Image by Wouter Spitters

You’re hungry as a bear or eager to score a meat overdose? Head for the best rib thing in town, Amadeo.

To tell you a little secret, I personally don’t like spare ribs at all, but when asked to accompany friends or family to this charming all-you-can-eat rib place I don’t have to hesitate a single second. It’s a pleasure already only to sit and absorb the unique atmosphere created by the walls made out of books and jazzy thirties music. I usually go for a steak or grilled shrimps and wait for my friends when order again and again and even more.

Also worth mentioning are the boiled potatoes delivered with a delicious sauce and the enjoyable house wine that gets billed per consumed finger. There is a big bottle on the table and they just measure how much you drank.

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Amadeo | Restaurants (Spareribs) | All you can eat ribs € 13.50
Sint-Katelijnestraat 26 – 28 | Center | +3225025137
Mon – Thu 18:30 – 23:00, Fri – Sun 18:00 – 23:30

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Image by Wouter Spitters

This place might NOT be the typical Greek restaurant with Corinthian pillars and dancing waiters, but it’s definitely one of my favorite spots to score a typical Greek dish when I’m in the Midi region. No fancy inside, this is a Greece style taverna.

Go into the kitchen to check out for yourself what the day dishes are – they don’t have a menu – two minutes later a huge portion is served at your table. Excellent stuff is the stuffed pepper and the moussaka, which goes along very well with a glass of malamatina retsina.

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Athenes | Restaurants (Greek) | Meal € 8.00
Rue de l’Argonne 22 | The South | +3225382113
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 22:30

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Image by Wouter Spitters

One of my favorite ways to relax is seeing how others tire themselves. Especially when they do it in a spectacular way.

Take your drinks with you and climb the steps of the skate-ramp. There you can sit and relax on the bench, enjoying the sun while the youth is giving away a free stunt show, right at the place where the trains disappear a few meters below into the Brussels underground.

Looking for some action? Bring your own skateboard or bmx and be an acrobat yourself. The place is free and accessible to everyone.

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Skatepark | Relaxing | Free
Ursulinenplein | Center
Daily

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Image by Wouter Spitters

There are many good Italian restaurants in Brussels, one that I can recommend in the city centre is Rugantino. Whether you are looking for a pizza, pasta, risotto or carne, Rugantino has it all.

But it’s not only the food that counts, the reason why I fancy this place is more than the food the setting itself. The furniture, the big light, the inside balcony that gives a patio feeling, the waiters, the talkative boss… if you truly like Italian charm, you’re going to love this place.

One thing is true, you might have to wait a bit for your food to appear on your table, but who cares if you’re in good company…

Buon appetito!

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Rugantino | Restaurants (Italian)
Anspachlaan 184 | Center | +3225112195
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sat 18:00 – 23:00

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Image by Wouter Spitters

This must be Walhalla for movie addicts like me. Founded in the thirties last century, the Royal Movie Archive started to build one of the most important quality movie collections in the world. The good thing for us? They are more than happy to show’n'share their treasure with us, via recently renovated Cinematek.

With classics, rare cult movies, experimental cinema, directors/actors or genres in the spotlight they provide us a nice mix of very old to more recent highlights of movie history.

Subtitles often are in Dutch/French, so you may be limited to English spoken movies. Don’t worry, we don’t ‘dub’ those in our languages.

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Cinematek | Cinemas | Ticket € 3.00
Baron Hortastraat 9 | Center | +32025511919
Sat – Wed 14:30, Thu 12:30, Fri 16:30 – until end of last show

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Brussels

Image by Wouter Spitters

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”, Pablo Picasso once said. Well, this shop is your washing machine.

Fashion magazines, art-house movies, exhibition catalogs, gifts, children books, T-shirts with fancy slogans and the widest range of national and international art books you can imagine, you can find it all in one place… the fine Bozar arts shop near the fine arts museum.

It’s an ideal place to buy birthday presents you cannot find elsewhere and I bet you won’t be surprised if I tell you this is one of my favorite places to hang out around Christmas time.

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Bozar Shop | Art & culture, Shopping
Rue Ravensteinstraat 15 | Center | +3225141505
10:00 – 19:00 (or till after concert) daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Brussels

Image by Wouter Spitters

Therese et Dominique is one of those places where ordering the regular would be a true crime.

Although this is ‘just’ a sandwich bar, it would be a pity to go for the baguette with tuna fish you always eat. Apart from the usual stuff they have a bunch of specialties worth to be discovered. Try for instance an adapted ciccio bello, mozzarella-tomato with sweet peppers and fried aubergine slices, divine.

When the weather is nice I like to take-away my treasure and eat it sitting in the sun of the Poelaert square while doing some tourist watching, but it’s also possible to eat at the place itself, inside or in the cute garden.

Measured by the queues that might appear at the entrance it seems I’m not the only fan of the place, make sure you’re in it. Don’t worry, they work fast, you never have to wait too long.

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Therese et Dominique | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Baguette € 3.50
Dejonckerstraat 23 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat

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Image by Wouter Spitters

The Rue Jourdan is one of the places to be when you’re looking for a cozy street full of nice resto terraces in the Louiza Area. Located close to movie theatres UGC Toison d’Or and Vendôme (check the Vendôme article) makes it a good spot for a pre-movie dinner.

Italians are well represented in this street, Al Piccolo Mondo, I Trulli, Il Rinascimento , Il Vecchio Mulino… your pick! Fancy French food? Try a Coq au vin in Le Délire Parisien or French/Belgian cuisine in Au Boeuf Gros Sel while Kwiling will feed the ones looking for Asian kitchen.

Take a look around the corner in Rue Dejoncker for other (and more budget-friendly) options such as Lebanese and Vietnamese restaurants and a regular brasserie.

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Rue Jourdan | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants
Rue Jourdan | Ixelles
Early breakfast – late dinner daily

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Image by Wouter Spitters

Looking for a tasty crêpe and don’t have time to go to Brittany or Normandy? We Belgians like pancakes too. The sweet ones are the most popular and widespread, most brasseries offer sweet pancakes as a dessert and it is a typical treat at children’s birthday parties.

Pancakes with savory fillings are a little harder to find however. Maison des Crêpes is one of those places that offers both sweet and savory fillings.

Enjoy your lunch/dinner or ‘in between’ in this cosy place with over-friendly service…and don’t forget to order your apple Cider… ;)

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La maison des Crêpes | Snacks, Restaurants (Crepes)
Zuidstraat 13 | Center | +322475957368
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Brussels

Image by Wouter Spitters

Together with Gecko (see the Gecko article) this cosy place is definitely one of my favorite bars in Brussels.

In wintertime or during rainy days you can admire the wooden interior and mirrored walls. Music is always good, and the volume is often limited so you still can have a decent conversation with your friends.

In summertime, if the weather permits, you also can sit outside at the lovely terrace. Since it’s located in a pedestrian area you’re not attacked by exhaust fumes, making it an ideal spot to relax, read a book or to do some people-watching while you are sipping your cocktail.

Coke lovers, be warned, you won’t find any Coca or Pepsi in here. Other softdrinks are present, a wide range of beers as well. Cherry beer lovers, surprise yourself and ask the waiter if they have the special acid one.

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Au Soleil | Bars, Snacks
Rue du Marché au Charbon 86 | Center | +3225123430
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Brussels