7 Best Restaurants in Brussels, Belgium

This cozy café is the epitome of Brussels decor: bicycles hang from the ceiling, there are Tintin statues everywhere, and shelves overflow with books. It's sculpted chaos and part of a chain of cafés that is slowly taking over the city. This was the first branch, and is still the best. The bagels and ready-made sandwiches are always tasty, plus it stays open until 8 every day, by which time it's filled with busy students. 

With its all-day brunch ricocheting between healthier options (acai and Buddha bowls) and more indulgent offerings, including a guacamole, bacon, and cheddar toast, this is a good spot to bag a late-morning or early-afternoon pick-me-up (until 3 weekdays; 3:30 on weekends). 

Located just above the place de Jeu de Balle in the heart of the Marolles area, this café is a local institution—legend has it that residents would come to fill their buckets full of hot water in times of need, hence the name. In 2014, its closure was imminent, but locals stepped in and reopened it as a social cooperative with an organic canteen dishing up hearty lunches and a dish of the day (11–4). It also boasts a well-curated list of bottled beers (many of them organic) from lesser-known artisanal Belgian breweries.

This popular spot among health-conscious office workers lets you fill your bowl with healthy veggies, grains, meats, and berries (or just take one of the standard blends). Everything is tasty, good for you, and the word "superfood" crops up endlessly.

Power food, in all its acai glory. Wild Lab is the kind of place you get chia jam on your chocolate-banana pancakes or can find a "Goodness Bowl" brimming with lentils, roasted parsnip, and za'atar. It's a great spot for brunch, and the juices and smoothies leave you glowing.