Cafeography
Terrasses · Brussels

Café terraces in Brussels

Outdoor tables on Place Flagey, the Sablon, Place Rouppe, the old quays and Saint-Gilles's Chaussée de Waterloo.

Photo: Roma Dik, Pexels License

A terrasse is a café's outdoor seating, and in Brussels the pavement is rented from the municipality. In April 2026 the City of Brussels put forward new terrace fees: €19 per square meter outside the pedestrian zone, €35 or €45 inside it depending on the terrace's size, and €50 on the Grand-Place and the Sablon.1 A wooden floor multiplies the base rate by 1.25, an open glass canopy by three and a closed veranda by ten.1

Saint-Gilles has the most cafés with terraces, ahead of the Grand-Place streets, the European Quarter and the Marolles. In Saint-Gilles and in Marolles & Sablon about a third of cafés set out tables, against fewer than one in five across the city. The Chaussée de Waterloo (Waterloosesteenweg) has more of them than any other Saint-Gilles street, from Café La Pompe at number 211 to Meltino café at 296 and L'Atelier at 363.

Local tip: Place du Châtelain's organic market is on Wednesdays, when Holy Bagels nearby is closed; Cup28° on Rue du Bailli opens at 08:00 from Tuesday to Friday and has tables outside.

Where these cafés are: Saint-Gilles (21), Grand-Place & Centre (17), Marolles & Sablon (13), European Quarter & Etterbeek (13), Schaerbeek & Saint-Josse (12), Sainte-Catherine & Dansaert (10), Flagey & Matonge (9), Molenbeek & Anderlecht (9), Uccle & Forest (8), Châtelain & Avenue Louise (8), Woluwe & Auderghem (4), Laeken & the north (4).

At a glance

128Cafés listed
64With opening hours
06:45Earliest opening
02:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Art's & Bagels, from 06:45 (Mon–Fri 06:45–17:30 · Sat–Sun 11:00–16:00).
  • Closes latest: Palto, until 02:00 (Mon–Tue Closed · Wed–Thu 08:30–23:00 · Fri 08:30–02:00 · Sat 11:00–02:00 · Sun 11:00–20:00).
  • Most common features: indoor seating (59%), wi-fi (20%), card payment (14%).
Châtelain & Avenue Louise

Hinterland

  • Chaussée de Charleroi - Charleroise Steenweg 179
  • Mon–Tue 08:00–15:30 · Thu–Fri 08:00–15:30 · Sat 09:00–16:30 · Sun 09:00–15:30
  • +3225379747
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Place Flagey and Place du Châtelain

Visit.brussels writes that the Café Belga terrace fills as soon as the sun comes out, and suggests it for lunch, brunch or a drink.2 The café takes the ground floor of the Art Deco Flagey building, opens at 08:00 and serves until 01:00, so the tables on the square turn over from breakfast to late evening.3

Place du Châtelain is smaller and quieter, in an upmarket quarter, and on Wednesdays its organic market runs with aperitifs.3 Holy Bagels has outdoor tables a short walk from the square, and Cup28° on Rue du Bailli (Baljuwstraat) sets out a few more. KooKoo on Rue de la Victoire, known for Persian coffee, has a terrace as well.4

The Sablon, Place Rouppe and the Grand-Place

On the City of Brussels scale, the Sablon shares the top terrace fee with the Grand-Place.1 Café du Sablon on Rue de la Régence puts out tables from 07:30 every day, and Café Costermans nearby serves until 23:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. L'arrêt 48 on Rue Haute and Poz" on Rue Joseph Stevens have outdoor seats further down the slope.

Kaffabar's large terrace on Place Rouppe is a coffee stop rather than a beer one: it closes at 18:00, and all day on Sundays and Mondays.4 On the Grand-Place itself, Waffelin at number 37 has outdoor seats from 09:00 to 19:00 daily.

Place Sainte-Catherine and the quays

Place Sainte-Catherine (Sint-Katelijneplein) meets the Quai aux Briques and the Quai au Bois à Brûler at a right angle, and its church went up between 1854 and 1874 on a basin of the old port.5 On the quay, DRACHE Specialty Coffee Bar sets out tables from late morning, and Café De Markten, close to the square, has outdoor tables and is open until midnight. Au Laboureur on Rue de Flandre (Vlaamsesteenweg) serves outside from 08:30 to 22:00.

Heaters, Schaerbeek and the cold months

Gas heaters are leaving Brussels terraces. In January 2025 the Brussels Parliament voted to ban gas heating on café terraces from June 2026, after adopting an amendment that keeps electric heaters legal.6

In Schaerbeek, Café Winok on Avenue Louis Bertrand, near Josaphat Park, has a terrace and roasts its own coffee.4 Cafe Riga on Square François Riga puts tables outside and stays open until 23:00 every day.

Sources

  1. Jusqu'à 50 % de plus dans certains quartiers : la taxe sur les terrasses horeca va augmenter à Bruxelles (Mathieu Ladeveze, 17 April 2026), La DH Les Sports+, accessed October 2026
  2. Which are the best terraces on a sunny day?, visit.brussels, accessed October 2026
  3. The best squares and terraces in Ixelles (17 February 2025), visit.brussels, accessed October 2026
  4. A cup of your finest coffee please (27 August 2026), visit.brussels, accessed October 2026
  5. Place Sainte-Catherine, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  6. Les chaufferettes à l'électricité resteront autorisées (31 January 2025), BX1, accessed October 2026
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By area: Sainte-Catherine & Dansaert Marolles & Sablon Grand-Place & Centre Châtelain & Avenue Louise Flagey & Matonge Saint-Gilles European Quarter & Etterbeek Schaerbeek & Saint-Josse

FAQ

Terrasses in Brussels: questions

Which café in Brussels has the big terrace on Place Flagey?

Café Belga, on the ground floor of the Art Deco Flagey building in Ixelles. It opens every day from 08:00 to 01:00, and visit.brussels writes that its terrace fills as soon as the sun comes out. It works for lunch, brunch or an evening drink on the square.

Are gas heaters allowed on café terraces in Brussels?

No longer. In January 2025 the Brussels Parliament voted to ban gas heating on horeca terraces from June 2026. An amendment adopted at the same time keeps electric heaters legal, so electric heaters can still stand on café terraces in the colder months.

How much do cafés pay for a terrace in central Brussels?

Under fees the City of Brussels put forward in April 2026, a terrace costs €19 per square meter outside the pedestrian zone, €35 or €45 inside it depending on size, and €50 on the Grand-Place and the Sablon. A wooden floor multiplies the rate by 1.25, an open glass canopy by three and a closed veranda by ten.

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