The Best Belgian Frites or French Fries

Frites are an essential part of Belgian culinary travel, although in the United States, we call them "French fries". The confusion seems to stem from something getting lost in translation. In Old English, the word for "cut into sticks" was "to French", and frites are, after all, potatoes cut into stick shape. It's easy to see how "frenched fries" could morph into "french fries". In any case, frites have been served on Belgian tables since the late 17th century, originally as a substitute for fried fish during the winter, when the rivers were frozen.

You can find frites on the menu of fine-dining restaurants, but there's nothing quite like eating them from a paper cone while strolling the streets. These frites purveyors are called frietkots or fritures, and they serve up their golden crunch with a variety of sauces, although the most authentic way to eat them is with mayonnaise.

Two centrally located stands to find your frites in Brussels: at Fritland, across the street from the Bourse, or at Chez Antoine, on Place Jourdan, Etterbeek 1040. For a different and more trendy experience, check out Haute Frituur in Antwerp (Vlaamsekaai 66), a frites shop with a modern design sensibility.

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