Brussels bars

Brussels bars come in all varieties. Whether you fancy your pubs large or small, traditional or modern, you’ll find something here to suit your taste. The traditional Belgian bars are often quiet and seeped in local history. There are also plenty of forward-looking, cool bars across the capital. These cater to young people and artists. Finally, expats have their preferred spots with a more international flavour

Traditional Belgian bars

Dark, intimate, quirky and swimming in delicious drink, La Fleur en Papier Doré (pictured) is everything one expects of an old-school Belgian tavern. This one has a history, too: the founders of the Surrealist school, including René Magritte, made this bar their de facto headquarters, meeting here and exchanging ideas frequently.

55 Rue des Alexiens

Even if you’re not up for a puppet show in the upstairs theatre, the ground floor bar of the Théâtre de Toone is well worth a visit. Enjoy a Belgian beer from their extensive drink menu while surrounded by decorative marionettes. The building itself is a historical gem built of Spanish brick and giant wooden beams. And there’s a friendly cat prowling the premises for cuddles.

66 Rue Marché aux Herbes

A popular hangout in the heart of bohemian Saint-Gilles, Le Verschueren attracts locals and foreigners alike. The decor evokes the Brussels of yesteryear and, even when the place is packed, the atmosphere is never anything but laid-back. The bar offers beer, wine and spirits while the kitchen serves home-made soups and other light meals.

11 Parvis de Saint-Gilles

A restored brasserie in the middle of Brussels’ Marolles district, LR6 is the perfect watering hole for the neighbourhood’s flea-market and antique-shop explorers. A loose group of regulars often bring along their instruments for improvised weekend afternoon jam sessions. LR6 also hosts frequent evening concerts in the basement. If that’s not enough, the food – including burgers, lasagne, salads and more – is delicious.

204 Rue Haute

Cool bars

Cosy art bar Lord Byron, around the corner from Place Saint-Géry, straddles the line between the traditional and modern. The furniture suggests an old brasserie but the atmosphere and crowd are resolutely contemporary. Added bonus: this is one of the few bars in Brussels to serve the French herb liqueur Chartreuse.

8 Rue des Chartreux

A tiny, jazz-inspired bar in the Flemish quarter of central Brussels, Daringman has been frequented by avant-garde artists since the 1980s. The space is cramped and the vintage decor shows its age but this place is the real deal.

37 Rue de Flandre

Student hangout Bar d’Ixelles, near the Ixelles cemetery, draws a young crowd interested in sports, music and drink. The large, secluded terrace in the rear is perfect for a summer day.

465 Chaussée de Boondael

Expat bars

Britxos, a newly established Saint-Gilles spot, is unique. The bar is, in fact, a side project of catering service La Britannique, and so an after-work drink becomes a culinary flight, accompanied by chef Alex’s international take on tapas.

13 Rue de Savoie

O’Reilly’s is a massive Irish bar in the heart of downtown Brussels, opposite the Stock Exchange, which draws an international crowd of tourists, students, stag parties and sports fans (attracted, no doubt, by the huge screens and flat-screen monitors strategically placed throughout the building).

1 Place de la Bourse

Ralph’s Bar is one of several popular bars on Place du Luxembourg, close to the European Parliament. It draws a young, chic crowd – which often spills into the pavement and street. Fridays are particularly intense.

13 Place du Luxembourg