La Brocante is a traditional Brussels cafe with a jazz soundtrack that opens super early (around…read more5am!) to serve the vendors and customers of the neighboring 7-day a week flea market.
But cafe's in Brussels are a dime a dozen. What sets La Brocante apart (aside from having some of the best people watching in town), is one of the best selections of Gueuze and lambic beers in town; some 30 by my last count with the likes of Cantillon, Hansens, 3 Fonteinen and Tilquin. If lambics aren't your thing, they have another 70 or so Belgian bottled beers, including running the gamut from pilsner to imperial stout.
If that was not enough to make you want to stop by, they also have a great outdoor seating area next to a fountain that serves as a venue for impromptu weekend concerts as well as some of the best people watching in town. Food is your typical Belgian cafe stuff: pasta, omelettes, sandwiches, and carbonade, but well prepared and in large portions.
On the downside, because of the early opening hours, they close rather early, usually between 6 and 7pm, depending on the whims of the staff, And note: it's cash only.