Cosy places for a comforting break in Brussels

03 November 2022

Group of friends enjoying cocktails around the fire at the Dominican Hotel bar

Whether on a terrace under a thick blanket, at a table in a restaurant or near a crackling fire, it's impossible to hibernate in Brussels this winter. The capital is full of cosy places and "fireside" atmospheres where you can warm up with a comforting dish or curl up with your partner while sipping a hot chocolate. A reminder that the cold season has its own charms.

Discover our selection of warm places where you can take refuge after a walk or enjoy an evening with friends to combat those winter blues.

Saint-Gilles

La Petite Parisienne

A landmark for those who love winter flavours, La Petite Parisienne was created by Katia, an expert trained at the prestigious Ferrandi school of gastronomy in Paris. She then moved to Brussels and opened the first certified organic pastry shop in the city, thus combining the traditions of pastry with today's requirements to be healthy, more ethical and use slow sugar - her creations are made with at least 20% less sugar to make way for other flavours.

Saint-Gilles

Kami

Located in the heart of the Ma Campagne neighbourhood, Kami is one of those little gems that are shared by word of mouth. Passionate about coffee and Japan (Kami is the Japanese term for deities hidden in nature, animals and objects), Clara and Alias welcome you to their carefully designed little cocoon. The coffee, roasted in Belgium, accompanies pastries and other organic snacks, all home-made and served with a smile. For braver individuals, the back terrace is just as friendly as the interior. Everything is beautiful and delicate, right down to the cups and the rest of the tableware.

Centre

Kaffabar

"Warmth is Kaffabar's raison d’être" explains the prestigious Gault&Millaut on its website. The space is large but still feels comfortable. Since opening in 2016 (the same year Marc Daniels, its founder, was crowned Best Barista by the Venuez hospitality trade show), Kaffabar has crafted its friendly welcome while guaranteeing the quality of its coffees, which are available in fast or slow mode. Sweet treats (including vegan and gluten-free options) are also on the menu. This season, we recommend the white hot chocolate, the pistoatcino, a pistachio-flavour cappuccino or the hot winter lemonade with pear and ginger, served warm. Before you leave, don't forget to pat the place’s mascot, English bulldog Marcel.

Ixelles

Cup 28°

In the heart of the Bailly neighbourhood, Cup 28° has quickly become the place to be for lovers of coffee and other hot drinks. The place is warm and has a pretty urban garden around the back. You can enjoy a wide variety of hot drinks including coffees made with Wide Awake's famous beans. We recommend the matcha latte which gave the place its reputation.

Saint-Gilles

Hinterland – Urban refuge

A self-proclaimed "Urban Refuge", this little coffee house promises to warm you up like a thick, soft blanket. Comfortable and bright, Hinterland offers a calm refuge from the hustle and bustle of the Chaussée de Charleroi. If there was any lingering doubt, their selection of drinks on the menu, with lattes, slow coffees, chais, teas and Golden Mylk (coconut milk with turmeric) will make you feel right at home.

Ixelles

Fika

In Swedish, Fika means coffee break, that uninterrupted moment when you enjoy a hot drink and a pastry (and if anyone knows about comfortable places to warm up, it's the Scandinavians, the inventors of hygge). It was hygge that inspired Joana to open Fika, a coffee house where wood and cushions give new meaning to the term cosy. You can enjoy delicious coffees from a roaster from Brussels but also one from Sweden! As far as pastries are concerned, we recommend the tasty Kanelbullar, Swedish specialities made with cinnamon.

Centre

Laurent Gerbaud

Discover Belgian chocolate the Laurent Gerbaud way. A tea room that also serves as a workshop on Saturdays. It's a chance to make your own sweets and taste the best of the best in chocolate! To warm up, opt for a hot ginger or a hot chocolate, classic or gourmet version with hazelnut syrup, speculoos, Christmas spices or maple syrup + whipped cream.

Centre

MOK Specialty Coffee Roastery & Bar

Based in the trendy Rue Dansaert area, MOK is both a bar and a roastery, as it also sells coffee beans to take home. The place is warm and friendly. The menu features a wide variety of coffees, served alongside teas (from Companion Tea) and fermented drinks. You can even sit outside (for the brave) and watch the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying your drink with a sweet or vegan snack.

Koekelberg

Frederic Blondeel

Frederic Blondeel is certainly one of the best chocolatiers in town. Head for Koekelberg where his workshop is located, which is both a shop and a coffee & ice cream bar. The place is the image of chocolate in general: sweet and full of character. Alongside the coffees and other teas to be enjoyed, you can also taste their own house hot chocolate, accompanied by the chocolate or cookie of the day. Something to warm bodies and hearts.

Ixelles

Caleo café

When Zoe opened her café in the Saint Boniface neighbourhood in 2021, she gave it the sweet name Caleo, which means "warm" in Latin. Her idea was to provide a cosy, snug space like at home and boy she’s pulled it off! The wood, straw and rattan which decorate the place are enveloping and make you want to settle down and savour the hot drinks, brunches and other delicacies on offer. Among the coffees (roasted in Belgium by Gust Coffee Roasters), the café recommends its famous charcoal latte, particularly in season, but also the pumpkin spice latte, caramel latte and hot cinnamon apple juice!

Centre

Wide Awake

Established in 2019, Wide Awake, plays the inclusiveness and openness card around coffee. Located at the end of the Rue de Flandre, this coffee house offers you the chance to enjoy its range of coffees roasted at CoHop in Anderlecht that you can also take home to prolong the experience. It produces one of our favourite coffees, tasty and smooth. A quality coffee that you can find in many of the capital's cafes and restaurants.

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Saint-Gilles

The Modern Alchemist

It is possible to be trendy and cosy, as this Saint-Gilles venue proves. While they can't turn lead into gold, "Modern Alchemists" Sébastien, Benjamin and Christopher, turn their drinks into real treasures. The menu has no fewer than 150(!) rums and a collection of cocktails ranging from classic to seasonal. Inside, the industrial and classy space reflects the vision of these 3 bartenders who perfected its creation over a 3-year period. Today, the main focus is on welcoming customers. A visual and gustatory experience that will leave a smile on your face (be careful if you have chapped lips because of the cold).

Centre

The Dominican Grand Lounge

Hidden behind the imposing Opera de La Monnaie, The Dominican offers a sleek and classy bar. There's always a slight feeling of being on holiday when you sit in a hotel bar. Add to that the softness of the velvet armchairs and sofas, the plushness of the carpet on the floor and the open fire that welcomes you at the entrance, and the combination is perfect. All that's left to do is order!

The Dominican's terrace with its cushions, soft blankets and various fires

Saint-Gilles

Moeder Lambic

At Moeder Lambic, you won't find the classic mass-market beers, but a selection of craft beers and microbrewery gems. The waiters are very helpful and will help you discover some surprising beers! A meeting place with two locations: the original in Rue de Savoie in Saint-Gilles, or the latest, established in the centre, at Place Fontainas, since 2009.

Centre

Poechenellekelder

Just across from the Manneken-Pis , you'll find the Poechenellekelder, a genuine medieval estaminet, perfect for a drink with friends. In the past, the building was the meeting place for many guilds and all kinds of conspirators. In other words, when you enter this unique bar, you'll be immersed in the thousand-year-old history of Brussels!

Centre

Le Cirio

A neighbourhood bistro featuring Art Nouveau decor located next to the Bourse, Cirio is a genuine period café where you can imagine meeting Hercule Poirot the famous detective, while sipping your 'half en half' (a cup filled with a 50/50 mix of sparkling wine and white wine), the house speciality.

Ixelles

Le petit canon

Just a stone's throw from Flagey, nestled in the very narrow corner formed by Rue Lesbroussart and Rue de Hennin, Le Petit Canon exudes a cosy atmosphere almost like home. This super cute place is a wine shop and bar with a retro decor. It has a very intimate feeling, whether you are in a group or a couple. The wines are natural and come from small producers. They can be accompanied by small dishes, appetisers or other delicacies to nibble. It feels so good that you may find it hard to leave.

Centre

L’Archiduc

Classy, timeless, Art Deco, a place unmistakeably from another time. If you are looking for quiet, avoid concert evenings. But the calm atmosphere, the small tables upstairs, the friendliness of the staff and the history that inhabits the place are all assets that make L’Archiduc, designed by the architect Franz Van Ruyskensvelde, a perfect place to warm up and take refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. Located at the entrance of the fashionable Rue Dansaert, you can enjoy cocktails, beers, soft drinks and various drinks for two, with your partner or with friends.

Saint-Gilles

Chez mon ex

Wood, exposed bricks and a neighbourhood café atmosphere that is as warm for the neighbours as it is for those who come from further afield. Chez mon ex is a carefully selected range of beers, especially on tap, juices and other home-made organic soft drinks. And "Mon Ex" has a big heart because when you buy a drink, part of the money is donated to one of 3 proposed associations (you choose which one). A perfect way to warm the heart.

Saint-Gilles

Le Dillens

A neighbourhood jewel. A typical Brussels location, appreciated in the summer for its generous terrace, but also perfect when winter returns. Warm and inviting, it offers an extensive menu of natural wines and locally brewed beers. It’s also worth noting that the coffee they serve, OR, is roasted in Belgium. For food lovers, the menu offers brunch and a cuisine which is local and sustainable, awarded the Good Food label and served in deliciously vintage crockery. The atmosphere is just as suitable for workaholics who can work there with their computer and a little coffee, as it is for groups of friends who enjoy gargantuan Sunday brunches. Warm and mixed, just like Saint-Gilles.

Schaerbeek

Ethylo

A 20s vibe and subdued lighting... The Ethylo cocktail bar has what it takes to warm up bodies, minds... and moods. Spirits abound with more than 200 products, classic or signature cocktails on a regularly changing menu, always with a local and seasonal character. Preparations from the workshop, just below, also enhance the menu of shrubs, syrups, fruit juices, liqueurs and infused spirits...

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Centre

La Taverne du Passage

Reopened in 2021, the soon to be 100-year-old Taverne du Passage is an icon of the Brussels restaurant scene. Perfectly located in the superb Galeries Royales, this restaurant with a retro chic look (the Art Deco building is listed as a historical monument) immerses its visitors in 20s nostalgia. With a highly professional service, La Taverne offers a classic menu of Belgian dishes revisited with a modern twist by chef Antoine Mariscal. It’s wholesome, home-made flavours on a plate.

The interior of the Taverne du Passage and its origami work

Bruxelles

Chalet Robinson

Located on a small island on a lake in the heart of the Bois de la Cambre, Chalet Robinson will delight young and old alike with its boat trip across the lake, which is a bit of an adventure. Come and warm up in this charming setting with a breathtaking view of nature. We happily linger there for a hot chocolate, a Brussels waffle, or simply for one of the generous dishes on offer (there is always room for a boudin-compote, Americain with chips and a mushroom fristouille, right?).

Centre

Les Brigittines

The Les Brigittines restaurant is located in the heart of Brussels, a stone's throw from the Grand-Place, the Sablon, the Palais de Justice and the Marolles. In the special atmosphere of its Art Nouveau setting, it offers classic French-Belgian cuisine based on fresh seasonal products and beers.

Uccle

Au Petit Suisse

This small restaurant transports you to the Alps. At Au Petit Suisse, you can enjoy famous Swiss classics. Their cheese fondue, raclette, rösti and many other specialities will keep you warm all winter long.

Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

Auberge des Maïeurs by La Finca

On the Parvis Saint-Pierre in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, the Auberge des Maïeurs is an urban farm offering organic local cuisine. The site, with its rustic accents, is listed as a Brussels heritage site and dates back to 1748 (although it was destroyed by fire in 2009). The softness of its seats, the warmth of the exposed beams and the plant decorations instantly make you feel good. The inn can boast of having been the first certified organic restaurant in the capital. The agricultural cooperative La Finca, located less than 6km from the restaurant, provides the organic fruit and vegetables and the fresh eggs. The cuisine is Belgian and French, and some products are available for sale in the small organic store next door.

Fireplace and tables inside the Auberge des Maïeurs

Saint-Gilles

Flamme

Cosy and friendly, Flamme boasts a high-quality, local menu. The vegetables come from a nearby cooperative called "Terroirist" and the sausages are from Dierendonck, a famous Flemish family butcher. The burger has breads from Boulengier, with meat or veggie fillings. You can also opt for the very traditional (but no less perfect) stoemp-saucisse. The room is dominated by a large central wine cellar and the floor shines with its superb period mosaic. A perfect combination for some quality time.

Bruxelles

Odette en ville

A hushed setting and a sober but resolutely modern atmosphere in the upscale Châtelain neighbourhood. The restaurant has all the glamour of New York's boutique hotels and its menu offers classic dishes with an Asian twist. Enjoy the freshness of a simple, sophisticated cuisine, which uses high-quality produce and a menu that changes according to the seasons and the chef's mood. Odette en ville also acts as a cocktail bar. Stylish, but casual.

Ixelles

Campo

The decor takes us to warmer climes, enhanced by bursts of colour from the tables. But you’ll also find comfort on the plates with to the healthy, globetrotting brasserie menu which takes you around the world, with a particular focus on Argentina. Vegetarians and vegans will love it too. And to make the atmosphere a little warmer, Campo's kitchen opens onto the room.

Uccle

Tontons

"An Italian spaghetti bistro with a Belgian twist". This is how Tontons introduces itself. A central dish that can be adapted to any sauce, in vegetarian or meat versions, and served in medium or large portions (for those with eyes bigger than their bellies!). There are also classic aperitif platters and an appetising dessert menu. The products are organic and sourced from local artisans and merchants. Perfect for a comforting dish.

Centre

L’Aubette

The term "Aubette" refers to the bus shelters that protect public transport users. This sense of refuge and security fits perfectly with this small, popular corner restaurant on Rue Blaes. Bright and cosy, L'Aubette offers a cuisine based on hearty salads and tasty brunches at the weekends. It’s a place - sometimes a victim of its own success - where you can snuggle up with friends.

Ixelles

Le Balmoral

Located on Place Brugmann, Le Balmoral stands out with its retro American diner look from the 50s and 60s. A feast for the eyes with a kaleidoscope of pastel colours, a flashy jukebox, a statue of Betty Boop, ... In short, its entire image is very "Marilyn Monroe". The place, which started as a milk bar (milkshakes remain their speciality), has now established its status as a diner thanks to its bagels and burgers. But Le Balmoral also leaves room for sweet treats, including crepes and waffles, and is known for its American breakfasts.

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