This weekend marks a double celebration in Brabant Walloon, albeit of two very different “landmarks.”
First up is the 210th anniversary of a rather famous military battle, between Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington.
The other event is less celebrated but, all the same, significant.
It is the tenth anniversary of the opening of Mont-Saint-Jean, which, in its own way, is a wonderful riposte to wars and military conflict.
The Mont-Saint-Jean site, or MSJ as it is more commonly known as, comprises a multitude number of activities and attractions, each of which should appeal to anyone paying a visit this weekend (or anytime) to the battle re-enactment.
One of the most popular and successful of these enterprises is the Waterloo Brasserie, located just off the Brussels Ring but at the heart of one of history’s great military stories…. the Battle of Waterloo.
After a day enjoying the Battle re-enactment this weekend – the 210th anniversary of that great event – you may have built up an appetite and the brasserie on this site is a great place to sate your hunger – with a staggering choice of beers and drinks to wash it all down.
The main card features good old-fashioned Belgian classics like carpaccio, croquettes and tartar while the mains boasts another favourite from this country, Coucou de Malines (chicken),cod and pave de saumon, plus some good steaks like Pave de Boeuf and cote a l’os (which can be topped with one of the house sauces such as Jus de veau a la Waterloo Double Brune), together with lamb and tuna. Veggies will be glad to see some nice salads available, plus ravioles farcies and linguine.
The kids’ menu (for those aged 12 and under) features spaghetti and cheeseburger.
If you come by at lunchtime, the 2-course offering is just €33pp, or there’s also the “Menu MSJ” (€47.50pp).
All this can be enjoyed from a huge terrace which, conveniently, directly overlooks the world-famous battlefield itself. This has recently been expanded and can now accommodate up to 120 people and sits right next to lovely apple trees, the products form which are used for drinks in the resto.
Arguably, the USP about this place is the sensational selection of drinks. Indeed, you can even sample a “beer flight”: a selection of beers for a modest €19.75.
This historic site now celebrates the convergence of living heritage and brewing expertise, offering craft beers rooted in their terroir. From the Triple Blonde to the Récolte Saison, including the prestigious Cuvée Impériale matured in whisky barrels, the brewery embodies a tradition reinvented with passion. Each beer can be enjoyed in a handcrafted chalice, a nod to the past and local craftsmanship.
You can also match Belgian beers with the food.For example, the salmon marinated in gin (produced on the same site) might be accompanied by a Bourgogne Des Flandres Grand Cru.
Waterloo Triple Blond, a best-selling beer, also produced on site (along with much else) is recommended for another dish, the goats cheese, while Waterloo Double Dark beer is paired with the lamb shank.
Three kinds of whisky (kept in 300 oak barrels) and a total of six beers are produced here at what is a very impressive multi-function operation. Even one of its several cocktails is made from draught Guinness.
Indeed, you may well also be tempted by any one of a very long list of aperitifs and/or cocktails.
This weekend’s re-enactment offers a journey back in time but is one that can be punctuated by taste discoveries based around Waterloo beers, to be enjoyed in a unique setting – and one which is just off the Brussels Ring.
Waterloo Brewery is, says a spokesman, a committed player in promoting the site’s history and tourism. It offers tours and tastings throughout the year, as well as local beers and spirits, including Waterloo gin and whisky, each produced on-site.
The conflict between Napoleon and Wellington left nearly 9,000 dead and 22,000 wounded and led to Napoleon’s decisive defeat.
The rolling countryside around this wonderful place has become a memorial site to the dead but it is also testament to the entrepreneurial talents and efforts of the Anthony Martin group and the team involved in the regeneration of this old farm.
These people include the go ahead and friendly operations manager Patrick Grauwels, and also staff members like Kevin and Fabrice, all very hard working and committed to continuing the great success story that this place represents.
Patrick, from Flanders, told this site, ”We cook everything here and do not re-heat things. This is important. Beer is obviously important and goes into a lot of what we produce. This place is all about beer and cooking – we try to combine the two. We all work hard and we have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years.”
The Farm, including its terrific brasserie, has proved a real job-spinner (40 people are employed on site,including 20 in the restaurant) and it is important for the local economy, luring (as it does) tens of thousands of visitors and diners each year.
It is also ultra self sufficient, producing its own honey (from 7 hives), apple juice, gin, any number of beers and whiskies and even its own recycled water).
The brasserie opened just after the crippling health pandemic and struggled badly to survive as so many others did at the time.But, thanks to a lot of hard graft and investment, it has survived and, more than that, gone on to great success … a real Belgian success story if ever there was one.
So, they you go: visiting the Battle re-enactment is great for nostalgia buffs but, for those who crave evidence of Belgian entrepreneurial skills in 2025, look no further than this place … and it is all on the same site.
Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean
Chaussée de Charleroi 591, 1410 Waterloo
02 385 0103
