Brussels Shopping

  1. A M Sweet

    This delightful sweet shop sells Belgian chocolates, biscuits and confectionary in charming packaging, not to mention Frères Mariage teas from Paris. You can also pick up home-made cakes, pies and pastries to take back to the hotel, or enjoy them in the tiny on-site tea room.

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  3. Annemie Verbeke

    Ypres-born designer with no formal training who has managed to juggle motherhood with a highly successful career designing women's clothing. Recently opened a new store in Antwerp, and is sold throughout Europe and in the US and Japan.

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  5. Beermania

    Belgium's first specialist beer shop, now complete with a tasting café , is a great first or last stop. With some 400 brews to behold, it's an ideal place to get acquainted with key players and rare nectars. There's no menu or price list - just wander around and point to the one(s)you want.

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  7. Boutique 114

    Just off Ave Louise; handles designer cast-offs.

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  8. Boutique Tintin

    No prizes for guessing the star of this comic shop, which stocks albums galore and cute merchandise.

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  9. Brüsel

    Chic comic-book shop named after a book by one of Belgium's best-known contemporary comic artists, François Schuiten. Comics with English translations available.

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  10. Christa Reniers

    The arresting window displays of Christa Reniers, Belgium's best jewellery designer, will singlehandedly lure you into her store. Once inside, you're going to have a hard time deciding between her splendid contemporary jewellery - often crafted with sterling silver into organic forms embellished with gems - and her bold ceramics.

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  11. Christophe Coppens

    Christophe Coppens' head-turning creations have a dramatic flair, reflecting the fact that this Flemish milliner originally trained as a theatre designer and actor. This is his main women's hats store; ask the helpful staff if you're after his men's or bridal and racing carnival headwear.

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  13. City 2

    This modern shopping mall has all the usual chain-store suspects, but it's a good bet for electronic gear from FNAC, which also sells events tickets. In the mall's basement you'll find a post office, and a better-than-average food court - try Ganesh for fantastic Indian samosas, curries and naan breads.

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  15. Corné Port Royal

    First chocolate shop en route from Gare Central to the Grand Place and recommended if you can't hang out a minute longer. Friendly service, well priced and higher quality than bulk handlers such as Leonidas.

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  16. Crush Wine

    Brussels is too self-respecting to have a Fosters-spouting Aussie-theme bar, but international enough to have this wondrous cellar stocking over 190 Australian wines (the most comprehensive selection in Europe). Look out for rare drops from Tasmania and deliberate over dozens of Margaret River reds. There are daily tastings and tapas and regular wine events; call ahead for its schedule of Saturday openings.

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  17. Dandoy

    Established in 1829, Brussels' best-known biscuiterie has five branches around town, including this one with an attached tearoom. The chocolate for Dandoy's choc-dipped biscuits is handmade by Laurent Gerbaud.

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  19. De Biertempel

    As its name implies, this shop is a temple to beer, stocking upwards of 700 brews along with matching glasses.

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  20. Delvaux

    Delvaux is a household name in leather handbags and accessories in Belgium. Located in Galeries St Hubert.

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  21. DoD

    Designer fashions (mainly French) at dirt cheap prices is the motto of this series of warehouse-like stores that occupy much of this street - Dod Men is here at No 16, with women, junior, shoes etc just down the road.

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  22. Dr Vinyl

    Not just a music shop, you can also check out what's happening in the nightclub scene at Dr Vinyl.

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  23. Évasions 1

    Buys and sells all sorts of books. Expect floor-to-ceiling stacks.

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  25. Excellence

    One for the cineastes - this has to be one of the best DVD stores in the world, with an enormous selection of art house, independent, classic and foreign films from all over the globe, including works by Belgian filmmakers such as Chantal Ackerman and the Dardenne brothers. Just make sure the subtitles are in your language of choice.

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  26. Exotic Food

    Head to Chaussée de Wavre where shops such as Exotic Food specialise in produce like Ngolo catfish from Guinea, little packages of leaf-wrapped cassava from Cameroon and even dried caterpillars.

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  27. FNAC

    Department store with extensive literary selection, English-language books, travel guides and maps.

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  28. Galerie Bortier

    Galerie Bortier opened in 1848 and it is well worth a look, particularly if you're into second-hand books.

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  29. Galerie d'Ixelles

    The most interesting of the Upper Town arcades is the tiny Galerie d'Ixelles. Although not far from Ave Louise, this gallery and its continuation, Galerie de la Porte de Namur, are culturally a world away, located in the Matonge quarter, home to Brussels' Congolese community. Mainstays here include pint-sized shops selling African cloth, Kinshasa's latest CD imports and hairdressing salons with names like 'Dream Hair' or 'The New Image of Black Men'.

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