How many restaurants offer the possibility of eating on an uninhabited island? Chalet Robinson does just that. With a name evocative of the Swiss Family and Mr. Crusoe, both of castaway fame, Chalet Robinson lies on a tiny islet in the middle of Bois de la Cambre, Brussels’ biggest park.
Â
The restaurant offers a mixture of brasserie food and more international dishes. My favourite is the meatballs in red sauce and I tend to stick to that each time I go! The food, however, is only part of the experience. The place offers a unique getaway experience only a stone’s throw away from the city centre. To reach Chalet Robinson you have to take a barge that ferries you across the 50-odd-metre stretch of water. But that short distance is enough to provide a buffer from the hectic city life just outside the park perimeter. My children love the adventure! Not to mention that the islet is also home to colonies of swans and ducks with a few rabbits and plenty of space to run around!Â
Â
As one might expect there is also plenty of room for eating outside and the Chalet even has a sun deck with deck chairs strewn among the greenery. Brussels might not be the sunniest of cities, but on those occasions when the sun shines, Chalet Robinson is definitely one of be places to be.
Â
Ah, and don’t forget to take a sherbet from the captain’s treasure chest after the boat trip!
Explore cities like a local with Spotted by Locals - discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our Brussels guide.
They serve New York style pizza, so thin and huge. You can choose among the classic Margherita, Pepperoni (with spicy salami), and the pizza of the month!
By
"Jolie Joli Cocktail Club" in Brussels certainly is beautiful. Great for an apero on a cold winter day or a drink after dinner in the adjoining restaurant!
By
"Nona Pizza" in Brussels uses only local, organic, Belgian ingredients. You have try their Fresh ricotta and Morta-bella pizzas...
By
Sando is a nice nickname Japanese use for sandwiches. I love it! Sandwiches have a sauce more or less spicy and are filled with veggies and/or meat or tofu.
By
"Beiruti" inBrussels represents a new generation of Lebanese restaurants where authentic Lebanese food, prepared in open kitchens, reaches your table fast!
By
"Nona Pasta" is my go-to place in Brussels for proper Italian food. Nona uses only organic Belgian ingredients because it's just better that way!
By
There's nothing in Brussels like "Le Corbeau". It's a brasserie, a local restaurant/bar, but at night it becomes the opposite of Cinderella's fairytale...
By
"Coundenberg 66" Brussels is a magnificent building from 1898. It used to house La pharmacie anglaise de Charles Delacre and has many interesting features.
By
The "Zinneke" in Brussels is a statue of a dog that, to me, is an accurate symbol of my city with so many contrasts, but that likes to laugh about them...
By
"La Cambre Abbey" is an abbey tucked away in a corner of a small square in Brussels. I'm sure most visitors never notice it. It's a precious gem.
By
"Bois de La Cambre" is the preferred spot for me on a sunny day in Brussels. There is more to this park than a spot to have a picnic.
By