On Sunday 22 June, after three days in Antwerp, our group caught the same train from the distinguished Antwerpen Centraal station (high level) to Brussels but Keith was the only one with a first class ticket. Staying at different hotels, four got off at Brussels Central while Tim continued to Brussels Midi / Zuid before walking to Hotel Barry via Av. de Stalingrad passing Cafe Bebo.
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| Andrew, Simon & Richard |
The European Bar Guide rated La Fleur en Papier Dore as number one in a 2025 Top 100 bars survey.
A short walk back to GIST which had just opened and initially we sat inside, although the music choice eventually drove us outside to a table in the shade. The two handpumps at the far end were not in use today and it looks like current management is not interested in continuing with cask ale. While we were indoors, two English men came in and asked for a cask ale. One of them was somewhat upset to find that none was available and did not seem to have any interest in the alternative beers available. Although we are CAMRA members we were not sympathetic!
The small outside tables have a view of the Jacques Brel statue, which is also a popular spot for a celebrity photo opportunity. It's also on the route for the battery powered open top carriages which have superseded horse drawn carriages for tourist trips with a guide. 
Tim's beer choices here were draught Bertinchamps Framboise (favourite), draught Fee Verte and bottled 'beer of the moment' Joker DIPA Mango both from Brasserie Valduc-Thor a cooperative brewery in Wallonia, near Perwez, between Brussels and Namur. The current tap list for GIST can be found on Untappd as it is a verified venue.
A short walk down Rue du Chene, closeed to most traffic, past a mural leads to Poechenellekelder, just before the Mannekin Pis water feature.
There was a queue at the entrance to the courtyard as all the tables were occupied. A menu was pinnned to the railings. We asked if we could find a table inside and were allowed through to find plenty of free tables including one near the bar.
We hoped this position might assist with prompt service but this was not the case with most staff wearing t-shirts with Student in large letters on the back. Despite the hot weather we ordered lasagne (€15), except for Keith who ordered spaghetti allowing us his unwanted grated parmesan topping. It was served with bread and butter and needed several minutes to cool. Minutes were precious for Simon who had an evening Eurostar train to catch. Simon would leave first after making a generous contribution towards the total bill as it was only a few days in advance of his birthday.
Tim enjoyed two bottled honey beers on this visit, Barbar Blonde (Lefebvre, €5.80) and Biere de Miel Biologique (Dupont, €6.80). Beer prices are higher than in some places but other factors like the unique decor always make it good value overall.
A seated lifesize puppet figure with a cap monitors the top of the staircase to the toilets below. The student bar staff members may not have the confidence and expertise of the regular staff and like to chat amongst themselves but they do know the trick of pulling on a string behind the bar to make this puppet raise his arm when Andrew passed and touched his hand!
This time we sat outside with a view of a mural of Victor Sackville, a fictional spy for the UK during WWI, illustrated by Belgian artist Francis Carin.
After an hour at Le Lombard we headed north east along Rue du Marche au Charbon towards 'Delirium Village', passing Brusaille the 'first comic strip mural, back in 1991' drawn by Frank Pé.
On reaching Impasse de la Fidélité we had a look around Delirium Taphouse which has 27 beers on tap and was not very busy.
The colourful wall of illuminated brewery signs at the back of the Taphouse is an impressive feature.
However, as Keith, Andrew and Richard wanted a change from beer, we headed to Delirium Monasterium with a wider range of drinks and sat at a table just outside, in the busy passageway.
The sweet green beer with a lime flavour (Floris Cactus, 4.2% ABV) was a gift from Keith which the barman let him keep after pouring it for him by mistake. It was noticeable that the staff do a good job at both bars we visited here.
From Delirium Village we went by separate ways to our hotels.
Tim called in at Cafe Bebo for coffee on Monday morning before his Eurostar train back to London. A good range of draught and bottled beers is also available. The terrace was busier than the high-ceilinged interior on Monday morning after the light rain shower had passed.
Three of these bars (Poechenellekelder, GIST and La Fleur en Papier Dore) were also visited by Tim and friends from the Non Blondes quiz team at The Lion, Newbury, in March 2025. More details and photos are included in the post - A Night in Brussels
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| The bar at GIST with 16 taps and blackboard above with details |
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| Richard, Keith, Simon & Andrew |
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| Keith, Andrew, Simon and Richard with a cabinet of Mannekin Pis figures behind Keith on the left |
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| Breweriana (& Smurf!) viewed from foot of stairs to the toilets |
After two hours at Poechenellekelder we moved on to Le Lombard at the corner of Rue du Lombard and Rue du Marche au Charbon.
Tim enjoyed a tall glass of Brugse Zot Blond (€5) here.
While the others had Pastis and Absinthe, Tim enjoyed Delirium Red (left) and Deliria (right, a special brewed annually for International Women's Day).
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