Our Story

Pierre Vandamme was born and raised in Brugge (Bruges), Belgium. In March 2004, after living in Salt Lake City for 10 years, he adapted an old family recipe for the Liège waffle and started a waffle business selling waffles on Main Street in Salt Lake City from a vending cart. The same year he operated the cart at the Downtown Salt Lake City Farmers Market and at some local summer events.
 
It didn’t take long for ‘Utahns’ and the local media to fall for the charms of this Belgian waffle artist. Or was it the aromas of melting butter and caramelizing sugar that were so enchanting? Either way, he was ambitious and soon added Belgian style fries ‘frites’ and a surprising variety of freshly made dipping sauces to the menu. It was a big hit!
 
Thanks to the many loyal fans and admiring articles in the press, Pierre was soon able to open a year-round operation, a small but charming ‘hole in the wall’ across from the farmers market on Broadway. Its tiny interior, sidewalk patio and Belgian attributes evoke the old-world ambiance as soon as you set foot inside. Along with a real kitchen came a new product: the Machine Gun Sandwich®, featured on Man v. Food.
 
Bruges Waffles and Frites became so successful that in 2010 Pierre enticed Frederic, his brother in law, and his family to relocate from Belgium to Utah to join him in this adventure.
 
The summer of 2012 was an exciting period for Bruges Waffles and Frites. They opened a second year-round restaurant with more indoor seating in the charming Sugar House neighborhood.
 
The beginning of 2014 marked another page in Bruges’ history by bringing fresh, artisan-made waffles to you with a cute, vintage looking Bruges Waffle Bus. Brugesmobile joined the team in 2016, adding our Best of Utah fri(t)es to the food truck menu.
 
Today our family proudly owns and operates two stores and two trucks to share with you the love for Belgium’s Best Loved Foods, or as we call it: authentic Belgian Indulgence and a trip to Belgium without the jetlag.