Occoquan’s Cock & Bowl: Food and Beer to Savor

By Stephanie Tipple

If you’re looking for a hearty meal, a beer, and an excellent atmosphere on your next trip to Occoquan, then stop in at the Cock & Bowl.

Owned by couple Jacquie and Michael Lopez, this restaurant is a culmination of their love for entertainment, food and French and Belgian culture.

The Cock & Bowl at 302 Poplar Alley has become an established local favorite, recognized as one of the Best New Restaurants by Northern Virginia Magazine. The restaurant was also rated number two for one of the Top Prince William Places.

The location of the Cock & Bowl was originally a Belgian restaurant, and while studying Belgian culture, the Lopez’s discovered the French culture that they loved was deep within the roots of Belgian culture and decided to expand on this theme for their restaurant. Their menu also incorporates seafood elements like mussels, and a popular item – frites—which are dipped in mayonnaise.

One thing that many patrons rave about at the Cock & Bowl is their extensive beer list.

“Beer is so much more approachable,” Jacquie Lopez commented, comparing it to French wines. “We have a two-page food menu, and a 12-page beer list – we’re a beer joint,” Michael Lopez said of the atmosphere he wants to convey to patrons.

In addition to their beers, and their comfort food meets that French cuisine dishes, Cock & Bowl offers restaurant goers live acoustic music on their patio. And like a good reporter always does, I decided to dig in and see for myself if the Cock & Bowl’s food and atmosphere lived up to the reputation.

After poring over the menu, I selected a shrimp dish called the “Crevettes Bucolique.” This dish was a great portion of shrimp with a cream based sauce, garnished with steamed spinach and tomatoes. For the side dish, I ordered the famous frites with mayonnaise, which truly live up to their reputation. This meal is light seafood fare that melts in your mouth, leaving you happily satisfied with the portion and flavors.

My companion selected the “We Are the Champignons” mussel dish for her entrée, which was a delicious plate of mussels, with a cream and mushroom based sauce, along with a side of bread. While many people may shy away from seafood, particularly shell fish, my companion commented that the mussels were light and not over-burdened by the seafood taste, and that the creamy rich sauce complimented the mussels nicely.

One of the best known Belgian dishes in American culture is Belgian waffles, and the Cock & Bowl offers these Belgian waffles in a variety of forms on their menu for a dessert treat. If you’re a little weary of having a breakfast item for dessert, then take a look at their varieties with fudge and caramel, topped with a scoop of Hagen Daz ice cream.

The “Ganache Belgian Waffles” are far from your traditional breakfast waffles, with a light fluffy waffle made fresh, topped with whipped cream and a heavy dousing of chocolate. This dessert is as fun to look at as it is to eat, and hits the spot after a beer and a great meal.