In Brussels, the smell of warm bread and buttery pastries is almost part of the landscape. From passionate craftsmen to out-of-the-ordinary addresses, the capital abounds in sweet, crusty nuggets. We’ve wandered the streets (and tasted far too many croissants) to bring you our favorite bakery-pastry shops.
Renard Bakery
Not to be confused with Maison Renardy, one of our favorite tearooms, also in Ixelles! At Renard Bakery, bread is given a new lease of life like nowhere else: here, the baguette is returned to its purest form – water, flour and sourdough, quite simply! It’s hardly surprising, then, that Renard Bakery is adored by the locals: the crumb is light, creamy and of the highest quality. As for desserts, let yourself be tempted by a choice of éclair, choco-praline cake or cinnamon brioche: the delights of the house!
📍 Address: Place Fernand Cocq 3, 1050 Ixelles.
🚇 Stéphanie (streetcars 8, 92, 93, 97).
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Okay, the location is very touristy, but how can we not mention the number 1 address for marvelous things in Brussels? This delicious cake of meringues sprinkled with chantilly has something for every sweet tooth. Offering marvelous cakes in a variety of tastes and sizes, this heart-of-town bakery also makes a speciality of cramiques: brioche buns stuffed with chocolate chips, yum! One of the best bakeries in the capital!
📍 Address: Rue du Marché Aux Herbes 7, 1000 Brussels.
🚇 De Brouckère (metros 1 and 5, streetcars 3, 4 and 32).
Brian Joyeux
Thanks to the open kitchen in the heart of the patisserie, you’ll be able to chat with the owner – no more, no less! But the surprise is also in the cakes . Their Brussels chocolate moelleux, Paris Brest and apple tarts are undoubtedly among the best we’ve tasted in Brussels! Refined workmanship, often organic ingredients, precise and delicate combinations… you know where to go!
📍 Address: Rue du Congrès 3, 1000 Brussels.
🚇 Congrès (streetcars 92, 93).
Boulengier
If you’re looking for the best bakeries in Brussels, Boulengier is a must! No, you read that right! There’s no spelling mistake in the name. Boulengier is the kind of artisanal bakery we love in Saint-Gilles. Here, breads are made with ancient and organic flours, giving them an absolutely inimitable taste. The workshop, which is visible to customers (a bit like Brian Joyeux’s), gives it a unique atmosphere, as close as possible to the know-how of its creators. Their millstone-wheat breads are simply exceptional.
📍 Address: Avenue Jean Volders 11, 1060 Saint-Gilles.
🚇 Porte de Hal (metros 2 and 6, streetcars 3, 4 and 51)
Cake
The name couldn’t be simpler! At Gâteau, the quality of the pastries is so high that you’ll have to come early in the day, otherwise you’ll leave empty-handed! In addition to 100% artisanal workmanship, a wide choice of breads awaits you: seed, rye, wholemeal, wheat… But our favorites are undoubtedly their pains au chocolat and croissants, airy and tasty. Here again, a view of the workshop shows us first-hand the passion of our craftsmen. One of our favorite bakeries in Brussels!
📍 Address: Rue des Boers 7, 1040 Etterbeek.
🚇 Place Saint-Pierre (streetcar 81).