Must-see nightlife in Wallonia

  • Le Bar À Cacao

    Liège

    Elegantly contemporary with tones of black and muted gold, this superb find serves excellent coffee (from €2.50) with which you get two exquisite Benoit…

  • Le Pot au Lait

    Liège

    Liège’s wackiest pub-café lurks down a private cul-de-sac decorated with psychedelic murals and lamps resembling radioactive triffids. Watch UFOs landing…

  • Hype Bar Lounge

    Wallonia

    Hype feels like a hidden retreat from the busy Grand Place, with a laid-back crowd gathered at outdoor tables on a peaceful square. The friendly staff…

  • Vino Vino

    Namur

    Marc Detraux, who is excellent value for a chat about wine, runs this little haven of pleasure. There's always something interesting available by the…

  • Brasserie des Fagnes

    Wallonia

    Around 1km south of Mariembourg towards Nismes, this tourist-oriented microbrewery creates five well-balanced Fagnes beers (€3). Try them in a large part…

  • Aux Olivettes

    Liège

    In the days of Jacques Brel cafés chantants were common – simple pubs where crooner, pianist and accordionist sang for their beer. Today Aux Olivettes is…

  • Accattone

    Liège

    Outremeuse is the antithesis of all things hipster, right? Not if Accattone can help it, with great coffee (from €1.80), breakfasts and wine-and-pasta…

  • Humble Coffee

    Wallonia

    David Frere, the friendly and award-winning barista behind this small cafe, serves up some of the best coffee in Wallonia. It's well worth stopping in for…

  • MoMA Coffee

    Wallonia

    The best espresso in town is served up at this buzzing cafe south of the Grand Place. MoMA (which stands for Mons Manhattan) takes its inspiration from…

  • Le Panorama

    Namur

    High in the citadel, this airy pavilion has eagle's-perch views across the Meuse and the woodlands that extend attractively into the distance. Vistas from…

  • Le Merle

    Namur

    Just off the beaten track, Le Merle has all the elements of a good neighbourhood pub: an easy-going crowd, a superb beer selection and, most importantly,…

  • Brasserie Lamborelle

    The Ardennes

    This small, cosy pub features elements of exposed brick and stonework amid cowhide wallpaper squares and enamel signboards. It serves a remarkable range…

  • À l'Ange Gardien

    The Ardennes

    Around 150m south of the Abbaye Notre Dame d'Orval gates is the monastery's own stylish if architecturally forgettable tavern. As well as ‘normal’ and…

  • GenGoulf

    The Ardennes

    If you're determined to see inside a brewery while visiting Orval, head 1.5km southwest to the former railway station in Villers-devant-Orval where,…

  • Le Quai Son

    The Ardennes

    Look for the ghost mural when finding this central yet hidden delight just off Pl du Bronze. It serves Lupulus beer on draught and good coffee. In summer,…

  • Beer Lovers

    Liège

    Brewery signs, high ceilings and the odd exposed beam contrast with a contemporary serving station, but the big draw here is the remarkable range of…

  • Fragrances

    Liège

    The name of this gorgeous-smelling little shop-cafe is very apt, with its teapots, marmalades, strainers, tea cosies and around 350 types of tea. Little…

  • Le Bierodrome

    Wallonia

    Facing the waterfront, this buzzing new artisanal microbrewery makes its own perfectly balanced brews, and also serves up quality seasonal beers from…

  • La Vie est Belge

    Wallonia

    On top of the usual beers and cocktails, this celebration of liquid Belgium pours Walloon pékèts (gin, sometimes flavoured), fruit-wine tasters and…

  • La Cour St-Jean

    Liège

    In the heart of the youth-jammed nightlife zone, this popular little pub has genuinely ancient rough-stone walls painted lugubrious red and black, all a…

  • La Petite Fontaine

    The Ardennes

    The best value of Achouffe's three beer-tasting options (galopin 120mL taster glasses €1.70 to €1.90), historic La Petite Fontaine has a large roadside…

  • Brasserie Dubuisson

    Wallonia

    Wallonia's oldest brewery, Dubuisson sits on the N50 2km outside Pipaix. Its bar-brasserie offers several of its tasty beers on tap, of which the best…

  • Peak Beer

    The Ardennes

    Founded in 2018, this flashy, glass-walled brewery-restaurant has a sizeable cafe-restaurant whose open terrace offers sweeping forest-framed views. Their…

  • Le Petit Pressoir

    Liège

    Freshly made smoothies and fresh juices (from €3.50) are the central offerings of this adorable little cafe, which turns vegan eatery during meal times…

  • Chez Miss Miaouw

    Namur

    Feline lovers converge on this cheery two-room cafe a short stroll from the waterfront. Half-a-dozen cats have the run of the place, watching (or more…

  • Ô Bar'Hik

    Wallonia

    For an alternative to the rowdy drinking holes on nearby Marché aux Herbes, this cosy wine bar is the perfect antidote. With a focus on France, Spain and…

  • Boulevard du Rhum

    Namur

    This atmospheric, low-lit drinking space serves up some of Namur's best cocktails. The vibe is classy but not pretentious – just right for lingering over…

  • Aux Amis Réunis

    Wallonia

    This archetypal old-time locals' pub dates from 1911. It retains its tiled floor, mirror-and-wood panelling, ceramic beer taps and pub game jeu-de-fer, in…

  • Le Chapître

    Namur

    At this convivial and charmingly rustic pub, available brews are listed on a lengthy blackboard menu. The Chapître ‘house beer’ (€3.50) is a highly…

  • Taverne La Forum

    The Ardennes

    For an evening beer, try this cosy, stone-roofed cellar pub, which has several fine brews on tap and many lambics by the bottle. No food is served. It…

  • Café Le Petit Bougnat

    Liège

    A wonderfully genuine local rustic café with rough floors, candles in bottles and the perfect terrace on Outremeuse’s sweetest square. Expect mayhem all…

  • Coffee & More

    Namur

    Serving up Namur's best coffee, this charming little cafe is hard to resist. Expect latte art, tempting snacks, a welcoming vibe and at least one local…

  • Bar Les Racines

    The Ardennes

    A little grungier but with more character than most of Durbuy's cafés, this night-time blues bar opens weekends only outside the main holiday season, as…

  • Citizen Fox

    Wallonia

    One of Mons' best-loved spots is this spacious drinking den a few paces from the Grand Place. It has an inviting terrace (though nonsmokers beware!), good…

  • BlaBlah Wine

    Wallonia

    Just off Place Verte, BlaBlah is an enticing spot for first-rate wines accompanied by charcuterie plates or flavour-packed sandwiches. On warm days,…

  • Georges Café

    The Ardennes

    With 13 brews on tap, a quirky interior with seats that look like old tram benches, a large terrace and cosy rear garden-yard, Georges is the most…

  • Warzone

    Liège

    Take surreal decor with a ghoulish dark humour, add arcade games, thrash metal music and staff with more piercings and ink than plain skin et voilà – c…

  • Barricade/Entre-Temps

    Liège

    Want deep discussions (in French) about the state of the world? Then venture into this intimate little cafe with two convivial little balconies, located…

  • Brasserie {c}

    Liège

    A tasting room for Liège's exciting new brewery whose products are already causing a stir, notably the refreshing Curtius wheat beer and the excellent IPA…

  • Le Coffee Ride

    The Ardennes

    Cool decor, great coffee (from €2) and insider suggestions for cycling fanatics; located just above Coo train station.

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