By Brussels Bourse

View of the Bourse from interior of Falstaff

The streets around Brussels neoclassical style Bourse are now pedestrianised. As well as Belle Epoque brasseries there are nearby alleyways leading to traditional bars. The Bourse itself is now the home of Belgian Beer World with a rooftop terrace and Beerlab bar which may require a ticket to access.

Brasseries

Falstaff

Dating from 1903, Le Falstaff is situated south-west of the Bourse at Rue Henri Maus 19. The interior is laid with matching tables and chairs. 

There are many mirrors and art nouveau style features including the design of the front windows that overlook the Bourse.

At lunchtime on Monday 10 March, 2025, Falstaff was very quiet and a lone waiter eventually served a 33cl glass of Hoegaarden Blanche with an unrequested lemon slice together with a complimentary bowl of sweet popcorn (€5.50). 

Luckily my reply had been 'small' to his earlier question of normal or small! 

A full menu is served and the beer menu also includes draught Jupiler Pils, Leffe Blond & Brun and Belle-Vue Kriek Classique. All draught beers are available in 50cl and 1 litre measures as well as 'small'. Bottles of Trappist beer are competitively priced e.g Westmalle €4.50, Chimay Bleue €4.80 and Orval €4.80 (March 2025).

Natural light reaches the back of the large room through stained glass windows.

A visit to the toilets downstairs reveals three traditional full height white ceramic urinals and various posters for live music events.

Le Cirio

Founded in 1886, with redesigned decor from 1909, Le Cirio is situated north-east of the Bourse at Rue de la Bourse / Beursstraat 18.

Our group visited on a sunny Friday lunchtime - 7 March 2025. A reasonably priced full menu is available but as we were only visiting for a beer, our waiter directed us to a table in the back part of the large room. Curved mirrors line the walls above bench seating with high backed chairs to match the wooden tables.

Our beer order was mainly bottled Westmalle beers. Westmalle Dubbel, Tripel and Extra were all priced at €4.70 (March 2025). The draught beers include Maes Pils, Blanche du Bruges, Grimbergen Dubbel and Leffe Blonde.

A visit to the toilets will reveal a bank of three full height white ceramic urinals that have served male customers well over the years.

Although Le Falstaff and Le Cirio are very close, unless you are especially interested in comparing their styles immediately, there is an argument for visiting them on different days to gain a better overall experience as the beer range in both is rather limited.

A La Mort Subite

Galeries Royale Saint Hubert

Some distance from the Bourse and approachable via the pedestrianised Rue du Marche au Herbes and the covered arcades of Galeries Royale Saint Hubert, A La Mort Subite can be found at Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres 7. Theodore Vossen founded A La Mort Subite in 1928 and gave his brewery the same name.

With a more interesting beer range, a visit here combined well with our previous visit to Le Cirio that had been followed by an al fresco lunch of Belgian beer and frites from Friterie Patatak, Rue de la Bourse 34.

A narrower room than at Falstaff or Le Cirio, but just as deep and again featuring bench seating against the walls with mirrors above.

Memories of unsympathetic waiters were forgotten when our waiter approached in a friendly manner eager to advise us in our chosen language. The menu includes Gueuze sur Lie and Lambic Gueuze but my choice was draught Lambic Blanche (€6.30). Trappist bottles are expensive here e.g. Orval €7.50. As at other bars, the menu specifies that only a single bill will be issued for each table.

Alleyway bars

Sadly, two of the long established alleyway bars near the Bourse and just off Rue du Marche aux Herbes have closed. These traditional small bars: A l'Imaige Nostre-Dame and Au Bon Vieux Temps are found in Impasse des Cadeaux and Impasse Saint-Nicholas respectively. A 2024 blog post features Au Bon Vieux Temps.

A la Becasse

Near the Bourse and in an alley at Rue de Tabora 11, A la Becasse was visited by our group before Le Cirio. The date over the door is 1877. The bird with a long beak in the images is a woodcock.

We picked a table near the bar at the end of the room which has wood panelling on the walls, windows with stained glass, floor tiles, bench seating against walls, high backed chairs and attractive wooden tables with curved edges. The draught beers served in jugs are Timmermans Lambic Doux and Lambic Blanche. I enjoyed a bottle of Timmermans Kriek Lambicus.

Toone & Delirium Cafe etc

We passed (Theatre Royale de) Toone and Delirium Cafe while walking to / from the Bourse. 

Toone, established 1830, has regular puppet theatre shows and also has a bar. It can be approached from an alleyway off Pt Rue des Bouchers at Impasse Schuddeveld 6. 

Delirium Cafe and related bars are in Impasse de la Fidelite which is off Rue des Boucheurs, a pedestrian road with many restaurants that also crosses Galeries Royale Saint Hubert at its midpoint. 

Impasse de la Fidelite is also the location for Jeanneke Pis, a female version of the more famous Mannekin Pis water feature.

Brussels 2023 - first visits

Brussels Bourse / Beurs will be repurposed as Brussels Beer World with a 350 square metre terrace on the roof for the new Skybar. Our visit from 2 July 2023 was too early for a first visit as its planned opening date was postponed and it is surrounded by barriers. The Bourse has notable bars nearby that face it including Le Cirio on the north side and Falstaff on the south side.

Le Cirio

Derek Blyth reports that Le Cirio was founded in 1886 by Francesco Cirio of Turin as a delicatessen. It's interior was remodelled as an Italian grand cafe by Henri Coosemans in 1909.

Tim met Graham inside Le Cirio on Tuesday 2 July, as he was finishing his dish of Moules a la Mariniere / Frites (23 euros). Mark and David joined us soon afterwards.

Photos of the interior and Tim's Blanche de Bruges are included in his Threads post: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/CuuB22bsiyL

Our group passed Het Zinneke bronze sculpture on the way to Au Daringman.

Au Daringman

Au Daringman, Rue de Flandre 37, is situated opposite Maison de la Bellone. 

In Belgian Cafe Culture, Regula Ysewijn writes that 'The story of Au Daringman starts in around 1942 with the family Hazendonk. The interior is unique in its kind with the geometrical shapes in wood and leather. Mr Hazendonk was a boxer and a member of the 'Daring Club de Bruxelles' in the 1950s-60s.'

A ceiling mounted Stella Artois sign occupies the full width of the cafe at its midpoint. Tim enjoyed listening to the music choice here - Dry Cleaning - as well as the decor and a Hoegaarden Blanche to drink. On a future visit, it would be interesting to see if the cafe is different later in the day and to look inside Maison de la Bellone.

Tim's Threads post has more photos: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/CuuuKUIMQYY

Bar Victoria

On Monday 3 July, Tim and Les visited Halles St Gery for a coffee at the cafe / bar and a good look at the displays about Oradea and Arabesque (Zenzel). A guide to Brussels old port from the information desk would prove useful for finding an interesting route to Bar Victoria at the Gare Maritime Food Market. Our route took us to St Catherine and St Jean de Baptiste au Beguinage churches and then a visit to Institut Pacheco / Grand Hospice which has an outdoor bar and the Atelier for Gansbeek Brewing Co. See Tim's Threads posts for photos: Halles St Gery: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/CuwYiAbMALd 

Grand Hospice: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/CuwdntiMSM0

At Square Sainctelette (at the top of the Brussels old port walking route) we noticed two street sculptures (Cormorant and Agent 15 with De Vaartkapoen) before continuing north east on the far side of the canal past Tour & Taxis Entrepot Royal and then left to Gare Maritime where the Food Market is at the east end.

We met Graham inside and chose beers from the limited range of Bar Victoria drawn from beer tanks above the bar structure. Kwak Blonde and Stella Artois were variously chosen and ordered online. The beer menu is displayed on touch screens at the bar and the beers need to be collected from a side counter of the bar. A similar rule applies for the food outlets at Gare Maritime.

There are several breweries based nearby, including Brasserie de la Senne, En Stoemelings and La Source Beer Co, but these may not open every day.

See Tim's Threads post for photos of Gare Maritime, canalside vista and street sculptures: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/Cuwh_8asLzl 

Het Goudeblommeke in Papier

On Monday evening, Tim enjoyed a first visit to Het Goudeblommeke in Papier / La Fleur en Papier Dore with Mark, David and Graham. Named by art dealer Geert (Gerard) Bruane in 1944 after he acquired the cafe, it became a literary and artistic hub. After nine months of closure, the cafe reopened on 25 May 2023 'with the Brasserie Verschueren team, strengthened and supported by the same cultural organisations as before'.

The cultural heritage lives on in the shape of pictures and items on the interior walls that make it a fascinating space to explore. Tim suggested a second visit on Tuesday evening and after Monday's draught Saison chose a bottle of Brasserie de la Senne Jambe de Bois from the limited beer menu, as seen above. Gentle and soulful music enhanced the relaxed atmosphere at this new favourite bar.

For more photos see Tim's Threads post: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/Cuw27OYsoe7 

Nuetnigenough

Earlier on the Monday we enjoyed a meal at Nuetnigenough which now operates a 'No reservations' policy. David sensibly ensured we arrived at 25 Rue du Lombard before 7pm and we were shown to a table by the window without the need to queue. Others arriving soon after us would still be queuing when we left, about an hour later.

The beer range, daily food menu, service and value must explain why this restaurant is so popular. On his first visit, Tim's choice of draught Brasserie Dupont Redor Pils was also a pleasant surprise. David enjoyed draught Gueuze Tilquin with his meal. 

Photo: Mark Geeson

For more photos of Nuetnigenough including dishes in place of the menus, see Tim's Threads post: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/Cuw7TLlsKeC 

Le Coq

On Sunday evening at Poechenellekelder we met up with David D, who is often in Brussels, after his meal at Nuetnigenough. He generously bought our group a round of beers after leading us to Le Coq, near the Bourse. 

Valeir photo: David B

David B chose a Valeir Blonde and Tim eventually chose Brasserie de la Senne Saison van de Bruwer.  Le Coq is a long and narrow brown cafe with mirrors on the wall and floor tiles that were looking rather grubby. It was good to visit another respected Brusssels bar for the first time but it's not one that Tim is keen to revisit soon.

CHAFF

The last 'first visit' of this trip was on Wednesday 5 July after a substantial baguette 'sandwich' at La Brocante and as the clean up squad arrived at Place du Jeu de Balle / Vossenplein remove all the broken glass and rubbish left over from the daily market. Having endured repeated playings of an Abba album, Tim persuaded Graham to join him on a visit to nearby CHAFF while recently arrived Mark guarded our bags and ordered his La Brocante 'sandwich'.

Bistro Le CHAFF has an alternative informal style and a beer menu featuring several beers from new Brussels breweries on draught and in bottles or cans. Some interesting music was playing including Porches 2016 album Pool. 

Tim spoke to Mathieu at the bar who agreed to pass an autumn 2022 issue of Ullage magazine to Brasserie de la Mule as it featured the Schaerbeek based brewery. Mathieu also helped Tim to get a photo of the different colourways of the Illegaal Tropicaal cans which he would enjoy after a can of Brasserie de la Mule Saison.

Be warned that here are very steep and narrow steps up to the first floor room and to the toilets on the second floor. However, Mathieu had the experience to carry a round tray of beers upstairs with one hand!

For more photos including the food menu, hexagonal floor tiles, Illegal Tropicaal cans and Graham's Berliner Weisse in a glass with a handle, see Tim's Threads post: https://www.threads.net/@timofnewbury/post/CuzmRZAsbtk 

Cafe Caberdouche

After arriving by train from Antwerp, the first 'first visit' of this Brussels trip was to Cafe Caberdouche at the Place de la Liberte on Sunday 2 July. The Jacques Brel hostel 'advance party' of Tim and David, now without luggage and with room keys, settled at a table outside Cafe Caberdouche overlooking the grassed area in the tree lined square.

Tim's choice of Brasserie de la Senne Crush was from a blackboard of extra beers beyond the standard beer menu of 7 draught beers and 15 bottled beers. Although we had a pleasant location, the breeze was cool and the sound of breaking glass accidents nearby was unnerving. Unless you are staying at the nearby hostel or perhaps visiting Bier Circus (open Tuesday - Friday), a visit to this out of the way  Cafe should not be a high priority.

Babel Bar (Jacques Brel Hostel)

Hostel courtyard with bar tables (daytime)

Later on Sunday evening, after visits to the reliable Poechenellekelder and a first visit to Le Coq we decided to try out the Jacques Brel hostel bar where four of us were staying. Hotel based Graham joined us for the bus to the Rue de la Presse stop leaving a short walk along Rue du Nord to reach the hostel which overlooks Place des Barricades.

With tables drawn together in the pleasant courtyard with a fountain to accommodate our group, Tim took the opportunity to enjoy Quatre Saison (6.5% ABV) and Cinq Cense (7% ABV Saison) beers from Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille based near Orp-Jauche, between Brussels and Liege. These were both economically priced at 3.60 euros, to suit a hosteller's budget. The multitasking barman was happy to see some well deserved coins from Tim's change end up in the tips jar.