The best bars and cafés Bruxelles - Brussel

Timetable

Depending on the type of establishment (café, bar, tea room), the hours and the time of the day will be different. Cafés/tea houses usually open in the morning. Some close between 6 or 8 pm, others open later. Bars usually open in the mid-afternoon until late in the evening. Count on the aperitif hour, from Thursday until the weekend, as the beginning of the fire for the bars. The most common closing day is Monday.

Budget & Tips

A special beer will still be quite expensive (usually between €4.50 and €8, depending on the location), but there's always a selected beer of the month on special offer. Or happy hour at certain times of the week. Keep your eyes peeled for good places!

As in restaurants, service is included and you don't have to leave a tip, unless you want to.

Age restrictions

As of January 2019, all alcohol is prohibited for those under the age of 18, with the exception of beer or wine, which is allowed from the age of 16. There is no age restriction to enter bars.

Kids

A special Belgian feature is that children are welcome in bars and cafés (especially since smoking is prohibited). It is not uncommon to see groups of parents and friends enjoying a good stamcafe with the baby in the stroller or the children playing while enjoying their fruit juice.

Smokers

Unlike in France, terraces are non-smoking, unless a terrace is completely open on one side (which, in most cases, it is). The presence of ashtrays should tip you off. Otherwise, you'll have to go further afield! Nonetheless, we're debating a total ban on smoking on terraces.