Shopping · Brussels · Belgium
Shopping in Brussels
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Otter, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Brussels is best for chocolate, beer, comic books, lace and antiques, with Belgian designer fashion along Rue Antoine Dansaert and luxury brands on Avenue Louise. Best souvenirs: Pralines, Speculoos and Belgian beer.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 4
- Top souvenir
- Pralines
Where to shop
Rue Neuve
The main pedestrian high street, lined with international chains and the City 2 mall.
Avenue Louise and Boulevard de Waterloo
Luxury fashion houses and high-end boutiques in the Upper Town.
Rue Antoine Dansaert
Belgian and international designer boutiques near Sainte-Catherine.
Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries
Historic arcades with chocolatiers, bookshops and leather-goods shops.
Sablon
Antique dealers, art galleries and some of the best-known chocolatiers in Belgium.
Markets
Place du Jeu de Balle flea market
A daily morning flea market in the Marolles, liveliest at weekends.
Midi Market
A huge Sunday-morning market around Brussels-Midi station, selling fruit, vegetables, spices and household goods.
Sablon antiques market
Weekend stalls of antiques and collectibles on the Place du Grand Sablon.
Châtelain market
A local food market in Ixelles on Wednesday afternoons and evenings, popular for an after-work glass of wine.
What to buy
Pralines
Boxed chocolates from Brussels chocolatiers; keep them cool and eat them within a few weeks.
Speculoos
Spiced biscuits, sometimes shaped in traditional carved moulds, from Maison Dandoy or supermarkets.
Belgian beer
Gueuze, Trappist and abbey beers with their matching glasses from specialist beer shops.
Comic albums and figurines
Tintin, Spirou and Smurfs albums and collectibles from specialist comic shops in the centre.
Brussels lace
Handmade lace is expensive; ask shops whether pieces are handmade in Belgium or machine-made imports.
Streets and markets worth a wander
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Architecture · Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré
Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries
Opened in 1847, these elegant glass-roofed shopping arcades were among the first of their kind in Europe.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Food
Neighbourhood · Sablon and Mont des Arts
Sablon
The Place du Grand Sablon is lined with chocolatiers, antique dealers and café terraces, overlooked by the Flamboyant Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Sablon.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Architecture
Market · Marolles
Place du Jeu de Balle flea market
The Marolles flea market fills the cobbled Place du Jeu de Balle every morning with bric-a-brac, old prints, furniture, clothes and curiosities.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Brussels and Liège waffles, Grey shrimp croquettes, Pralines and Speculoos. Street stands around the Grand-Place and tea rooms; Maison Dandoy serves both in sit-down tea rooms. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré | $$$ | Guild houses, glass-roofed galleries and narrow restaurant lanes in the historic Lower Town |
| Sainte-Catherine and Dansaert | $$$ | Former fish-market quays, seafood restaurants and designer boutiques |
| Sablon and Mont des Arts | $$$$ | Antique dealers, chocolatiers and the royal museums in the elegant Upper Town |
| Marolles | $$ | Old working-class quarter with a daily flea market, antique shops and brown cafés |
| Ixelles | $$ | Residential district of Art Deco squares, ponds, Congolese restaurants and bars |
| Saint-Gilles | $$ | Art Nouveau townhouses, the Horta Museum and a busy square of cafés near Brussels-Midi |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in restaurant prices. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected, and tipping in bars is not customary.
- Greet shop staff with 'Bonjour' or 'Goeiedag' when you walk in; it is expected.
- The Brussels Card pays off only if you visit three or more paid museums a day.
- Buy chocolate and speculoos for gifts at supermarkets or less central chocolatiers rather than at the shops around the Grand-Place.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–March and November; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- January: Winter sales — shop discounts across the city (usually from early January)
- February: Brussels Light Festival — illuminated art trail (usually February)
- May: Kunstenfestivaldesarts — international performing arts festival (usually May)
- August: Brussels Summer Festival — outdoor concerts (usually mid-August)
- September: Comic Strip Festival (usually September)
- November: Winter Wonders Christmas market and Grand-Place light show (usually from late November)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and shopping
Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré
Guild houses, glass-roofed galleries and narrow restaurant lanes in the historic Lower Town
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Brussels?
Pralines, Speculoos, Belgian beer and Comic albums and figurines.
+Where is the best shopping in Brussels?
Rue Neuve: The main pedestrian high street, lined with international chains and the City 2 mall.
+What are the best markets in Brussels?
Place du Jeu de Balle flea market, Midi Market, Sablon antiques market and Châtelain market.