Top Cafes in Belgium: 30 editor-picked rooms

30 cafes worth the trip across Belgium, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Belgium guides.

Normo ★ 4.6 · Antwerp

universiteitsbuurt · Minderbroedersrui 30, 2000 Antwerp

Normo in Antwerp on Minderbroedersrui is the in-house cafe at Jens Oris's specialty roastery. Brick walls, vintage furniture, single-origin filter coffee.

Tip: Closed Sunday. Saturday morning fills with the student crowd; mid-morning weekday is quieter.

MOK Coffee ★ 4.6 · Brussels

Rue Antoine Dansaert 196, 1000 Brussels

MOK in Brussels' Dansaert is the third-wave anchor: large bright cafe, single-origin espresso, in-house roasted beans. Brunch counter at the back, work-friendly bench seating.

WAY Specialty Coffee Roasters ★ 4.6 · Ghent

dok-noord · Dok-Noord 4E/001, 9000 Gent

WAY is run by Belgian barista champion Charlene De Buysere in a converted warehouse at Dok Noord. Belgium's first Diedrich IR12 roaster sits visible behind.

Tip: Open weekdays only (08:30 to 16:30); plan a Dok Noord visit on a Tuesday to Thursday morning.

Caffènation ★ 4.5 · Antwerp

historisch-centrum · Mechelsesteenweg 16, 2000 Antwerp

Caffènation in Antwerp is the original specialty-coffee bar in Belgium, founded 2003. The Mechelsesteenweg HQ pulls espresso to a relaxed seating area.

Tip: Urban-nomad regulars work from the back tables. The retail bar sells whole-bean takeaway.

Dees Koffiebranders ★ 4.5 · Bruges

markt · Hoogstraat 33, 8000 Brugge

Dees Koffiebranders on Hoogstraat in Bruges is a specialty bar and roastery in one, roasting its own beans and pouring them as espresso and filter.

Tip: The roastery is on site, so ask what is freshest. It sits east of the Burg toward Sint-Anna.

Blackbird ★ 4.5 · Bruges

jan-van-eyckplein · Jan Van Eyckplein 7, 8000 Brugge

Blackbird on Jan van Eyckplein in Bruges is a breakfast and brunch room rated among the city's best, running salads, toasts and strong vegan plates.

Tip: Get there before noon at weekends; the small room fills fast. Vegan plates are reliable here.

OR Coffee Bar ★ 4.5 · Brussels

Rue Auguste Orts 9, 1000 Brussels

OR Coffee Bar in Brussels' Saint-Gery has the third-wave pedigree from the early 2010s. Single-origin espresso and filter at the marble counter, with a brick-walled room for laptop work.

Cafe Labath ★ 4.5 · Ghent

binnenstad · Oude Houtlei 1, 9000 Gent

Cafe Labath is the city's best-known specialty cafe, occupying a corner building steps from Sint-Michielsbrug with floor-to-ceiling windows and a big-city.

Tip: Open from 08:00 Tuesday to Saturday; the weekday morning slot before 09:00 is the quietest.

Cuperus Koffie ★ 4.4 · Antwerp

historisch-centrum · Paardenmarkt 28, 2000 Antwerp

Cuperus Koffie on Paardenmarkt is the city-centre Horsey bar of the Antwerp specialty roastery. Sleek 2017 fit-out, in-house roasting.

Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The Deurne garden branch keeps weekend hours.

Belga and Co Bailli ★ 4.4 · Brussels

Rue du Bailli 7, 1050 Ixelles

Belga and Co's Bailli flagship in Brussels' Ixelles serves house-roasted beans from a marble bar. Big windows, work-friendly tables and a pastry counter alongside the brews.

A La Mort Subite ★ 4.4 · Brussels

Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres 7, 1000 Brussels

A La Mort Subite in Brussels has been pouring gueuze since 1928 in the Belle Epoque cafe behind the Galeries Saint-Hubert. Long marble tables, white-shirt waiters, the city's canonical lambic stop.

Vandekerckhove and Bar ★ 4.4 · Ghent

zuidstationstraat · Brabantdam 55, 9000 Gent

Vandekerckhove has roasted coffee in Ghent since 1854. The fifth-generation family roasts on-site and the bar brews espressos and slow coffees daily.

Tip: Open every day except public holidays from 10:00 to 18:00; the bean shop sells the house blend in 250g bags.

Kolonel Koffie ★ 4.3 · Antwerp

het-zuid · Montignystraat 51, 2018 Antwerp

Kolonel Koffie in Antwerp on Montignystraat is an Australian-style cafe in Het Zuid. Industrial fit-out, in-house roastery, brunch counter.

Tip: Saturday-morning queue can run 20 minutes deep. Mid-week is calmer for laptop work.

Butchers Coffee ★ 4.3 · Antwerp

het-zuid · Kasteelstraat 57, 2018 Antwerp

Butchers Coffee in Antwerp on Kasteelstraat sits in a former butcher's shop with the original tiles still in place. Dave Haesen opened it in 2017.

Tip: Closed Monday. The brunch counter runs cinnamon buns and sourdough toasts through the morning.

The Bakery ★ 4.3 · Antwerp

het-zuid · Boomgaardstraat 1, 2018 Antwerp

The Bakery cafe sits inside the De Koninck brewery complex on Boomgaardstraat. Kenney Van Hoorick's sourdough loaves pair with coffee in the brewery courtyard.

Tip: Bread sells out by midday on weekends. The courtyard seating is the better seat in summer.

AVI '38 Specialty Coffeebar ★ 4.3 · Bruges

markt · Niklaas Desparsstraat 8, 8000 Brugge

AVI '38 on Niklaas Desparsstraat in Bruges is a specialty coffee bar that moved into the centre in 2024, pouring proper espresso and pour-over.

Tip: A true specialty spot near the Markt. The pour-over is where the bar shows off.

Le Cirio ★ 4.3 · Brussels

Rue de la Bourse 18, 1000 Brussels

Le Cirio in Brussels has been pouring half en half (white wine and sparkling) since Francesco Cirio opened in 1886. The Belle Epoque interior beside the Bourse stayed unchanged for a century.

Karsmakers Coffee House ★ 4.3 · Brussels

Rue de Treves 20, 1050 Ixelles

Karsmakers Coffee House in Brussels' European Quarter has run specialty coffee and New York bagels since Jay Karsmakers opened in 2008. Across the street from the European Parliament, with a long lunchtime queue of Eurocrats.

Hinterland ★ 4.3 · Brussels

Chaussée de Charleroi 179, 1060 Saint-Gilles

Hinterland in Brussels' Saint-Gilles runs all-day breakfast and brunch from a corner shop on Chaussee de Charleroi. Organic produce, vegetarian and vegan options, slow-roasted house coffee.

Pain Perdu ★ 4.3 · Ghent

zuidstationstraat · Walpoortstraat 9, 9000 Gent

Pain Perdu bakes wood-fired sourdough and runs a sunny rear garden that has made this Walpoortstraat cafe one of Ghent's most loved brunch destinations.

Tip: The garden fills fast on sunny weekends; aim to arrive before 11:00 to get an outdoor table.

Full Circle Coffee Bar ★ 4.3 · Ghent

zuidstationstraat · Zuidstationstraat 5, 9000 Gent

Full Circle was one of Belgium's first fully plant-based specialty coffee bars, with oat or rice milk for all drinks and vegan pastries throughout.

Tip: The Zuid location is the larger; the Astridlaan branch is a useful stop near the train station.

Mokabon ★ 4.3 · Ghent

city-centre · Donkersteeg 35, 9000 Gent

Mokabon has roasted coffee on Donkersteeg since 1937, when Erminio Mazzaro arrived from Italy. The narrow vintage room still serves espresso to a steady flow of locals.

Tip: Open Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 18:30, closed Sunday. The standing bar at the front turns over fastest; tables in back take longer.

BOON Lunchbar ★ 4.3 · Ghent

patershol · Burgstraat 1A, 9000 Gent

BOON is a vegetarian lunch bar at the foot of the Gravensteen. The daily changing salad compositions, seasonal soups and freshly pressed rhubarb soda have.

Tip: Kitchen closes in the early evening; this is a daytime spot. The counter fills at lunch so aim for 11:45.

Black & Yellow Coffee Bar ★ 4.2 · Antwerp

eilandje · Nassaustraat 7, 2000 Antwerp

Black & Yellow Coffee Bar near the MAS pulls Mok beans roasted in Brussels. The compact Nassaustraat counter opened in 2017 and seats six.

Tip: Take coffee to-go for the MAS rooftop. The bar runs out of seats by 11:00 on weekends.

Bakkerij FUNK ★ 4.2 · Antwerp

het-zuid · Kronenburgstraat 41A, 2000 Antwerp

Bakkerij FUNK in Antwerp on Kronenburgstraat is a vegan bakery and cafe in Het Zuid. The coffee bar pulls specialty espresso to pair with vegan pastries.

Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The natural-wine counter at the back opens evenings.

Bar Lowie ★ 4.2 · Bruges

burg · Eekhoutstraat 24, 8000 Brugge

Bar Lowie on Eekhoutstraat in Bruges is a coffee bar and brunch room, pouring flat whites and dirty chai alongside smoked-salmon waffles and vegan hummus toast.

Tip: Open Tuesday to Saturday 9 to 3, plus a Brunchday Sunday twice a month. The savoury waffles are the order.

Coffeebar Adriaan ★ 4.2 · Bruges

burg · Adriaan Willaertstraat 7, 8000 Brugge

Coffeebar Adriaan sits in a neoclassical 1832 former bank near the City Theatre in Bruges, serving coffee, breakfast and lunch under high ceilings.

Tip: Worth a look for the bank interior alone. Near the Burg, an easy mid-morning stop.

Top Cafes in Belgium