant is located on the Hogeschool square, pretty quiet but yet still in the centre of Leuven. You have lots of open air here and no noisy cars passing by your table every four or five seconds.

What you really should try here:

- petit‑beurre cake (2,50 euro)
I'm not sure whether everyone knows what this is... if you don't then just try it, because it's hard to translate or to explain. Note that is a quite 'heavy' dessert.

- warm bread with hearbs, filled with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and chive-vinaigrette(4,50 euro)

- the home made fruit juices (2,70 euro)

In need for coffee and dessert?

Den Artiest is a small café/restaurant in the centre of Leuven.
Though the snacks and cocktails arn't bad, I just go there for one thing: the pancakes with ice cream! I have tried several other places in Leuven but Den Artiest is simply the best you can find.

Eating a warm pancake with melting vanilla cream is my favourite clincher after a fluttered shopping day. Anyone a bit hungry or cold can go there to relax for a moment.

The interior is quite modern but yet cosy, the room though is ratter small. It is not the kind of place you stay and talk for hours, but it certainly has a flair around it. Beside, I think anyone visiting Leuven
should try these pancakes. Let me know what you think!

Domus is a special place because it brews its own beer, that runs through a "pipeline" from the brewery straight to the cafe. The three brands that are produced are: Nostra Domus, ConDomus (unfiltered pils) and Nen Engel (An Angel), only brewed during Christmastime. This is a dark, sweet/bitter beer with quite some prestige.

Apart from this specialties, Domus offers an antique setting to have a light meal in. You can come here for the extensive breakfast-buffet, the sweet desserts or the more usual snacks.

Anyway, this is not one of my favorite places in Leuven. But beer-lovers should drop by at least ones, and since its in the center of the city, Domus is also easy to reach for tourists.

For those who like to try some Tex-Mex Food while visiting Leuven, New Mexico restaurant is the place to be!

The waiters are really friendly and fast, the room is well decorated and not too big, but most of all: the food is wonderful. I went there two months ago to celebrate my birthday and I was really amazed. I had never eaten Mexican food before but I certainly will again. You have lots of dishes to choose from, so everyone can find something he or she likes. The plates are really full and the presentation is also original. Nothing extremely fancy but yet its surprising and of good quality. Both wine and food are delicious.

There are other Mexican restaurants in Leuven but this one is defenately the best!

My menu suggestion:
- Sangria (4 euro)
- Ensalada El Gringo (4,5 euro)
- Burito de pollo (14,5 euro)

One disadvantage maybe, the deserts aren't that great. But hey, I have written another review on 'Den Artiest' where you can eat the best pancakes with ice cream you ever had... So for those still a little bit hungry after eating the Mexican dishes (seems really unlikely), Den Artiest will do.

New Mexico is located in 'De Munstraat', which is a small road where only pedestrians can go. Almost in every house here there is a restaurant. It is close to the market square and the station, and really cosy. In the summer time you can enjoy the people passing by while having a drink or some tapas on the terras. This is a street where all kinds of people come, from students to businessmen and tourists. Small but fun!

Hungry and in need of some good food, but not willing to spend too much? You should go to De Wiering. This restaurant is located in an old house with a beautiful terrace on the roof. They serve good food here which isn’t expensive, and you get a
well filled plate.

Don’t go here for the latest culinary experiments or fancy designer chairs, but for a nice, tasty meal in a warm interior. Wooden floors and a warm fireplace set the tone. The collection of beer they serve is huge (about 60 different brands)! You can try all kinds of flavours and since Belgium is quite a ‘bear brewing country’ you must have had some of them by the end of your visit.

When you enter the Wiering you hear some funny old cloister music playing in the entrance hall. That’s pretty weird but don’t let it distract you. Just walk trough the corridor into the restaurant. At Friday and during weekends, you better reserve a seat, because this place is crowded with people than, and cues form quickly in the corridor! This proves that I’m not the only happy visitor going
back there again and again. Mainly students enjoy De Wiering because it’s decent yet reasonably cheap, but yet you can find more or less all kinds of people here.

The speciality here are grilled dishes (spare-ribs) and prawns, but I have some other favourites to suggest to you.

My suggestions:
Salad with apple dressing and feta(9,9 euro)
Vegetarion filled pancake (10,2 euro)
Cherry beer Sabayon with ice cream (5,8 euro)

Though I suggest a complete menu here it is quite unlikely that anyone could eat all three dishes at ones. So I recommend that you stick with one or two courses, depending on your appetite.

Bon Appetit!