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Yes, you read that right. Locals in this Swiss financial hub may be buttoned-up during the day, but they know how to let their hair down after dark.

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Musicians Aimee Mann, Joe Henry, and Loudon Wainwright III gather in Louisville to indulge in raw oysters, dry martinis, and unscripted conversation.

One traveler discovers a tradition even richer than the cuisine.

Overview

Overview

Overview

Expect to find much more than pommes frites, moules, and Brussels sprouts at the restaurants and bistros of Brussels. Belgian cuisine picks up traditions from the tables of its neighbors, France and Germany, as well as reflecting the cuisines of its international population and the bounty of local farms, ocean, and gardens.

The restaurateurs were aiming for an approachable French spot when they opened this brasserie in downtown’s Bank of America building in 2016—and they’ve succeeded, in spades. Here, the perfect start to both lunch and dinner is a bowl of the savory French onion soup, which features just the right amount of bone marrow. Other menu highlights include steak frites, croque monsieur sandwiches, and artisanal cheese plates for dessert. If seafood is your thing, you’ll also love the raw bar, with its spread of oysters, shrimp, and crab legs. On weekday mornings, DoveCote offers a café-style breakfast, complete with authentic French pastries and espresso drinks served in the open lobby. Every other meal occurs in the actual restaurant, which stuns with soaring ceilings, whitewashed brick walls, and a palette of soft blue, gold, and gray that feels trés français indeed.

A favorite for weekend brunch, this French-inspired bistro in Inman serves flaky croissants, avocado toast, and brioche topped with scrambled eggs and smoked trout. Later in the day, it also offers ratatouille, beef tartare, and steak frites. Complete with stamped ceilings, bistro tables, and green-tiled walls, the intimate spot is even great for dessert and a drink, whether you’re after a negroni, a glass of chenin blanc, or a locally brewed beer. For drink specials, come during the week when B&B offers its version of happy hour, called L’Apéro. Note: Bread & Butterfly does not take reservations.

As one of the most innovative players on the Marrakech restaurant scene, Kamal Laftimi spearheads projects that are nothing if not showstoppers. This buzzy, green-on-green–tiled riad, bristling with courtyard banana trees, is a case in point. It’s a hip hangout by day for locals and expats who meet for coffees throughout the morning and pop into celebrated kaftan designer Norya ayroN’s little boutique, which occupies a small space on the first floor. By night, it sparkles with the light of hundreds of glittering candles while large extended families and cooing couples gather over Moroccan classics such as pigeon pastilla, vegetarian couscous, and chicken tagine with olives and raisins, as well as a handful of crowd-pleasing classics such as steak frites and burgers (no alcohol served).

Steak is often reserved for special occasions fit for a lasting memory. But at L’Assiette Steak Frites, a new lunch menu has made that need for a distinctive event feel unnecessary. Tucked away on Melrose Avenue, this Parisian-inspired restaurant still maintains an upscale look – in part due to its vibrant red accents on an enclosed patio, a sleek bar near a wall of wine bottles, and tables covered in white linen – but its mid-afternoon atmosphere is casually welcoming. Light and breeze will come in from outside, but the surrounding noise will not. While this lunch should come across as more relaxed than refined, the namesake meal manages to be both. Prepared with lean shares of Nebraskan beef known as the Coulotte cut, the steak frites is served with a rich sauce and a pile of golden pommes frites. Layer fries with slivers of steak on your fork, or eat the hand-cut side on its own, as you gradually empty your plate. You could also try the salade maison au bifteck, which tosses the same cut of steak in a colorful bowl of almonds, dates, goat cheese, and avocado. When you can enjoy a relaxing lunch in the middle of a busy day, that’s reason enough to celebrate. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Reyes.

A friterie is to a Belgian is what McDonalds is to an American! Scattered around the country you often come across these friteries which sell as they main item “frites”. They’re also called “pommes frites” since they are made of potatoes. Just about everything that you order in a friterie is automatically thrown into a great big fryer. So your frites, your hamburgers, your chicken nuggets are deep fried. The frites are actually cooked twice. With the frites, the main “saus” is mayonnaise! No kidding! This tastes nothing like Hellmann’s or your typical mayo, but has a more unique, perhaps a bit sweeter flavor. If you’re not into mayo, then you can have ketchup or one of many other sauces - saus americain, sambal, picante, pita, etc. Usually accompanying this meal is of course a Belgian beer. Stella Artois and Jupiler are the mainstream lagers. Sure, this place sounds like a recipe for a coronary but in moderation it will not kill you.

This truck, also a friterie/frituur was parked several blocks from the Belgian national stadium the other night during the Belgium - Macedonia game. As a matter of fact there were a few of these portable friteries and business was booming. The typical Belgian snack, even full meal, is a big pack of frites (sometimes served in cone-shaped holders), a frikandelle (type of sausage) and/or a hamburger (deep fried with the fries) along with a soft drink or beer. Sure, I love frites but I also love finding new and unusual friteries. I equate these to the diners back in my home state of Jersey.