Monday Munchies: Hearty meals at a Belgian-inspired tavern
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The 1834 Moules. Photos: Alex Golden/Axios
Fayetteville has a new Belgian-inspired restaurant, 1834 Tavern Lafayette.
🇧🇪 The vibe: If there's another spot in NWA with a similar aesthetic, I haven't found it. The business calls itself an "intimate old-world tavern," and you'll find deep green and purple hues, small tables smushed close together and decor with a flair for the ornate.
- It's a break from the industrial look or airy vibes you commonly find at restaurants and bars nowadays.
🗺️ Catch up quick: Belgian food is heavily influenced by other European cuisines, like French and German.
- You'll find hearty dishes with ribs, bratwurst and steak.
🦪 What to try: Start off with a Belgian classic, the 1834 Moules ($19) — mussels in a garlic and herb pinot grigio broth with sun-dried tomatoes, served with bread for soaking up that broth, plus a plate of fries.
- If mussels aren't your thing, you still must get an order of fries (or Tavern Frites). Fries are a staple in Belgian cuisine, and they have perfected them.
- I also started off with The Hunky Monk ($17) appetizer — one standard bratwurst and one cheddar bratwurst served with mustard. These were juicy without being overly fatty, and I'd feel confident ordering the Bratwurst Plate entree next time.
🥔 Zoom out: The Poulet à la Flamande ($33), chicken over carrots and pureed potatoes with a Dijon-brand cream sauce, had me thinking, "We get it, 1834 Tavern Lafayette — you're a potato specialist." But really, I was scraping the plate for every last bit of potatoes and cream sauce.
- Save room for dessert and try the Brewer's Chocolate Cake ($9). It's a dense German chocolate cake made with a dark ale, with a ganache and whipped cream. It's as rich as it sounds and good for sharing.
📍 Stop by: 5–9pm Tuesday through Saturday at 572 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fayetteville.
