Brussels for food & coffee lovers
- Feb 25, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 21
Brussels is a heaven for foodies and for those who love specialty coffee. Here I share my favourite (third wave) coffee bars and lunch & dinner hotspots in Brussels:
Specialty coffee in Brussels
BATCH in the beautiful neighbourhood of Ixelles, is opened from early in the morning until late in the evening. Come here for breakfast, lunch, bites, dinner or a glass of wine in the evening. We loved sitting at the window seats with a batch brew, crispy croissant and a creamy brownie. ☞ Chaussée de Waterloo 559
Almost at the very end of the long Antoine Dansaertstreet close to the Brussels Canal, you will find MOK Coffee. A micro coffee roastery where they roast small batches of beans to be able to fully control the roasting process. In this way they make sure you and I can enjoy each cup of coffee with high quality. There is a small menu for breakfast and lunch with homemade and seasonal (mostly plant based) dishes like soup, toast, sandwich, some sweets and a salad. The wall with coffee brewing necessities and coffee beans offers all you need to brew a good cup at home too.
BUDDY BUDDY nut butter atelier and vegan coffee bar has probably got the most impressive interior of all coffee bars in Brussels. That might be one of the reasons to stop by, but the main reason should be to try their high-quality, handmade and organic nut butters. Owners Matt and Julien have found many creative ways to process the nut butters into the most delicious treats (in drinks ánd in sweet & savoury delicacies). Coffee comes from above mentioned MOK and white coffee is solely made with plant based milk.
The very stylish all day café & eatery Seven is a great asset to the Uccle neighbourhood. This popular place serves brunch (several types of bowls and toast) from opening time, and lunch (several types of salads, a sandwich and soup) as of 12pm. But all day long you can enjoy delicious sweets (like for example this breakfast bun) with your cup of coffee or tea.
Close to famous art nouveau gems like Maison Hannon and the Horta Museum you will find Kami. A specialty coffee shop where owners Clara and Elias serve organic breakfast, lunch and delicious homemade pastries as well. We tried (and loved) the flapjack and perfectly baked lemon cake made from semolina. They work together with well known specialty coffee roasters from mostly Belgium and Paris.
Founder Rutger's aim is to create a positive impact business with their roastery, shop and coffee bars Wide Awake. Together with his team he tries to make specialty coffee accessible to everyone, and created a welcoming atelier in the Dansaert neighbourhood. Stop by for a great freshly brewed cup of coffee or get beans and brewing equipment to spice up your home coffee corner. Taste note cards and brewing recipes will help you choose the right coffee beans and most suitable brewing method. Over the years they have grown into 3 coffee bars, in the neighbourhoods of Danseart, St. Catherine and Flagey.
☞ Rue de Flandre 185 (Wide Awake at Dansaert)
☞ Rue Sainte-Catherine 2 (Wide Awake at St. Catherine)
Throughout the year you can enjoy coffee from above mentioned roaster Wide Awake at specialty espresso bar My Little Cup. but each month another guest roaster can shine here as well. Here you will find a combination of immense coffee knowledge (by owner Antoine and his whole team) and perfect service, which will make your visit extra pleasant. Besides all that, their homemade sweet and savoury scones are even worth a detour on their own.
BOUCHE coffee is the second specialty coffee bar by Antoine from above mentioned My Little Cup. If you like slow coffee, then this is the place for sure. They even have an extra bar where they brew the slow coffee (V60 by Hario) in front of you. A nice detail are the handmade porcelain cups which are all different and fun, because some have smileys on it :) There is a good selection of home made baked goods, but we where more in the mood for savory. The Katsu cauliflower with ginger and daikon on a bun was just fantastic!
The second addition to the Bouche-family is called Bouche Froissart, located close to the beautiful Parc Léopold.
Café Encré is a surprising find. First you walk through a clothing store and then through a fitting room with a hidden door to get into this very special speakeasy coffee shop. The light is dimmed here, and the hustle and bustle of the city is far away for a moment.
Takeaway iced coffee in a can made BARKBOY pretty famous over the the last years. But I went in for a batch brew and creamy, flaky almond (frangipane) bun.
Where the port of Brussels once extended right into the city center and fish was sold until the middle of the last century, there is now a lively long square with restaurants, bars and local businesses. Here you can also find coffee bar Drache.
Lunch and dinner in Brussels
Niko-Niko is the place to go to for Bento boxes and Teishoku. We ordered the latter which is a set menu with a main (3 different options, one meat, one fish and one vegetarian option), several sides, rice, pickles and a miso soup. Everything was traditionally cooked with seasonal ingredients and prepared fresh that morning. They also have a little konbini with Japanse essentials for home cooking.
We went to Savage for the 4-course vegetarian ' Saturday Lunch' and it definitely did not dissapoint. Here they offer a a complete plant-based experience where meat and fish are optional. By putting the emphasis on vegetables they make your meat consumption a concious choice. From the food on your plate (to the cool plates itself), the service, and the decor, everything was well thought out and balanced.
☞ Rue de la Paix 22 (Place St Boniface)
Knees to Chin is a small chain of five locations in Brussels. I have visited the one on Rue De Flandre in the Dansaert area. Go there for tasty (lactose free and very low in gluten) Asian inspired rice paper rolls with homemade sauces. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.
This artisan Ramen restaurant was established in 1987 and serves authentic Japanese cuisine. Yamato is known for its Tonkatsu ramen. 'Ton' means pork and 'katsu' means a deep-fried piece of meat or vegetable covered in panko (breadcrumbs). Good to know: ther are unfortunately no vegetarian options, you can only choose to leave out the meat. Usually I eat vegetarian, but every now and then I make an exception when there is no good replacement. And I have to say, the quality of the meat is good and it's a normal portion, they don't serve massive amounts.
Within a stone throw from earlier mentioned Fika there is a wide range of restaurants at the Place Saint Boniface. Little Tokyo is one of the Japanese inspired restaurants here. Their menu changes by the season, but all time favourites like gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), donburi (rice bowls) and ramen (noodles) are luckily there to stay at any time of year.
At the corner of the lively Place Fernand Cocq you will find Café Tulipant. This nicely styled restaurant/bar is a popular spot for locals. Here you can stop by for breakfast, brunch, lunch and drinks. Later during the day it transforms more into a bar with small bites and an extensive beverage menu.
Gazzetta is an all day Italian caffè, wine bar and deli. Here you can enjoy great food like several antipasti, two types of pasta and 1 type secondi (second dish) with 1 daily changing side dish. With this briefly menu it's not hard to choose and you can be assured your food will be market-fresh.
Traditional Korean comfort food is served at the stylish (vegan/vegetarian friendly) restaurant of Bap and Dak in the art nouveau area Ixelles (Elsene). And of course there is Bibimbap on the menu, the very famous rice dish. Literally translated "bibim" means mixed and "bap" means rice. So expect a very flavourful bowl of all sorts of (sautéed) vegetables and a raw egg yolk on top.
You can choose to order it as a vegan or vegetarian dish, but you can also order it with chicken or beef. We also loved the 'kimchi jeon' which are savoury Korean pancakes with kimchi and as sides the regular 'kimchi' (fermented cabbage), 'chikin mu' (pickled radish) and 'yeongeun joris' (soy braised lotus roots). And this all tastes even better with an ice cold Korean Cass beer!
When Tokidoki opened its doors in 2019, the following was written on the window:
'No sushi, no ramen, no fusion cuisine - But down to earth Japanese grandmother style food.' And to this day this is exactly what you can expect when come here for a delicious lunch or dinner. Everything is made fresh to order, and there is no huge menu to choose from. There is a choice of 3 weekly changing lunch menus, one veggie, one non-veggie and a more extensive one with a combination of vegetables and meat. And in the evening you can choose between three main dishes and several side dishes.
Nice to know: 'tokidoki' means sometimes in English.
If you are looking for a charming restaurant suited for intimate dining, then Ars Vinorum might be the right place. The restaurant is divided (but connected) in two parts, one half contains the bar and the other half houses the delicatessen where you can buy all types of culinary Italian specialties to take home. The great menu with several types of antipasti and all kinds of pasta/risotto (no pizza) changes monthly and continuous to surprise you every time you visit.
Enjoying the botanical tasting menu at plant-based fine dining restaurant Humus x Hortense was pure bliss! The organic vegetables are harvested at a local farm and the menu changes every week according to the rhythm of 24 micro seasons. On top if that owners Nicolas and Caroline strive to cause as little waste as possible and attach great importance to sustainability. As 'icing on the cake' for their dedicated work they were (together with their amazing team) awarded with a MICHELIN Green Star in 2021. The charming restaurant is located in a former tea salon, which makes it a very cozy and welcoming environment.
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