Where in Brussels can I sip on my coffee while working remotely? Who makes the best espresso? Where can I find a calm and soothing atmosphere? Which coffee place is best for a professional, intimate meeting? In this article, you will find the answers to all your questions. Our team put a couple of coffee shops to the test. Read this article to discover which spot will be your go to this year!
You are in the center of Brussels with friends, spending your salary on shopping and souvenirs, or you are just wandering and admiring the beauty of the monuments. You need a little break to chat and rest your legs. We have the perfect café for you, the cute café: Crème Bussels. This espresso bar and eatery is located Rue Rollebeek 30, a nice street full of coffee shops, bar and shops. Open all day from 9am to 6pm, several meal deals are available: breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks. On weekends, they open thirty minutes later so around 9.30am. If the sun appears (I swear it does), a colorful terrace awaits you. This place is quite noisy because victim of its success, it is very crowded. We therefore advise you not to go there to work. Otherwise, it is a flawless place to chill with your friends where you can share hot and cold drinks and some homemade pastries: slices of cakes, cookies, brownies... but also pancakes, toasts, bowls, rolls, the menu is here 😉. In addition to their coffee choices, they have alternative drinks as chai latte, matcha latte, juice… Whenever you order a milk-based drink, you choose between coconut, soy, almond or regular milk. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you are left with plenty of food & drink options.
Thus, prices range from 2,70€ for an espresso to 5€ for a matcha latte, which is the average in the neighborhood. As far as food goes, it is expensive, but you are paying for the location and vibe of the spot. It is a friendly and cool mood. The decoration is modern, adorned with plants and lights. The service is welcoming and pleasant. The clientele is young and relaxed.
Moreover, in the same district, at Rue Haute 228, is Taylor’s café. This spot opens its doors from Wednesday to Sunday from 9.30 amto 5 pm (on weekends it opens at 10 am) and prepares all its drinks with 100% plants. Close to the train station and in the district of the secondhand trades, you can breathe and relax here for a few hours. Indeed, it is a calm, light, soothing and cosy atmosphere to focus on your work or to take time for yourself: reading, drawing, painting… The tables are not very big, and the store is narrow it makes the place charming. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks, you can eat here all day long. Everything is homemade, so the choice is limited. In fact, if you get hungry around noon, you can choose between a seasonal soup and an authentic sandwich of the day, €6 and €6,5 each. For the vegan coffee, they only use oat, soy, almond or coconut milk. If you don’t specify your preference, the drink will be based on oat milk. Many alternative drinks exist, there is not only coffee but also tea, cold drinks such as lemonades, kombucha, beers, etc.
Then, for the price, an espresso will cost you 2,6€ and a matcha latte 4,5€. This place is more accessible and cheaper when it comes to eating or drinking something. It is a great spot to settle down after an intense and stressful start of week. When you leave, you are more serene. The decoration is simple, there are some plants, mirrors in a mix of white and wood.
You have a date, and you want to invite this person in a trendy place out of sight? You organize a meeting with few people, and you want a secluded but central place? L’atelier en ville is ideal! It is a very spacious and quiet area located on Place Stéphanie 6, in the heart of Avenue Louise, a prestigious and busy avenue. The mood is lightened, well decorated with a beautiful terrace filled with trees: privacy is ensured. Working remotely just like at home is also an option, there are sofas and armchairs inside.
You can stay there all day; they are open all week from 10am to 7pm except on Sundays. They offer bagels, soups, salads for lunch or brunch as well as homemade pastries for snacks. Moreover, you will find coffee alternatives such as tea, infusion, hot chocolate. You have the possibility to replace regular milk with a plant-based option : oat, coco,almond or soy for 50 cents extra. The staff is friendly and nice. To eat there, it is a bit expensive, and the meals are not satiating according to different opinions. However, for drinks and deserts the price is correct, you pay 2,50€ for an espresso and 4,50€ for a chai latte (the most expensive drink on the menu).
Not a big fan or tired of regular coffee drinks? Despite this, you want a drink that wakes you up and you are a peanut butter lover? Enter in this original café as much for the decoration as for the products : Buddy Buddy. Indeed, it is a high-end coffee bar and nut butter atelier, with a menu focused on peanut butter-based signature drinks and treats.
They are experts and offer inclusive vegan coffees and delicious vegan baked goods: cookies, hazelnut pie, brownies... Their specialty: nut butter which is 100% organic, tasty, and present in many drinks and pastries. Come when you are hungry, you will be satisfied! If you have a crush on their peanut butter, don't worry, they sell it 😉. This new café and concept (opened in 2020) is located at rue des Drapiers 10 and is open every day without exception from 10am to 6pm. Your breakfast can be taken away or eaten on the spot. They do not offer a lunch or brunch menu. However, they make their signature drinks with or without coffee. For many people, this is one of the must-try addresses in Brussels! You will become addicted to their products. As far as the price is concerned, it's the most expensive coffee on our list but the value for money is very correct, you're full and satisfied at the end. The small espresso costs 2,80€ and the matcha buddy costs 6,50€. The pastries cost about 4-6€. Take your phone or credit card as they do not accept cash.
Secondly, the interior design of Buddy Buddy is minimalist and hipster. The mix of orange and white creates a great futuristic contrast. If you like narrow and amazing interiors, you will stay for a while. There is also a terrace. It is possible to work there, but laptops are not allowed on weekends and there are not many plugs. As the meaning of the name of the café suggests, it's a great place to share a sweet moment with your friends rather than to work. There is a mix of locals, tourists, and students in the café.
This café on Avenue Louise 493 is suitable for all workers, whether you are an early riser or a late sleeper. They are open every day from 7:30am to 8pm and on weekends from 8:30am to 8pm. This is a great advantage because you can stay motivated all day there and have your breakfast, brunch, lunch, or snack. It's a trendy and cozy café accessible to wheelchairs. Everyone is welcome: groups, families, workers and even dogs can enter. It is a great place to focus on your projects. It is quite suitable to do remote working, but it can be noisy depending on the time of day. Indeed,after 5.30pm, many people come to take a break, play chess, and enjoy the terrace. The Bois de la Cambre is nearby, convenient for a walk before or after coffee! To accommodate everyone, on some days laptops are not allowed during lunch or snacks.
Moreover, you can order delicious dishes offered in their menu or available in self-service. The general opinion of customers is that itis excellent but expensive because the quantities can be a little under whelming. Then, for drinks, there are alternatives to caffeinated drinks for vegans and vegetarians. You pay 2,60€ for an espresso and 3,80€ for a matcha latte. Therefore, it is the cheapest coffee place of our list for drinks. Good plan for the end of the month. 😉
Want to have a great time, in a well-decorated place with good food and where you can read, listen to music, and express yourself? Come to Jat’ Café at Chaussée De Charleroi 116 in Saint-Gilles! Indeed, in this spot you have international newspapers at your disposal, free wifi, some books you can read: young and old will find their happiness there. This is another café open every day, including weekends, from 8am to 6pm (and from 9am to 6pm on weekends). The staff is young, nice,and welcoming. You can choose between salads, bagels, pancakes, sandwiches, muffins, pieces of cake… A self-service is set up on the side: very convenient, or you can order at the bar. The quality of the products is the same but if you are in a hurry, it is a fine option.
The decoration and the atmosphere of the place are reminiscent of the New-York mood. However, we don’t recommend you work there. Indeed, the music in the background is loud, so much so that some people put on headphones to concentrate.
Finally, they have many choices for cold and hot drinks with or without coffee. There are many alternatives to coffee such as organic teas and herbal teas, milkshakes, fresh juices, homemade lemonades… They sell drinks that you can’t find everywhere. For instance, we tested the sweetened Oreo coffee made of espresso, milk, whipped cream and of course Oreos, it was delicious. We really liked it and if you are not a coffee lover you can try it without feeling the taste of coffee. We paid 4,80€ for the drink, which was quite large, it is a reasonable price. An espresso costs 2,40€ and all other drinks cost around 4-5€. Note that there is a difference between eating in the restaurant and taking out. For example, if you take away a bagel, you will pay 5,9€ instead of 8,9€ inside. We assume that this is due to the presentation of the food.
To conclude, Brussels is full of coffee shop with different atmospheres and styles. Want to settle down in a quiet place to relax and unwind? Taylor's café will be perfect for you. If you want to be focused and work remotely, the Café de la presse is suitable for meetings and workspace. With a natural space at Atelier en Ville, you forget that you are in the center of the capital of Europe. Finally, for shared moments with your family and your friends, the Buddy Buddy coffee shop or the Café Crème are very pleasant spots to hang out.
