The new Japanese-style tea house Akko might have struggled to survive with massive road works happening outside the front door. But this zen spot is doing just fine. It’s as if a tiny corner of Kyoto has somehow survived amid the everyday chaos that is modern Brussels.
The tea house occupies a narrow interior that was once the old-fashioned Belgian chocolate shop Irsi. But the interior has been totally transformed to create a calm Japanese interior using pale wood, neat round tables and a back window incorporating a large wooden circle. A tiny back garden adds a final Japanese touch.
Akko was set up by Jane Rébillé after a spell in the Japanese restaurant Kamo. She brought in her sister Rebecca to work on the interior design, while her father handles the admin side and her Japanese mother ensures that the food is authentic. The EU-Japan Centre also helped the founder contact Japanese suppliers.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
