48 hours in Brussels: A development insider's guide

Brussels might not equal the glitzy reputation of some European cities, but the Belgian capital can prove quite welcoming to visitors — especially to development professionals looking to sort out business with officials at the European Commission and other European institutions, agencies and bodies. The 1.2 million-strong city also hosts a slew of contractors, important outposts of international and regional NGOs, the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and of course the domestic Belgian Development Agency, or BTC. “Brussels is a little village,” said Louise Hilditch, managing director of Local Knowledge, a firm that among other things helps international NGOs get set up in the European capital. “This is a very inclusive place. Everybody is from somewhere else.” Most places of interest to development professionals are concentrated in a section of town appropriately called the European Quarter. They’re generally surrounded by a wide range of cafés, restaurants and bars. Below we offer few tips. Scroll down for addresses and links. DEVCO, ECHO, and NGOs: European Quarter (west) On the western end of the European Quarter, you’ll find the European Commission’s agencies for international development and cooperation: The European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, or DEVCO, and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, or ECHO. Many younger staffers congregate for lunch and after-work drinks at Le Grand Central. The lunch menu features burgers and a vegetarian buffet. “Nice and trendy,” says a regular from Spain. About a 15-minute walk from DEVCO, it also serves breakfast. Its Sunday all-you-can-eat brunch is also popular. Initially designed for youth organizations, the Mundo J office building houses about 30 NGOs working on sundry causes, including development. They share many facilities, including meeting rooms, a café/restaurant, bike parking with shower, kitchenettes and sofa corners. Just down the street is Leituz, popular at lunchtime for its salad bar. Beware of the dreaded lines stringing outside when it gets busy. A small Italian café nearby, Caffelatte Espresso Bar, makes some of the best espresso in town and offers a range of lunch options. One insider says it is more popular with “think-tankers” and EU officials than with NGO activists. Opening at 7:30 a.m., it offers a good option for an early pre-meeting coffee. Described by one Mundo J-staffer as “a New York-style” place, The office is a local café that has become popular for morning coffee and healthy lunches. Further down the road, but still within walking distance, Mundo B, or. Mundo Bis, is Mundo J’s sister. Launched by NGOs to house their Brussels operations, the complex features a conference center, an organic café, a nature garden, yoga classes, regular jam sessions in the cafeteria and more. Its Kamilou café is open to the public, specializing in organic, fair-trade and healthy fare. Place de Londres and Environs Not far from Mondo B, but with its own vibe, the Place de Londres, the Place Fernand Cocq and the Rue Saint Boniface form a triangle of cafés, restaurants, bars and pubs that are popular for evening drinks — especially in spring and summer. Everything is within a 10-minute walk. Few people have favorite hangouts. They just end up “somewhere.” For outsiders, a good starting point could be the Place de Londres Café, on the square of its namesake. European Council & EEAS: Schuman Roundabout, Rue Froissart, and the Place Jourdan Representing the heads of state of EU members, the European Council defines the EU's political direction and priorities. The European External Action Service serves as the EU’s foreign ministry and diplomatic corps. Their respective headquarters straddle the Schuman Roundabout. The area surrounding the roundabout itself is uninviting, but jewels can be found on nearby side streets. Henri & Agnès offers a limited midday menu, but all made with fresh, organic ingredients. There’s a large table often occupied by groups for working lunches. When the sun comes out, people scamper up to the rooftop tables. Mi-Figue Mi-Raisin is a cozy, family-owned restaurant with a small garden. It offers reasonably-priced set lunches and a variety of sandwiches and quiches. Some office workers head over there for external meetings, or to toil in solitude while nursing a cup of coffee. Italians in the “EU bubble” invariably find their way to Piola Libri, a wine bar and bookshop with free wifi. It sometimes organizes cultural events. Paolo’s Idea is the nearby pizzeria, popular with European expats. The Place Jourdan square, with its assortment of wine bars and pub, livens up in the evening. When hunger strikes, head for the Maison Antoine, a food stand that has been serving up some of the world’s best fries, along with other snacks, since 1948. European Parliament: Place Luxembourg There are several cafés, bars and pubs on the Place du Luxembourg, the square out front of the European Parliament. Again, nobody picks favorites. Just go to the square. The city’s best-known weekly happy hour reigns every Thursday, replete with food trucks and music. That bash is “overrated,” frequented mostly by interns, some claim. Others suggest that “it is good for meeting people from the commission. It is filled with people wearing suits.” Belgian Development Agency The BTC is responsible for the country’s official development assistance. Its headquarters stand west of the European Quarter, near the national Palais de Justice. The surrounding area is well-stocked with restaurants and cafés. Noordzee/La Mer du Nord is a small, local chain of food stands featuring fresh fish. There’s one just down the street from the BTC. When the weather is good, people like to enjoy their meals with a glass of wine in the sun. The nearby Place du Jeu de Balle is home to two popular places: Chaff, with a bistro-style menu and full breakfast, albeit only as of 10 a.m., and Pin Pon, with what one reviewer described as “Belgian comfort food.” The self-styled “gastro-pub” occupies an old fire station, and opens at 8 a.m., making it an option for morning coffee. Het Warm Water/L’Eau Chaude is a cooperative café that prides itself on its selection of craft beers, but also serves coffee, tea and juice. Lunch is vegetarian, based on in-season produce. They often organize political and cultural events. L’Aubette is a bistro that serves breakfast, lunch, drinks and coffee. Along with Chaff, L’Aubette is popular for weekend brunches. NATO Headquarters The NATO headquarters are located on the northeastern perimeter of the city as you head out toward the airport. For obvious reasons, security is tight. The surrounding area is a little foreboding. If you have a meeting at NATO, the best bet is to take a cab. NATO is putting the final touches on new offices across the street, and should move by the end of 2017. European Development Days Organized by the European Commission, the annual European “Dev Days” conference brings together actors in the development and humanitarian sectors from the entire EU. In recent years, the event has been held in Brussels at a venue called Tour & Taxis, an early 20th century logistics center that has been renovated and repurposed as a conference center, mini-mall and more. The site is isolated, both in terms of nearby attractions and access to public transportation. Yet for development professionals, especially job seekers, the event offers a one-stop shop for networking. “If I were going to spend two days in Brussels, I’d just go to Development Days,” said one insider. “Come with 500 business cards. Arrive early and leave late.” Especially interesting in this regard is the EDD Global Village, a section of the center reserved for booths for development agencies and organizations of all stripes. Odds and ends With so many engaged people running so many different organizations, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that Brussels boasts a full docket of political and cultural events. Many of these offer post-event cocktails, or at least a chance to linger and mingle. It would be impossible to list all of the sources of information about such events here, but here are a few. • Place du Châtelain (Wednesdays): Every Wednesday evening, partly in the spirit of Thursdays at the Place du Luxembourg, EU and EC staffers and others meet at the market in the Place du Châtelain for drinks. • The Uncivil Society (one Friday a month): A Facebook group that organizes after-work meet-ups for people from civil society organizations one Friday per month. • Boom Café: Downtown, just minutes from the famous Grand-Place, this activist-run café offers a regular series of political and cultural events. Food and drink are organic and fair-trade. • A list of events updated weekly by the French Permanent Representation to the EU: http://www.rpfrance.eu/-Calendrier-des-think-tanks,173-.html • EU Event, a website that lists events in Brussels: http://www.eu-events.eu/ Getting around Brussels The city’s metro-tram system is integrated, pretty easy to use, and serves most places you’ll need to go. You can buy single tickets or a multi-ride pass at kiosks in major stations. If you have several meetings, the easiest thing to do is buy a multi-trip pass at the beginning of your trip. The MOBIB card you are issued can be topped-up as needed, and unused trips can be used during a later visit. The Villo! bicycle share service offers one- and seven-day passes. Metro/Tram https://www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=en Villo! http://en.villo.be/Rates/Day-or-week-ticket A quick guide to where to go when in Brussels: DEVCO, ECHO, and NGOs (Mundo J and Mundo B): European Quarter (west) European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO, a.k.a EuropeAid) Rue de la Loi 41 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/ European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations ECHO Rue de la Loi 86 http://ec.europa.eu/echo/ Le Grand Central Place Jean Rey/Rue Belliard 190 https://www.legrandcentral.com/ Mundo J Rue de l'Industrie 10 www.mundo-j.org/en/ Leituz Rue de l'Industrie 4 http://letiuz.be/ Caffelatte Espresso Bar Rue du Commerce 19 https://www.facebook.com/Caffelatte-Espressobar-956928181003875/ The Office Rue d'Arlon 80 Mundo B Rue d'Edimbourg 26 http://www.mundo-b.org/en/ Kamilou Rue d'Edimbourg 26 http://kamilou.be/en/cafetarias_ixelles.html Place de Londres and Environs Place de Londres Café Place de Londres 13 http://www.placedelondres.com European Council & EEAS: Schuman Train/Metro Station & Roundabout, Rue Froissart, and the Place Jourdan European Council Rue de la Loi 175 http://www.consilium.europa.eu EEAS 9A Rond Point Schuman https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en Maison Antoine 1, place Jourdan http://www.maisonantoine.be/ Henri & Agnès 48 Rue Véronèse http://www.henrietagnes.com/ Mi-Figue Mi-Raisin Rue Archimède 71 Piola Libri Rue Franklin 66 68 http://www.piolalibri.be/ Paolo’s Idea Avenue d'Auderghem 48 http://www.paolosidea.com/ European Parliament: Place du Luxembourg European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 http://www.europarl.europa.eu NATO HEADQUARTERS North Atlantic Treaty Organization Boulevard Leopold III http://www.nato.int/ Belgian Development Agency Belgian Development Agency Rue Haute, 147 https://www.btcctb.org/ Noordzee/La Mer du Nord Ascenseur de Marolles Zwaardstraat 1 http://vishandelnoordzee.be/ Chaff Place du Jeu de Balle 21-22 http://www.mobyfree.com/chaff/ Het Warm Water/L’Eau Chaude Rue des Renards 25 http://www.hetwarmwater.be Pin Pon Place du Jeu de Balle 62 L’Aubette Rue Blaes 114 https://www.facebook.com/Laubette/ European Development Days European Development Days https://eudevdays.eu/ Special thanks to Hanne Knaepen, Greta Galeazzi and Nina Thijssen of the European Center for Development Policy Management for their help with the research on this article. 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