In a nutshell
- Want to explore Brussels off the beaten path? Here are 11 genuinely cool insider tips that are totally worth your time.
- From museums to markets, neighborhoods, bars, and cafés — we’ll show you places where you’re far more likely to run into locals than tourist crowds.
- Our personal favorites among Brussels’ hidden gems: the Marc Sleen Museum (free entry!), the flea market in Marolles, and the backyard bar A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame.
Comic Strip Route
Brussels is the European capital of comics. There are around 50 building walls here painted with famous comic strips, all of which together form the Comic Strip Route. You’ll also keep coming across larger-than-life scenes from Tintin on walls all over the city.
Not that many people actually know this, though — which is exactly why these charming murals absolutely deserve a spot on our Brussels insider tips list!
So keep your eyes open as you walk the streets. The artworks are seriously hard to miss once you know to look for them.
Comics Art Museum
Not far from the Cathedral of St. Michel and Gudule, the Comics Art Museum is waiting for you. Lucky Luke, the Smurfs, and plenty of other cartoon legends are on display inside a stunning Art Nouveau building.
Admission is 11 euros per person.
Marc Sleen Museum
This is our ultimate Brussels secret spot! Directly across from the Comics Art Museum, the Marc Sleen Museum is hiding in plain sight.
Marc Sleen was a Belgian comic artist who drew mini-comics for Belgian daily newspapers for decades — think Calvin and Hobbes. Over the years, those strips gave rise to beloved characters who are now showcased at the museum.
Honestly, we love this museum even more than the Comics Art Museum across the street. It’s filled with an incredible amount of individuality and passion. Oh, and admission is completely free!
Our tip: On Saturdays between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM, artists draw live. You can watch them work right over their shoulders.
Puppet Theater: Théâtre Royal de Toone
Marionette theater has a long tradition in Belgium. Many venues have unfortunately not survived, but one has stubbornly held on: tucked away in a courtyard in the historic center, you’ll find the Royal Puppet Theater.
From the outside, all you’ll see is a modest sign that reads Toone. You have to walk through a narrow passageway into the courtyard to enter this little world of magic.
Thursday through Saturday, shows are at 8:30 PM. On Saturday and Sunday there are also matinee performances at 4:30 PM. Tickets cost 12 euros and can be purchased either directly at the door or through the puppet theater’s website.
Note: All performances are in French, unless a show in English is specifically announced. You’ll find all the details on the theater’s website.
There’s also a beer tasting tour of Brussels that includes a stop at the Toone, among other places. On the four-hour tour through the old quarter, you’ll pass by many highlights while sampling beers, cheeses, and chocolates.
Book the beer tasting tour with a stop at the Toone
Place Sainte Catherine
A little away from the tourist crowds and the well-known attractions of Brussels, but only about a ten-minute walk from the Grote Markt, you’ll find yourself right in the middle of the trendy Dansaert neighborhood.
Around the Cathedral of Sainte Catherine, bars and restaurants cluster together with plenty of terraces and spots to sit outside. Take a quick peek inside the cathedral too — it’s a real gem.
The Brussels Christmas Market is also held around Sainte Catherine every year. That’s when you can indulge even more than usual.
Our extra tip: At Gaston, by the artificial pond on the side of the cathedral, you’ll find incredibly delicious waffles and ice cream!
Monday Market in Saint-Gilles
Head to the southern suburb of Saint-Gilles on a Monday afternoon or evening. From 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the weekly market takes place on the square in front of Saint-Gilles Town Hall.
Alongside the usual stalls with bread, cheese, and salami, there’s also a section with food trucks offering all kinds of treats. You’ll also find a true Brussels specialty here: mussels and fries!
You’re served a whole pot of cooked mussels that you eat straight from the shell. Alongside them come fries that taste absolutely incredible when you dip them in the mussel broth.
Africa in miniature: Matonge
In the Matonge neighborhood, around Place St. Boniface, you’ll feel like you’ve landed in a little Africa. Amidst the lively, colorful buzz, African restaurants line up one after another. Absolutely fantastic!
We really recommend Restaurant Au Soleil d’Afrique. They offer rotating daily specials for six euros. Items always on the menu include Mafé, Moambe, Yassa, and mixed platters.
Matonge sits right next to the European Quarter. If you’ve visited the Parliamentarium or the plenary chamber, a stop in Little Africa makes for a great follow-up.
Flea Market in Marolles
If you’re into vintage, you should have Marolles in Brussels on your radar anyway. At Place du Jeu de Balle, a flea market runs every single day of the week.
From 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, you can browse to your heart’s content. You’ll find everything a treasure hunter’s heart desires — comics, kitchen utensils, vinyl records, porcelain, clothing, and African masks.
Our tip: At one corner of the square, you’ll stumble upon the authentic Café La Brocante. Here you can get the incredibly delicious Sandwich Brocante Special, which easily passes as a full meal. Vegetarians, however, might want to choose something else.
The best beer in Brussels
Brussels is known for its enormous selection of beer. Here’s where you can find truly great Belgian beer — without sharing a bar with hundreds of tourists:
A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame
Our favorite bar and our absolute top off-the-beaten-path bar pick in Brussels!
Just around the corner from the Grand Place and the Stock Exchange, this backyard pub is a truly authentic piece of Brussels. The building dates from the 17th century and the bar is kept as genuine as possible. On weekends, this cozy spot regularly hosts live music.
You’ll have over 50 types of beer to choose from. It’s the perfect place to work your way through Belgian beers!
Delirium Village
Okay, Delirium Village is not really a hidden gem anymore. Especially among students and younger visitors to Brussels, this alleyway in the old town is pretty well known. But the beer really is great, and if you’re looking for a fun bar with a cool atmosphere, you’ll find it here.
Cantillon Brewery and Museum
Cantillon is one of the oldest breweries in Brussels. You can visit it like a museum, but with the unique twist that brewmasters are working all around you.
Whether you get to see the actual brewing process, the bottling, or the cleaning of the kettles isn’t something you can predict in advance — you’re simply walking through the brewery’s normal day-to-day operations. So you’ll always catch whichever stage of the beer-making process happens to be underway at the time.
On Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, you can join a guided tour. The tour costs 9.50 euros and you need to register through the Cantillon website.
During regular opening hours, you can also explore the brewery on your own without a reservation. Last entry for this self-guided tour is at 4:00 PM. The 7-euro admission price includes two beers to taste.
Beer Tasting Tour of Brussels
If you’d like to learn more about Belgian beer and sample different varieties, booking a beer tasting tour is a great way to do it.
The best bars and cafés in Brussels
Bonnefooi
At Bonnefooi, you can dance until sunrise. Most of the time, admission is free. Occasionally bands play at the bar or DJs spin, in which case there may be an eight-euro cover charge. The music spans all kinds of genres.
We think Bonnefooi is seriously cool — with its wrought-iron mezzanine and chandeliers, it’s just really stylish.
Café le Cirio
Things are a bit more refined at Café le Cirio. To the left of the Stock Exchange, you’ll find this classic restaurant in the Belle Époque style. The signature drink here is the Half-en-Half, a mix of sparkling wine and white wine.
Prices at the Cirio certainly aren’t cheap. But in return, you might be greeted by the resident cat, who is clearly convinced that she owns the place.
Café la Fabrique in Parc d’Egmont
This small park is extremely well hidden and truly a little oasis. Barely a tourist wanders in — just green spaces and a stylish café with an idyllic outdoor seating area.
Café La Fabrique en Ville is open daily. Monday through Friday, it opens as early as 9:00 AM for a healthy breakfast — handy if, for example, your hotel in Brussels doesn’t offer breakfast — and on weekends there’s a generous brunch starting at 10:30 AM.
If you’re on vacation with kids, the café and park are ideal for a leisurely lunch. You can relax while the little ones run around on the grass.
The best street food in Brussels
Brussels has seriously great street food. Here are a few genuine recommendations for when you want something delicious to grab and go.
The best fries: Fritland
One of Belgium’s most celebrated culinary exports is its fries — and not without good reason. Those delicious, thick-cut things are the ideal on-the-go snack.
In the old town you can find Belgian fries almost everywhere, but our personal favorite stand is Fritland near the Stock Exchange. Facing the main entrance of the Stock Exchange, walk along the right side of the building. After a few meters, you’ll see Fritland on your right.
Food Market at the Canal
Wednesday through Sunday, the Food Market at the canal opens its doors. Inside a former industrial hall, stalls are packed side by side offering delicious food from around the world. It’s also a total hotspot for the cool crowd.
In the summer, you can grab your food and settle into one of the lounge chairs outside along the canal and enjoy the day. In the evenings, live music often joins the mix.
The best sandwich: Tonton Garby
In a tiny shop very close to the Gare Centrale, you’ll find life-changing sandwiches. In this one-man operation, owner Tonton Garby dedicates himself entirely to his passion: loaded baguettes!
With incredible dedication and a fascinating attention to detail down to the last grain of salt, every sandwich is made fresh to order. That takes a little time, so plan for a short wait. Word has long since gotten out about these outstanding baguettes.
