The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide to Brussels

Where to go out

The flaneur might have been born in Paris but he moved to Brussels awhile back.
With all its professional cosmopolitans residing within the city, Brussels is a place of leisure. It may be its size or it may be the people, but grabbing a drink in Brussels is a much more relaxed activity than other big cities in Europe. Café Charbon is one of those bars you could sit down all day alone or with friends and just look (and probably stare) while drinking a Leffe Blonde accompanied with their no fuss, but deliciously prepared burger. A café, a wine bar, and a bistro, Café Charbon’s relaxed, industrial setting rests confidently along a small cobble-stoned street across the enchanting Basilique Notre-Dame de Bon Secours and another well-known Brussels’ bar, Le Fontainas.

Just around the corner is Brussels’ famous drag club Chez Maman. If this is your first visit, Chez Maman is a must go. It sits right next door to an Italian restaurant but may still be difficult to find, as you have to find the door to knock on in order to enter. Once in, you will be transported to a different world as you watch drag queens perform on a tiny bar while standing shoulder to shoulder with others who are singing along in English, French, or any other language the performer decides to sing. The space is intimate t, making it conducive to old-fashioned connections.

After dinner, venture on to Rue de Marche au Charbon to a few bars for a drink. Le Belgica is a tried and true bars for gents, both local and foreign, to gather and grab a beer and, in the case of Le Belgica, a Martinica. Like the country itself, the bars are small and reside on an equally petite street. On the relatively warmer months, men, flushed with confidence after a few drinks, spill out onto the street to join their friends and meet new ones.

Although there are many venues for the LGBT traveler, there is only one gay venue in Brussels where flocks of men from Amsterdam, Paris, Cologne, London, and beyond go to once a month for a whole weekend to escape, let go, dress up (or not at all) and dance with world-renowned DJs – La Demence. Like Folsom in San Francisco, men of all ages, all backgrounds, and all proclivities have been coming to La Demence for years to revel in a fun-filled weekend, to explore their hedonistic desires or simply to dance and gawk at the characters around them.

L’aube sur Aÿ offers another type of decadence in Brussels serving a wide selection of over 120 champagnes along with caviar, oysters, foie gras, and of course, chocolate. Set in the Galerie St. Hubert across from one of Brussels’ most chromatic bookshops, Tropisme, L’aube sure Aÿ offers a small slice of Brussels’ take on joie de vivre, combining everyone’s favorite aphrodisiacs with live music and performances.

Where to shop

While it’s always important to stray off the beaten path, sometimes being a tourist is okay. Sometimes it is best to stick with cultural clichés that tend to define a city, especially when those clichés involve chocolates, waffles, beer and French fries (the latter, of course, being a misnomer coined by Americans, French fries are in fact originally Belgian). To do this, venture away from La Grand-Place and walk up to the more upscale Sablon area. While passing various shops housing old and new African art you will suddenly find yourself surrounded by various chocolatiers. Skip Godiva and go to Pierre Marcolini, one of Belgium’s top chocolatiers. A three-story building sitting on the corner of Rue des Minimes just down the street from the Jewish Museum, Pierre Marcolini is sometimes dubbed “The Chanel of Chocolates”. Then, stop by Maison Dandoy for a delectable mélange of sugar and spice – the heavenly speculoos biscuit.

If you have a book fetish and love simply looking at books because you never have time to actually read them, exploit your fetish at Peinture Fraîche, an intimate bookshop with a carefully curated selection of photography, art, design, and fashion books in Ixelles. For the design-inclined gentlemen who don’t want to just look at books on design, venture on to Lulu Home Interior in Brussels’ Châtelain area off rue de Page. As an homage to Brussels’ cosmopolitan residents, Lulu is filled with innovative, contemporary home goods ranging from dining sets to kitchenware. Lulu’s simple and tasteful design options translate well into its café where you can enjoy a coffee and pre-dinner snack off a menu developed by French Chef Guillaume Gomez.

If in search for the perfect cologne, you have found your place at Senteurs d’Ailleurs in the chic shopping district off Avenue Louise. Senteurs’ dimly lit aesthetic creates an inviting olfactory paradise set against dimly lit towering walls providing a vast array of products and scents you cannot find anywhere else. With coffee beans at arms distance away, here you can take your time finding the perfect scent.

Where to get inspired

If culture is what you are looking for and you don’t want to be burdened with long lines in a museum that houses five million pieces of art, there is always Magritte. Displaying the works, life, and story of Belgium’s most famous surrealist artist, René Magritte, The Magritte Museum is essentially Belgian and accessible. Standing upon a hill in central Brussels, the top floors of the museum offer beautiful views of the city and the Grand Place.

Brussels is a feast for artists of all kinds who thrive on the city’s creative energy and relatively reasonable cost of living. From modern dancing to classical music, there is never a dearth of venues to watch and engage with the arts in Brussels. The Bozar is the most famous of these venues, if not for its myriad choices of events to attend, then its art nouveau architecture.

Art galleries are always best when the space itself enhances the art, and vice versa. As you explore the Chatelain area of Brussels, veer just off Chaussee de Charleroi to discover La Patinoire Royale a small but exquisitely renovated art gallery space that was formerly a royal skating rink. Remnants of the skating rink are visible if you look up at the wood-paneled vaulted ceilings. Instead of ice, the open space houses various contemporary artists, both new and established.

With a national mascot being a little boy peeing, it is no surprise that Brussels maintains a childlike, playful air. Walking through the city, one cannot help but notice the large comic book murals on the walls of various building throughout the city. The Comic Book Route is not so much a specific place, but rather a map of various places displaying motifs of all the most famous Belgian comics. The Comic Book Route in Brussels is yet another way to truly explore different parts of the city. Start with the LGBT mural on rue de la Chaufferette and then move on to the Smurfs!

What’s on

When in Rome, or Brussels, do as the Belgians do – drink beer. Belgians have been brewing beer for centuries and despite its size, is one of the largest producers of beer in the world. The BXL Beerfest is one beer festival that takes place during the summer at Tour & Taxis, Brussels’ premier event center that was formerly the largest freight station in Europe. Unlike other beer festivals in Belgium, BXL BeerFest focuses on smaller, independent Belgian and international beer producers attracting beer aficionados and amateurs alike.

Brussels has ardently embraced the food truck scene producing the largest of its kind in Europe with the Brussels Food Truck Festival. From waffles, fries, and quiche to burgers, tacos, and patatas bravas, this festival is packed with food from all over Belgium and the world. With its free entrance, go with an empty stomach and peruse the wide selection of food while sipping on an aperol spritz.

Every summer for five weeks the canals of Brussels come alive with open-air festivities. Bruxelles les Bains is the most anticipated experience of the summer for the bruxellois as they take advantage of the midsummer sun to wistfully reconnoiter the food stalls, sip on libations, and partake in various cultural events. Sit in on a movie in their outdoor cinema or watch Brussels gay volleyball teams play each other while sipping on a “half en half”.

Art collectors, buyers, and lovers from around the globe descend on to Brussels at the beginning of each year to display, attend, and buy unique, carefully selected objects of art at the Brussels Art Fair, or BRAFA, solidifying Brussels’ place in the art and antiquities fields. Although initially a national event, BRAFA has expanded its base to include international artists while still perfecting the art of quality over quantity.

A note on hotels

The top hotels in Brussels mainly reside in the city center while some are located in the commune of Ixelles. Literally, a few steps away from the glorious Grand Place is Hotel Amigo. The hotel is known for hosting prominent guests and dignitaries but is perfect for those who want to splurge a bit in subtle yet well-designed, almost playfully-decorated rooms with views of the Hotel de Ville.

Just on the other side of the Grand Place is the Hotel des Galeries which comprises of only twenty-three rooms and resides within the Galeries Royale St. Hubert, a 19th Century glass-arched arcade lined with boutique shops, cafes, chocolatiers, and even a small movie theatre. Designers Fleur Delsalles and Camille Flammarion have created an essentially Belgian-designed space that is both minimal and cozy, intricately mixing ceramic works with contemporary furniture pieces and earth-toned parquet flooring. Do not miss the croquettes at their downstairs restaurant Les Comptoir des Galeries!

If you want a beautiful view of all of Brussels then stay at The Hotel. The Hotel is within a tall building standing amongst all the high-end shops and boutiques in Brussels. The décor is modern, clean, and bright and the staff is welcoming and friendly. Apart from the views, one of the best parts about the hotel is the beautiful park that sits adjacent to it, Parc d’Egmont.

The hot new hotel in town is The Hoxton. The hip new hotel’s design is an homage to the 70s but also subtly acknowledges Brussels’ art nouveau history. The Hoxton houses two restaurants both Peruvean and Mexican inspired and also has a beautiful rooftop terrace you can hang out at with or without the rain.

The cuisine in Belgium is as diverse as its tumultuous history and the city of Brussels is no exception. Like Belgian fashion, its food rivals various other culinary centers like London and Paris. Brussels, however, doesn’t flaunt its culinary prowess, mainly because it doesn’t have to – its food speaks for itself as long as you have a chance to visit.

One good thing about the global hipster movement is its love for coffee and its fellow paramours, bread and pastries (along with the word “artisanal”). Charli, near the lively area of Place Saint-Catherine succeeds in offering unique coffee flavors accompanied by mouth-watering breads, croissants and various other naturally-made, organic baked goods. Try the “choux” – you won’t regret it.

For a savory experience, Maison Antoine in Place Jourdan has arguably the best frites in Brussels. Even if not ‘the best’, Place Jourdan offers the perfect space for you to enjoy your fries as Maison Antoine stands in the middle of a square surrounded by bars that allow you to bring in your fries to devour along with a beer to wash it down. Saunter along with your fries to nearby Parc Leopold to catch a glimpse of all the Eurocrats coming and going from the European Parliament.

De Noordzee, just on the other side of the Saint-Catherine cathedral is a classic for lunch. This is one of those holes-outside-the-wall restaurants serving succulent oysters, moules, and fish of the season. Here you stand, not sit, outside while eating, enjoying the view of the cathedral while sipping on a glass of champagne.

As you move away from the immediate area surrounding the Grand Place, explore the commune of Ixelles, the birthplace of Audrey Hepburn and Brussels’ most energetic area outside the city center. Mano a mano is a small Italian pizzeria facing the neo-Gothic Saint-Boniface church in one of Brussels’ most alluring squares. Here, you can treat your palate to a scrumptious hot plate of scarmoza with your parmigiana pizza.

Another pocket of Ixelles, and probably the most quaint and chic is the Châtelain area. Popular with both expats and locals alike, Châtelain entices you in a way that the Brussels’ city center cannot – here, you will want to not only visit Brussels but you will want to live there. If so, your local weekend brunch venue would be La Fabrique which serves up basic, yet freshly made foods ranging from acai bowls to club sandwiches.

If you are looking for more of an upscale experience that shows off Belgian cuisine’s prowess and celebrates the essence of Brussels, then Comme Chez Soi is the restaurant to visit. A two-star Michelin-rated restaurant with a rich family history, Comme Chez Soi is a microcosm of Brussels with its petite-sized space, art nouveau stained-glass walls, and sophisticated haute cuisine. As the name of the restaurant suggests, the ambiance is vibrant and intimate enveloping you with that feeling of nostalgia for a time and place you wished you had experienced.

For a more café experience with quintessential Belgian cuisine, venture to Au Vieux Saint Martin, known particularly for its filet américain, minced raw meat bound together by egg yolk, mayonnaise and savory spices, and always served with frites. Relish this delectable Belgian dish with the view of the Sablon and all its elegant passersby.

Escaping Brussels for a weekend is an easy affair especially when a hop, skip, and jump will end you up in another country entirely. But one doesn’t have to leave Belgium in order to feel like they are in a foreign land.

It only takes a few minutes on the train for the conductor to code-switch from Mesdames et Messieurs to Dames en Heren, and voila, you find yourself in Flanders, Belgium’s Flemish-speaking region to the north. Brugge, of course, is quaint but one finds themselves at a loss of what else to do after two hours. In less than an hour by train from Brussels, you can find yourself in the bigger, hipper, more vibrant medieval city of Ghent.

Meander to the verdant grandeur of St. Bavo’s 7th Century Abbey with a gestreken-mastel in hand or discover Ghent’s ancient quarter, Patershol while embracing the city’s magical history and awe-inspiring architecture. Warm yourself up with coffee and lunch at Vos Restaurant then head to the S.M.A.K Museum for your fix of contemporary art.

If staying a night in Ghent, book a room at Ganda Hotel, one of Ghent’s top hotels with a beautiful terrace you can sit on with a soft blanket over your body, a glass of wine in one hand, and Belgian chocolate in the other while you gaze at the bell tower and succumb to the magical, sonorous chimes of the church bells.

After touring the city for the day head back to the hotel before a delightful culinary experience in a relaxed, warmly-lit restaurant, Publiek. Publiek is known for its creatively prepared, mouthwatering food with a surprising top-notch wine list! You will love this place so much, you’ll want to go for lunch the next day. In Ghent, you may want to stay a few more nights.