november-2012

u
BCN BSL BRS HAJ MRS OSL PRG BMA TLV TRN
brussels
belgium
10,438,353
Euro (EUR)
+32 6°C
emma beddington
foodie treats, fantastic shopping and
new discoveries for november
CHÂTELAIN
There’s always somewhere new
to check out in Châtelain: the
area’s young, affluent residents
are catnip to Brussels’
restaurateurs and retailers.
SLEEP Les Chambres de Franz (48
Rue Franz Merjay, (0)2 325 7448,
leschambresdefranz.be, rooms from
€100) comprises three large, wellequipped
rooms on the third and fourth
floors of an elegant townhouse. The
Studio has its own kitchen, making it
perfect for longer stays.
EAT You might not expect kitsch, pop
art-themed Pudding Rock (76 Rue du
Mail, (0)2 534 1719) to turn out highclass
gastronomy, but it does: chef
Danièle Zaif’s “verrine” tasting menu
is a tray of miniature treats, packed
with inventive flavours.
CULTURE Puls Contemporary
Ceramics (19 Rue du Page) showcases
exquisite contemporary ceramics, with
a focus on Danish artists.
SHOP Children’s paradise Boucle
d’Or (12 Rue du Tabellion) has two
floors of toys, clothes and furniture,
and is known for its magical window
displays. By contrast, the unlovely
INFO
Brussels Airport is
15km north-east
of the city in
Zaventem.
Train
Trains depart every
15 minutes at peak
times for Brussels’
three main stations.
The journey takes
25 minutes and
costs €5.40.
Bus
The bus station is
one level below the
arrivals hall. The no.
12 (weekdays) and
no. 21 (weekends)
to the city centre
depart every 30
minutes; one-way
tickets cost €3.50.
Taxi
The journey to the
centre costs €45
and takes around
25 minutes.
Tourist info
The main offi ce
is at 2 Rue Royale,
(0)2 513 89 40,
visitbrussels.be.
shop front of Degrif (49 Rue Simonis)
hides an extraordinary trove of
discounted designer shoes: expect
recent but hugely reduced designs
by Prada, Chloé, Lanvin and more.
LATER Friendly cocktail bar Roxi (82
Rue du Bailli) has two floors and a tiny
terrace on a corner site on Rue du Bailli.
The bartenders serve a killer mojito.
GRAND-PLACE
The tourist heart of the city is
an odd mix of urban grime and
Renaissance beauty, and still
conceals a few secrets in its
narrow backstreets.
SLEEP You can’t get much more
central than the Concept Hotel (39
Grand-Place, (0)474 032470,
concepthotel.be, rooms from €120),
a gorgeously appointed B&B above a
chocolate shop on the Grand-Place.
EAT Newly opened Delicatessen (17-19
Rue Sainte-Catherine, (0)2 374 7879) is
a decidedly high-end deli and salad bar,
where you can assemble your own
lunch at the counter. There are some
serious indulgences, including lobster
millefeuille and foie gras macarons.
CULTURE Inside the Maison du Roi
TO ADVERTISE HERE contact
Children’s fashion
and furniture at
Boucle d’Or
(Grand-Place) – the vast, neo-Gothic
edifice that takes up most of the north
side of the Grand-Place – is the city
museum. Its exhibits run from
15th-century devotional art to the
Manneken Pis’s extensive wardrobe,
and there’s also a museum treasure
hunt intended to keep younger
visitors amused.
SHOP Occupying a tall brick house in
the appropriately named “Butter Street”,
family-owned Dandoy (31 Rue au
Beurre) has been producing biscuits
since 1829 – before Belgium gained
its independence. Admire the giant
wooden speculoos moulds and try the
famous “Pain à la Grecque”: crumbly,
sugar-encrusted slices of spiced biscuit.
LATER Mr Wong (10 Rue de la Vierge
Noire) is a decadent, Art Deco-inspired
bar and club located in Brussels’ tiny
Chinatown, with dim lighting, a
glamorous vibe and an eclectic
mix of DJs and concerts.
TIP Wander through the beautiful,
glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-
Hubert, said to be the oldest covered
shopping arcade in Europe: when it first
opened in 1847, visitors had to pay an
entrance fee of 10 centimes (upped to
25 on Thursdays and Sundays).
Svetlana Sosnina svetlana.sosnina@ink-global.com
tel. +44 (0)207 613 8797, +32 (0)2 808 1576