Whether you prefer to indulge in a hearty meal, spend a night at the cinema or enjoy spending time outdoors, our monthly cultural guide has you covered.
Here are our top picks of what to eat, watch and discover on Brussels' vibrant cultural scene this month.
Food & drink
Jayu
Brussels' former Vertige restaurant run by San Hoon Degeimbre and Kevin Perlot on Rue de Flandre has recently undergone a dramatic transformation. It has now reopened its doors as 'Jayu' – meaning "freedom" in Korean.
Credit: Jayu
The new restaurant-theatre concept welcomes 12 guests each evening for a 12-course "immersive gastronomic experience" served in two 120-minute sessions, accompanied by actors and music. "Jayu is not just a dinner. It is a performance where you are both spectator and protagonist," the restaurant's website says.
Find more information here.
Yao
Yao is another new kid on the block. It is very much in its early stages and still curating its menu, but already generating a buzz.
Credit: Yao.bxl / suephillips246
On Avenue Everard in the Brussels municipality of Forest, you can find a delicious selection of teas, coffees and street bites, including oolong, beetroot lattes and sesame lattes – in short, "Taiwanese warmth in a cup".
Find more information here.
Resto National
Another one not to miss this month is the renowned pop-up Resto National on Place du Jeu de Balle to mark Belgium's National Day. Each year, tables are set up and hundreds flock to the square for a huge portion of one of Belgium's best dishes – moules-frites – and plenty of music and dancing. Organisers also provide meals for less fortunate neighbourhood residents, thanks to customer donations made with their reservations.
Credit: Bruxelles Zingt
This year, visitors can expect performances from the Lazy Jack trio as well as the classic giant bilingual karaoke organised by 'Bruxelles Zingt' and 'Orde van de Brusselse Moestasje'. Elsewhere in Brussels, there will be a host of other free events, parades and a spectacular free concert followed by a fireworks display at Parc du Cinquantenaire.
Find more information here.
Films
'Bruxelles fait son cinéma', various locations in Brussels, until 15 July
The travelling film festival 'Bruxelles fait son cinéma' is back for its 25th edition, offering free outdoor screenings across all 19 municipalities of Brussels. Launched in 2001, the event aims to revive the tradition of neighbourhood cinemas, which are now "almost entirely gone," by showcasing films in some of Brussels' lesser-known locations, providing audiences with a chance to rediscover the city's diversity.
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Credit: Laurèline Baron[/caption]
The festival began at the end of June, but there's still plenty more to come. We recommend 'Animale' in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, an unusual fantasy western set in the south of France and made by women, and 'L'Histoire de Souleymane', a heartbreaking story about an undocumented immigrant trying to make a life in Paris after a perilous journey from Guinea. Screenings begin at nightfall and no reservations are needed.
Find more information here.
Music
Brosella festival, Brussels, from 4 to 6 July
This urban jazz festival has been holding outdoor concerts in picturesque surroundings in Brussels since 1977. This year's international line-up features Mayra Andrade, Oded Tzúr, Lakecia Benjamin, SALIF KEïTA, Jaga Jazzist and more.
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Credit: Brosella[/caption]
The weekend event offers a unique array of jazz and blues music and a programme specifically for children in the enchanting setting of Osseghem park in northern Brussels.
Find more information here.
Midis-Minimes Festival
Fancy a lunchtime musical interlude to break up the working day? Look no further! Midis-Minimes is back at two new venues this year: the Cercle Royal Gaulois and the Hall of Mirrors at the Egmont Palace. Both will offer a phenomenal acoustic and aesthetic setting, and allow for a diverse musical repertoire. The Notre-Dame des Victoires church in Sablon will also continue to be an integral part of this summer's musical programme.
Credit: Midis-Minimes
As in previous years, the classical music festival holds a unique concert at 12:15 from Monday to Friday. But this year, the second week of the festival will feature concerts by the Danel Quartet every day at 13:30 performing Dimitri Shostakovich's complete string quartets. The first week of the festival will be dedicated to the piano, with performances by artists such as Irina Lankova and Elodie Vignon. Solo instruments will be in the spotlight during the last week of July, with concerts by Gabriel Rignol on the theorbo and Lucile Boulanger on the bass viol.
Find more information here.
Park activities
Vaux Hall Summer
Summer in Brussels has become synonymous with weekends spent at Vaux Hall. From salsa and yoga sessions to open-air film screenings and DJ sets, the diverse nature of this ten-week event ensures there is something for everyone!
Credit: Vaux Hall Summer
For the ninth year in a row, Vaux Hall Summer is nestling itself behind the Théâtre du Parc, hidden among tall trees on the edge of Parc de Bruxelles, in an elegant arcade built of wood painted green. Until the end of August, locals and tourists alike can make their way to this peaceful haven, either to take part in one of the many events on the diverse cultural programme or to simply sit back and relax in one of the many lounging chairs.
Find more information here.
Summer readings in the Citizens' Garden
This July marks the fourth edition of the European Parliament Summer Readings in the Citizens' Garden – a little-known, serene green oasis in the heart of the European Quarter. During the first two weeks of July, at lunchtime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, six authors from Ireland, Denmark, Ukraine, Slovakia, France and Germany will come to read extracts from their literary texts and discuss them with the audience.
The Citizens' Garden in the EU quarter. Credit: Jan Randáček
The chosen works focus on pressing European issues relevant to today's society, maintaining both geographical and gender diversity. Discussions will primarily be conducted in English, with flexibility to switch between languages spoken by both the audience and the moderators.
Find more information here.
