CAFÉ SOCIETY

A photographic story series which celebrates the spaces at the heart of Belgian beer culture.

Join our newsletter to discover Belgium's Café Society.


CAFÉ SOCIETY

A photographic story series which celebrates the spaces at the heart of Belgian beer culture.

Join our newsletter to discover Belgium's Café Society.

Trappistenhuis Den Herberg

Café Society

2 min read
Trappistenhuis Den Herberg in Waasmunster is a volkscafé offering Trappist beers, Geuze, and sourdough bread made with Chimay yeast.

If breweries are the brains of Belgium's world renown beer culture, then Belgian cafés are the country's beating heart.

London has its backstreet boozers, Paris its corner bistros, Dublin its traditional pubs, and New York its eclectic dive bars.

But nothing compares to the comfort and quirkiness of a Belgian beer café.

If breweries are the brains of Belgium's world renown beer culture, then Belgian cafés are the country's beating heart.


London has its backstreet boozers, Paris its corner bistros, Dublin its traditional pubs, and New York its eclectic dive bars.

But nothing compares to the comfort and quirkiness of a Belgian beer café.

CAFÉ SOCIETY

The spaces at the heart of Belgian beer culture.

Hof den Tuitelaar

Café Society

2 min read
Hof den Tuitelaar is part of Belgium's café society with spacious outdoor seating and a generously decorated interior of vintage memorabilia.

À La Becasse

Café Society

2 min read
À La Becasse is a rustic brown bar in Brussels known for serving sweetened lambic from a jug. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

La Fleur en Papier Doré

Café Society

3 min read
La Fleur en Papier Doré (Het Goudblommeke in Papier) is a Brussels estaminet with a surreal twist that forms part of Belgium's Café Society.

CAFÉ SOCIETY

The spaces at the heart of Belgian beer culture.

Hof den Tuitelaar

Café Society

2 min read
Hof den Tuitelaar is part of Belgium's café society with spacious outdoor seating and a generously decorated interior of vintage memorabilia.

À La Becasse

Café Society

2 min read
À La Becasse is a rustic brown bar in Brussels known for serving sweetened lambic from a jug. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

La Fleur en Papier Doré

Café Society

3 min read
La Fleur en Papier Doré (Het Goudblommeke in Papier) is a Brussels estaminet with a surreal twist that forms part of Belgium's Café Society.

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CREATORS

The café-goers behind this series

Cliff Lucas

Photographer & Writer

Cliff is a Brussels-based freelance photographer, videographer, writer, and social media consultant. He specialises in food and drink and helps people and businesses tell meaningful and memorable stories. Cliff writes and shoots our Café Society series. See more about Cliff here.

Breandán Kearney

Editor & Producer

Breandán works alongside Cliff on Café Society as series editor and producer. Breandán brings to the series his knowledge of Belgian beer culture, his publishing know-how at various food and drinks magazines, and his experience working on editorial projects for large independent publishing companies.

MORE CAFÉS

Delve into our archives

Den Herberg

Café Society

2 min read
Den Herberg is a café and lambic brewery in Halle serving traditional Belgian beers alongside their own range of Ales and Lambics.

Café de Hanekeef

Café Society

2 min read
Café de Hanekeef is the oldest bar in Mechelen (dating back to 1886). It's located near Mechelen's Veemarkt, part of Belgium's Café Society.

Zennegat 13

Café Society

2 min read
Zennegat 13 is a live-music bar situated on the Leuven-Dijle canal in Mechelen and part of Belgium's Café Society.

A La Mort Subite

Café Society

2 min read
A La Mort Subite is a bistro-style café located in the heart of Brussels which dates back to 1910. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame

Café Society

2 min read
A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame is a Brussels estaminet that used to be a small prison for death row inmates. It's part of Belgium's "Café Society".

Café Botteltje

Café Society

2 min read
Café Botteltje is a hotel and café located on the Belgian coast offering 15 rooms and over 300 beers. It's part of Belgium's "Café Society".

Brasserie Verschueren

Café Society

2 min read
Brasserie Verschueren is a Saint-Gilles café at the heart of the commune’s cultural, political, and social life since 1880.

De Tramstatie

Café Society

2 min read
Café De Tramstatie in Emblem is a traditional volkscafé generously decorated with enamel beer signs, an institution of Belgium's Café Society.

Café Den Haas

Café Society

2 min read
Café Den Haas in Gooik is a secluded Belgian beer café dating back to 1871 and a drinking institution at the heart of Belgium's Café Society.

De Kluis

Café Society

2 min read
Café de Kluis is a traditional lambiek café located in Buizingen, Halle and a drinking institution at the heart of Belgium's Café Society.

In de Oude Smis van Mekingen

Café Society

2 min read
In de Oude Smis van Mekingen is a traditional Flemish bar in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw dating back to the 1840s; part of Belgium's Café Society.

De Blauwe Kater

Café Society

2 min read
De Blauwe Kater is a cozy jazz & blues bar serving specialty Belgian beers in the centre of Leuven. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

Poechenellekelder

Café Society

1 min read
Poechenellekelder is an authentic tavern located close by the Manneken Pis which embraces the thousand-year-old history of Brussels.

De Bascule

Café Society

1 min read
De Bascule is a traditional volkscafé in Bellingen offering regional beers, Trappist ales, Geuze, and Lambic on tap.

GIST

Café Society

1 min read
GIST is a café located in central Brussels who serve “Belgian craft beers only”. It's part of Belgium's rich and diverse "Café Society".

Kastar

Café Society

1 min read
Kastar Cafe is a neighbourhood café located in the Flagey / Avenue Louise area which describes itself as "cosmopolitan, urban, and free."

MORE CAFÉS

Delve into our archives

Den Herberg

Café Society

2 min read
Den Herberg is a café and lambic brewery in Halle serving traditional Belgian beers alongside their own range of Ales and Lambics.

Café de Hanekeef

Café Society

2 min read
Café de Hanekeef is the oldest bar in Mechelen (dating back to 1886). It's located near Mechelen's Veemarkt, part of Belgium's Café Society.

Zennegat 13

Café Society

2 min read
Zennegat 13 is a live-music bar situated on the Leuven-Dijle canal in Mechelen and part of Belgium's Café Society.

A La Mort Subite

Café Society

2 min read
A La Mort Subite is a bistro-style café located in the heart of Brussels which dates back to 1910. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame

Café Society

2 min read
A L’Imaige Nostre-Dame is a Brussels estaminet that used to be a small prison for death row inmates. It's part of Belgium's "Café Society".

Café Botteltje

Café Society

2 min read
Café Botteltje is a hotel and café located on the Belgian coast offering 15 rooms and over 300 beers. It's part of Belgium's "Café Society".

Brasserie Verschueren

Café Society

2 min read
Brasserie Verschueren is a Saint-Gilles café at the heart of the commune’s cultural, political, and social life since 1880.

De Tramstatie

Café Society

2 min read
Café De Tramstatie in Emblem is a traditional volkscafé generously decorated with enamel beer signs, an institution of Belgium's Café Society.

Café Den Haas

Café Society

2 min read
Café Den Haas in Gooik is a secluded Belgian beer café dating back to 1871 and a drinking institution at the heart of Belgium's Café Society.

De Kluis

Café Society

2 min read
Café de Kluis is a traditional lambiek café located in Buizingen, Halle and a drinking institution at the heart of Belgium's Café Society.

In de Oude Smis van Mekingen

Café Society

2 min read
In de Oude Smis van Mekingen is a traditional Flemish bar in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw dating back to the 1840s; part of Belgium's Café Society.

De Blauwe Kater

Café Society

2 min read
De Blauwe Kater is a cozy jazz & blues bar serving specialty Belgian beers in the centre of Leuven. It's part of Belgium's Café Society.

Poechenellekelder

Café Society

1 min read
Poechenellekelder is an authentic tavern located close by the Manneken Pis which embraces the thousand-year-old history of Brussels.

De Bascule

Café Society

1 min read
De Bascule is a traditional volkscafé in Bellingen offering regional beers, Trappist ales, Geuze, and Lambic on tap.

GIST

Café Society

1 min read
GIST is a café located in central Brussels who serve “Belgian craft beers only”. It's part of Belgium's rich and diverse "Café Society".

Kastar

Café Society

1 min read
Kastar Cafe is a neighbourhood café located in the Flagey / Avenue Louise area which describes itself as "cosmopolitan, urban, and free."

Discover Belgium's Café Society

Learn about the spaces at the heart of Belgian beer culture through our free monthly newsletter.

We send emails once a month. We never spam. Unsubscribe at any time.