Gaudron

On Place Brugmann at the end of Avenue Louis Lepoutre the atmosphere feels more Parisien than Bruxellois. Kevin and I love heading down to Brugmann on a weekend to soak in the European atmosphere. There's great shopping, a wine bar and plenty of choices to sit for a cappucino and croissant. My favorite café hands down is Gaudron. Open for breakfast, lunch and teatime, it's part traiteur, part bakery and part greengrocer. They offer a wide variety of gourmet goods from around Europe and often are sampling their products. The service is excellent with an army of wait staff to satisfy your every whim. On a lovely summer day, Kevin and I went there for afternoon coffee and I ordered the blueberry tartlet which was the best tarte I'd ever tasted. If you're pressed for what to have for dinner, you can order at the counter for take-away until 8pm.


http://www.gaudron.be/

The Coffee Club

What has been a home away from home for me where I can order a coffee a la Starbucks and 'to go' no less, is the modern and sleek Coffee Club on Rue du Bailli. It's so inviting in fact that I've began to enjoy lingering like the Belgians to sip my carmel machiato rather than run out the door to my next destination. It's hip and comfortable with a lovely garden out back covered if necessary with a retractable awning to protect from the high likelihood of rain showers. I saw recently an advertisement for WiFi there too and I plan to bring my laptop next time I visit. The Coffee Club is fun not only for their sweet coffee drinks with a variety of toppings, but they have luscious desserts and amazing salads and sandwiches. My favorite salad which I can't resist ordering each and every time I stop by for lunch is the salad 'Jazz'. It's made up of mesclin greens, tzay, pinenuts, parmesan cheese and sweet red peppers. The salads all have muscial titles and you can make your own salad to order as well. There is also a pasta bar that I've never tried. The hours are typical Bruxellois; open from 9 to 6 meaning Breakfast, Lunch and Teatime and of course closed on Sunday. Add to the modern decor with comfy suede armchairs, a fantastic music repertoire and funky art exhibitions, the Coffee Club is one of my favorite hangouts.


http://www.thecoffeeclub.be/

Le Pain Quotidien

Another of my favorite hangouts is less modern city chic, but French farmhouse refined. Le Pain Quotidien is a Belgian chain of bakeries specializing in rustic breads and simple, scrumptous desserts and the coffee is darn good too. I love ordering my cappucino and seeing it arrive in a bowl with lots of seaming foam. The flute aux noisette is also a staple for me with raisins and whole hazelnuts, it's particularly yummy with their house label Garrigue honey. A recent special creatively toasted the flute with gorgonzola cheese. The communal table is central to the theme of the place with the a wide variety of self-service spreads set out to make breakfast social, as well as tasty. The service is especially good here which is something rare in a country where tipping is not a custom. It could be that I'm in our local Pain at least twice a week so I received especially good service, but the waiter forgot to bring my cappucino after I finished my lunch and he actuallly gave it to me sur la maison. On entering the cafe there is a variety of products for sale as well as dishware with the Pain Quotidien logo. Even if I don't stop in, I love to linger in front of the shop window and admire the beautiful pastries prominately displayed to lure in customers...sometimes I can't resist!



http://www.lepainquotidien.com/