28 April 2022
Cheese shop windows with their mouth-watering wares are always a sight for sore eyes. Thankfully, there is no shortage of occasions to get together with friends and taste craft cheeses from Belgium and beyond. A number of specialised foodie heavens are dotted throughout Brussels where passionate cheese makers ply their trade.
We’ve put together a small selection below so that you can assemble your ideal cheese board!
Head for Saint-Josse and “A la Petite vache", one of the oldest cheese shops in Brussels. Since it opened in 1934, it has always put the focus on flavoursome, quality produce sourced from local farmers. You won’t be surprised therefore to find it stocks one of the best selection of cheeses in the capital.
This traditional cheese shop is run by Catherine De Sloovere and José Servais. They like nothing better than taking the time to explain the history of the products they source from Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, England or Ireland. A delicatessen where you could spend hours concocting the perfect platter.
One of the best-stocked shops in the capital. The Crèmerie de Linkebeek offers a broad range of cold meats and cheeses. A showcase of nearly 300 cheeses, sourced from Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy and England. There's something for everyone!
Bénédicte Dartois and Etienne Boissy (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) are cheesemakers. Their shop, which opened a little over a year ago, has won the hearts of the Bruxellois! Bénédicte trained in France in dairy production, while Etienne taught at the Paul Bocuse Institute. Their perfectly matured selection gives pride of place to both French and Belgian products.
Jacques is a regular at the Brussels markets. Since December 2019, he can also be found in his shop and maturing cellar in Forest. An address entirely dedicated to cheeses and other high-quality craft and mainly organic products, where Jacques and his team are more than happy to guide you in your choice.
Julien studied philosophy and views his profession as a human science and craft in its own right. The grandson of a farmer, who enjoys the good things in life, he stocks the best cheeses from passionate producers and craftsmen he meets all over France and Belgium. Julien Hazard also leaves his cheeses to mature in his four cellars, which brings out the characteristic flavours.
William Horlait from the Brussels' cheese shop Julien Hazard Affineur was elected Best Cheesemaker in Belgium 2022.
Véronique Socié, winner of Belgian Cheesemaker of the Year, and her son Léo Begin, have created this multifaceted cheese lover haunt: A cheese dairy, maturing cellar and cheese bar. You can stop by for a cheese tasting, a glass of natural wine, a craft beer or... why not a traditional fondue.
At Soeurs, you will find Hélène and Lara Milan, two sisters of Lebanese origin. They offer Belgian cheeses made from raw milk, produced with respect for the producers and that support the short supply chain model. After previous careers, one in the film industry and the other in the restaurant business, they opened their artisanal cheese factory in Flagey. They also love to associate their local produce with Middle Eastern spices, as a nod to their rich, unique family history!
Le Fromageon has a stock of nearly 400 varieties of craft cheeses waiting to be freshly cut for cheese lovers. It also stocks carefully selected cold meats, breads and wines to go with the cheeses.
"Le plateau du Berger" is run by a team of enthusiasts. Their thing? Raw milk cheeses, preferably farmhouse cheeses. Specialities produced by craft cheesemakers who practise sustainable agriculture. A fine selection of cold meats, breads and wines is also available to liven up your "cheese & wine" evenings.
Octave Laloux and Tom Flon, the two friends behind Saint Octave, pick out only the best produce for their shop. They believe in working sustainably and locally, focusing only on small producers and craft cheeses. An environmentally-friendly approach that goes down well with the customers of Saint Octave and its three shops. Oh, and their assortment of high-quality cold meats isn’t half bad either!
