Regardless if you are spending a weekend in Brussels or staying for longer, having a solid cup of quality coffee in the morning is enough to brighten up your day. Hence, immediately after your Brussels airport shuttle drops you off, we recommend you to visit these cafés near the Grand Place in Brussels and enjoy the unique atmosphere.

Aksum Coffee House

A place for fresh Ethiopian coffee, a strong double espresso or a smooth café latte, the coffee beans are all organically grown and made from single origin beans. The classic Marzocco espresso machine, Mazzer mills and trained baristas are further guarantees for a perfect coffee experience. Try the African fair trade drinks: Senegalese herbal teas, healthy baobab drinks, soft drinks from Côte d'Ivoire, South African wine and Ethiopian beer, for instance.

The cakes are made in a small local bakery. If you feel like taking beans home, you can choose between several regional origins – they’ll grind the beans to suit your espresso or filter coffee machine. While sipping your coffee, have a look at the exhibitions by various artists on African themes.

Maison Dandoy

This place survived the difficult first half of the 20th century thanks to Jean-Philippe, Philippe’s son, and then to his daughter Fernande and her husband Valère Rombouts. The times during WWII were hectic and if it wasn’t for the crunchy crispbread, Maison Dandoy might not have made it. Only in 1948 Valère decided to start making all Maison Dandoy specialties again. Being a man of high standards, he’s preferred to wait three years until butter and sugar that met his standards were available again on the market. From then on, this place is wildly famous for its sweets, waffles and amazing cups of coffee!
 

Corica

This artisanal coffee bar is roasting the beans on the spot. They give their customers the choice of either savoring the tastes of coffee or buying fresh beans from a wide selection. They started their own coffee roasting in 2001. At first, they didn’t prepare the coffee, so they opened a coffee bar - a “coffee lab” to test and fine-tune the roasts. On top of that, they couldn’t help but wonder about those green beans that kept arriving at the roaster, so they started traveling to their roots, soon buying their first batch of beans directly from a farmer. They source directly, have their own roastery, a coffee training center, a total of four espresso bars (in Ghent and Brussels), and about 300 wholesale customers. Take this as a formula for the perfect cup!
 

The Sister

Build in 2015, this place comes out as an association of friends passionate with events organization, food and beverage, driven by a common idea: make healthier consumption and entertainment. Regarding the quality as a duty, The Sister is dedicated to bring a delicious mix of organic fresh food and drinks, a large room for workshops happenings or celebrations and pleasant music downtown Brussels. Located 20 feet away from the Grand Place, The Sister also presents an exceptional wide range of local and European products, gluten free, nut free, soy free, lactose free, not pasteurized or vegan. But what this place is most famous for is their amazing coffee and the wonderful atmosphere in the morning.
 

Café Des Halles

Located in a fully renovated ancient covered market place at the very lively Place Saint-Géry, here you can chill and chat in the black leather chairs, and party in the club in the vaulted cellars. There’s a really nice exhibition space inside and is perfect for a wet and windy afternoon taking it easy with a few tasty Belgian beers or a cup of coffee. The place has a good vibe and is usually busy inside and out on the terrace. The occasional DJ sets provide good music, varying from Electro to House.
 

Kaffabar

Wonderful place to start your morning! It's not in the heart of the touristy part of Brussels, so it's quite popular among the locals, as well as the tourists who aren't easily lured into the traps. It's extremely cozy, and it's perfect for coffee (hot or cold), tea (they have a huge selection!) and hot chocolate. They even have some coffee cocktails. Staying in Bruxelles with the need of having a good coffee should just take you at KaffaBar. They also have great croissants and similar pastries, enjoyed inside as well as outside at the little terrace.
 

La Chaloupe d'Or

This is a historical brasserie-restaurant on Brussels' Grand Place. Since its building in 1692, La Chaloupe d'Or has kept alive a unique tradition of warm and cozy atmosphere. Enjoy the view on Grand Place from the sunny terrace or through the windows of the cozy historical rooms on three floors. Let them pamper you with their typical Belgian specialties and visit the banquet rooms for your event. Boasting prestige and tradition, this is the place to be for an ideal coffee cup.
 

Le Roy d'Espagne

After the 1695 bombardment left a large part of the buildings on the Grand Place in ruins, the guilds were responsible for its reconstruction. The baker’s guild rebuilt the Roy d’Espagne in 1697. The patron-saint of bakers, Saint Aubert’s bust can still be seen right above the main entry, watching over his artisans. On the second floor, Charles II’s bust ornates the facade and gives his name to the building. The building, having suffered during the French Revolution, was in terrible condition, but was restored in 1902 under the influence of then mayor of Brussels, Charles Buls. Having been a café and afterwards an ironmongery, of which the gallery remains on the first floor, finally exercising its previous vocation in 1954. Besides offering plenty of menu items, this place brews spectacular coffee, providing just enough taste to kick off your day.

And when the caffeine kicks in, head for the Royal Greenhouses of Leaken in Brussels to enjoy the greenery and unwind. Regardless which part of Brussels you’re preferring, make an effort and visit some of these spectacular cafés near the Grand Place to experience the true spirit of the city before grabbing your Brussels airport taxi and heading home.