Brussels

[trainman]

Calling you Belgianistas: recommendations for where to drink in Brussels please.

Call me a heathen, but preferably somewhere that isn't exclusively lambic or fruit beer prone, somewhere for someone who has never really understood (the attraction of) belgian beer (or even wheat beer!), but who has 6 hours drinking to do on a day visit, someone like me...

[ROBCamra]

My favourite bar in Brussels is Le Coq.

It's apparently the 3rd oldest bar in Brussels and is almost tourist free.

Great friendly bar staff and a large range of beers.

Close to La Bourse and facing the Marriott about 5 minutes walk from La Grande Place..

Le Coq
Rue Auguste Orts 14, Auguste Ortsstraat 14,
1000 Bruxelles

I also like A La Mort Subite
rue Montagne-aux-Herbes Potagères 7
B-1000 Brussels

and

Delirium Cafe
Impasse de la Fidélité 4, 1000 Brussels,

and

La Becasse
Taborastraat 11, 1000 Brussels

They're all close together which is a bonus and there are loads of jokers between them as well. :cheers:

[Aqualung]

Go to Ghent instead!!!!

[trainman]

Go to Ghent instead!!!!
Don't tell me you've found a 'spoons in Ghent..?

[Aqualung]

Don't tell me you've found a 'spoons in Ghent..?

Err, no! Probably just as well as I wouldn't have got to visit the myriad of wonderful small bars all within easy walking distance as Ghent is not a large town, nor is it rammed with tourists like Bruges or rammed with .......

To be honest I haven't been to Brussels!

[PaulOfHorsham]

Aaah, yes, Gent is great. But that'll cost you another £10 and an hour each way.

As for Brussels, I'm going to have to adopt a completely contrary position to Rob. I visited (in order):

Moeder Lambic, 8 Place Fontainas
* Newish city centre location for a long-established, highly-regarded bar, this is absolutely great. There's 40 taps (but not, I think, 40 unique beers) and 5 'pumps'. The beer list includes several example of 'new-wave' Belgian brews, as well as 4 or so Cantillon (and 2 from Gadds if you're not feeling adventurous!). Food is good and staff helpful. Has to be said, though, that 75% of the clientele were beer tourists.
La Bécasse, Taborastraat 11
* Traditional old cafe, worth seeing for that alone, possibly, since the beer list is pretty mainstream.
Le Coq, 14 rue Auguste Orts
* Obviously seen better days, but all the more authentic for that perhaps. Beer list is pretty long but, to me, unadventurous.
Poechenellekelder , Rue du Chêne 5
* Not as bad as the location might suggest - it gets tourists, but the beer list is strong and the food ok.


I had a few others on my list, as well as Porte Noir, which my GBGB went on about. I have a map with cafes marked up, if you're interested.

My summary? Either:

Do visit Moeder Lambic, but don't go there first, as you'll be comparing the others unfavourably and wondering if you should simply just go back.
Just visit Moeder Lambic.


Enjoy your day out. Hope it doesn't rain.

[when I edit this, it all looks a lot better formatted]

[gillhalfpint]

We will be in Belgium again for Christmas and will be in Ghent 13.00 to 18.00 on 24th Dec as free time, so as we have never been there before will be looking to find places easy enough for Ray to get to that should be on the hit list.

Planning Brussels for Leuven again in April for Zythos beer festival, and have been to those mentioned above. I just like any place with a bit of character and a good beer list.

[trainman]

and a good beer list.
That's mostly my problem; I wouldn't know a good Belgian beer list if it jumped up and, well..., i wouldn't know one.
I've got that 'Around Brussels in 80 beers' you mentioned Gill, but not opened it yet!

[PaulOfHorsham]

We will be in Belgium again for Christmas and will be in Ghent 13.00 to 18.00 on 24th Dec as free time, so as we have never been there before will be looking to find places easy enough for Ray to get to that should be on the hit list.

Planning Brussels for Leuven again in April for Zythos beer festival, and have been to those mentioned above. I just like any place with a bit of character and a good beer list.

Hi Gill,

Poechenellekelder is up steps. The rest are on the level (but La Bécasse & Moeder Lambic have the lav in the basement - the latter is straight steps; the former a narrow spiral).

[gillhalfpint]

Hi Gill,

Poechenellekelder is up steps. The rest are on the level (but La Bécasse & Moeder Lambic have the lav in the basement - the latter is straight steps; the former a narrow spiral).

I seem to remember Poechenellekelder when we were in Brussels before. Believe it is the one with puppets all over inside. I seem to remember exploring inside when finding the loo. Great to sit outside people watching though as they took photos of Manneken Pis!! Finding loos at bar level is often difficult we found.

Ghent is the exciting new one to explore, and we are going to get a list of half a dozen or so bars not to be missed to try while there.

[trainman]

I going in pretty blind on the beers, unfortunate descriptions such as 'deliberately slightly vinegary' do not inspire me!

Can you folk please help me with etiquette though?
Does one take a table and wait, a la French cafe society, or approach the bar comme Bretagne?
And do they run a tab, or expect payment per round? And what's the story re tipping? Is there any, or is it all now 'compris', like France?

Thanks! j

[PaulOfHorsham]

Just watch what everyone else is doing! Beery bars are well used to tourists, so I wouldn't worry too much. If it looks 'pubby', head for the bar; if it looks 'foody', take a seat.

Enjoy your day.

[gillhalfpint]

I tend to take a seat, and had a look through the beer menu. They come and serve you. I haven't tipped unless having something to eat as well. We have paid per round and paid at the end of our session. If they ask I pay, if they don't I ask for the bill when we are ready to leave.

[rpadam]

I was in Brussels for a few hours earlier today, and found a useful little leaflet entitled 'Brussels on Draught' on sale for 50 cents at the tourist office in the Grand Place / Grote Markt.

This has a couple of useful walking routes, and lead me to:

La Fleur en Papier Doré (spiritual home of Belgian surrealism... http://www.lafleurenpapierdore.be/)
Delirium Taphouse (27 draught beers on... http://deliriumtaphouse.com/)
Greenwich (famed for its Belle Époque architecture... http://www.greenwich-cafe.be/)

Also called in at the curiously-named http://www.drugopera.be/ (not what it sounds!) because of its attractive Christmas decorations.