The best bars and cafés Belgium

In addition to offering a fine brewery, the Bellis can also be transformed into a tea room according to your wishes. You will find a fine selection of teas, coffees and milk drinks. To accompany them, let yourself be tempted by grandmother's pancakes, waffles, milkshakes or ice cream. All in an elegant and modern setting. The service is very pleasant and welcoming. The team will even be happy to translate the menu for you. When the weather is fine, the terrace will make this moment a quality pleasure!

Café La Pompe opened its doors in an old gas station and garage, the door of which is the last vestige. The furniture comes from a school and gives it a nice vintage look. One stops there willingly for their very nice terrace, their thirty or so beers (including nine beers on tap). In the morning, the regulars stop there for breakfast. At noon, they come for a soup or a toast, an aperitif or a hot-dog (their specialty). And in the evening, the atmosphere rises. Nice, to discover...

Behind Bisou is Chloé Sengier, designer of Coco Donut and Crème, already featured on our pages. It's pretty much the same all-day eatery concept as Crème, but with a different decor, featuring a long orange banquette that spans most of the room, and an astonishing faceted counter. The special thing about Bisou is that it opened on the site of the legendary ice cream parlour Le Framboisier Doré, so alongside pastries, cookies and avocado toast, you'll find ice creams whose recipes have been handed down from generation to generation. To be enjoyed on the terrace!

In the shadow of the cathedral, Le Chapitre offers a hundred different beers, all from small and medium-sized breweries. Not a single industrial lager in this old-fashioned bistro. On the other hand, there's no shortage of new beers. One of the best establishments in town, both for service, advice and knowledge, and for the menu. A really good-natured atmosphere and regular jam session evenings among other activities (brewery flea market, Irish evening...). The house also ventures into one or other beer cocktail...

In a cosy and refined atmosphere, Le Cercle des Voyageurs introduces you to a world tour. Phileas Fogg would feel right at home here! In a back room, freely accessible, a library has been set up for fans of faraway landscapes, eager to discover new things and get away from it all. You'll find Belgian-French catering spiced up with a touch of the exotic, as well as a range of teas with dreamy names. There's also a well-chosen selection of world wines. A fine blend of travel agency and tea room.

Lombric defines itself as a neighbourhood bar, like the one at Altitude 100 in Forest, but it's a bit more than that! It's a wine bar where you can eat to better enjoy the treasures of their cellar. Their wines are natural wines but you can also find ciders and local beers. Until 7pm, you can eat appetizers and then they give way to more elaborate dishes that can be shared, drawn from a limited but well-mastered menu. Not hungry? Choose a wine by the glass from their selection. Sober, warm setting and terrace.

Created in 2012 by Frédéric Nicolay on a street where the party was not quite instituted yet, Barbéton has become a sure bet. Nicolay advocates purifying architectural lines to the extreme. At the centre of the decor, a bar with a very "monolithic" style: the bar is a single concrete casting, literally. To warm up the atmosphere, the ceilings are decorated with racks, beautiful lampshades and red cedar. We go there to start the day with a breakfast, to start the weekend or for the happy hour on Thursday. Enjoy, especially on the nice terrace.

Located in the Saint-Géry district, this café offers, in addition to a rather impressive drinks menu, petiscos, the Portuguese tapas. Hot (feijoada, Madeira cubes...), cold (Portuguese cheeses, tuna mousseline), sweet (pasteis de nata), there is plenty to enjoy. Without forgetting a whole choice of very caliente cocktails (a good fifty). You can also simply enjoy the warm and relaxed atmosphere of Floreo or go and browse through the collection of board games for a little game with friends.

What a great café! With its old bistro interior, vintage black-and-white tiling, wooden furniture, slate above the counter and small terrace facing Place Van Meenen, one of Saint-Gilles' most popular squares. You can drop in from morning to night, and there's always something good to drink: coffee and breakfast, homemade lemonades, a good beer (the menu features a selection of Brussels microbrews) and, for those who are hungry, a croque or spaghetti to settle the stomach for lunch or dinner.

A canteen, a terrace, a meeting place for an eclectic mix of people, Le Soleil is one of the must-see places in the city center: noisy and warm. As soon as the weather is nice, the terrace overflows on the neighboring houses: everybody sits on the ground or dances in the street. And the atmosphere is always good. Unfortunately, by law, the terrace has to close at midnight, but those who can get in continue the party inside. The daytime attracts almost as many people, thanks to good simple food (cottage cheese, spaghetti...).

To have a boentje, in Brussels, is to have a crush, and we have it for the first zero waste café in Brussels. Local suppliers, recuperation on all levels, including for the decoration, home-made preparations, recycling of organic remains... everything is done to avoid the slightest waste. You can come and have a coffee or a bite to eat in the morning, with dishes based on seasonal products (salads, toasts, omelettes, cookies...). And if you are interested in zero waste, you can also attend the workshops organized by the café.

In July 2021, brasserie le 500 gave way to Pont J'en Bois. This beautiful brasserie boasts one of the most charming terraces with a view in Wallonia. A real postcard with the Jambes bridge in the foreground and the proud Citadel behind. The café has been completely restored, with new, comfortable furnishings but still featuring the admirable stained-glass windows. Marina and Guy are working hard to restore the café's vocation as a meeting place for locals and visitors alike. A fine selection of beers awaits everyone. An accordion atmosphere on Sunday mornings at the brocante.

A real neighbourhood café is located in a discreet (but bustling) corner of the Place de Saint-Job in Uccle. Warm in winter with its log stove and in summer on the beautiful terrace, news from the neighbourhood is exchanged elbow to elbow with a coffee or an aperitif, and at table time, with breakfast, lunch, snacks or evening nibbles. Dishes based on quality products from small local producers are displayed on the blackboard from midday. Inside, the chalet-style decor is reminiscent of the alpine imagination. Nice wines, also by the glass.

Flanders Burgundy, a blend of Bruinen Os and old lambic, is both refined and complex. It was also brewed in Bruges until the middle of the last century. Good news: the legendary beer finally returned to Bruges in 2015 in this bar with a breathtaking view of the canals. Either on the terrace or warm inside, you can enjoy a refreshing, quality beer break in a well-hidden spot. What's more, you can visit the brewery to discover the secrets behind the making of this beer (€15).

The first step is down a few steps into the bar. The jigger is the measuring instrument used to make cocktails. And that's exactly what this bar specializes in. A sweet or spicy first note? Each mixture has been thought through to the end of the straw. Even the coasters are decorated with mischievous drawings. The menu is regularly changed according to the fruit in season. The glassware is elegant, the atmosphere is subdued inside, and the paneled terrace outside has a truly magnificent green roof.

An iconic little café on the Place du Marché, ideal for soaking up Ghent's afterwork atmosphere. Generations X and Y meet here to have a drink, relax, chat, remake the world and why not watch a soccer match on the giant screen some evenings. In summer, it's best to arrive early to get a seat on the terrace. And what we really appreciate is that the evening can turn into a party at any time. That's the spirit that owner Lino wants to keep! In fact, we close late if the party wants to.

It's one of the oldest cocktail bars on the coast, but still in the top 3. Located next to the Blankenberge marina, it serves delicious concoctions, with or without alcohol, in a relaxed atmosphere and designer decor. Alongside regularly changing creations, we recommendAviation, a fresh and elegant blend of gin, violet syrup, lemon and maraschino. The gin and whisky menu is impressive, and if you're hungry, a finger food/tapas list is available. Covered terrace.

It's true that Belgium isn't a country where the sun often makes an appointment. And the specialty here is beer, of course! But there are a few Belgian wines produced in these regions. Still in their infancy, some small producers are beginning to make a name for themselves. In this bar with its large, welcoming wooden trays, you can enjoy a glass generously filled with a Belgian cru, from the most charming to the most audacious. The bar also sells bottles to take away: a great gift idea for a change from chocolate!

Eating a waffle (or crêpe) after a long walk on the beach is a ritual that can't be cut on the Belgian coast, and Silversand boasts some of the best on the coast. What's more, they're huge! Their Brussels waffles are twice the normal size. They're deliciously light and crispy on top, and if you go for the version with crème fraîche, you can tell it's homemade. An extensive menu of savory brasserie dishes is also available, but the waffles suffice.

Who said veganism wasn't gourmet? At Buddy Buddy, they make dried fruit-based treats: almond butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter... everything is roasted and toasted in their workshop, and organic. You can either buy them to enjoy at home, or take the time to sit down and sip an oat milk foam cappuccino with a savoury toast or pastry. The look of the café is surprising: it's as if cut in two by one corner painted hazelnut and the other creamy white. Daring, like their nut butters!

Don't let Sacha the Great Dane fool you - she loves people! In an area with many fine addresses, and opposite the cable car station, Chez Juliette is the kind of place you might call a "second living room". The centerpiece is the massive concrete bar. It sets the scene all by itself. The rest is clad in wood, like a village café. Here, you can drink (wine, beer), eat (often cheese, and often to share), and enjoy your coffee on the terrace as you watch people hurry by (slowly, this is Namur).

This Zomerbar is one of the projects of the TimeCircus art collective. Set along the quays of the old port, in old Red Star Lines installations, Bar Paniek is much more than just an entertainment venue. With its salvaged furnishings and a slightly haphazard feel that goes well with this hangar, you'll feel right at home, and the lovely selection of beers from independent breweries and the view over the water all contribute to this! As an artistic collective, the hangar hosts exhibitions, organic markets and flea markets. Foodtrucks also stop by.

Just for the decoration, the place deserves a visit. A rendezvous with history, a salutary break over a coffee filter on a silver tray, a small cake... The chic brasserie with its unique glassware is at an angle. The terrace allows you to enjoy the sun when it is out. The daily press is available in several languages. The service is worthy of the great brasseries of yesteryear. A historic setting that its architect, Joseph Van der Banck, would be proud to have preserved. You can breathe in the patina of the wood and admire the surrounding Art Deco.

It's a bit ofEnglish Touch that has settled in the City of Doudou with Paddington. As soon as you see the sign (in the shape of a London subway sign), you are immediately drawn into the bath of this charming tea room: flowery wallpaper, big carpet, comfortable armchairs and kitschy porcelain and cushions: all the codes of the tea room are there. You can stop there to drink one, because it would be a shame to miss theAfternoon tea served in the right way: with sandwiches, pastries and delicious scones, all home-made.

Sprezza is the ideal place to share a cocktail with friends. In this upscale hotel bar, first enjoy watching the mixologist craft your cocktail with skill and experience. Then sip it at the bar or on one of the coffee tables, amid a colorful, chic and eclectic decor. The bar also offers a fine selection of spirits, as well as tapas to share, such as an assortment of charcuterie and a trio of tapenades. An exceptional moment. On Sundays, the bar offers a more extensive menu of noble products.

Nude is the place to go out in Kortrijk if you like your venues chic and sophisticated. Elegant and warm, but also a laid-back "easy bar", the place is frequented for its menu of racy cocktails with hand-picked premium spirits. Or to dine on tapas, mezze and dishes influenced by the flavors of the Middle East, Persia and North Africa. You can also come for the aperitif, the terrace and the wines. The atmosphere is subdued, except perhaps on concert and DJ night days. On weekends, it's funk, disco and oldies.

It was the perfect idea: a bookshop in a pub, to combine the pleasure of a good book with that of a good drink. The owner is an erudite traveler and fan of premium malts and spirits. Premium spirits gleaned from around the world are sold to take away, along with related thematic books. For example, Japanese whisky is paired with a book on Japan, and the works of Lord Byron with Lord Byron Scotch Whisky. Their own Books&Booze gin is paired with a book on the Congo. What an imaginative way to create gift sets!

A trendy Art Nouveau-style brasserie, with a beautiful woodwork setting and a spectacular stained glass ceiling overlooking a large room with a mezzanine. A splendid well-lit architecture that is already worth the trip. Hearty grills if you don't feel like eating in a formal restaurant but rather in a good atmosphere. Moreover, the place is nice to treat yourself to a beer or a fruity jenever, while enjoying a concert (usually on Tuesdays). We stroll around the floors with a drink in our hand.

A wine bar that favors organic and biodynamic vintages from hand-picked small producers. We come here for quality and health! The background music is rather jazzy, and the pretty wooden decor is uncluttered and inviting, with beautiful lighting fixtures that enhance the space. The banquettes are vintage and glamorous, and the atmosphere inside is subdued in the evenings, while the micro terrace is very popular both day and night. Mind your head! In the vaulted stone cellar, headroom is limited!

A bar where many of the city's musicians meet. Artists of all stripes meet there all the time; it's not uncommon for there to be a concert. It's an opportunity to mingle with the locals. Beers and cocktails add salt to the often colourful conversations in this authentic troquet with a woody soul that smells of vibrant Flanders. The place, with its wooden tables and stone walls, smells of authenticity and joie de vivre. Otherwise, the cocktails, music and relaxed atmosphere are worth a stop.

Do you love cats? Then you'll be delighted to get your dose of purrs at Carolo Cat, a pretty cat bar in the lower town. The interior is as cozy as you could wish and, of course, fully equipped for their boarders, with plenty of overhead access and a real catwalk from which the furry creatures can observe customers before deciding whether or not they'll come to them (it's up to the cats to approach, we don't solicit them). Snacks and hot and cold drinks are prepared by Carole and her team. Cats for adoption, except her own.

This microbrewery has planted its tanks right in the middle of Hasselt. Inaugurated in early 2022, it is the first to reopen in the city since 1965. Behind the initiative are a group of enthusiasts and Brouwland, a brewing equipment supplier. In its large tap room, which looks more like a lounge bar than a café, you'll be able to choose from 20 different types of beer: classic Belgian amber, IPA's, porters and German-style beers. The friendly bar staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

This bar offers a rich menu of 90 types of beer, in a setting decorated, of course, with objects evoking... beer. Dozens of different mugs hang from the ceiling, the mere sight of which triggers the thirst. The place is very popular with students from the nearby university and their professors... The outdoor courtyard is also a great place to sip a cool suds around a convivial table. Special mention for the Black Tripel Malheur, but also the Tripel Karmeliet and Chimay Triple on draught.

This bar-brewery is decorated with numerous brewery objects. A kitsch atmosphere that will delight fans of authentic troquets, with a marbled checkerboard floor and a bar with antique wood panelling. The small outdoor terrace is also a good option when the weather's nice and on market days especially, when the street atmosphere is very lively. There's a choice of some forty beers on the menu, including Arsenaaltje, specially crafted by De Koninck Brewery. Suggested beers are featured every month. The choice is yours!

Cuvee is both a wine boutique and a popular wine bar... for local restaurateurs, which is a good sign! Ivo and Hilde became passionate about wine over ten years ago through wine-tasting courses. Large 130 m² wine cellar. Natural wines and small productions, often exclusive to Flanders, for a choice of 250 labels. The large counter at the back is ideal for tastings by the glass, accompanied by cheese and charcuterie, with the cutting machine visible.

If you want to soak up the Brussels culture that is so dear to our hearts, this would be the one. It's hard to remain unmoved by the glibness of the puppeteers, who revisit the great classics of the French, English and Dutch scenes. The Brussels accent is proudly proclaimed here and one is delighted to be able to spend a colourful evening in a place that has almost disappeared several times. A true institution, Toone has been handed down from generation to generation, so much so that today it is Toone VIII that is in charge.

This is THE cocktail bar in Hasselt. It's got it all: the Roaring Twenties look, the velvet on the seats, the subdued lighting, the 5-storey shelves filled with the rarest spirits, while the front of the bar displays tinctures and other bitters, the jazzy playlist... and a bartender who knows what he's doing! In addition to the good old mixes you're all familiar with, the bar has its own creations, but we recommend the "Beauty & the Beast", based on juniper of course, but with a mise-en-scène that's worth ordering on its own. That's all we have to say!

This alternative café in the center of Bruges, which could be described as "eco bobo", is very warm and welcoming, offering quality, fair-trade coffees and teas, as well as simple, affordable lunchtime dishes (soups, bagels, quiches, tarts...). The first room on the street is pleasant, while at the back there's another room with an outdoor patio. The whole place is furnished with odds and ends and mismatched retro sofas and chairs. The background music is eclectic and well-chosen, but not too loud. Also a few tables on the street in summer. Wifi.

If beer makes Belgium's reputation throughout the world, coffee is also a much appreciated nectar. Café De Carillon is the oldest "brown coffee" in the city of Oudenaarde. It is recognizable thanks to its façade with gables and yellow bricks. Café De Carillon is a must for anyone who wants to taste authentic Flanders in its Belgian pub interior with wood panelling. The menu still makes a very nice place for Belgian beers with a fine selection as well as cocktails. To be sipped on the terrace of course!

This legendary café, which dates back over a century, has everything to seduce, with its wood panelling and bay windows in a distinguished, old-fashioned style. It's one of Liège's most beautiful historic cafés. The atmosphere is very special, calm and festive at the same time. Two large billiard tables are located at the back of the café, just waiting to be explored. Chess players are also present at all hours. And for those who don't play billiards, but rather pétanque, the café makes these balls available for use on the courts in the old theater square.

This cosy resto-bar is housed in a splendid 15th century building in the historic centre. We love the magnificent setting, the wide selection of beers, wines, cocktails and a beautiful range of whiskies and rums, in a Latin-Jazz atmosphere. Several times a month, concerts are organized to enjoy a moment of live music (see on their Facebook page). They also serve snacks, tapas and Belgian brasserie dishes where beef is the main dish, which is quite expensive. It's better to come and have a drink there on concert evenings.

This cocktail bar for the happy few in the former Ghent post office has become the headquarters of the trendy thirty-somethings in Ghent. Under gothic ceilings, with a fireplace where the fire crackles in winter and a retro zinc, you can admire the illuminated historic city. Sofas call for intimate conversations, with a jazzy musical background that is only disturbed by the soft sound of the shakers in the bar-tenders. High-flying cocktails that change with the seasons. One can enjoy for example C-Bomb (Tanqueray 10, lemon, rosé grape, Kalamansi and orange).

A friendly café (near the market on Sundays) where you can enjoy a soup, a sandwich on the go (prepared with quality ingredients) or a sweet tart to accompany your afternoon coffee. Good coffees, smoothies and cocktails are also on the menu. The hipster population is young and relaxed, and the décor is vintage. Banquettes with cosy cushions in some corners, lots of light throughout. Nice terrace on sunny days, calm and relaxed atmosphere. Popular weekend brunch.

Prince Baudouin takes his name from a time when the king was not yet king. As much as to say that less and less Belgians remember it. In fact, some of our clients' families have been coming here for three generations. From there to write that the "Prince" is an old man's café, there is only a tabulation that we will not cross. On the contrary, young and old like to sit on the terrace and watch the whole of Namur go by between the pedestrian precinct and the Place d'Armes. At the back (rue des Brasseurs), the Petit Baudouin offers a very different atmosphere.

A veritable bruin café in the heart of Leuven, it boasts just over a hundred rare craft beers, mainly Flemish. On Mondays, blues and jazz concerts enliven the premises, which have recently been given a "green makeover" with the addition of numerous photovoltaic panels covering the refrigeration and lighting systems. A "beer of the month" refreshes the menu every thirty days or so. One of the city's best music venues, open until late every day.

In the evenings, you can enjoy jazz and rhythm 'n' blues, and concerts are also organized. With its blazing fireplace and cosy atmosphere, it's the perfect place for a relaxed evening. Beers on tap and small snacks complete the charm of this jazz club in T'Zand. It serves good tapas, simple dishes, burgers and desserts, and of course a wide range of Belgian beers of all kinds (blond, dark, amber, IPA...). To find out what's on, visit their Facebook page.

La Grand Poste is THE big project in Liège in recent years. The former Hôtel des Postes, a building dating back to 1901, is home to a co-working space, a two-storey food court, a space for start-ups and a micro-brewery, Brasserie de Liège. As you enter, your nose will be seized by the scent of hops and yeast! There's a whole host of home-brewed beers of all kinds to choose from. Settle in and rub shoulders with the ULiège journalism students who have classes here. Rooftop open at weekends.

Like a New York-style coffee shop, this trendy espresso bar offers a range of carefully selected coffees from all over the world (Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia...). The young, passionate owners decided to work with a nearby artisan roaster to roast the selected beans. Located just behind the Grand Place, it's a pleasure to settle in for a break. Also sandwiches with artisan breads, homemade cakes and breakfasts.

A micro-bar like a little piece of Argentina, with the same Latin good humor, and a pretty, colorful facade. The interior is tiny: a few stools, a shelf with imported products, especially mate. We lean in close to our neighbors to share a few empanadas and Quilmes beers, which flow freely in the evening, just like the cocktails. It's a great way to bond. But it's in summer that the bar gets lively, the terrace spreads out on the sidewalk and the outdoor sound transforms the street into an impromptu open-air party.