Rebel
This place has a vibe from Wednesday through Sunday. Rebel came from the founders of nearby restaurant Ötap, and the list’s refined sensibility reflects its owners’ focus on low-intervention wines. They’re on the treat side of an art student’s budget but are exciting and full of zesty personalities. Apéro-sized dishes rotate with different guest chefs and land on the spacious terrace, where you’ll find waiters pairing wines with patrons. It’s simple: they ask questions and sort you out. A place for locals, diplomats, dates and oenophiles. For all.
Titulus
This is a shop-cum-bar on a quiet street in Ixelles. Titulus is spacious and inviting, with high shelves stacked with bottles from independent producers – plus a sake section. There’s a tall tasting table in the middle of the store, and a timbered terrace setup outside across the street that catches the afternoon sun. Looking to discover up-and-coming local winemakers? Maybe a bottle for a dinner party? If you’re into sensory experimentation and smaller French producers that won’t break the bank, this is your spot.
Calmos
There are only so many wine bars this unpretentious and fun. The terrace is full by sundown, and if you want to sit inside, it’ll be a tight squeeze. That said, the staff will find you a spot and a glass, and do so with an energy as vivacious as whatever they’re bound to pour. Parents and their kids come here after school (and grab a glass of wine for the parent), and there’s a conviviality that makes you realise it’s a place you could visit two, three times a week. The bar has its own wine, which you can buy for a steal, and when you step outside in the evening, the layer-cake of pink sky comes crashing down onto Brussels’ horizon line. Great for snacks, too.
Le Longue Vie
This hits the mark for food and variety; you might not find any snub-nosed South African chenin blancs here, but you’ll discover some excellent, sharp Alsatian rieslings and a couple of generously priced Catalan numbers to drink. Food-wise, it’s desperately good – the chefs here are probably doing the most interesting cooking in the city – and draws a variety of customers of all ages and places. The menu pairs beautifully with wines by the glass, and although it feels more like a restaurant inside, the exterior is full of people chatting, drinking and laughing, even on cold, wintry nights. It’s the best all-rounder bar and restaurant in Brussels, and definitely worth a visit.
Gazzosa
Gazzosa fills a former bookshop in Galerie Bortier. It’s a vibey Italian bar where you can slip in from the quiet street, have a bowl of pasta and read your book. Or… go for apéros with friends and sit among the ’50s chairs, the spiral staircase leading to the dining area, and an open kitchen. Opened by restaurateur Lakhdar Hamina‑Lakhdar in November 2024, the wine list is sleek, and the philosophy is simple: make good pasta and serve good wine. No pretensions. It’s a good place to try something new: I tasted a wine from a baratuciat grape, an Italian varietal translating to “cat testicles”. It was delivered via a 2022 Piemontese Cantina Iuli, and it tasted of hazelnuts, peach, and mirin. Delicious.
Fermento
Fermento is all about wine (it’s the only drink on offer) and there’s plenty to explore. Tucked between Flagey and Fernand Cocq, the cosy spot opened in 2022 and brings food, wine and an exciting energy to the neighbourhood. The list features quality wines at decent prices, and the sommeliers are there to guide you. The team occasionally hosts private tastings, and a short, seasonal menu of creative, shareable dishes complements the pours. It’s not a quiet spot, but that’s a good thing, and your wine vocabulary won’t matter – the best part about this place is that there’s a bottle for everyone. Paolo, one of the owners, puts it simply: ‘In a nutshell, it’s food and wine in a friendly spot to enjoy them.’
Billy De Luca is a freelance writer, editor and painter. De Luca’s focus is in the arts and culture spheres, contributing to publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, TimeOut, The Travel Almanac, as well as Russh, office, and Monster Children magazines.
