Hi guys, I'm currently on my honeymoon traveling through Central Europe. I'll be heading to Brussels a week from tomorrow for 3 days and wanted to get some recommendations. I realize that threads like this have been posted over and over again, so I apologize in advance. I'm reduced to looking on my phone on spotty wifi so wanted to get some suggestions in one place. Need some help on bottle shops and good places for lunch/dinner. Also, anyone know what bottles are currently available at cantillon and any chance they have a release coming up? Also, are there any bottle shops that carry rarer cantillon bottles? I don't mind paying a little extra to grab one or two. Thanks in advance guys, really appreciate all input. Cheers!
I've got two lunch spots to suggest. the first one is this place http://www.alabecasse.com/index.html The second is http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4994/?view=ratings Find a way to visit both.
Shopping: don't expect hoards of Cantillon or 3 Fonteinen anywhere. There are no secret "whale spots" and everything is a tourist trap price-wise. As soon as you come to terms with that, definitely check out Délices & Caprices. Very close to Delirium, awesome selection and very decent price-wise.
I will also vote for Nuetnigenough. Very nice dinner and I had a ( expensive) Fou Foune. But it was the only place I found that had it. Moeder Lambic had a nice solid selection as well.
Congrats and hope you're having a good trip. I hope I'm not too late. Regarding the above, I wouldn't think of à la Becasse for a meal because I think it's just snacks. In any case, it's a bar very much first (and a good, atmospheric one) and anything else a distant second. I'd say similar for Cirio but with a very contrasting atmosphere, so visit both (but I'd say for drinking rather than eating). Nuetnigenough is a good choice for food as well as beer. Nearby, with better food and still good for beer, ask around for Le Fin de Siècle or its affiliated 9 et Voisins (some may just know it as Voisins). For more classic belge dining with very good beer choice including several Cantillon options, hit La Villette in the St. Catherine neighborhood. For more Cantillon to buy, well, the brewery is reachable by metro and worth seeing even for tourists not into beer. Other bottle shops in the center could probably charge more than they do. Rarer will be elusive but you might find some vintages to drink at Poechenellekelder. Find more options at La Brocante and La Fleur en Papier Doré, both in areas you should check out anyway. And do try the other gueuzes, not just Cantillon. I'm sure you will, I just find myself reflexively typing that to visiting fellow countrymen. Post follow-up questions here if they occur.
