Let’s face it: if you are a beer lover visiting the town of Rochefort in Belgium, you are probably there to taste the beers of the renowned Brasserie Trappistes Rochefort. These beers are brewed within the walls of the famous l’ Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint–Remy, one of the five Trappist abbeys in Belgium with breweries.

I have visited the abbey and brewed some five times since 2003, and my most recent tour was in late April 2024, led by Rochefort brewmaster Gumer Santos. Santos has been with the brewery since 2000. After the fantastic visit, we stayed in the town of Rochefort, located a few kilometers from the abbey and brewery.

That evening, my companions and I dined at Restaurant La Gourmandise in the town of Rochefort. Note that, unlike all of the other Trappist abbeys with breweries in Belgium, Rochefort does not their own restaurant or taproom, though that could change in the future.

Rochefort is a town of about 12,000 inhabitants in Namur Province, and it’s old center is very walkable, with some interesting shops and restaurants. One of the best places to eat and drink is Cafe-Restaurant La Gourmandise, which is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary in 2025. The restaurant is owned by Philippe and Véronique Halloy.

I first visited La Gourmandise in 2008, and had a great meal there with Gumer Santos and another good friend. Tip: when a brewmaster recommends a local restaurant, that’s really the best endorsement you can have!

La Gourmandise has been extensively renovated since my 2008 visit, but what has not changed is the wide variety of food choices in an expansive menu, and solid beer selection. There are five beers on tap, mostly including local brews such as Lupulus Pils, La Chouffe, and others.

La Gourmandise is held in such high regard by the Rochefort brewery that they were the first commercial account chosen to debut the draft version of Rochefort Triple Extra, on April 2, 2024. We were there just four weeks later, and tasted the Triple on draft as our first beer there.

Note that Merchant du Vin imports the Rochefort beers into the U.S.A. Their press release of April 21, 2025, has some great news for Trappist beer drinkers stateside:

“Trappist on tap is something that isn’t said very often here in the US, but we will be saying it a whole lot more now that we have Rochefort Triple Extra on draft. This very special triple blond ale is made with extreme attention to detail. Aroma and taste unique to the Belgian yeast, water, hops, and  brewing style give elusive citrus and spice accents balancing the 7.6% ABV. Find time for a Triple Extra on tap as this offering is only available for a limited time with only 300 kegs distributed nationwide.” 

The bottled version has been available in the U.S. for a couple of years.

For a detailed look at Rochefort’s beautiful 1960 copper brewhouse, see here. This brewhouse was last used in 2020.

For a look inside l’ Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint–Remy, see here.

Earlier in the day, after our brewery visit, Gumer Santos had a treat for me and my companions: we tasted the bottled and draft versions of the Rochefort Triple Extra side by side in the small, private brewery tasting room. What a great tasting it was!

Beer lover Dave Atkins of the U.K., who accompanied me on my visit to Rochefort, had this to say: “The keg was fresh, and the bottled version was only two months old. Despite the difference in alcohol, 7.6% abv for the draft Triple, versus 8.1% abv for the bottled version, they were remarkably similar in aroma and flavor. I thought they were both excellent.”

I agree with Dave’s sentiments!

La Gourmandise also stocks about 30 bottled beers, with lots of Trappist brews, and local beers.

La Gourmandise has a wood-fired grill, and offers a wide variety of grilled meats, as well as many other dishes, including vegetarian ones. Also, while there are numerous a la carte offerings, there are also some multi course prix fixe menus as well. There is something for just about everybody at this life-enhancing place. For images of the full menu, see here.

I opted for the Boulets à la Triple de Rochefort, which as its base is Boulets Liégeois, a dish native to Liege Province. This dish features huge meatballs made of beef and pork, served in a thick, rich gravy sauce, made with liege syrup, with walnuts and and cooked with Rochefort Triple Extra. Paired with frites, it was delectable!

La Gourmandise also has a number of aperitifs and digestifs, including some from local distilleries. There is also a good sized wine list, and a number of cocktails on offer as well.

The dessert list is extensive as well, and La Gourmandise specializes in having a number of ice cream dishes and crepes. I enjoyed a great chocolate ice cream dish, and a local distilled spirit. We then closed the night with a Rochefort 10. Being walking distance to a hotel does have it advantages!

La Gourmandise is more than just a cafe/restaurant. It also has a shop with a wide range of regional gourmet products, and also small museum to the Rochefort brewery that they have worked with for so many years.

La Gourmandise has lengthy opening days and hours. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9-10 p.m., depending on the season. The shop is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

La Gourmandise also has a “Trappist Attic” with lots of breweriana from Trappistes Rochefort, such as old wooden beer crates, bottles, glassware, and even an old copper brewing kettle. This is from the restaurant website: “This small space contains the abbey’s thousand treasures. The collection of around a hundred stoneware “steins” will soon be supplemented by the collection of glasses and bottles produced since the creation of Rochefort. Antique racks, plaques, and abbey objects surround the brewing tank created by Michel Courtin.”

A gourmet meal and beverages at La Gourmandise is an essential part of a visit to the town of Rochefort! I highly recommend it.

If you like this website, please like our Facebook page here

and our Instagram page here

and our Twitter page here