Day-by-day eating plans for Brussels: weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Making a weekend of it

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Day-by-day plans

Brussels weekend: the classics, done right

  • ★ 4.7
  • 2 days
  • First-time visitor, two days

A first weekend in Brussels: the Marolles flea market, filet americain at Au Vieux Saint Martin, chocolates at Wittamer, a gueuze, moules at Chez Leon, waffles, antiques and a fish bar.

  1. Day 1Saturday: Marolles market, Sablon lunch, gueuze and moules

    Morning
    Walk the flea market on the Place du Jeu de Balle, open from 09:00 and until 15:00 at weekends, then climb Rue Haute toward the Sablon.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Au Vieux Saint Martin on Place du Grand Sablon, open from 10:00 with last orders at 23:00: filet americain, the recipe Joseph Niels invented in 1924, with fries. Then Wittamer at no. 12, open until 18:30 on Saturday, for chocolates.
    Evening
    Aperitif at A La Mort Subite, open until midnight Monday to Saturday, for a gueuze. Dinner at Chez Leon on Rue des Bouchers: a pot of moules marinieres with fries.

    StopsAu Vieux Saint MartinWittamerA La Mort SubiteChez Leon

  2. Day 2Sunday: waffles, antiques, a fish bar and a brasserie dinner

    Morning
    Maison Dandoy at Rue Charles Buls 14, open from 09:00 on Sunday, for a Brussels or a Liege waffle at the counter. Then the Marche du Sablon antiques market on Place du Grand Sablon, open until 15:00.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at the Noordzee Mer du Nord fishbar on Rue Sainte-Catherine, open until 18:30 on Sunday: order shrimp croquettes or scampi a la plancha at the bar and eat at the standing tables.
    Evening
    Dinner at Aux Armes de Bruxelles on Rue des Bouchers, open from noon to 22:30 on Sunday: a pot of Zeeland mussels, the fish waterzooi or the Flemish-style beef stew.

    StopsMaison DandoyNoordzee Mer du NordAux Armes de Bruxelles

Brussels beer: three days of lambic and craft

  • ★ 4.6
  • 3 days
  • Beer-curious traveller, three days

Three days of Brussels beer: lambic at Cantillon in Anderlecht, the Brasserie de la Senne bar, the Brussels Beer Project taproom, gueuze at A La Mort Subite and jazz at L'Archiduc.

  1. Day 1Thursday: Cantillon and Anderlecht

    Morning
    Brasserie Cantillon at Rue Gheude 56 in Anderlecht, a lambic brewery and living museum that opens at 10:00 on Thursdays.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Friture Rene on Place de la Resistance in Anderlecht, open on Thursday. Then back to the centre for a walk to the Grand-Place.
    Evening
    Aperitif at A La Mort Subite, which serves gueuze and is open until midnight. Dinner at In 't Spinnekopke on Place du Jardin aux Fleurs, an estaminet open on Thursday from 18:00 to 21:30.

    StopsBrasserie CantillonFriture ReneA La Mort SubiteIn 't Spinnekopke

  2. Day 2Friday: Dansaert coffee, La Senne and the Beer Project

    Morning
    Coffee at MOK Coffee on Rue Antoine Dansaert 196, open from 08:00 on weekdays.
    Afternoon
    Brasserie de la Senne on Dreve Anna Boch: the shop is open on Friday from 12:00 to 18:00 and the Zennebar bar from 16:00.
    Evening
    The Brussels Beer Project taproom on Rue Antoine Dansaert opens at 17:00 on Friday, with 24 beers on tap. Dinner at Henri on Rue de Flandre, open until 22:00, then a last drink at Moeder Lambic Fontainas on Place Fontainas.

    StopsMOK CoffeeBrussels Beer ProjectHenriMoeder Lambic Fontainas

  3. Day 3Saturday: Dandoy, a brasserie lunch and jazz

    Morning
    Maison Dandoy at Rue Charles Buls 14, open from 09:00 on Saturday, for speculoos and a waffle.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Aux Armes de Bruxelles on Rue des Bouchers, open from noon: Zeeland mussels or the Flemish-style beef stew. If your trip is the first weekend of September, the Belgian Beer Weekend fills the Grand-Place with 500 Belgian beers and free entry. At 17:00 L'Archiduc on Rue Antoine Dansaert has jazz on Saturdays, from 17:00 to 19:00.
    Evening
    Dinner at Au Vieux Saint Martin on Place du Grand Sablon, open until 23:00: the Flemish beef stew with Boon gueuze on mustard toast.

    StopsMaison DandoyAux Armes de BruxellesL'ArchiducAu Vieux Saint Martin

Brussels three days: vegetarian and pastry-led

  • ★ 4.5
  • 3 days
  • Vegetarian / vegan, three days

Three days of Brussels for vegetarians: brunch at Hinterland, pastry at Wittamer, rice paper rolls at Knees to Chin, Ethiopian dinner at Toukoul, a TAN brunch and a plant-based lunch.

  1. Day 1Saint-Gilles brunch, Sablon pastry and an Ethiopian dinner

    Morning
    Brunch at Hinterland on Chaussee de Charleroi 179 in Saint-Gilles, open from 08:00 and closed on Wednesday; its menu includes vegetarian and vegan options.
    Afternoon
    Wittamer on Place du Grand Sablon for pastries, open until 18:30. Then rice paper rolls at Knees to Chin on Rue de Livourne near the Bailli, open daily from 11:30 to 22:00, with a caramelised tofu roll on the menu.
    Evening
    Dinner at Toukoul on Rue de Laeken 34, an Ethiopian restaurant open in the evening.

    StopsHinterlandWittamerKnees to ChinToukoul

  2. Day 2Saturday: coffee, bakery, Flagey market and a TAN brunch

    Morning
    Coffee at Belga and Co Bailli on Rue du Bailli, open from 09:00 on Saturday, and a viennoiserie from Renard Bakery on Place Fernand Cocq, open from 07:00.
    Afternoon
    The Marche du Flagey is held on Saturday and Sunday. Brunch at TAN on Rue de l'Aqueduc: the Saturday brunch is served from 10:30 to 15:00 and booking is by phone only.
    Evening
    Dinner at Le Botaniste on Rue Franklin 2 near the Schuman roundabout, a plant-based restaurant.

    StopsBelga and CoRenard BakeryTAN RestaurantLe Botaniste

  3. Day 3Sunday: waffles, Ethiopian coffee and a plant-based lunch

    Morning
    Maison Dandoy at Rue Charles Buls 14, open from 09:00 on Sunday, for a waffle and speculoos. Then Aksum Coffee House in the Galerie du Roi, which serves organic single-origin Ethiopian coffee.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Le Botaniste on Rue Franklin 2, a plant-based restaurant near the Schuman roundabout.
    Evening
    Rice paper rolls at Knees to Chin on Rue de Livourne near the Bailli, open until 22:00 on Sunday.

    StopsMaison DandoyAksum Coffee HouseLe BotanisteKnees to Chin

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