Frequently Asked Questions

At Big Mama, we invite you to discover authentic, hearty, and welcoming Belgian cuisine that showcases the great classics of Belgian gastronomy. Our menu features traditional Belgian specialties prepared with carefully selected ingredients and a special focus on flavor. You’ll be able to enjoy must-try dishes such as gray shrimp croquettes, mussels and fries, Liège-style meatballs, cheese fondue, and other typical Belgian dishes that have made our cuisine famous. Our selection of Belgian craft beers pairs perfectly with these dishes, allowing you to enjoy an authentic Belgian culinary experience in Brussels.

Discover our menu

Big Mama is located in the heart of Brussels’ historic center, at Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés 41, 1000 Brussels. Just a few minutes’ walk from Brussels’ Grand-Place, our restaurant is easily accessible by metro, tram, bus, car, or bike.

Whether you’re a Brussels resident, a visitor from Belgium, or a tourist looking for a Belgian restaurant in the center of Brussels, Big Mama is ideally located for you to come and enjoy traditional Belgian specialties in a friendly atmosphere.

🚇 Getting to Big Mama by Metro

The nearest STIB metro stations are:

• Bourse Station (lines 3 and 4): about a 5-minute walk from the restaurant.
• Gare Centrale Station (lines 1 and 5): about an 8-minute walk.
• De Brouckère Station (lines 1 and 5): about a 10-minute walk.

The Bourse station is generally the most convenient for directly reaching Brussels’ historic center and the Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés.

🚋 Getting There by Tram

Several Brussels tram lines provide easy access to the city center:

• Tram 4 – Bourse stop
• Tram 10 – Bourse stop
• Tram 51 – Bourse stop

From the Bourse stop, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the restaurant.

🚌 Getting There by Bus

STIB bus routes near the restaurant include:

• Bus 29 – Gare Centrale stop
• Bus 38 – Bourse stop
• Bus 46 – Bourse stop
• Bus 48 – Bourse stop
• Bus 71 – De Brouckère stop

These routes make it easy to reach Big Mama from various neighborhoods in Brussels. The STIB network includes the capital’s metro, tram, and bus services.

🚗 Coming by car: nearby parking lots

Since the center of Brussels is primarily pedestrian-only, we recommend parking in a nearby public parking lot and then walking to Big Mama.

The most convenient parking garages are:

• Interparking Brussels - Grand Place Parking
• 📍 Rue du Marché aux Herbes 104, 1000 Brussels
• 🚶 About a 5-minute walk from the restaurant
• BePark - Brussels-Center Station Parking Lot
• 📍 Rue Duquesnoy 5, 1000 Brussels
• 🚶 About a 7-minute walk from the restaurant
• Interparking Brussels - Brucity Parking
• 📍 1 Rue de l’Évêque, 1000 Brussels
• 🚶 About a 10-minute walk from the restaurant

🚲 Coming by bike

For visitors who wish to come to Brussels by bike, several options are available:

• Villo! – Grand-Place / Bourse station: bike-sharing stations located just a few minutes from the restaurant.
• Public bike racks are available on the streets near Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés.

Since the neighborhood is located right in the heart of the city, biking is a convenient way to get to Big Mama while enjoying the charm of the historic center.

📍 In summary

Big Mama Brussels is easily accessible:

• 🚇 Metro: Bourse (lines 3 and 4)
• 🚋 Tram: 4, 10, 51 – Bourse stop
• 🚌 Bus: 29, 38, 46, 48, 71
• 🚗 Parking: Grand Place, Central Station, Brucity
• 🚲 Bike: Villo! stations nearby

Come discover our authentic Belgian cuisine, our mussels and fries, our gray shrimp croquettes, and our other Belgian specialties in the heart of Brussels.

Absolutely none! Don't be fooled by our Italian or American sounding name. We were here long before them! You won't find wood-fired pizzas or truffle pasta here, but pure Brussels tradition, a selection of local craft beers, and a healthy dose of Belgian humor. We proudly claim our independence and our identity as a true neighborhood brasserie.

Reservations at Big Mama are not required, but they are strongly recommended to ensure you get a table, especially on weekends, holidays, or during peak tourist seasons in Brussels. You can easily book your table online through our website. For groups, corporate events, or special requests, our team is available to help plan a tailored experience in the heart of the historic center.

Absolutely! As soon as the sun rays show their face in Brussels, we set up our lovely terrace directly on the Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés. It is a very quiet pedestrian area, away from the hustle and bustle of the main commercial streets. It's the perfect spot to enjoy a pot of mussels and fries or savor a fresh trappist beer while taking in the Brussels architecture.

Our menu features the most sought-after traditional recipes of Brussels cuisine. You will find our famous beer-stewed carbonnades flamandes, Liège-style meatballs with "sauce lapin", crispy gray shrimp croquettes, our chef's homemade stoemp, mussels and fries, filet américain, solettes, and meatballs in tomato sauce. For dessert, enjoy the traditional Brussels waffle, speculoos tiramisu, chocolate mousse, or speculoos ice cream.

We offer a sharp drinks menu featuring characterful regional and trappist beers. In particular, you can taste Chimay Blue or Triple, Goliath blonde, organic Ducassis, Geuze Oud Beersel, or Gouden Carolus. For every typical dish ordered, our team will suggest the perfect food and beer pairings.

To book a table at Big Mama, click the "Book a table" button on our website for instant confirmation. Located in central Brussels near the Grand-Place, our authentic Belgian restaurant is also perfect for group events or private banquets. For large groups, please contact Christine and Thierry directly by phone or via our contact form to plan a customized menu featuring our traditional specialties and craft beers.

Reservations at Big Mama are not required, but they are strongly recommended to ensure you get a table, especially on weekends, holidays, or during peak tourist seasons in Brussels. You can easily book your table online through our website. For groups, corporate events, or special requests, our team is available to help plan a tailored experience in the heart of the historic center.

Le restaurant est idéalement niché au cœur de la capitale, sur la charmante et historique Pl. de la Vieille Halle aux Blés 41, 1000 Bruxelles. Notre emplacement est parfait pour les visiteurs : nous nous trouvons à seulement quelques minutes de marche de la Grand-Place, du quartier du Sablon, du célèbre Manneken-Pis et de la Gare Centrale. C’est l’étape idéale pour reprendre des forces après une journée de balade dans le centre historique de Bruxelles.

We welcome you from Wednesday to Saturday for lunch from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM, and for dinner from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. On Sundays, we offer an extended non-stop lunch service from 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM, ideal for late lunches or a Belgian-style brunch after the market. Please note that our teams rest on Mondays and Tuesdays, the restaurant's weekly closing days.

Big Mama restaurant, located in the heart of Brussels at Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés 41, offers homemade mussels and fries in the pure Belgian tradition. Our brasserie is just a few minutes' walk from the Grand-Place and Manneken-Pis, making it the ideal spot to enjoy local specialties in the city center.

Yes, Big Mama adapts local cuisine for everyone! Our menu features alternatives such as vegetarian meatballs in tomato sauce with fries, as well as starters like abbey cheese fondues, baked Chimay, and pasta dishes tailored for meat-free diets so that everyone can enjoy the authentic Belgian estaminet experience.

To organize a group meal or celebrate a private event in Brussels, you can submit a request via our dedicated online Quote & Reservation module. You can also contact us directly by phone at +32 2 513 36 59 or by email at info@bigmama.be to obtain a personalized and tailored group menu.