There's more to this Belgian restaurant and bar than just mussels, even if the pots, platters and bowls of moules are what this long-standing chain is probably best known for. There are more than 70 beers (from Belgium, the UK and the US) on offer for starters, and a food menu that ranges from rotisserie-roasted chickens to burgers, steaks and crispy bellies of pork.
This Covent Garden branch – the group's second of four in London – has been going for over 20 years. It's a huge space, with two separate rooms (a dining room and a beer hall) set over 12,000 square feet between Shelton Street and Earlham Street, just down from Seven Dials.
Many visit for the mussels, and there's a range of different dishes on offer, from the 'traditionelle' cooked in a white wine, celery, garlic and onion broth to the Thai (lemongrass, chilli, ginger, kaffir lime, coconut and coriander) and the kimchi – a hot, sweet and sour, Korean cabbage and grilled chilli pepper dish. Keep an eye out for express lunches, too.