Now that summer has returned, Brussels is full of places to spend a day relaxing, a sort of foretaste of the holidays. We went looking for the sunniest terrasses in Brussels.
© Saskia Vanderstichele
The sunniest hot spots for cool drinks in Brussels
Too often it is forgotten but, hidden away in the Koning Boudewijn/Roi Baudouin park is the perfect spot for taking a break. Far from the noise and commotion, you can find a 110 ha area in which you can go for a walk or a bike ride, simply daydream, or enjoy a good book.
Straight away when you enter the park, you notice a stately half-timbered building with a beautiful fountain, a vast terrasse in the sun (280 seats), and a playground: the Chalet du Laerbeek. Expertly run by Mr Kruys for a long time, it is now part of Albert Michiels’s group, Restauration Nouvelle, a well-oiled machine that serves between 3,200 and 3,500 meals a day across numerous establishments (the Brasserie du Prince d’Orange, the Brasserie des Étangs Mellaerts, the Brasserie du Heysel, Midi 50, the MIM, and a whole bunch of châteaux).
Of course, this means that there is a certain uniformity to what’s on offer, but on the plus side, they are very particular when it comes to human resources. The upshot of this is that the service is welcoming and the staff are highly experienced.
The other advantage of this place is that it is perfectly equipped for families. In two ways: the little ones have a chance to stretch their legs and the menu has something for everyone. Between filet américain (steak tartare) with chips (€18), roast chicken (€17), wok-fried vegetables (€14), bolognaise pasta (€15), and sole meunière (€29), it’s hard not to find a dish to your taste.
> CHALET DU LAERBEEK
> Laarbeeklaan 145 avenue du Laerbeek, Jette, 02-478.08.88
© Saskia Vanderstichele
If the backdrop of the Chalet du Laerbeek seems a bit too imposing, there are more intimate terrasses to discover in Brussels, such as 52 & The Secret Garden. The concept was brought to life by Alessio Castriota, the Roman chef who, for a long time, enchanted Brussels with the Scirocco. Last September, Castriota opened a place with an underground feel, right beside his former establishment.
It is not, strictly speaking, a restaurant, though the food is delicious: when you enter, you feel like you have walked into his private house. Less exciting in the wintertime, the place really comes into its own with the good weather. The owner has succeeded in creating a captivating urban terrasse.
With its mismatched furniture, herb containers made from repurposed transport pallets, and dense greenery, there is no better way to escape the city. As for the food, there is an array of treats that owe as much to Sicily as to Tuscany: grilled octopus served with a broad bean purée, vitello tonnato, filet of cod with thyme, and many dishes to share with prices varying from €10 to €15.
We must also point out the excellent wines, sourced with expertise from all over Italy. Although only open on certain evenings, from Thursday to Saturday, the place can be reserved for a party with family or friends.
> 52 & THE SECRET GARDEN
> Chaussée de Vleurgatsesteenweg 52, Elsene/Ixelles, 0473-20.68.02
© Saskia Vanderstichele
Looking for somewhere with a more urban terrasse? Head over to Hopla Geiss. Decorated like a revised and updated Alsatian “winstub” (wine bar), at first glance it is hard to believe that there is a terrasse hiding here. But it’s there, covered in graffiti. On display is a large-scale portrait of what looks like a gang leader.
On the menu are “Flammekueche”, the famous flambéed savoury tarts, a specialty from northern Alsace. Commercialised by country taverns in the 1960s, these thin and crunchy little tarts were originally used to test the temperature of bread ovens. The French chef’s impeccable version is properly cooked, with a perfectly crisp texture, and accompanied appropriately by traditional combinations such as smoked lardons (bacon cubes), fromage frais, and onions, for €9.
> HOPLA GEISS
> Chaussée d’Alsembergsesteenweg 105, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, 02-544.14.22
© Saskia Vanderstichele
Fed up of the ghetto aesthetic? At once a grocery and a little lunchtime cafe, Refresh believes firmly in sustainable food and zero waste. With its attractive decor and long, shared table, this place offers gourmet dishes and refreshing seasonal salads every day.
Best of all, an adorable garden where you will find a greenhouse, a vegetable patch, a pond, and even a chicken coop, in which two gallinaceous offspring of some local bantams work overtime disposing of leftovers.
> REFRESH
> Skepterstraat 39 rue du Sceptre, Elsene/Ixelles, 02-647.88.04
© Saskia Vanderstichele
In a similar vein, also worth checking out is The Little Green Shop in Vorst/Forest, an outlet opened by a stylish couple, Sarah and Nicolas. With its pretty black façade that makes you feel like you’re in England, the place is at once a florist’s shop – you can find an original selection of cut flowers, arranged into bouquets inspired by the golden age of Flemish painting, as well as a variety of plants – and a grocery, as well as a tea room (with 60 different kinds of tea).
The good news is that there’s a charming little garden hidden at the back, the perfect setting for a 100% freshly-made veggie brunch, available in the form of a sweet and savoury buffet for €20.
> THE LITTLE GREEN SHOP
> Chaussée d’Alsembergsesteenweg 314, Vorst/Forest, 02-218.11.21
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