The best places to enjoy an ice cream in Brussels?

Fancy trying a violet or mandarin ice cream? At Bisou, ice cream also comes in a fluffy frozen brioche version. A self-proclaimed "all day coffee & eatery", this new location on rue du Bailly, designed by architecture studio Zazie Maquet, resembles a splendid gourmet boudoir. Amid the many options available (brunch, breakfast, lunch, coffees, detox juices, delicious brioches perdu, etc.), the artisanal ice creams of chef Chloé Sengier stand out. Enjoy them in the garden at the back of the shop.

Gelateria Il Monello serves 100% artisanal ice creams in a modern and child-friendly setting. While your little ones will be tempted by the Smurf ice cream (contains spirulina), older ones might go for basil. At Gelateria Il Monello, you can dare to try something new and you won't be disappointed. It is the ideal place to cool off out of the sun during the hottest days of summer.

Giotto built its reputation thanks to a web shop launched in early 2022. Following the success of its ice creams made in the purest Italian tradition, the first shop opened in spring 2023 in the chic Châtelain district. Here you'll find all the variety - and quality - of these creations, which often include nods to the Belgian terroir, like their Wépion strawberry ice cream. Every week, they offer 4 new flavours to discover.

Take your ice cream cone from Cocozza for a walk in the very charming Josaphat Park, located just across the street. What could be better than strolling on the grass with a delicious ice cream? If you prefer to sit at a table, a nice terrace is available. Have you ever heard of the candied chestnut ice cream? Come down to Cocozza and taste it!

An address that will delight vegans! Oui Oui has opened in Saint-Gilles, in a shop inspired by Los Angeles. All the ice creams are made with plant-based milk and blended with high-quality products such as Piedmont hazelnuts and Valrhona chocolate. These vegan formulas are even suitable for diabetics and people with gluten intolerance. Alongside his classic menu, Karim (who trained in Italy) offers seasonal flavours such as kiwi, mango, watermelon and blueberry. And be warned, these vegan versions are as good, if not better, than their traditional counterparts.

A Brussels-based designer, Christine started out delivering ice cream by van before setting up her shop-atelier not far from the parvis de Saint-Gilles. There she offers her 'ice-pops', Eskimo-style ice creams (once known as Nanouks in Walloon!). While the form of his creations changes compared to other ice-cream makers, the quality is the same and the creations are all hand-made. They often source their cream and fruit from Mechelen's organic morning market. At Nanouk, the emphasis is on local and seasonal ingredients, and sugar is used sparingly. Alongside the 'mono' flavours (vanilla tralala, speculoos, matcha green tea, etc.), Nanouk also offers daring 'duos' such as pineapple-ginger, watermelon-mint, peach-verbena, etc.

 Zizi's ice creams are best enjoyed with family or friends in the ice cream parlour or on one of the benches near the shop. With a know-how passed down from father to son for three generations, Zizi offers artisanal ice creams, without colouring and with original flavours. Looking for a place to eat good ice cream late at night? You've come to the right place: during the summer, Zizi is open until midnight 7 days a week!

It's impossible to talk about artisanal ice creams in Brussels without mentioning Capoue, which was founded in 1947 and has 8 locations dotted around the city. These tasting rooms, or simply takeaway counters, all offer ice creams and sundaes in classic and original flavours. These include the 2023 bestseller 'Haut crumble trois pommes', and the very Belgian Philippe 1er and Manneke.