Is this neighborhood becoming the coolest in Brussels?

Long relegated to the rank of an old industrial district where nothing happens, the Canal is transforming into a real food, cultural and festive hub. Sustainable projects, contemporary exhibition halls and museums rub shoulders with the city’s trendiest restaurants and underground evenings with a Berlin atmosphere. Certainly, we have been advocating a renewal of the neighborhood for a number of years now. A metamorphosis that has been long overdue. However, it seems that today more than ever, the Canal is the place to be. An impulse which, once started, does not seem likely to stop.

We stay in Brussels to discover Era, the most intriguing restaurant in Brussels, in video:

Of course, the challenges of gentrification are far from trivial. How can we revitalize a neighborhood without saying goodbye to its cultural identity? Because the Canal is also the lines of tents for asylum candidates and a social mix that it would be good to take advantage of in order to strengthen the resilience and attractiveness of the neighborhood for everyone. With this in mind, there is the LaVallée art center, a former laundry located in the heart of Molenbeek, which houses a small sanctuary for artistic mixing. Another must-see place in the area for subculture lovers for over 20 years? Recyclart and its offbeat programming. More recently, it is VK* Concerts which is making waves, for its hip-hop and alternative scene within a newly renovated site.

In the same area, go to BE-HERE. Located in a small historic gem, this sustainable village offers an organic market, tastings of sustainable products, and the La Source microbrewery, among others. Next to MiMa, Belmundo is a social restaurant based on the local economy which offers a dish of the day around 13€ which changes non-stop or dishes of the week at 11€. Another must-see at the water’s edge, the Kanaal Lighthouse, with its inimitable fresco on its facade, presents itself as a space between neo-canteen and café bar where you come to chill out all day long. Besides, some pretty new nuggets have just arrived in recent months, we list them for you.

This micro-café located on a street corner by the canal embodies Molenbeek cool. Behind the address, we find Naoufel Ben Hamame, who imagined this 120 square meter space as a specialty café, but also as a place where you come to enjoy a good garnished flatbread for lunch, a burnt cabbage or a perfect egg, among other things.

This new gallery has nearly 200 square meters of exhibition space on the banks of the canal, right next to the future Kanal-Centre Pompidou museum and opposite Tour & Taxis. On the menu: Belgian and international artists, but also a place of sharing where you come to stroll to admire the works, browse the library’s catalog of art works, view video installations, participate in activities, performances , readings or gourmet dinners… In short, a nice program to come!

Or ? Quai des Péniches 33

This small urban sanctuary nestled in the heart of the city is a five-minute walk from Gare du Nord. Its originality? Its facade on the canal and its green rear garden, to mix the best of both worlds. Enough to offer yourself a regenerating escape to escape the energy of the city for an hour. There are almost all disciplines there: yoga, pilates, osteopathy, Chinese medicine classes, teambuildings, workshops, retreats… all in a modern, nicely decorated space.

Or ? Quai des Péniches 34

With its polished concrete walls, its pretty chrome steel tables matching the custom-made designer chandeliers and its warmly curved wooden benches, Kosto sees everything right. In addition to the pretty setting, the place offers a menu that also seems to tick all the boxes. Because here, the products all come from local traders, from bread from Mains to Coffee from Wide Awake to beers from Brasserie de la Senne. We come here to enjoy a specialty coffee during brunch, or to taste their frittata with a small glass at aperitif time.

Or ? 35 Quai des Péniches, 1000 Brussels