Belga Cafe is a restaurant concept by Belgium native and award-winning Chef Bart Vandaele. A vibrant atmosphere modeled after Brussel's casual cafes, Belga Cafe is the original Belgian restaurant in Washington, DC. Opened in 2004, the neighborhood locale on Capitol Hill is known for its authentic cuisine, extensive craft beers, and a beautiful wine selection.
BART VANDAELE
A master of traditional Belgian cuisine with a flair for provocative dishes, Vandaele is a contestant on season 10 of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” “I’ve become known as ‘the Belgian guy’ for putting Belgian food on the map in D.C.,” he says.
The Belgian-born chef opened his first restaurant in 2004, the wildly successful Belga Cafe, in 2015 he expanded his businesses with the opening of the summer garden, rooftop bar, The Betsy.
His career began at the “Ter Groene Poorte”, the Culinary Institute for Restaurant and Hotel Management in Brugge. He then worked for renowned Belgian restaurants, including Piet Huysentruyt and Restaurant Scholteshof, served under respected Chef Roger Souvereyns, and served as executive chef for the European Union’s head diplomat to the U.S. and later the Dutch Embassy.
Vandaele’s accomplishments include: Rising Star by StarChefs.com; ‘Knighthood’ by the Museum of Belgian Brewers and the Brewers Guild of Belgium; awarded the Belgian decoration “Ridder in de Orde van Leopold II” or “Knight in the Order of Leopold II;” Master Cook of Belgium; Beer Bar of the Year by Cheers magazine; awarded “Wine Excellence Award” by Wine Spectator in 2013; established Belgian Restaurant Week in 2011; National Brand Ambassador for Belgium brews Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Leffe Blonde and Brune, featured by the James Beard Foundation for dinner events in James Beard House in 2007 and 2015.
Belga Cafe is the perfect place to host your private function. Whether big or small, allow us to help take some of that pressure off your shoulders and impress your guests. Belga Cafe’s dining room is available for parties and dinner as well as the rooftop summer garden at Betsy.
PLEASE CALL US AT (202)-544-0100 TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION.
BRUNCH IS ONLY OFFERED SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS.
Celebrate a special event or that special someone with a Belga Café or The Betsy gift card. We offer gift cards in varying amounts, and each gift card can be used at Belga Café or Betsy. We can ship it to you or directly to the recipient along with a personalized note.
Visit any of our locations
or
PURCHASE GIFT CARDor
PURCHASE E-GIFT CARDPlease Note:
Betsy’s and Belga Café gift cards can be used in both locations. The gift cards cannot be redeemed for cash and will not be replaced or refunded if lost or stolen.
Betsy is an intimate, open-air rooftop serving American fare and a cocktail program focused on all things gin.
Amazing Belgian French cuisine. Perfect place for Sunday brunch in Eastern Market area. With every bite I said hmmm hmm. The cocktails were innovative, tasty and strong. Basically the entire experience was on point.
My friend (whose hubby is Belgian and lived there for 7 years) and I could not say enough great things about Belga Cafe! We had lunch there last week, sharing the chilled gazpacho, large (very!) order of moules frites mariniere, and a never-ending half bottle of Sancerre!...
5 start night. Came for my fiancé's bday, and tried 3 different Belgium beers (great selection!). Had the crab and chicken rolls appetizer. We ordered the lobster mussels which is probably one of my top 5 mussels dishes I've ever had. Great service.
...Indoor and outdoor seating, in the heart of Capitol Hill, nice relaxed vibe. The brunch is phenomenal. The waffles are amazing of course and the service is good with a great drink selection. I'm sure I'll be back.
What a delicious brunch spot! We also had excellent service for a party of 6 on a busy Sunday. They never rushed us, just made sure that we had everything we needed to enjoy our experience. I had two yummy sparkling wine bases drinks and ordered the Tartiflette as my main dish...
