In Brussels, coffee and politics are two sides of the same coin. Lots of meetings, dreary office buildings and gray skies mean regular caffeine hits are essential in Europe’s de facto capital.
However, don’t assume you’ll find good coffee everywhere. The complacent coffee hunter is likely to stumble across burnt beans and UHT milk. But fear not, POLITICO has been on a mission to find the best of Brussels’ relatively recent coffee boom.
We’ve teamed up with some of the city’s movers and shakers for their takes. Whether you’re getting a morning jolt or doing a deal, this is the guide you need to the good cafés of Brussels.
The map below shows our favorites in red and our shoutouts in gray. Use the icon on the right to open the map in Google Maps.
THE EU QUARTER
Caffè Vergnano — Rond-Point Robert Schuman 7
Is it called Caffè Vergnano? Coffee Shop 1882? Or some combination of the two? No one’s really sure, not even the staff, but that doesn’t stop it serving as a kind of town hall of Brussels coffee houses. Situated opposite the Commission’s Berlaymont building, and adjacent to the Council’s Justus Lipsius, Vergnano has no shortage of regulars, including Lina Aburous, managing director of Euraffex (a communications firm) and an EU Confidential podcast panelist.
Aburous calls in every morning for a cappuccino. “The quality of the coffee and the atmosphere” make it a favorite of hers.
Originally from Jordan, Aburous said she found Brussels’ café culture confusing when she arrived in the city after a stint working in Barcelona. “Do they work,” she wondered, “or do they just keep drinking coffee in this city?” After a while she said she realized “that every single thing happens over coffee in Brussels.”
Often, she says, people want to escape their offices. For civil servants, “it’s a break for them to get out of their offices. Really, their offices are ugly. That’s why they want to meet you outside!”
The coffee: Decent. Plenty of tea alternatives available.
The crowd: Commission staffers, British diplomats and at lunchtime, a serious chunk of the European External Action Service.
The space: An L-shaped indoor space with tables that seem to almost spill onto the pavement outside, creating a courtyard vibe next to the Schuman roundabout.
Perfect for: Work-related eavesdropping, if you can hear over the coffee machine.
Watch out for: Divulging sensitive information: The hustle and bustle might protect you, but you can be sure someone is listening in.
☕☕☕
Domenica — Rue de Trèves 32
POLITICO planned to meet Brando Benifei, leader of Italy’s Democratic Party delegation in the European Parliament, in the Parliament’s MEP bar. But with the temperature soaring close to 40 degrees, staff at the Astrid Lulling lounge (as the MEP bar is formally known) had packed up for the day.
Instead, Benifei, who at 33 is the youngest head of a parliamentary delegation, suggested Domenica, his favorite “outside” spot.
“The simple espresso, it’s very good,” said Benifei. “I come here almost every day for at least a coffee,” he added. Proof? Light coffee stains on his white shirt sleeves.
Domenica’s trademark is its “constant presence” of Italians, according to Benifei. “I always hear interesting things while sipping a coffee here because it’s small, as you see, and everyone speaks loudly.”
Homemade pasta appears at a neighboring table. “The food is real, genuine Italian food, not Italian food only in name,” said Benifei, and the salads are healthy but tasty, “not like diet-obsessed people’s salads.”
The coffee: The flat white is merely OK. Espresso really is the signature drink here.
The crowd: Italians from all corners of the EU. 5Star MEPs are regulars.
The space: Small and bustling, with a communal indoor bench.
Perfect for: Networking with Italians during the day (an activity that transitions to Cafe Italiano, Rue d’Arlon 27, in the evening).
Watch out for: A closed sign until 11 a.m.
☕☕☕
Caffelatte Espressobar — Rue de Commerce 19
Helen Stylianou, Australia’s deputy ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and also deputy head of mission to the EU and NATO, visits Caffelatte up to three times a day.
“The primary reason is the coffee is of an excellent quality,” she says as we wait for flat whites. But she loves the atmosphere too. Francesco and Alex, the Italian brothers who run Caffelatte, “switch between French, Italian and English. Watching them work behind the coffee bar is great fun,” Stylianou said, stopping to point out a coffee order on its way to a nearby table. “I don’t know what they’ve ordered, but it’s beautiful.”
The coffee: Among the best in Brussels. You can get it hot and cold, as well as other options such as matcha latte.
The crowd: Consultants, European People’s Party staff (the HQ is across the road), Australians and Canadians.
The space: Medium-sized interior plus outdoor tables, but it gets very busy at times. Free water tucked around to the right of the bar is a plus.
Perfect for: A mood-booster; listening to the multilingual staff.
Watch out for: Sizes — be specific about what you want.
☕☕☕
Starbucks — Schuman metro station
Aura Salla, foreign policy adviser at the Commission’s Political Strategy Centre, has knowingly opened herself up to serious coffee-snob criticism by going on-record as a fan of the American coffee chain.
Luckily for Salla, it was so dark in Starbucks during her POLITICO coffee date that no passing hipster spotted her.
“My friends love to meet in these hipster cafés,” she said, “it’s beautiful and you can take your Instagram. You can’t do that in Starbucks.”
“I love my big coffee, you know, the feeling in the morning when you have your big coffee. You feel safe.”
The coffee: Nothing to write home about, but not Brussels’ worst. Stick to the basic American-style filter coffee, or save for an emergency caffeine hit.
The crowd: With dungeon lighting it’s hard to tell, but most appear to be Commission staffers and visitors.
The space: Doomsday bunker-chic, with lots of seating.
Perfect for: Large, American beverages. Convenient if you get the metro and you work at the Commission.
Watch out for: Your vitamin D levels.
☕☕☕
OR — Place Jourdan 13a
Catherine Bray stops at OR in Place Jourdan every morning before she heads to the U.K. permanent representation, where she heads up the “Wider World” team in the foreign policy unit. That’s quite a job title. “The portfolio is quite large!” she said.
Of OR, she added, “It’s got quite a nice vibe to it … And it’s not too hipster-y for me [though compared to Starbucks, it’s man-bun central]. I like places that are a bit edgy but aren’t trying too hard … and that give you a bit of chocolate on the side.”
The coffee: Good, but not as good as the Bourse branch. Also, the homemade lemonades are ideal for washing down the takeaway fries at Maison Antoine.
The crowd: EU bubble people trying to escape conferences and events in the Borschette building opposite.
The space: Huge, loft apartment-style café with exposed brick and concrete walls. Lots of space between tables for discreet conversation. So big you can sit for hours without being bothered by staff.
Perfect for: Relaxing or working over coffee.
Watch out for: Service can be slow.
☕☕☕
Karsmakers Coffee House — Rue de Trèves 20
Ailbhe Finn, senior advocacy adviser at Save the Children (and regular EU Confidential podcast panelist), joined POLITICO in Karsmakers’ courtyard.
“It’s a good spot. I like a central tree that provides shade,” Finn said. “You can sit indoors, outdoors and the coffee’s good.”
For Finn, visiting Karsmakers was an early Brussels habit. “I remember coming here my first week … when I had my first real job in Brussels. It has some nice memories for me.”
The coffee: A step up from most of what’s around Place Luxembourg and in the Parliament itself.
The crowd: MEPs, European Parliament staff and lobbyists.
The space: Big back terrace, but chunky, cheap-looking sofas that waste a lot of the interior space.
Perfect for: Quick service, and avoiding the security procedures if you need to meet a Parliament person.
Watch out for: Individual customers hogging whole sofas with their bags and luggage.
OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE
La Petite Production — Rue du Couloir 5
The coffee: Really good, including latte-art. And if filter coffee’s your thing, they serve it here.
The crowd: Birkenstock-wearers and young families. Suits and laptops are scarce.
The space: Relatively big, but be prepared to line up for a table on weekends.
Perfect for: Switching off.
Watch out for: Patchy service when it’s busy.
☕☕☕
OR — Rue A. Ortsstraat 9
The coffee: The baristas recommend you try without milk — and they’re right.
The crowd: Depends on the time of day. A mix of locals, tourists and Brussels passersby in the city center.
The space: A little cramped given how popular it is. Mezzanine floor, and outdoor tables and benches if you want more peace and quiet.
Perfect for: A morning takeaway coffee on the way to work.
Watch out for: The sugar dispensers are overfilled, making it difficult to serve yourself.
☕☕☕
Parlor Coffee — Chaussée de Charleroi 203
The coffee: The café that set Brussels on a better coffee course. Come here for smooth lattes and flat whites.
The crowd: EU bubble and local liberal professionals.
The space: A narrow café with a mezzanine floor.
Perfect for: A weekend brunch where good coffee matters.
Watch out for: Closed at random times and for long holiday periods. Check their Facebook page if in doubt.
☕☕☕
MOK — Rue Antoine Dansaert 196
The coffee: All-round excellent.
The crowd: Flemish hipsters and tourists who’ve read about it or dropped in from the nearby Belvue Hotel.
The space: White minimalist with lots of plants.
Perfect for: Vegan food to accompany your coffee available with oat, almond, soy, cow, or any other type of milk you can think of.
Watch out for: Card payment only.
☕☕☕
My Little Cup — Rue de la Croix de Fer 53
The coffee: Good and strong.
The crowd: Flemish politicos (the Belgian parliament is next door).
The space: A tiny indoor space, that thankfully now has outdoor tables.
Perfect for: Escaping the EU bubble at walking distance.
Watch out for: Having nowhere to sit inside during winter.
SHOUTOUTS
Living Room — Place Jean Rey 8
Why go? It’s a furniture and homewares store as well as a café.
Corica — Rue Caroly 39
Why go? The smell alone. Over 20 different types of coffee available.
Cafe Capitale — Rue du Midi 45 and Rue Ernest Allard 41
Why go? Long opening hours and comfy chairs to add to the good coffee.
Elvis — Rue de la Science 14
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Why go? It’s a fun space with great juice and smoothie options.
Cherry — Chaussée d’Etterbeek 66
Why go? The best iced coffee and affogato.
The Office — Rue d’Arlon 80
Why go? A full breakfast and lunch menu. The coffee is the sideline.
FIKA — Rue de la Paix 17
Why go? It’s a great midway point if you’re walking to the EU quarter from Ixelles or Saint Gilles, or a nice way to finish a lunch at Place Saint Boniface.
Moka — Rue des Riches Claires 5
Why go? Cute hole-in-wall place with great cake.