Léopold Café Presse is one of those trendy urban cafés where freelancers and geeks rub shoulders with couples and families. However, unlike many such places that serve overpriced coffee in an insipid decor, this café manages to feel homey.

The coffee is good, yes, and so are the pies. You can treat yourself to a tasty brunch on the weekend, sample a book from the mini library, buy a cool gadget you didn’t need from the shop, or just stay there all afternoon teleworking, playing games, and reading… Free wi-fi and colorful decor may inspire new work ventures if you’re self-employed – as far as I’m concerned, I enjoy writing in such places and watching the world go by. In spring the terrace is ever so nice with its wooden benches and small tables, perfect on a sunny afternoon.

It is a nice spot for ice cream and soda after a stroll in nearby Cinquantenaire Park, but it can also be a pit stop to check your emails and get a bit of work done. A word of warning: it is part of a chain (there are 4 similar cafés in Brussels) but to me, this one definitely has the best location and the friendliest atmosphere.