Shopping

Shopping in Brussels

For a typical European shopping street, Rue de Neuve; to take a look at boutiques, Rue Dansaert;to look for clothes or gifts, Rue du Flandre and Marché au Charbon and for designer stores Waterloolaan should be the addresses you prefer. 

Especially Antwerp region of Belgium, which is in the Fleming part, is a heaven where worldwide renown designers are raised and fashion design schools and talented students can be found. There are names like Diane von Fürstenberg, Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, Dries van Noten, Kris Van Assche, Raf Simons and Walter Van Beirendonck among famous designers who were born in Belgium and got their inspiration from this country. 

It's a custom in Europe to spend hours in vintage stores to become stylish. Here are a couple of addresses for you in this country which has a fame in the fashion industry:

Gabriele Vintage

Rue des Chartreux 27

Ramon & Valy Vintage Shop

Rue des Teinturiers 19 

Look

Rue du Midi 40

Les Enfants d'Edouard

175-177 Avenue Louise

Les Petits Riens

Rue Americaine 101

Foxhole Vintage Shop

Rue des Renards 6

Accommodation

Accommodation in Brussels

There are many different choices in Brussels for accommodation. You can pick the one that is most suitable for your taste and budget among Brussels hotels with elegant options that speak to luxury lovers or hostels that take students into consideration.

Pacific

This new hotel on the coolest shopping street of Brussels called Antoine Dansaert has only 13 rooms. It has white big rooms for romantic breaks and a comfortable atmosphere which allows you to hang out for a whole day in its cafe downstairs for freelancers.

Rue Antoine Dansaert 57

Tel: 02 213 00 80

Royal Windsor

Its difference from other hotels of Royal Windsor is that every single room of this is created by one of the 13 Belgian designers. It's up to you whether you'll choose Xavier Delcour's 360 degrees mirrored room, the dream world created by Kaat Tiller or Marina Yee's Grand Palace but it's guaranteed that you'll find very different things in each room.

5 Rue Duquesnoy,

Tel: (0) 2 505 55 55 

Hotel Amigo

If you've reserved your place in Amigo, you'll find yourself in a heaven in a building dating back to the 18th century with Tintin illustrations in it which has a spa where you can relax.

Rue de l'Amigo 3

BeManos

Midi Station's vicinity, where drunkards and homeless people used to live, is turning into a hit neighbourhood thanks to investors who have bought buildings there. Being founded in the middle of this, BeManos offers you a modern and stylish atmosphere with its elegant black and white design.

Square de l'Aviation 23

Tel: 02 520 65 65

 Le Dixseptieme

This building, which was built for the Spanish Consulate in the 17th century, is now a hotel with crystal chandeliers where luxury lovers will leave satisfied.

25, rue de la Madeleine

Tel:  02 517 17 17 

White Hotel

Spacious, white, stylish and central. White has anything you can ask for in a hotel. This youthful hotel which has a work of Belgian designers in each room and organizes wild parties with DJ and VJ sets a couple of times a year, is especially adored by those who work in creative fields.

Avenue Louise, 212

Tel: 02 644 29 29

The Dominican

This hotel, which has been designed in a modern, hippi and minimal New York style in a former monastery building, has a unique atmosphere. And the restaurants inside are Brussels' gourmet addresses where even locals make reservations to visit.

Rue Léopold 9

Tel: 02 203 08 08

Vintage Hotel

Do you like the pop art culture of 1970’s? What about staying in a hotel filled with these? Every item of Vintage Hotel, from coffee mugs to sheets, phones to carpets, are picked in accordance with the Pop-art style. It creates the feeling of taking everything from the chair you sit on to the forks home with you.

Rue Dejoncker 45

Tel: 02 533 99 80

La Chambre en Ville

An old building; each of its rooms are decorated in a different style and each room has a conceptual breakfast. This hotel will make you feel things you haven't experienced before.

Rue de Londres, 19

Tel: 02 512 92 90

Food

Food and Drink in Brussels

If you ask about the famous foods of Brussels, the first answer you'll get will be mussels floating on plates of sauce and fried potatoes on the side. Here are the best addresses where you can taste this delicious pair and cosmopolitan Brussels food. 

Belgo Belge

This place is popular especially among locals. You can choose one of the green pepper, Béarnaise or mustard sauces for your meat or taste mussels, which is a Brussels classic, with tomatoes and Roquefort cheese. Don't forget that a cheese plate is served after the meal as a French tradition. Make sure you'll save some space for that too.

Rue de la Paix 20

Tel: 02 511 11 21 

Le Pré Salé

The service starts at 7 pm in this restaurant which is mentioned in almost every single Belgian guide. What you're expected to do is consume the mussels, which are served in boilers, as fast as possible and leave since there are many people waiting outside to be seated at your table. We recommend you not to forget about mussels by eating too much of the crispy fried potatoes of which plates are constantly refilled.

Rue de Flandre 20

Tel: 02 513 65 45 

Houtsiplou

Houtsipou, of which walls are covered in colorful comics, makes delicious hamburgers with gorgonzola cheese, mushrooms and barbecue sauce.

Place Rouppe 9

Tel: 02 511 38 16

Bij Den Boer

Here, it's possible that all the tables around you will be speaking in a different language. The egg sauce that is poured on white asparagus. Their mussels and unlimited fries are impossible to describe.

Quai aux Briques 60

Tel: 02 512 61 22

La Buvette

This is a unique restaurant which is open between 8pm - 10pm from Tuesdays to Fridays and betweeen 12pm - 2 pm on Fridays. Chef Nicolas Scheidt has the same motto with Jamie Oliver: Simple but delicious. Menu changes every day; seasonal ingredients are brought together and served in plates that are nothing less than artworks.

Chaussée d'Alsemberg, 108

Tel: 02 534 13 03

Comme Chez Soi

There are special menus which include five French-inspired dishes served one by one in this restaurant where you can be seated at a big table for two or in a special area for you in the kitchen.  We can't say that it's inexpensive but no doubt, it'll be worth the price. 

Place Rouppe 23

Tel: 02 512 29 21

Mano a Mano

We can say with a clean conscience that Mano a Mano makes the best Italian pizza in Brussels. It doesn't matter whether you want a pizza carpaccio, a simple napoliten or one of the options with pepperroni. The result is always the same: Happiness.

Rue Saint-Boniface 8

Tel: 02 502 08 01

 Aux Armes de Bruxelles

If you're in the vicinity of Grand Palace, you should start your seafood feast with oysters, move on to snails with pesto sauce and then order mussels flavored with tomatoes and garlic in this 80-year-old historical restaurant. On the contrary of some restaurants that are closed on Sundays, Aux Armes de Bruxelles is open until 10.30 pm.

13 rue des Bouchers

Tel: 02 511 55 98/50

À La Mort Subite

In this place, whose name means "Sudden Death" and is known as the meeting place of bank and European Union workers during lunch time, ordering tartine will be the most delicious choice you can ever make.

Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 7

Tel: 02 513 13 18

Au Vieux Bruxelles

It's been preparing the most traditional dishes of Belgian cuisine since 1882. The restaurant, which has options like fondue, calf carpaccio with parmesan, entrecote and gadus, is one of the spots you should definitely stop by in Brussels.

Rue St-Boniface 35

Tel: 02 503 31 11

Chez Léon

Chez Léon, which you'll remember with its Paris branches, is actually from Brussels. Its meat, pasta, salads and fish are delicious but you must eat mussels while you're here. In addition to classical mussels with tomatoes and roquefort, you have many other options like with vinegar, with lemon, fried, baked with parmesan, or in gambas style served with calamari and octopus.

18 Rue des Bouchers

Tel: 02 511 14 15

La Quincaillerie

You can visit this restaurant designed by students of Victor Horta, who is the inventor of art nouveau architecture, even only to admire its architecture. Shelled seafood plate and calf tartar are the top two tastes you need to try here.

Rue du Page 45

Tel: 02 533 98 33

Le Pain Quotidien

The most crowded branch of the cafe, which has many branches, is the one in the Sablon Square. They have whatever your want from freshly squeezed juice to handmade breads, croissants to jams, white chocolate marmelade to cheese in their breakfasts and they are all delicious.

Rue des Sablons 11

Tel: 02 513 51 54

Manneken Frites

If you want to dive into a pleasure of nicely fried potatoes served with tens of sauces while on the run, this is the right address.

Rue du Midi 30

Kwint

The meal that starts with lobster soup with spring onions continues with jumbo shrimp risotto. Veal with truffle and arugula is recommended for those who don't like seafood. Even if not for a dinner, you should drop by its lounge for a cocktail or visit its shop to buy truffles and fresh kitchen products.

Mont des Arts 1

Tel: 02 505 95 95

Le Bar du Matin

This can be called a freelancer cafe. It's the most popular place in Saint-Gilles region. You can see someone sitting with a laptop at every single table. It won't be easy to forget the tastes of the delicious lentil salad or chicken sandwiches, which are offered in self-service form. They organize concerts in the evenings; it's a good idea to check their program to explore local musicians and DJs.

Chaussée d'Alsemberg

Tel: 02 537 71 59

Useful Information

Country code: +32

Emergencey calls: 112

Ambulance and Fire: 100

Police: 101

The closest pharmacy: +32 (0)70 660 160

Places to see

Places to Visit in Brussels

With peerless artworks, museums, squares, streets, waffles and chocolates, Brussels is a true tourism heaven. We've listed all places to see in this small city.

Atomium

Atomuim, which was built in 1958, in the year The World Fair was held in Brussels, is in the form of a 150 million times magnified iron molecule. You should take its lift and sit at a table in Chez Adrienne restaurant and watch Brussels from above. Also, the replica of 350 buildings from 80 countries in Mini Europe, which is located at the foot of the building, is worth seeing.

Square de l'Atomium

Tel: 02 475 47 75

Grand Place

The city center, the square where cafes located side by side, the heaven of falafel and ice-cream shops and the heart of shops where touristic products can be found, Grand Place is where you can see light shows, concerts and theatre plays almost any time throughout the year.

Manneken Pis

This 61 cm peeing kid sculpture, which is the symbol of Brussels, has been through a restoration in 1619 after its creation in 1388. According to the legend,  the little lord, who had been enslaved by Berthouts during a war, put in a basket and peed while swinging on a tree, caused the war to be won.

Brussels The Chocolate Heaven

Apart from Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva, which have other branches, Pierre Marcolini, which has only one store in Sablon Square, and Wittamer, which has been  known as the chocolaterie of the Belgian royalty since 1910, are among the brands that keep making the art of chocolate. Also, if you're a chocolate lover, don't leave Brussels without seeing the chocolate museum and learn its story.

9 / 11 Rue de la Tete d'Or

Tel. 02 514 20 48 

Among Comics

In Belgium, which is the homewotn of many classical comics like Tintin, Spirou, Gaston, Smurfs and Red Kit, we should also give the names and addresses of some comic stores. If you like second hand, Evasions (147, rue du Midi); if you want them brand new, Brüsel on Anspach Boulevard; if you want to hear some advices from some experts, La Bande des Six Nex (179, Chaussée de Wavre) are addresses you should definitely stop by. If you can't be contented with those and also want to learn about its history, you should visit Belgian Comic Strip Center in Rue des Sables 20.

Royal Museums of Fine Arts

In the 200 year old building, there is a collection of more than 20.000 paintings, sculptures and charcoal drawings. Bosch, Bruegel, Cranach, Memling, Jordaens, Rubens Delveaux and Magritte are some of the masters you'll come across.

Rue du Musée 9

Tel: 02 508 32 11

Horta Museum

Your visit to Brussels doesn't count unless you visit the museum of Horta, who is the founder of wrought irons you see all around Brussels, glamourous architecture and Art Nouveau trend.

Rue Américaine 25

Tel: 02 543 04 90

Bozar

Check the calendar of Bozar, which is home to National Orchestra of Belgium in addition to hosting cinema, theater, music and electronical art events, before going to Belgium. There may be many interesting shows waiting for you. 

Rue Ravenstein 23

Tel: 02 507 82 00

Hergé Museum

You are in the Museum of Hergé, the creator of Tintin. This museum, which cost his wife Fanny Rodwell 20 million dollars to be built, is the work of the French architect Christian de Portzamparc. In the museum, where you can examine drawings he has done and learn about the details of his life and the works in his studio, some exhibitons that may attract comic enthusiast are also organized from time to time.

Musée du Cinquantenaire

In the building, that was found in 1835 to exhibit prehistoric pieces collected from all around the world, hundreds of works from artists like Horta, Van de Velde, Hankar and Hobe have been exhibited today.

1040 Etterbeek 

Tel: 02 741 72 11

Sablon Square

An antique market is set on Saturday-Sunday between 9 am - 7 pm. in Brussels' famous square, of which side roads have art galleries and cafes on them. Also, you can find stores which sell vintage items and elaborately restored antiques that have been collected since 1920s.

Neighbourhoods of Brussels

Sablon, is truly at the heart of Brussels. Bell sounds coming from the neo-gothic church, the antique market that is set on the square on the weekends, galleries, stylish restaurants and chocolateries give the city a unique texture and atmosphere.

Mont des Arts is the dwelling zone of artists as the name implies. Almost all museums, Brussels Park, Royal Palace and The Fine Arts Museum has been located around this neighbourhood.

There are expats, international companies, crowds that speak Spanish, French, German, Japanese in the European Neighbourhood. It's possible to find a mosaic of people from different races living in a harmony.

In the streets of Matonge, there are African hairdressers, African restaurants and shops owned by immigrants from Congo, which used to be a colony of Belgium. This neighbourhood which bears many traces of the two countries' pasts is very interesting.

In Saint-Gilles, the life that is lived in the Art Nouveau buildings you admire in the day light, pours into bars, restaurants and cafes filled with crowds at night. 

After shopping from the most expensive brands in Avenue Louise or Toison d'Or and learning the names of a couple of local designers, Place du Chatalain is a good alternative for a drink break.

Ixelles is the neighbourhood of locals. This should be the first place to stop by to hang out in the coffee houses and restaurants in Saint Boniface Square and join the locals.

Saint-Gery has an atmosphere that is similar to Brooklyn, Belleville, Brick Lane or Karaköy among restored buildings. Artists leave their studios and meet their friends here. 

Nightlife

The Brussels locals who start drinking after work prefer squares like St. Gery and St. Catherine. It's possible to taste different drinks in lively bars in these places. A big menu is waiting for you.

L’Archiduc

It's possible to see all kinds of people in this bar which hasn't lost the atmosphere of 1920's jazz clubs. People who come to this club with huge couches start dancing to house music after 12 am. Average age is 35 and above.

Antoine Dansaertstraat 6

Tel: 02 512 06 52 

Le Bar du Marché

This is the most lively bar of Brussels whether it's summer or winter. It's cosmopolitan crowd doesn't go anywhere until it's closed at 2 am. The place, which is a meeting point of especially advertisers, musicians, members of European Commission, architects and artists, plays the kind of  indie music that won't prevent you from having a conversation there.

Rue Alphonse De Witte 12

Tel: 02 644 04 00

Café Belga

Hundreds of blue chairs put on the most lively square of Brussels are waiting for locals who stop by to have some drinks after work. If you check the schedule of Café Belga, which plays many kinds of music from house to jazz, rock to indie inside, your stay may coincide with a live performance.

Place Flagey 18

Tel: 02 640 35 08

Zebra Bar

One of the most famous faces of Brussels is Fred Nicolay, who is known for the bar atmosphere

he has created. People who make appointments in Le Roi des Belges for a drink with friends after work and then switch to Zebra, which is right next to it, at later hours to listen to live performances of local musician and those who enjoy these two different concept bars created by Nicolay are here.

Place Saint Géry 35

Tel: 02 511 09 01

Mappa Mundo

Mappa Mundo, which is another place of Fred Nicolay, is ruled by Latin sounds. You can watch those who dance salsa or cha cha and join them if you like.

Rue du Pont de la Carpe 2-6

Tel: 02 514 35 55

Belga Queen

Although it's actually a restaurant, Belga Queen's cocktails and bar atmosphere is more successful than its food. This place which turns into a club after 10 pm and doesn't give a break to music, guarantees fun.

Rue Fossé aux Loups 32

Tel: 02 217 21 87

Halles Saint-Gery

We can describe this place as the club of Saint-Gery region, which is created by filling an old canal. Halles Saint-Gery is one of the places where young people dance to DJ sets that echo in the  Art Nouveau buildings.

Place Saint Géry 1

Tel: 02 289 26 60

Fuse

This place is filled with DJs who play techno, house and electronic music until the morning in its two rooms and young people, especially between the ages of 18-30, who can't wait till the weekend to have fun in Fuse. Brussels is generally lived in bars but Fuse is one of the meeting points of people who want to dance until the morning.

Rue Blaesstraat 208

Tel: 02 511 97 89 

Fiesta Club

Every weekend, more than 1000 people who dance to RNB, Groove and electronic music make appointments to dance in Fiesta till the first lights of the day.

Tel: 02 248 20 88

Quai des Usines 20