Working coffees in Brussels, cheap and professional (2019)
Working alone at home is not all that much fun. But with the surge of trendy coffee shops, digital nomads and freelancers, new little gems are appearing every year.
We know that you’re not there for the best quality cookie or to spend two minutes drinking a quick coffee.
You want good Wi-Fi, a comfortable chair, a calm space and a waitress who doesn’t ask you to buy a coffee every 20 minutes.
If this brief introduction applies to you, dear student, entrepreneur, lone worker, artist or general chiller who prefers to watch Netflix outside, then check out our list of the top work-friendly coffee shops in Brussels.
Our criteria for a work-friendly coffee shop in Brussels.
We are independent so our choices are completely neutral. However, certain criteria have been respected. In the coffee shops on this list:
- You will not pay more than 4€ for your coffee. That’s already expensive enough.
- There are several sockets and an acceptable Wi-Fi. We have avoided places with a Wi-Fi of less than 5 mbs.
- You will not be the only person with a laptop. Nothing feels more uncomfortable than being the only person working.
- You can make calls. The atmosphere is calm and sober and the music is not too loud.
Our top work-friendly coffee shops in Brussels
Check out this list of our top work- and wallet-friendly coffee shops in Brussels.
Jat Café
There are two kinds of people at JAT. Those who come for a chat and to enjoy the Belgian hipster atmosphere sipping a coffee and those who come to work hard.
➡ You’ll blend in with the background. Cosy atmosphere with hipster waiters.
The menu is a little on the expensive side though. 16€ for brunch. A few bagels and coconut muffins will do the job.
To be avoided at lunchtime; the place quickly becomes crowded and noisy …
How to get there?
Rue de Namur 28, 1000 Brussels (tram lines 92, 93 or metro from the central station).
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 8-19; Saturday & Sunday: 9-19
Café Lulu
This cosy coffee shop has a vintage feel and is a very pleasant place to work. Not only can you enjoy delicious homemade cakes with your coffee, but you can also have a breakfast menu every day until 11 and brunch on the weekend.
When it comes to price range, it’s not the cheapest. 3€ for a cookie is not a bargain. Brunch on the other hand is quite good value when you look at the quantities served.
If you’d like to do some shopping during a break, there is Lulu, a vintage/retro style home decoration shop, just next door.
How to get there?
Rue du page 101, 1050 Brussels. Châtelain area (tram lines 92 & 81)
Your new working hours
Tuesday – Sunday: 8-19
POZ CAFÉ
POZ Café is bright with big bay windows and comfortable armchairs, a perfect place to spend an afternoon working.
The little extras? Free Wi-Fi, a bright terrace and delicious and decently priced cappuccinos.
How to get there?
Rue Defacqz 92, 1060 Saint-Gilles (tram lines 8, 81 & 93)
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 7-19; Saturday: 8-19 & Sunday: 10-19
Café Capitale
Ideal for coffee shop enthusiasts! There is a wide variety of coffees on the menu and delicious cakes at reasonable prices (2,80 € for an espresso for instance).
With its good Wi-Fi connection and comfortable armchairs, Café Capitale is an ideal place to spend a day working or chilling.
The one slight negative? The coffee shop is cosy but small, so it’s difficult to find a place to sit …
How to get there?
Rue du Midi 45, 1000 Brussels. A stone’s throw from Grande Place 🙌 (metro lines 1,5 or buses 29,63 direction De Brouckère or tram lines 3,4 direction Bourse).
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 7:30-20; Saturday & Sunday 8:30-20.
Le Phare du Kanaal
Le Phare du Kanaal is divided into two parts. On the ground floor you’ll find the coffee shop/restaurant part and on the first floor is a co-working space with 25 places and a meeting room.
Its location near the canal de Bruxelles (Molenbeek) means there are many shops around where you can find food at very affordable prices. 500 metres away, in front of the church, you can have a couscous royal for 5 €. What else?
The co-working space has to be paid for, but you are free to sit with your laptop in the coffee shop. The Wi-Fi is ok.
This is an ideal place for working or organising a meeting. Another plus is that they put tables outside if the weather is nice so that you can work and sip a homemade tea in the sun ☀😎 !
How to get there?
Quai des charbonnages 40, 1080 Brussels, near canal de Bruxelles (metro lines 1 & 5; tram line 51; buses 126,127 & 128)
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 9-20; Saturday & the first Sunday of the month 11-18
Café de la Presse
Are you a fan of coffee and bagels? Make a stop at Café de la Presse to work. On the menu: different types of coffees, teas and hot chocolates, but also bagels and cupcakes.
This is a friendly coffee shop with free Wi-Fi, soft sofas and international newspapers!
It’s also a great spot for networking. Avenue Louise is famous for being a place for the well to-do and the chic. In this coffee shop you might come across high-flying Belgian investors or entrepreneurs!
How to get there?
Avenue Louise 493, 1050 Brussels (tram lines 7,8,93 stop Legrand).
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 7:30-20; Saturday & Sunday 8:30-20
Léopold Café Presse
Situated near square Montgomery, the Léopold Café Presse is a delightful place and it’s very pleasant to work there.
It’s a mix between coffee shop, restaurant, bookshop and bakery, and the atmosphere is 100 % Belgian. The armchairs are comfortable, but it’s not easy to find a place to plug in your computer … There are screens and newspapers available for your break time.
At lunchtime they offer delicious bagels; and sweets such as cupcakes and cheesecakes are available all day. Prices quickly add up though … You’ll have to be careful not to spend too much on your working afternoon.
To be avoided Sunday mornings because of their brunch tradition. The line goes all the way out onto the street.
How to get there?
Avenue de Tervuren 107, 1040 Etterbeek. Between Montgomery and Mérode (tram lines 7, 25, 39, 44 & 81, buses 27, 61 & 80, metro line 1);
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 8-20; Saturday & Sunday 9-20.
Lloyd Café Presse
This coffee shop opened in 2019. The location is very good, near Place Stéphanie and Louise. It’s still not very well known, so there are not too many people and it’s calm!
Some of the tables are a bit small for working. On the plus side there is a corner where your children can play.
How to get there?
Rue Jean Stas 26, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium (tram lines 92 & 93 stop Stéphanie).
Your new working hours
Monday – Friday: 8-20; Saturday & Sunday 9-19
Some coffee shops that didn’t make it onto our list of top work-friendly coffee shops in Brussels.
Hinterland
This coffee shop is situated in Saint-Gilles (near Place Stéphanie), but we haven’t seen a lot of laptops there yet. The coffee shop is great because of its vegetarian and vegan menus, but it’s not yet an ideal place for working.
Parade Café
More of a coffee shop with a superb bookshop than a working space. We didn’t have a good experience with the Wi-Fi there either …
Workshop café
Great place on avenue Louise that regrettably closed down RIP 🙏. This was one place where people were genuinely absorbed in their work!
To sum up: work-friendly coffee shops in Brussels
You will certainly find what you’re looking for on this long list. Try out a few spots and let us know what you think in the comments. Is your coffee shop not listed? You can also let us know in the comments.
Thank you Monika Deribert for having co-written this article. Your efforts in hunting down coffee shops were of enormous help to us!
Nafisa
30/07/2020 @ 14:58
Hi thanks for that, most of these cafes are in the south of the city though, St-Gilles, Ixelles areas. It would be great if you could explore the north of the city and include some other communes such as Schaerbeek, Evere and such. thanks
Jérémy
30/10/2019 @ 18:58
Hi, very useful post thank you ! 🙂