In the hometown of Interbrew, one of the world's largest breweries, you will come to learn that it is nearly impossible to walk the streets and not run into a café or bar that seems perfect for the occasion. Frankly, there are more bars and cafés in Leuven than you could possibly handle in one week (which you shouldn't put to the test, though). Make sure you visit the Oude Markt, famous for its pavement cafés and buzzing crowd.

The city of Leuven boasts a large number of fine gourmet restaurants, which obviously tend to be rather expensive. However, there is absolutely no need to pay a lot of money to get a decent meal as most bars and cafés have a wide selection of snacks and usually offer a day's menu. In addition, plenty of smaller restaurants cater for students and other people on a budget. Below you find a list of very nice places which serve good meals at reasonable prices:

* means 'highly recommended'

A'Zamara * Tiensestraat 123, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 98 11

Sicilian food

Café Komeet Oude Markt 54, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 29 63 00

Mediterranean food

Cara Tiensestraat 16, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 47 87

steakhouse

De Appel * Ravenstraat 15, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 20 18 94

De Blauwe Schuit Vismarkt 16, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 05 70

De Kemel Oude Markt 23, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 20 09 59

De Kruimel Tiensestraat 92, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 79 58

De Lange Trappen Mathieu de Layensplein 1, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 37 77

De Rijsttafel Tiensestraat 181, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 50 46

Chinese food

De Werf * Hogeschoolplein 5, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 73 14

De Wiering Wieringstraat 2, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 29 15 45

Den Artiest Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 21, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 03 26

Domus Tiensestraat 8, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 20 14 49

El Sombrero * Lei 25, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 12 28

Mexican food

La Cantina Del Coronel * Parijsstraat 40, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 29 08 63

Latin American food

La Casa Italiana Naamsestraat 92, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 12 40

Los Flamencos Naamsestraat 19, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 29 43 14

Tapas restaurant

Notre Dame * Grote Markt 11, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 37 62

O Fado Parijsstraat 49, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 22 93 91

Portuguese food

Quo Vadis Muntstraat 11, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 29 06 87

pizzeria

Toeareg * Drie Engelenberg 3-5, Parijsstraat 37, 3000 Leuven

tel. 016 23 15 55

North African food