4 tips for getting started in Brussels

By Charlotte Deprez Published 10/05/2017

Bruxelles, ma belle

Moving to another country is always a significant change. Because our mission is to make your life easier, here are the main information you should know in order to enjoy your stay in Brussels.

1. Settling down

Languages spoken

You just arrived in Brussels, and you still don’t understand why everything is translated in French, Dutch and sometimes English. Please be assured that you are not alone and that every expat has been through this process to understand which language he is supposed to use and when.

To simplify things, you should memorize that Belgium is divided into three parts: Wallonia, Flanders & Brussels. In Wallonia, people speak French and in Flanders people speak Dutch. In the middle, you find the Brussels Region, where people are expected to speak both languages fluently. However, the reality is that almost everybody here speaks French.

Phone plan

You’ll find what you need with the main Belgian phone operators: Proximus, Orange, Bas, Mobile Vikings, Lyca Mobile and Scarlet. Don’t hesitate to go to their shop, it’s open from Monday to Saturday.

Grocery shopping

Ok now that you are finally able to communicate with locals and WhatsApp your friends, you might feel ready to cook a huge meal to celebrate your arrival with your housemates. You have 3 main options for your grocery shopping:

  • First of all you have Carrefour. The famous French brand is everywhere in the city with its Carrefour Express. You’ll find high quality and fresh products, but you have to keep in mind that Carrefour is a little bit expensive in comparison with the competition.
  • Then in the same range of quality and price, you have Delhaize. As well as Carrefour, you’ll find Delhaize stores almost everywhere in Brussels.
  • Selling well known brands but at lower prices, thanks to the bigger quantities sold here and a minimal shop decoration, there’s Colruyt. All their shops are pretty ugly but the staff is known to be extra nice and the butcher’s meat sold here is very qualitative.
  • At a lower quality level, there’s Lidl. The hard discounter will satisfy your needs when you want to save money. However, don’t’ expect high quality products.
  • At a cheaper price (yes, it is possible to be cheaper than Lidl), there’s Aldi. The German brand is relatively present in Brussels.

2. Getting around in Brussels

Because Brussels is one of the cities with the worst traffic jams in the world, you may want to stay as far as possible from your car. However, don’t worry, the city offers you a wide range of possibilities that will for sure satisfy your needs. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of some available options.

Public transportation


The public transportation in Belgium’s capital city is handle by the STIB/MIVB whose network is composed of buses, trams, and metros. The network is very broad and will let you be able to travel all over the city for a reasonable price, from 5 am to 1 am.

  • Bus

With 54 lines and over 800 vehicles, the bus service is very helpful if you want to get you around the entire city at a cheap price. Don’t forget to compost your ticket when you enter in the vehicle, even when you directly buy it from the bus driver! Nevertheless, be careful: when using the bus you’re taking the risk of facing traffic jams, especially during peak hours. And believe us, you don’t want to be stuck in the Belgian traffic!

  • Metro

To make sure you don’t encounter any road traffic, you may want to use the metro. Indeed, even if the network is relatively small with only four lines, they are modern and well maintained. The announcements are translated in French, Dutch and in English in order to facilitate comprehension of travelers which are coming from all over the world. You’ll easily find the closest station thanks to the big white and blue “M”  signs next to each metro stop.

  • Tram

The seventeen tram lines are composed of both aerial and underground stops. The lines 3,4 and 7 are called “Chrono” and offer the same quality of service than the metro. Be careful if you are a pedestrian, trams always have the priority!

Choose the subscription plan that suits you the best:

You have a lot of different possibilities to use public transportation. The basic ticket will cost you 2.10€ when you buy it from the vending machine and 2.50€ from the driver.

Bike Sharing

If you want to avoid the monotony of public transportation, and we can’t blame you for that, what about choosing a more healthy way to get around the city? With more than 40,000 day-to-day users, Villo! shared bicycles are a very popular option as well.

You can buy a ticket for a day (1.60€) or seven days (7.90€) as well as a subscription for a year (33.60€) and enjoy your first 30 minutes of rental for free. Beware that some neighborhoods are pretty steep, but it’s still a cheap and fun way to get around the city!

3. Enjoying Brussels Life

The best attractions in Brussels

Even if Brussels is a relatively small capital city, you have a lot of awesome places and monuments that you can discover during your time there.

Of course there’s the unmissable Manneken Pis, which is the main symbol of Brussels, in the city center. You’ll see that this little guy has more clothes than anyone else in the city, and you’ll be able to check them out in its very own museum.

In the same neighborhood, there’s also the Grand Place, one of the most beautiful squares in the world. You’ll certainly appreciate walking around the historical center’s beautiful paved streets that make the charm of Brussels, and drinking a coffee in one of the numerous cafés of the Grand Place, boasting amazing views on the old monuments.

Finally, you must pay a visit to the Atomium, a monument which was built in 1958 for the Universal Exposition. it’s an impressive construction made composed of balls of steel, featuring a restaurant, a museum, meeting rooms… It’s one of the most popular attractions in Brussels.

Best bars in town

Come on, we know why you decided to live in Belgium. Climate? I don’t think so. Work opportunity? Maybe. Beers? Absolutely! Here’s a selection of great bars in Brussels!

The number one, without any doubt, is the Délirium Café. There, you’ll meet a huge number of expats, locals and tourists, but most importantly, you’ll be able to test more than 4.000 types of beers. This is the most famous bar in the city and you must go there at least once! Believe us, you won’t be disappointed.

In the trendy Ixelles neighborhood, on the famous place Flagey, you just can’t avoid going to Café Belga. This place is recognizable thanks to its huge red-chaired terrace, out all year long. Low prices and great atmosphere, this place is the insurance of spending a great time with your friends. We advise you to go there on Friday nights, believe us, Belga is always a good idea!

4. Brussels unmissable restaurants and food places

As mentioned in our blogpost « 4 things to know before moving to Belgium’s capital city », Brussels is close to paradise for foodies. Here are a few places where you should at least eat once during your time in Brussels:

  • For Belgian fries: the best Belgian fries are eaten on the street, standing up, and with mayonnaise. The best ones can be found on Place Flagey, at Frit’ Flagey and Maison Antoine on Place Jourdan, in the UE neighborhood.
  • For great sushi: Makisu was launched by a Belgian couple, fascinated by the japanese specialty. The success was immediate thanks to the freshness, the low prices and the great branding around the whole project. There are now 2 Maki Su in Brussels: rue du Bailli and rue de Flandre.
  • The best Italian food: Osteria Bolognese is rated as one of the best places in town when it comes to pasta and good Italian food. You’ll find a lot of Italians eating here, which is always a great sign. Beware, booking a table is not a piece of cake! For a quick lunch, Piccola Store close tu Place Flagey serves amazing food but does also catering, in case you want to eat great Italian food at home.
  • Great burgers: no doubt allowed here, the best burgers in town are at L’Amour Fou, in the Matonge neighborhood.
  • Greek delights: the Greek community is well represented in Brussels, and this means amazing mediterranean food! Ergon, right next to Place du Luxembourg, is really good. Of course they have mezze, but also less known casseroles and typical dishes. They also sell their product in their tiny grocery store.
  • A vegetarian choice: Dolma in the Flagey neighborhood is very appreciated even by the non vegetarians. The concept is a vegetarian buffet for around 20euros. They also have a vegetarian grocery store!
  • Great Japanese food: Izaka-ya is the best japanese restaurant you’ll find in the city. We strongly recommend the bento, which is both cheap and amazing.
  • The best coffee: great coffee is pretty easy to find in Brussels, but the one you really have to taste is OR Coffee Roasters’. This Antwerp based coffee company manages the whole production line from A to Z, making sure your coffee is qualitative and ethical. OR has two locations in Brussels: in the city center and in the european neighborhood.
  • Brunch: there are a lot of brunch places in Brussels, but the best ones are without a doubt God Save the Cream and its Britain inspired menu, La Fabrique and its amazing homemade buffet and Le Dillens for its neighborly feeling and cheap original food.
  • Belgian food… duh!: Le Fin de Siècle, in the city center is a great place for real Belgian food and beers. For meatballs lovers, push the door of Balls & Glory, specializing in stuffed meatballs made of local products. They have two locations: one in the very center and one at Yser.

Welcome home !

About the author Hello there! I'm Charlotte, based in beautiful Brussels and passionate about traveling, food and photography. Follow me @thetinynomad!