Rue Antoine Dansaert runs from the Bourse to Sainte-Catherine: Belgian fashion houses, MOK Coffee, the Brussels Beer Project taproom and a packed run of small natural-wine bistros.
In 't Spinnekopke in Brussels is an 18th-century estaminet on Place du Jardin aux Fleurs. The kitchen cooks Brussels-specific dishes, with lambic beer used as a sauce ingredient and a deep cellar list.
Signature: Rabbit in gueuze, Eels in green sauce
Order: Rabbit braised in gueuze, with bloempanch on the side and a Cantillon Geuze to drink.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The wooden banquettes are 1762 vintage; the cellar lambic list runs 30 bottles deep.
Toukoul in Brussels is the city's canonical Ethiopian restaurant. The kitchen serves spongy injera with stews from the central pot, on Rue de Laeken near the Dansaert quarter.
Signature: Doro wat, Vegetarian beyaynetu platter
Order: A vegetarian beyaynetu for the table, plus doro wat, all rolled into the injera with no cutlery.
Tip: Open daily for dinner. Vegetarian and vegan platters are the value here; tej (honey wine) is the drink.
Henri in Brussels' Dansaert is the neo-bistro on Rue de Flandre that runs a tight modern French carte. The chalkboard menu changes weekly, with a focused natural-wine list and short carte.
Signature: Beef tartare, Cheese souffle
Order: Beef tartare prepared at the table, with the cheese souffle for two.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Lunch set is the value pick; the dining room books a week ahead for evenings.
In 't Spinnekopke in Brussels is an 18th-century estaminet on Place du Jardin aux Fleurs. The kitchen cooks Brussels-specific dishes with lambic beer used as a sauce ingredient.
Signature: Rabbit in gueuze, Eels in green sauce
Order: Rabbit braised in gueuze, with bloempanch on the side and a Cantillon Geuze to drink.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The wooden banquettes are 1762 vintage; the cellar lambic list runs 30 bottles deep.
Henri in Brussels' Dansaert is the neo-bistro on Rue de Flandre. Tight chalkboard menu, focused natural-wine list, beef tartare and cheese souffle as the through-line.
Signature: Beef tartare, Cheese souffle
Order: Beef tartare prepared at the table, with the cheese souffle for two.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Lunch set is the value pick; book ahead for evenings.
Toukoul in Brussels is the city's canonical Ethiopian restaurant. The kitchen serves spongy injera with stews from the central pot, on Rue de Laeken near the Dansaert quarter.
Signature: Doro wat, Vegetarian beyaynetu platter
Order: A vegetarian beyaynetu for the table, plus doro wat, all rolled into the injera with no cutlery.
Tip: Open daily for dinner. Vegetarian and vegan platters are the value; tej (honey wine) is the drink.
Brasserie Surrealiste in Brussels Dansaert brews modern craft beer inside a 1932 Art Deco former banana warehouse. The 1,500 sq m space pairs a taproom with a kitchen and runs daily 17:00 to 19:00 happy hour.
L'Archiduc in Brussels' Dansaert has been the jazz cocktail bar since 1937. Live jazz Saturday and Sunday at 17:00, occasional weekday concerts, cocktails poured until 05:00 every night.
Tip: Ring the bell to enter. Saturday and Sunday afternoon jazz sets are free; concert nights through the week need pre-sale tickets.
L'Archiduc weeknight sessions in Brussels' Dansaert run jazz vinyl listening sets from the bar. No live music Mon-Wed, the bar staff curate the records from the 1937 collection.
Tip: Quiet weekday cocktail bar; the records are the entertainment, with no service interruption.
Le Walvis in Brussels' Dansaert is the corner bar on Rue Antoine Dansaert that pulls vinyl from a wall of records. Jazz and electronic listening sets, Belgian craft beer on tap, mixed crowd.
Tip: Locals' bar with vinyl spinning all night. The early evening jazz sets give way to electronic after 22:00.
Café Walvis in Brussels' Dansaert has run at the corner of Rue Antoine Dansaert for over two decades. Neighbourhood cafe and meeting room for artists and locals; craft tap, late hours Thursday through Saturday, kitchen leaning on local ingredients.
Tip: Card accepted. Belgian craft on tap and a wide bottle list; Friday and Saturday closing at 01:00.