Neighbourhood cafe
Café Walvis in Brussels' Dansaert has run for over two decades at the corner of Rue Antoine Dansaert. Neighbourhood cafe with a craft tap selection, kitchen leaning on local ingredients; late hours Thursday through Saturday.
Signature drink: Belgian craft tap
Food: Bistro plates
Art Deco cafe
Le Verschueren in Brussels' Saint-Gilles has the Art Deco facade and the simple interior. A century-old neighbourhood cafe with terrace on the Parvis, late hours and a local crowd.
Signature drink: Belgian craft beer
Food: Snacks
Brown cafe
Billie in Brussels' Sainte-Catherine reopened the former Monk space in February 2024 under Dries Heyman, Leentje Bruyninckx and Steven De Visscher. Brown-cafe layout retained; freshened bar, green-roofed terrace, deep Belgian beer list.
Signature drink: Belgian craft and Trappist beers
Food: Snacks
Belgian beer bar
Le Poechenellekelder in Brussels sits opposite Manneken Pis with a marionette-decorated interior. The carte runs 180 Belgian beers including lambics, gueuze and the full Trappist range.
Signature drink: Lambic, gueuze, Trappist
Food: Snacks, croquettes
Speakeasy cocktail barMarollesWed-Sun 17:00 to 02:00, closed Mon-Tue
Plumette in Brussels Marolles is the intimate speakeasy on Rue de l Epee. The 1930s-styled room pours classic and bespoke cocktails and was Belgium's only bar in the Top 500 World's Best Bars 2025 list.
Signature drink: Tailor-made cocktails alongside classics in a 1930s speakeasy room
Food: Cocktail-bar snacks
Jazz cocktail bar
L'Archiduc in Brussels' Dansaert has been the jazz temple since 1937. Art Deco interior, live music every Saturday and Sunday at 17:00, cocktails poured from 16:00 to 05:00.
Signature drink: Classic Manhattan
Food: Bar snacks