Gourmet products local specialties and wines Bruxelles - Brussel

If you like meat, it's impossible not to be hypnotized by Dierendonck's window, because it is so tempting. Hendrik Dierendonck, the star butcher of West Flanders who almost single-handedly saved the red cow of Flanders, opened his Brussels branch in 2017 and treats delighted customers to various breeds of cattle: Angus, Siementhal (matured or not), Baltic, Rubia Gallega or Wagyu, but also pork, lamb, poultry, cold cuts, seasonings... Everything on offer is handpicked.

For five generations, Bevernaege has been known for its delicious, soft marzipan in various forms. The famous "lingot", a biscuit cake with raspberries and caramelized Italian meringue, is a must. There are also 13 types of bread (sourdough and baked the old fashioned way), pure butter cookies and homemade chocolates. Everything is guaranteed without flavour enhancers. The lightly toasted toast, sprinkled with cinnamon, is a must to rediscover the flavours of yesteryear.

Yvan and Bernard want to make the Brussels population rediscover all the richness and complexity of the taste of a beer. The duo produces drinks with a well-developed bitterness, low alcohol content and relatively dry. They use old hop varieties. The success of this type of beer abroad is well known. The "Senne" beers can be found on the menu of some 250 establishments in the capital, the latter absorbing 60% of an annual production currently estimated at six thousand hectolitres: mission accomplished.

For those who, like us, like wines that are off the beaten track, there is Titulus, its natural wines, its wines from winemakers who avoid chemicals as much as possible and let nature do a good part of the work of vinification. In short, wines that are often easy to drink and that do not cause that famous headache due to excess sulphur! And as a glass of wine is worth a thousand words, the wine bar allows you to taste a hundred or so labels. Tastings and initiations on request and an incredible assortment of natural sakes!

It's not only in football that Hazard does things well... Julien, bronze medal winner at the Best Brussels Artisans competition, will not contradict us! What could be better than a cheese dairy where cheeses from French, Italian, Belgian, Swiss or Spanish farms are matured? Each of these cheeses (made from raw milk) is selected according to the season and is matured in a specific cellar according to its nature (bloomy rind, washed rind, or hard or semi-hard cheese). Creamery products, artisanal charcuterie and organic wines are also available.

A touch of classicism and a touch of daring, with Spanish and Italian appellations and bottles from all over the world: California, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Morocco, Australia, Hungary, Germany, Georgia, Japan... and even more than 30 Belgian references! The selection of over five hundred spirits from around the world is top-notch, while a range of irreproachable Brussels beers completes the picture. To sum up: seven hundred wines from over thirty-five countries, spirits, local beers and expert advice from the whole team.

Brian and Anastasia Joyeux's expertise is evident first in the display and then on the palate. Rather than an identical assortment every day, Brian has opted for flagship products once a week: Tuesday the éclairs, Wednesday the lemon tarts, Thursday it's the turn of the marvellous and the Paris-Brest, and Friday the mille-feuille and the tarte tropézienne. Viennese pastries are also available every day, as well as a few other pastries, macaroons, caramels with red fruits and occasionally cakes for celebrations and birthdays.

The dashing hundred-year-old brewery has never changed hands, the current "boss" being the great-grandson of Paul Cantillon. The beer production does not use any kind of additives, uses the famous spontaneous fermentation and is certified organic. We are talking about a mythical brewery, celebrated as far as the USA. The Cantillon brewery is considered in more than twenty countries as a reference for spontaneous fermentation and therefore for traditional lambic and gueuze. Jean-Pierre Van Roy, retired, assists his son Jean who has taken over the running of the brewery.

An experience you'll definitely want to try! Because this kind of old-fashioned business, with its thousand and one flavors, is just what you're looking for! Echte ("real ") Bruxelloise, Catherine (and José) like to take their time and smile with their many customers. Hard and flowery pasta, goat, ewe and goat-sheep cheeses, fromage blanc and organic cheeses complete a tempting range. Catherine works directly with small-scale producers, offering spontaneous advice and cutting slices in front of you. Other products to mention: delicatessen, seasonal produce, wines, charcuterie...

This venerable institution has been around for over a century! Originally, it was more of a grocery store. Its proximity to the university enabled it to become a pioneer in the speciality beer trade, now open as a "night-shop". There are around four hundred different beers on offer, many in 75 cl format. Prices are attractive, even if the owner, Pierre, no longer claims to be the cheapest in Brussels. Except for foreign beers, which remain below the prices charged elsewhere...

Renowned pastry shop existing since 1990, the success can be seen on Sunday morning! The list of breads is long: white, grey, omega +, procorn, rye, sesame, vita +, cramic, fig bread, 10 cereals... We also like their buttery cakes, their creamy pies (fruits, rice, sugar...), ice creams and frozen cakes. Not to mention the marzipan figurines. Note that the production workshops are located on the spot, in order to keep the freshness and the warmth (of the baguettes for example). The service is impeccable despite the crowd of gourmands.

Perhaps the competition is too great towards the Grand-Place, so it's next to the Parc du Cinquantenaire that you come for your ice cream! Original flavors and creations will reassure even the most demanding. The good news is that everyone can enjoy it, as some flavors are available without sugar or with rice milk. Well worth a stroll in the park with a few ice creams to savor! Capoue is now a well-developed chain, with numerous locations in Brussels (tasting rooms and takeaway counters) and Wallonia.

Tradition takes pride of place in this house founded in 1919 by Marie Delluc, and a "patented supplier to the Court of Belgium" since 1942! Here, natural ingredients and pure cocoa butter chocolate without additives. Among the assortment of pralines, we fall for the Mary (fondant praline, nougatine) and the Lady (four dark chocolate mousse pralines with equal degrees of bitterness). There are around 125 chocolates, including a range of 75 pralines. True to its spirit, the Rue Royale boutique welcomes customers in a charming retro atmosphere.

Is it still necessary to introduce Zizi? This inescapable ice cream maker never ceases to make us lose our minds: toasted sesame, croccantino, straciatella, or depending on the season, chestnut, mint tea, peanut butter, raspberry, melon, pineapple... It's hard to make a choice! All these flavours are a must. The sale in the shop is pleasantly extended by the one in the "truck", where you can also find the pancakes and waffles which are - also - the success of the brand. Be careful, the line is long at Zizi's, so take precautions.

Léonidas is a historic reference for Belgian chocolate. The first store in central Brussels (1913), rented by Basile Kestekides, had no door. A bizarre layout that forced the tenant to enter through the window and use the outside shelf as a counter. The best ideas are sometimes the result of a funny situation! By the way, let's not forget that Leonidas is industrially produced (like many other brands that pretend otherwise) and as such can boast the best value for money on the market!

La Belgique Gourmande, a name that makes you salivate and makes you think of "Daddy's Belgium" or "Old Belgium", all local definitions of a bygone era. In short, it brings back memories and flavours from childhood. This is what the shop offers: a fine assortment of Belgian sweets (chocolates, Dandoy speculoos, etc.) presented in beautiful boxes that will make people happy. The brand has 5 stores in the capital. In the one on rue de la Colline, you can have your own personalized bars made (type of chocolate and filling).

Since 1932, the brand has offered a renowned collection of chocolates, faithful to the original recipes. Also emblematic, the central boutique, among other addresses in Brussels, is superbly installed. It is adorned with visual assets highlighting the products created by this chocolate maker. The chocolates are prepared according to the rules of the art and the best added products (dairy butter, hazelnuts from Piedmont, almonds from Faro). The cocoa butter is pure; the whole production, made by about fifty chocolate makers, is guaranteed without GMO.

A counter full of flavours, colours and smells instantly immerses the gourmet in the heart of Italy. You'll find all the finesse of Italian products such as cold cuts, cheeses and other oils, not to mention the famous antipasti. Mamma mia! Also on the menu: variations of lasagne, ravioli, risottos and pizzas! Would you like to enjoy the cuisine of the mammas without leaving your seat? Nothing could be easier thanks to the catering service of La Dolce Vita. Since 1978, we can say that it's a business that runs smoothly.

The master chocolatier-pastry chef is one of Brussels' most trusted names. Nowadays, Myriam and her brother, Paul, are the official suppliers to the Belgian Court and members of the prestigious Relais Desserts association. In addition to the excellent homemade chocolates, they also offer pastries, ice cream and a catering department. All in the top range! The best thing is to take the time to taste in the tea room. You can still find your soul there. Breakfasts, lunches, snacks, pralines and macaroons all compete for the attention of gourmets.

Lovers of artisanal breads will be delighted not to see all their wheat go into insipid industrial breads. Because there are trendy bakeries and then there are those we like to call "neighbourhood bakeries". Renard is one of these, and has been in the heart of this popular district of Ixelles for over a quarter of a century. The philosophy of respect for quality has not changed! The range of sourdough breads is impressive (with a special mention for the special weekend breads) and the range of individual pastries is most tempting!

One of the oldest and best bakers in the city since 1935. Three outlets, a workshop in Koekelberg and a huge choice of breads, pastries and cakes. As well as homemade ice creams and lots of sweets such as chocolate, macaroons, speculoos, etc. And then there are surprise breads that open the ball to a high quality catering service. These pastries are proof that sweet and salty go hand in hand. The queue is often long and it is well worth it... Two other shops in Jette and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.

With over eighty pralines to choose from, Godiva's specialties play the aristo card, with names like Mathilde, Saint-Germain, Lady or Noblesse. The rest of the range is based around chocolate bars, but also luxury products: the Gold collection comes in gold packaging, and truffles are scented with raspberry or champagne. Always at the forefront of seasonal news, the almost century-old brand unveils new products for every occasion: Spring, Christmas and Valentine's Day, as well as its famous chocolate-covered strawberries.

This is much more than a grocery store. The formula includes the satisfaction of primary needs, like clothing, furniture, Green Sleep bedding, house painting and cleaning materials. The books section offers a thousand selections on widely different themes, like sustainable agriculture, homeopathy, personal development, essential oils, yoga, dietetics, cooking, etc...And of course, natural wines are in order. Other address : 101 rue de l'Eglise in Woluwe-St-Pierre. & 02 771 68 38.

Popular with tourists and the many passers-by who pass through the Grand-Place district, but also known to Belgian beer lovers, it was one of the first truly specialised shops. Opened in 1996, it originally had 250 different beers and now has four times that number. A thousand Belgian beers, including the rarest, and a wide range of accessories are available. Collectors will be particularly interested in the stock of old (and sometimes unobtainable!) beer glasses.

Malt Attacks offers about 600 beers from Belgium and "the world" (USA, UK, Norway, Italy, Germany, France...). Antoine gives excellent advice and focuses on craft beers (no industrial beers here). Brewing equipment for amateurs and basic equipment to order "free" of charge. Malt Attacks also offers whiskies, gins, natural wines, chocolates, ciders and a few other artisanal products. Their particularity? The sale of growlers, large reusable bottles that are filled with draft beer.

The smell that permeates the pretty shop fills one with such a sense of well-being that one wonders if there is a tea in the world that is not present on the shelves. White, green, black, semi-fermented, smoked, plain or flavoured and some organic selections from Japan... the list is long! Not forgetting rooibos from South Africa and all the refined accessories to accompany this drink that is so "apart". Among the discoveries, let's mention "Brussels, once!" with black tea from Ceylon. Seven languages are spoken in the shop, with kindness!

Looks like a fish market all right, with a bunch of guys busy preparing orders for restaurants. They're not just wholesalers, they'll be happy to show you what's best that day and help you make the right choices.

A grocery store and a restaurant sponsored by the buddhist community. Naturally, emphasis is placed on on whole grains and cereals. Nothing boring about the cuisine, to the point that you might be tempted to take a few cooking classes. They do their stuff at their other location.

Au départ de l'idée, un groupe de passionnés décidés à (re)dorer l'image des produits portugais dans la capitale belge. Les articles proposés sont strictement sélectionnés parmi les AOC de l'alimentation et du vin : un petit nombre de producteurs que l'équipe aide en internationalisant leur distribution. Dans cet espace dédié aux saveurs du Portugal, on trouve des vins, des produits bio ou d'épicerie fine mais aussi de la savonnerie de luxe et des objets de création et de designers. The Sol Ar Store propose aussi des apéros-concerts, le mercredi de 18h à 22h. Les magasins lusitaniens sont rares à Bruxelles, mais celui-ci est d'exception!

This great neighborhood store is going on seven years providing around 2 000 organic labeled items, from nuts to cosmetics. They're experienced, and it shows. No one can deny, nowadays, that organically produced fresh fruits and vegetables taste better than their shiny industrially produced counterparts, besides guaranteing the absence of chemicals. You'll find more than everyday needs on the shelves, for they also carry gardening stuff.

Located between Porte de Hal and Parvis Saint-Gilles, this Coop was started in 2007 by a team of like minded idealists, disgruntled by the degradation of the environment and anxious to do something about it. They found fertile ground in Saint-Gilles, a commune long associated with alternative lifestyles and social consciousness. They go out of their way to turn passive consumers into active participants, by providing ample information about producers, craftsmen, as well as parts of the world present on their shelves through dried fruits, coffee, chocolate, bamboo bowls, Indian cotton children's clothing, etc... The restaurant area offers well prepared organic lunches.

Diet in the Box is an organic meal delivery service based in Brussels.

Bab Dar is a Moroccan restaurant. It offers on-site dining as well as takeaway meals. Bab Dar serves authentic Moroccan cuisine and offers a varied menu of dishes and wines.

On the borders of Laeken, across from the Byrrh building, this microbrewery born in the Marolles in 2015 had to move to accommodate its growth. The two partners had previously made test brews of their Curieuse Neus in confidential quantities. This triple (7% vol. alc.) smells slightly of banana and is the head of their assortment with a strong Brussels character (Tanteke, Papy Van De Pils...). En Stoem' has become a sure value, so don't hesitate to venture to the brewery to buy directly from them.

Le Barboteur, a little shop that is much talked about in Schaerbeek, specialises in Belgian and international beers with a space designed for tastings. It's not a beer bar, nor is it just a shop. Their beer library has no less than 400 beers, including 250 Belgian beers. Sébastien and Jean-Thomas have put the hop product at the centre of their policy, with a certain passion and dynamism. You can enjoy them, without fuss, with organic cheese and charcuterie from small producers, or vegetarian "spreads".

Entering Giovanni's is a bluffing experience, because suddenly you're transported to Italy. It's all there: the marble counter where you grab your espresso in a hurry, the cornetti, the candy display where you're tempted to pay with Bacci chocolates. Giovanni Lepanto and his family run this lounge, where Sicilian specialties(cassata, cannolo) and Neapolitan ones(sfogliatella, pastiera...) are in the spotlight, along with fruit in marzipan. Caffè is a little expensive, but less than a plane ticket.

Rum from Liège ? Check ! Wine from Hainaut ? Check ! Organic jams and herbal teas produced in Brabant ? Always check ! The shelves of Gilles' store are filled with all the best that Belgium has to offer, all selected with love. Cookies, beers, chocolates, cosmetics, sauces, spreads..., we don't know what to choose! As the owner is well anchored in his neighborhood, you can often find the products of his neighbors in Saint-Gilles. In short, if you want to bring back a gourmet souvenir from the Plat Pays, you will find it here.